San Dego Chargers

The Chargers defeated Arizona 19-3, but it seemed clear to the players the better work came during the week when they practiced against the Cardinals for two days.

QB Philip Rivers didn’t play in the game, but he was pleased with the practice.

“It allows us to see some things in a practice setting,” Rivers said. “How many times are we going to get down in the red zone in the preseason with us all in there? So it allows you to see four or five plays in a row against a defense we haven’t been practicing against all the time. It feels game-like.”

In the game, the Chargers limited Arizona to 209 total yards, but the offense failed to score a touchdown with Kellen Clemens and undrafted free agent Mike Bercovici at quarterback.

Zach Mettenberger did not play.

Josh Lambo kicked four field goals and CB Brandon Flowers scored on a 25-yard interception return.

Rookie watch: First-round pick Joey Bosa remained unsigned. The dispute continues regarding offset language and a deferred portion of the signing bonus for the defensive end.

Noteworthy: WR-PR Travis Benjamin missed a lot of practices in camp with a leg injury and then caught one pass for 11 yards and returned two punts for 7 yards against Arizona after not playing in the first preseason game. He did get some work with Rivers in practice, including a completion on a comeback timing route. “It’s a big deal for me and him,” Rivers said. “You start to build that, and those things start to stack on one another.”