Chargers Surge Past Titans

Jan 07, 12:10 AM

The Chargers trailed the pedestrian Tennessee Titans, 6-0, and General Manager A.J. Smith was reportedly so irate that he fired Marty Schottenheimer again.

LaDainian Tomlinson, the MVP of 2006 who became MIA in the playoff loss to New England, had seven first-half carries, for 6 yards. San Diego had three first downs and the Titans 11, even though Tennessee was missing its tight end, one of its receivers, and its two best offensive linemen (Kevin Mawae, Benji Olson).

And when the Chargers got to the 2-yard-line and kicked a field goal early in the second half, the booing almost made Roseanne Barr come back for another try at the Banner.

A playoff winter, when chains are recommended _ around the doors of the Charger locker room.

Could lightning fizzle twice in the same place?

It was suddenly up to quarterback Philip Rivers, the Excitable Boy who lost his Pro Bowl trip this season and struggled through weeks of civic skepticism.

The Titans were Tomlinson's ankle bracelet. He was only going to gain 100 yards if somebody measured them sideways. To be the first San Diego QB since Stan Humphries to win a playoff game, Rivers could not be a bystander. He would have to be the Mission Valley controller.

He was, and the Chargers piled up 17 points in the second half to beat Tennessee, 17-6.

"That's been the strategy for the 34 games I've been here and it's not going to change," Rivers said. "I'm finding out quickly. It's only my second playoff game. You find ways to win."

In doing so, they paved a path to Indianapolis on Sunday, although Antonio Gates (sprained toe, second quarter) might not ride with them.

Gates got carted off the field in the second quarter, a major bullet removed from Rivers' chamber. Fortunately for San Diego, Smith had brought in Chris Chambers from Miami on Oct. 16, to join Vincent Jackson at wideout.

It's been a while since San Diego beat a good team with 57 yards from LT and Gates. It happened here because Jackson caught five balls for 114 yards and a touchdown, and Chambers took six passes 121 yards.

"In the locker room, we were saying, `hey, it's 6-0, if we score one time we get the lead,'" Rivers said. "Just keep playing.

"I didn't get caught up in the 13 years (since the previous playoff victory). It's this year's team and you've got to move on."

San Diego was 19th in the NFL this year in yards per pass attempt. Last year the Chargers were sixth. This year Rivers was 18th in quarterback rating (82.4). Last year he was eighth (92.0).

"We wanted to put the ball in Rivers' hands and make him be the one to beat us," linebacker Keith Bulluck said. "And he did a pretty good job of that."

"He made those same big plays when I played with him in college," said linebacker Stephen Tulloch, Rivers' teammate at North Carolina State. "He wasn't the fourth pick in the first round of the draft for nothing."

Jackson ranked 62nd among NFL wide receivers in catches, with 42, and scored three times in 16 games. He had never broken 100 yards until Sunday.

The Chargers also plugged up a pass rush that decked Rivers five times in Nashville (Dec. 16). They gave tackle Marcus McNeill some chipping help to keep Kyle Vanden Bosch from planting a flag in Rivers' chest.

Albert Haynesworth's most violent act was an encroachment and a throw-down of Rivers, earning a 15-yard penalty that facilitated Jackson's touchdown.

"That pocket was there just about every time I dropped back," Rivers said.

"I think Rivers did a good job protecting himself," Bulluck said. "He was able to buy time a few times with his feet. But we had breakdowns and missed assignments, and that's what beat us today."

Rivers was a far better QB on this day than he was a coach. When Tomlinson bounced his elbow on the turf a full foot outside the goal line, Rivers was sure LT had scored and demanded that Coach Norv Turner challenge the call. The crowd agreed and Turner, somewhat reluctantly, tossed the hanky.

The officials upheld the call, which was obvious to anyone with normal blood pressure, and San Diego was thus out of timeouts with 8:45 left.

As Ben Howland will tell you, that can be overcome.

Tomlinson vaulted on the next play, met Tulloch head-on, and lunged at the line, with a push from Brandon Manumaleuna, to make it 17-6.

And Rivers earned a week of amnesty.

"I don't pay much attention to the talk but I hear it," he said. "The guy under center is the question mark. I don't worry about it. I know what I can do."

___

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