49ers Close Preseason with 30–23 Victory Over Chargers

Santa Clara, Calif. - In their preseason finale at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday night, the San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles Chargers, 30–23. They overcame six turnovers with strong play on both offense and defense, plus key takeaways from the defense.

The game was tied at 16 late in the fourth quarter. The 49ers then forced two turnovers from the Chargers. They scored touchdowns on both, which won them the game. Linebacker Curtis Robinson intercepted a pass and ran it back 32 yards for a pick-six. This put San Francisco ahead, 23–16, with just over six minutes left. On the next drive, rookie wide receiver Terique Owens caught a 22-yard touchdown from backup quarterback Carter Bradley. This gave the team a 30–16 lead. It was Owens’ first NFL score and a nod to his famous name.

Quarterback play was shared between Bradley and Tanner Mordecai. Bradley went 8-of-14 for 71 yards and one TD. Tanner completed 10-of-13 passes for 103 yards and one TD. Mordecai threw a 22-yard touchdown to Demarcus Robinson for San Francisco’s first score in the second quarter. Then, Bradley led the final scoring drive. Kicker Jake Moody made a 38-yard field goal late in the third quarter. This gave the 49ers a 16-13 lead.

Defensively, San Francisco forced four Chargers turnovers, turning those takeaways into 27 points. Robinson’s pick-six was big, but so was Evan Anderson. He recovered a fumble deep in Chargers territory. This helped set up a rushing touchdown by Jeff Wilson Jr. in the third quarter. The 49ers held on after a late LAC touchdown to preserve the victory.

San Francisco ended the preseason with a 2–1 record. Now, they focus on the regular season opener against Seattle. That game is on Sunday, September 7, at 4:05 p.m. ET on FOX.