Chargers vs Miami Dolphins Match Player Stats: Herbert and Dicker Lead LA to a Wild 29-27 Comeback

Miami let a two-touchdown-caliber effort slip away, and the box score tells exactly how it happened. The Los Angeles Chargers survived a late Dolphins rally to escape Hard Rock Stadium with a 29-27 win, powered by Justin Herbert’s efficient passing and a perfect night from kicker Cameron Dicker.

Played on October 12, 2025, in front of 65,592 fans in Miami Gardens, Florida, this Week 6 AFC matchup swung on red-zone execution as much as raw yardage. The Chargers actually settled for field goals on three of their first four scoring chances, yet still walked away with the win because Dicker went 5-for-5 and Herbert delivered two second-half touchdown passes when it mattered most. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 205 yards and a score but was picked off three times, and Miami’s fourth-quarter surge — capped by a Darren Waller touchdown that briefly gave the Dolphins a 27-26 lead — came up just short after Dicker’s fifth field goal sealed it with under a minute to play.

Match Overview

Core Match Statistics Overview

The Chargers out-gained Miami by 62 total yards and controlled the clock for nearly nine minutes longer, but the more revealing split shows up in how each offense converted its chances.

Passing Efficiency

• Herbert finished a spotless 29-of-38 for 264 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions, good for a 112.2 passer rating.
• Tagovailoa’s counting stats look respectable on paper, but three interceptions and a 54.8 rating expose how costly Miami’s turnovers were in a two-point loss.

Red Zone and Field Goal Reliability

• Dicker’s perfect 5-for-5 night, capped by a game-winning 33-yarder, single-handedly kept the Chargers ahead of a Dolphins offense that actually out-gained them in a few key stretches.
• Riley Patterson missed a 50-plus-yard attempt for Miami, a swing that mattered given the final margin was just two points.

Turnover Battle

• Miami’s three interceptions against zero giveaways from LA effectively erased any advantage the Dolphins built through their rushing attack.
• Ball security, not raw yardage, was the difference-maker in this Chargers vs Miami Dolphins matchup.

Time of Possession and Tempo

• LA’s 34:19 to Miami’s 25:41 reflects the Chargers’ longer, more methodical drives, including a 13-play, 77-yard march that opened the third quarter.
• That approach also limited Tagovailoa’s opportunities to answer, especially once LA built its 23-13 cushion.

Period-by-Period Analysis

First Quarter

• Dicker opened the scoring with a 35-yard field goal, but De’Von Achane answered almost immediately with a 49-yard touchdown run.
• A second Dicker field goal, this one from 31 yards, put LA back in front 6-3 before the period ended.
• Miami’s ground game set an early tone, foreshadowing Achane’s big night on early-down runs.

Second Quarter

• Dicker’s third field goal pushed LA to 9-7, but Miami’s defense stiffened and forced the Chargers into three straight red-zone stalls.
• Patterson connected on a 47-yarder to tie it, then hit a 27-yarder as time expired in the half after Tagovailoa led a nine-play, 83-yard drive.
• The Dolphins carried a 13-9 halftime lead built almost entirely on their ability to bend without breaking in the red zone.

Third Quarter

• Herbert capped a 13-play, 77-yard opening drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Ladd McConkey, giving LA its first lead since the first quarter.
• A second Herbert touchdown pass, this one to Kimani Vidal, extended the margin to 23-13.
• Miami’s offense went scoreless for the only quarter of the game, a stretch that ultimately decided the outcome.

Fourth Quarter

• Dicker’s fourth field goal made it 26-13 before Achane’s second rushing touchdown of the night cut the deficit to six.
• Tagovailoa found Darren Waller for a go-ahead score with 45 seconds left, briefly putting Miami ahead 27-26.
• Dicker answered with his fifth field goal of the night, a 33-yarder, to reclaim the lead for good with under a minute remaining.

Los Angeles Chargers Player Statistics

Justin Herbert (QB): 29-of-38, 264 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 112.2 rating. Herbert’s clean, high-percentage outing without a single turnover was the backbone of the Chargers’ win, and both his touchdown throws came on the go-ahead drives in the third quarter.

Kimani Vidal (RB): 18 carries for 124 yards, plus 3 catches for 14 yards and a receiving touchdown. Vidal was the workhorse in the run game and added a scoring grab, giving LA a dual-threat option out of the backfield.

Ladd McConkey (WR): 7 receptions, 100 yards, 1 TD on 9 targets. McConkey’s touchdown catch put the Chargers ahead for good in the third quarter, and his 14.3 yards-per-catch average led all LA pass catchers.

Cameron Dicker (K): 5-of-5 on field goals, 2-of-2 on extra points, 17 total points. Dicker was perfect all night, including the eventual game-winner with under a minute to play.

Miami Dolphins Player Statistics

Tua Tagovailoa (QB): 22-of-33, 205 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT, 54.8 rating. Tagovailoa’s late touchdown pass to Waller nearly stole the game, but three interceptions on the day made the margin for error impossible to overcome.

De’Von Achane (RB): 16 carries for 128 yards and 2 TD, plus 4 catches for 22 yards. Achane was Miami’s most explosive weapon, scoring on a 49-yard burst in the first quarter and a short plunge in the fourth.

Jaylen Waddle (WR): 6 receptions, 95 yards on 8 targets, plus a completed pass. Waddle’s 45-yard reception in the closing seconds of the first half set up a field goal that kept Miami ahead at the break.

Darren Waller (TE): 2 receptions, 12 yards, 1 TD. Waller’s touchdown grab with 45 seconds left gave Miami a brief lead before the Dolphins’ defense couldn’t hold on.

Statistical Leaders Summary

Why the Chargers Won

Turnover-Free Passing Attack

Herbert’s clean sheet against a Miami secondary that generated zero takeaways of its own made every Chargers possession low-risk, while Tagovailoa’s three picks handed LA short fields and momentum.

A Perfect Night From the Kicking Game

Dicker’s 5-of-5 outing, worth 17 points, single-handedly offset the Chargers’ red-zone struggles early in the game. Without that reliability, Miami’s rushing edge might have been enough to win.

Third-Quarter Domination

LA outscored Miami 14-0 in the third quarter, turning a 13-9 halftime deficit into a 23-13 lead behind back-to-back Herbert touchdown drives.

Why the Dolphins Lost

Costly Turnovers at the Wrong Moments

Three interceptions from Tagovailoa, including one on Miami’s final possession, repeatedly stalled drives and gave LA short fields to work with.

A Scoreless Third Quarter

Miami’s offense went silent for the entire third period while the Chargers scored twice, a 14-point swing that proved decisive in the final two-point margin.

A Missed Field Goal in a Two-Point Game

Riley Patterson’s miss from beyond 50 yards left points on the board in a game that came down to a single field goal.

Historical Context and Advanced Insights

Season and Series Context

Advanced Statistical Insights

Herbert’s touchdown-to-interception ratio (2-to-0) against Tagovailoa’s (1-to-3) is the single clearest efficiency gap in the box score, and it lines up almost exactly with the final margin. Miami actually averaged more yards per rushing attempt (6.5 to LA’s 5.6) and won time of possession’s underlying rushing snap count on a per-play basis, which shows the Dolphins’ offense wasn’t outclassed schematically. What separated the teams was value per possession: LA’s 403 total yards translated into 29 points (7.25 yards per point), while Miami’s 341 yards produced 27 points but came with three drives erased by interceptions before they could develop.

Game Implications and Key Lessons

What This Means for the Chargers:

• A 4-2 start and a road win against a divisional-caliber opponent add confidence heading into the back half of the schedule.
• Dicker’s reliability under pressure gives Los Angeles a security blanket when the offense stalls in the red zone.

What This Means for the Dolphins:

• A 1-5 start puts real pressure on Miami’s coaching staff and front office to find answers on both sides of the ball.
• Tagovailoa’s turnover issues need to be corrected quickly, or winnable games like this one will keep slipping away in the fourth quarter.

Key Lessons From the Game:

• Turnover margin can outweigh a yardage advantage, as Miami proved by outgaining LA in stretches while still losing.
• Special teams reliability, especially a perfect night from a kicker, can be the deciding factor in a two-point game.
• Explosive rushing plays (Achane’s 49-yard score) create points quickly, but they can’t fully offset a stalled passing attack.
• Red-zone execution matters more than total yardage when the final margin is this thin.
• A dominant single quarter, like LA’s scoreless-for-Miami third period, can decide a close football game.
• Fourth-quarter composure, shown by Dicker’s game-winning kick, separates wins from losses in tight divisional-style matchups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the Chargers vs Dolphins game?

The Los Angeles Chargers won 29-27 over the Miami Dolphins on October 12, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium.

What were Justin Herbert’s stats in the game?

Herbert went 29-of-38 for 264 yards with 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, finishing with a 112.2 passer rating.

What were Tua Tagovailoa’s stats in the game?

Tagovailoa completed 22-of-33 passes for 205 yards, 1 touchdown, and 3 interceptions, finishing with a 54.8 passer rating.

Who had the most rushing yards in the game?

De’Von Achane led all rushers with 128 yards and 2 touchdowns on 16 carries for Miami.

How many field goals did Cameron Dicker make?

Dicker went a perfect 5-for-5 on field goal attempts, including the game-winning 33-yarder with under a minute remaining.

What was the score at halftime?

Miami led 13-9 at halftime before Los Angeles outscored the Dolphins 14-0 in the third quarter.

Wrap-Up

Efficiency, not raw yardage, decided this one. Miami actually moved the ball at a faster clip per rushing attempt and generated real explosive plays through Achane and Waddle, but three Tagovailoa interceptions and a scoreless third quarter gave the Chargers just enough room to lean on a perfect night from Cameron Dicker and a mistake-free performance from Justin Herbert. In a two-point game, those margins were exactly what LA needed.