Cowing returns punt for TD to spark the 49ers in 41-17 preseason win over the Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Jacob Cowing let out a season's worth of frustration with one electric play.

He returned a punt for an 83-yard touchdown in the San Francisco 49ers' 41-17 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night.

Cowing showed off his speed and agility after the Chargers went 3-and-out with three minutes left in the second quarter. Chargers punter JK Scott kicked 52 yards to the 49ers’ 17-yard line, where Cowing fielded the ball. He dashed to the left and ran in for the score, giving San Francisco a 17-3 lead.

“It was a special moment,” Cowing said. "Huge shoutout to the guys that were on that field blocking for me and gave great effort. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have been in the house.”

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan called it “a big-time play.”

“He’s always shown us his talent since he’s been here and he’s been able to string together a couple healthy weeks,” Shanahan said.

Cowing missed all of last season after injuring his hamstring during the preseason. Now he's healthy and battling for a roster spot at wide receiver.

“It was a lot going on last year, and a lot of mental warfare going on, and you know things happening over and over and over again, injury-wise,” Cowing said. “I’m happy that I was able to come out of the game healthy and put my name out there again.”

Eddy Pineiro kicked a pair of field goals and 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy saw his first preseason action, going 4 of 6 for 29 yards in the first quarter.

“I thought it was good, just in terms of breaking the huddle, calling plays, feeling the pocket, getting hit, like throwing the ball,” Purdy said.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert played the opening series in his first appearance of the preseason. He was 1 of 2, hitting Charlie Kolar with a 9-yard pass as the team went 3-and-out.

The 49ers (1-1) got field goals of 48 and 45 yards from Pineiro in the second quarter and led 20-3 at halftime. Their other TDs came on a 7-yard run by Sincere McCormick and a 1-yard plunge by fourth-string running back Khalil Herbert.

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey didn't play although he was on the field for pregame warmups. Shanahan has downplayed what he described as “tightness” for McCaffrey, saying the veteran would be practicing if it was the regular season.

The Chargers were stuck in neutral most of the game. They had eight punts, seven penalties and eight first downs. They scored late in the game on Jerand Bradley's 28-yard TD catch from DJ Uiagalelei and Evan Svoboda's 2-point conversion.

"We got outplayed and we beat ourselves in all three phases,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “We have a lot of things to work on.”

Los Angeles (1-1) closed to 20-9 in the third. 49ers' fourth-string QB Adrian Martinez's pass for Cowing was intercepted by Junior Colson, who ran 16 yards for the score. Cameron Dicker's extra point attempt went wide left. Dicker hit a 21-yard field goal for the Chargers' first points of the game.

Martinez scored on a 9-yard keeper and then hit Jordan Watkins for a 17-yard TD in the fourth.

49ers backup QB Mac Jones took over on their second drive of the game. He was 6 of 13 for 89 yards.

Rookie De'Zhaun Stribling and KhaDarel Hodge led the 49ers' receivers with four catches for 46 yards apiece. McCormick was their top rusher with 53 yards on six carries.

Chargers backup QB Trey Lance, a former top pick of the 49ers, was 10 of 16 for 73 yards.

Chargers left tackle Branson Taylor was hurt on a play in the second quarter and did not return.

Up next

49ers: At Las Vegas next Thursday in final preseason game.

Chargers: Host SoFi Stadium cotenant the Rams next Thursday to close preseason.

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