GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The dust and rust is now off the Chargers' starting players.

The team's core players -- save for running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who didn't suit up -- played into the middle of the third quarter on Saturday night for what will easily be their most extensive action of the four-game exhibition slate.

The Chargers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 33-31 on Nate Kaeding's 37-yard field goal with 2 seconds left. But just as important as the result before 64,216 at University of Phoenix Stadium was the production of the first-team offense.

Quarterback Philip Rivers was particularly efficient during 2 1/2 quarters of action, completing 20-of-29 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Vincent Jackson caught both touchdown passes and had 92 yards on four receptions.

Overall, the Chargers (2-1 in the preseason) had 506 total yards, 400 of them passing, while controlling the ball for nearly 16 more minutes than the Cardinals.

"Overall it was good," Rivers said. "We had over 500 yards total offense, and any time you do that, you're moving the ball. The impressive thing was the drives we sustained. We had a lot of long drives. Obviously, you like a big play now and then. But we'll take those long drives."

The Chargers rolled up 265 yards of total offense in the first half and began the second half with an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Rivers hit Jackson for 29 yards on the second play of the drive and then teamed up with Jackson again for a 6-yard scoring pass to give the Chargers a 24-17 lead with 8:08 left in the quarter.

The Chargers first-team defensive unit came back on the field for just one play. Defensive end Luis Castillo sacked Arizona backup quarterback Kurt Warner, forcing and falling on a fumble to give the Chargers the ball on the Arizona 12.

Billy Volek replaced Rivers at that point, but failed to get the ball into the end zone as the Chargers settled for a 25-yard field goal by Kaeding.

Arizona (0-3) rallied against the Chargers' reserves and took a 31-30 lead with 1:06 remaining when third-string quarterback Shane Boyd tossed a 5-yard touchdown pass to Matt Trannon.

The Chargers made a frantic push up the field, and Volek connected with receiver Kassim Osgood on a 23-yard pass in which Osgood got out of bounds at the Arizona 19 with 6 seconds to play. Then Kaeding, relishing a pressure situation in a contest that is actually meaningless, booted the decisive kick.

"It's as much a mental game for me at this point as it is physical," Kaeding said. "You have to really practice the mental side of preparing for a kick like that and just go out and knock it through."

The Chargers close the exhibition season against San Francisco on Thursday, a game in which the starters are expected to see less action with the regular season set to open 10 days later.

Defensively, the Chargers had trouble with the Cardinals' potent passing attack, allowing 308 yards through the air. Arizona's Matt Leinart was 10-of-16 for 196 yards and one touchdown while playing just the first half.

A pair of breakdowns bothered coach Norv Turner -- including a first-quarter play in which Anquan Boldin scored on an 80-yard pass from Leinart. Boldin got behind cornerback Quentin Jammer, and strong safety Clinton Hart was nowhere in sight to help.

Turner also was upset with another first-quarter play in which Leinart scrambled out of trouble to find Bryant Johnson on a 41-yard pass that set up another Cardinals touchdown.

"We had a busted coverage and we had a scramble," Turner said. "It's something that we'll address, and a lot of it is guys trying to do more than they need to. We just got to get to where we're disciplined enough to play the coverage called and we can eliminate those plays."

Turner also was upset that the Chargers lost two fumbles.

Darren Sproles continued his fine preseason with a 19-yard touchdown run. Rivers said he initially audibilized out of the play to a pass before coming back to it. The decision was wise as the 5-foot-6 Sproles used impressive footwork to sidestep Cardinals safety Terrence Holt at the 10 en route to the score with 1:33 left in the opening quarter.

Chargers notes

RB Michael Turner suffered a high ankle sprain in the second quarter and didn't return. Š WR Craig Davis had four wisdom teeth pulled Thursday and didn't accompany the team to Arizona. … LB Marques Harris (shoulder), DE Igor Olshansky (groin), G Erik Robertson (ankle) and LBs Anthony Waters (knee) and Matt Wilhelm (calf) all missed the game with injuries. Š Free-agent LB Nick Roach recovered a fumble on an Arizona kickoff return. Earlier this preseason, Roach forced a fumble on a Seattle return.

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com. Comment at sports.nctimes.com.