SAN DIEGO (AP) Jake Plummer and Chris Griesen threw touchdown passes Saturday night as the Arizona Cardinals opened the preseason by beating San Diego 24-17 in Marty Schottenheimer's debut as coach of the Chargers.

Plummer threw a 66-yard scoring pass to David Boston, who beat Ryan McNeil by at least five yards, on the game's second play.

Griesen's 41-yard pass to Bryan Gilmore midway through the third quarter gave Arizona a 21-17 lead, and Tim Duncan's 26-yard field goal with 6:20 remaining completed the scoring.

Plummer, who took every snap at quarterback for the Cardinals last season, completed 5 of 7 passes for 101 yards while playing the first two series. Griesen was 6-of-11 for 74 yards.

Boston, who had 98 catches for an NFL-leading 1,598 yards last year, had three receptions for 88 yards in the opening period.

Doug Flutie, competing with Drew Brees for the Chargers' starting job, completed 6 of 9 passes for 46 yards while playing two series.

Brees was 8-of-13 for 60 yards while playing most of the second quarter, and Dave Dickenson was 12-of-20 for 154 yards and a touchdown.

Dickenson's pass into the end zone from the Arizona 35-yard line on the game's final play was intercepted by Don Morgan.

The Cardinals extended their lead to 14-0 in the opening minute of the second quarter when David Barrett intercepted Brees' second pass, which deflected off Joey Goodspeed, and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown.

Goodspeed scored on a 1-yard run to cap a 57-yard drive, and Wade Richey kicked a 41-yard field goal as the Chargers trimmed Arizona's lead to 14-10 at halftime.

Dickenson threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Batteaux to finish a 68-yard drive after the second-half kickoff and give the Chargers a 17-14 lead. They were on top only 4½ minutes before the Griesen-to-Gilmore pass.

The Chargers moved to Arizona's 34-yard line on their first possession before rookie Reche Caldwell dropped Flutie's on-target pass on fourth-and-4.

Plummer then guided the Cardinals to the San Diego 20 before Duncan missed a 38-yard field goal.

Five San Diego starters - running back LaDainian Tomlinson, linebacker Junior Seau, tight end Stephen Alexander, defensive tackle Jamal Williams, and free safety Rogers Beckett - didn't play because of injuries.

The Cardinals played without kicker Bill Gramatica and three starters - wide receiver Frank Sanders, center Mike Gruttadauria and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch.

Both teams are without unsigned first-round draft selections - defensive tackle Wendell Bryant, taken 12th overall by the Cardinals, and cornerback Quentin Jammer, chosen fifth by the Chargers.

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