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How the 49ers dominated the Chargers and the Raiders edged the Texans in NFL preseason
San Francisco rolled over Los Angeles, and Las Vegas rallied past Houston in Week 2.
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The Athletic Live Team
August 21, 2026 at 1:21 AM EDT
NFL Preseason Week 2
The second week of the 2026 NFL preseason began with Las Vegas edging Houston and San Francisco beating the Los Angeles Chargers
After falling behind by 17 points, the Raiders mounted a last-minute comeback drive, capped by an Aidan O’Connell QB sneak for a score in a 22-20 decision. Fernando Mendoza played the entire first half, completing 8-of-15 passes for 86 yards, but he threw a pick six
The 49ers’ defense and special teams lifted San Francisco to the highest-scoring performance of the 2026 preseason in a 41-17 win, highlighted by an 84-yard punt return touchdown by Jacob Cowing. Justin Herbert and Brock Purdy played their teams’ opening drives, but their possessions ended in punts
- Get involved in our game discussion page or email us your thoughts at live@theathletic.com.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s games
Tomorrow offers a three-game slate as the second week of preseason matchups continues on
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix returns to action for the first time since the AFC Divisional Round when Denver hosts the Green Bay Packers
Earlier in the day, the Jets will take on the Steelers in a matchup of two of Aaron Rodgers’ employers, and two surprise 2025 playoff teams will clash when the Panthers play the Jaguars
We will have live coverage of all three games, so stay tuned for comprehensive updates and expert insights!
49ers cruise to victory
FINAL – 49ers 41, Chargers 16
The 49ers took over this game with a 20-point outburst in the second quarter, highlighted by an 84-yard punt return touchdown by Jacob Cowing, and did not look back. San Francisco led in nearly every category, with 20 first downs to the Chargers’ 8 and a 146-68 advantage in rushing yardage
With their offense struggling most of the night, the Chargers’ best plays came on a pair of interceptions of 49ers backup quarterback Adrian Martinez
Both teams played their starting quarterbacks for their respective opening drives, but neither starting unit found success
Chargers touchdown!
Q4 1:03 – 49ers 41, Chargers 17
At last, the Chargers scored an offensive touchdown!
Jerand Bradleyfound open space down field, secured a catch and fell to the ground. But the 49ers fail to touch him down, and he scampers past two defenders into the end zone like a player darting into the safe zone in capture the flag
Los Angeles tacks on a successful two-point conversion. Scoring 24 points in 63 seconds seems unlikely, but the Chargers can end the game with at least one positive moment on offense
Two minutes to go
Q4 1:57 – 49ers 41, Chargers 9
The Chargers are getting one last gasp at a scoring drive on offense. On their last eight drives, they have come up empty
DJ Uiagalelei is an inefficient 6-for-14 with 52 yards and no touchdowns or turnovers. Let’s see if he has a successful two-minute drill in him
Martinez intercepted for a second time
Q4 5:03 – 49ers 41, Chargers 9
The Chargers’ Devin Grant gives the sideline reason to smile with an athletic interception of Adrian Martinez
Los Angeles takes over at its 45-yard line. Could the takeaway spark a scoring drive for the hosts?
Chargers’ second half might be even worse
Q4 6:20- 49ers 41, Chargers 9
The 49ers force another punt from the Chargers, and this game mercifully ticks toward its conclusion
Just look at the Chargers’ second-half possessions:
- Punt
- Downs
- Fumble
- Punt
- Punt
Brutal stat for Chargers’ run game
The Chargers’ RBs have 3 yards on 12 carries tonight
49ers, Chargers trade punts
Q4 7:53 – 49ers 41, Chargers 9
After surrendering touchdowns on back-to-back drives (albeit on short fields), the Chargers defense does not allow the 49ers to find any traction. An Adrian Martinezscramble for three yards is the longest gain of the brief drive and the 49ers send out the punting unit
The Chargers’ offense is running out of time to find the end zone themselves
49ers turn fumble into another Martinez TD
Q4 12:54 – 49ers 41, Chargers 9
The Chargers’ night hits a new low
The 49ers’ Nick Martin punches out the ball from returner Devonte Ross for the game’s first fumble, and San Francisco takes over well into Los Angeles territory
Two plays later, Adrian Martinez finds Jordan Watkins for a 17-yard touchdown. This is already the most prolific scoring performance of this preseason
Adrian Martinez zips it in for the TD 🎯SFvsLAC on @nflnetworkStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/eGqYlM9iSl
— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2026
Martinez scampers in for the score!
Q4 13:42 – 49ers 34, Chargers 9
The 49ers open the fourth quarter already threatening at the Chargers’ 13-yard line, and a couple of plays later, Adrian Martinez takes it himself for a 9-yard touchdown run
If you include the pick six, the last three 49ers drives have culminated in touchdowns
All that to say … the influx of new players hasn’t changed the dynamic of this game. The rout is on in Inglewood
Adrian Martinez takes it to the house himself 🏠SFvsLAC on @nflnetworkStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/zXVpWwQUm9
— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2026
Chargers can’t convert fourth-and-2
Q3 2:09 – 49ers 27, Chargers 9
We’ve reached the point of the game when teams are attempting fourth downs well within their territory
The Chargers get the rare third-quarter distinction of going four-and-out, after yet another incompletion from DJ Uiagalelei
San Francisco starts its drive in field-goal range
Herbert rushes in a TD!
Q3 3:46 – 49ers 27, Chargers 9
San Francisco’s gusty fourth-and-goal call does not appear to pay off, as Adrian Martinez drifts further and further back before throwing beyond the end zone under heavy pressure
But a Chargers holding penalty gives the 49ers new life, and San Francisco punches the touchdown in a play later with a Khalil Herbert 1-yard rush
Quite a drive: 14 plays, 74 yards, 49ers touchdown
Khalil Herbert takes it in for 6️⃣SFvsLAC on @nflnetworkStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/Ba4QrU9O9E
— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2026
49ers respond well to pick six, but Pleasants injured
Q3 5:47 – 49ers 20, Chargers 9
The 49ers’ offense responds to the pick-six by sustaining a nine-play, 56-yard drive and is in the Chargers’ red zone
Unfortunately, play is stopped as offensive lineman Austen Pleasants is down for San Francisco
Junior Colson pick six!
Q3 10:45 – 49ers 20, Chargers 9
The Chargers score their first touchdown, and in fitting fashion, it is not from their offense
Chargers linebacker Junior Colson intercepts Adrian Martinez and returns the pick 16 yards for a Chargers touchdown! Cameron Dicker misses the extra point, though
Junior Colson with the pick-SIX 🙌SFvsLAC on @nflnetworkStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/0Qfiev6jGn
— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2026
Uiagalelei enters for Los Angeles
Q3 10:57 – 49ers 20, Chargers 3
DJ Uiagaleleitakes over for the Chargers in the second half and hits Oronde Gadsden II for a 16-yard third-down conversion
An across-the-body deep pass to the end zone on the next play is off-target. The Chargers don’t advance any further, and the result is a sixth Chargers punt
Martinez in under center for San Francisco
Q3 13:27 – 49ers 20, Chargers 3
Adrian Martinez takes control of the 49ers offense as the second half gets underway
Not much to write home about though on the drive, as the 49ers accumulate two yards in three plays
Time for the second half
Q3 15:00 – 49ers 20, Chargers 3
Can the Chargers’ offense make more of a dent in the second half?
Los Angeles couldn’t get much of anything going in the pass and run games, and their defensive and special teams units struggled in the second quarter
DJ Uiagalelei is likely to draw the bulk of the second-half reps, if not all of them. This will be a prime chance for him to make up ground in the backup quarterback battle
We’ll have to wait a bit. The Chargers won the toss and chose to receive, so the 49ers will start in the second half
Chargers’ offense struggles in first half
Pretty ugly first half for the Chargers, particularly offensively
Trey Lancedid very little to separate himself in what has turned into a real battle for the backup QB job behind Justin Herbert. We should see DJ Uiagalelei in the second half. Lance was inaccurate far too often in the first half, throwing behind multiple receivers. Two of those missed throws led to big hits on receivers KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Derius Davis. Lance is dangerous with his legs, as evidenced by his 37-yard scramble that set up the Chargers’ lone points of the first half. But his decision-making and accuracy have been inconsistent in two preseason appearances. Lance wasn’t helped by a poor performance from the Chargers run blockers. Through two quarters, the Chargers have five rushing yards on eight designed rushes.
49ers’ rookies stand out in 20-point half
It was a good first half for the 49ers rookies, especially receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, who had four catches for 46 yards on the first two series. After that, he was finished for the evening — another early exit that underscores how much the 49ers value him. Stribling did have a big drop, one that would have been a 33-yard touchdown from Mac Jones. But the fact that the quarterbacks were 3 of 3 targeting him on third downs speaks to their trust in him
Meanwhile, Kaelon Black ran just as hard as he did in Tuesday’s joint practice and was relieved early on while Romello Height, Jaden Dugger and Carver Willis started against the Chargers. Height notched a quarterback hit on the opening series
