Chargers advance to AFC Championship game

Sunday, Jan 13, 2008
By Tom Shanahan, Chargers.com

The Chargers advanced to the AFC Championship game with a 28-24 win that included multiple comeback efforts by the Bolts Sunday at the Indianapolis Colts.

The win over the defending Super Bowl champions featured five lead changes as San Diego preserved the win by thwarting two fourth-quarter possessions by the Colts and quarterback Peyton Manning.

Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman pressured Manning into an incomplete pass on fourth-and-5 from the 7-yard line with 2:01 left in the game.

"I've never been involved in a game that had so many guys that stepped up and made big plays," Chargers head coach Norv Turner said. "We won this game as a team."

The Chargers played the second half without running back LaDainian Tomlinson. He bruised knee on an 8-yard run suffered midway through the second quarter.

Quarterback Philip Rivers also was sent to the sidelines in the fourth quarter with a knee injury after throwing a touchdown pass that gave the Bolts a 21-17 lead on the final play of the third quarter.

The Chargers, AFC West champions with a 13-5 record, have now won eight straight games -- two in the playoffs -- as they travel to New England to face the unbeaten Patriots (17-0) Sunday in the AFC Championship game.

Before Merriman's fourth-down pressure, the Chargers linebacker Stephen Cooper knocked down a pass at the goal line and outside linebacker Shaun Phillips tipped a pass at the goal line.

The Colts, with all their timeouts remaining, stopped the clock and got the ball back one more time. But after one 5-yard completion, the Chargers forced three straight incomplete passes to wrap up the game with 58 seconds to play.

"We played tough," Merriman. "We knew we had to play 60 minutes of football. We expected that battle today and we got a win."

In a back-and-forth game, Chargers backup quarterback Billy Volek scored on a 1-yard sneak for a 28-24 lead with 4:50 left in the game. Volek directed an eight-play, 78-yard scoring drive to rally the Chargers with the fifth lead change of the game.

"That was a great drive," Turner said. "Billy showed what he can do. When he's played this year we've been way ahead, and he really hasn't had a chance in those games to do much."

Rivers, despite missing the fourth quarter, completed 14 of 19 passes for 263 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Volek came on to complete 3-of-4 passes for 48 yards and his 1-yard TD sneak.

Running backs Michael Turner and Darren Sproles combined to replace Tomlinson. Turner carried 17 times for 71 yards and Sproles caught a 56-yard screen pass that gave the Bolts a 24-21 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Vincent Jackson had seven catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, Chris Chambers caught three balls for 67 and tight end Antonio Gates, playing hobbled with a toe injury, grabbed two balls for 28 yards.

"What a big game by Vincent Jackson," Turner said. "There were so many big plays by Chris Chambers and other guys. How about that screen pass by Darren Sproles. And what a gutty performance by our defense."

Cooper led the Chargers defense with 16 tackles. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie had six tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and pass defended.

"Coach (Turner) told us to just keep playing hard," Cooper said. "As the coaches learned our strengths and weaknesses, we became a defense that makes plays."

The Chargers survived the Colts' passing game pressure as Manning completed 33 of 48 passes for 402 yards and three touchdowns. But the Bolts picked off two passes -- one by safety Eric Weddle into addition to Cromartie -- to give them eight thefts in two games against the Colts.

The Chargers, who overcame deficits of 7-0 to tie the game at 7-7 and 10-7 to take a 14-10 lead, rallied for a third time for a 21-17 lead as time expired in the third quarter.

Rivers hit Sproles for a screen pass that the backup running back and return man scooted with 56-yards down the left sideline. He got to the sideline running behind lead blocks from center Nick Hardwick and guard Kris Dielman.

But after the teams opened the fourth quarter by trading punts, the Colts took a 24-21 lead with 10:07 left in the fourth quarter when quarterback Peyton Manning hit a 55-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez.

The second half began with the Chargers, maintaining a season-long pattern of halftime adjustments, took a 14-10 lead after taking the second-half kickoff and scoring on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to wide receiver Chris Chambers. The scoring drive covered six plays and 83 yards for a 14-10 lead with 11:33 left in the third quarter.

Indianapolis responded by driving to the Chargers' 4-yard line, but on third-and-3, Weddle made a one-handed intercepted of a tipped ball at the 2-yard line.

Running back Keith Kenton couldn't catch Manning's middle screen pass, and Weddle pulled in the tipped ball while he as being blocked by Colts center Jeff Saturday.

After the Chargers were forced to punt from their 6-yard line, the Colts moved the ball 50 yards in five plays to score on a 9-yard pass from Manning to wide receiver Reggie Wayne.

The officials initially ruled Wayne went out of bounds before the goal line, but the Colts challenged the call. The call was overturned to give Indianapolis a 17-14 lead with 2:53 left in the third quarter.

The game began with the Colts taking the first lead, 7-0. Indianapolis scored took the game-opening kickoff and moved the ball 76 yards on nine plays to score on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Manning to tight end Dallas Clark.

On the next two possessions, the teams traded turnovers, with Chargers regaining the ball on a fumble by wide receiver Marvin Harrison that safety Marlon McCree recovered at the Bolts' 22-yard line.

The Chargers responded by tying the game at 7-7 with 8:38 left in the second quarter with a 10-play, 78-yard drive. Rivers completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jackson on a third-and-8 play.

Indianapolis regained the lead at 10-7 with 5:10 left in the second quarter with a 47-yard field by Adam Vinatieri. The Chargers had forced the field goal Merriman broke up a first-down pass and Weddle tackled running back Joseph Addai on a shovel pass for only a 1-yard gain. The two stops led to a third-and-9 incompletion.

The Chargers moved in position to tie the game before halftime, but Nate Kaeding's try from 48 yards hit the right upright and bounced away with 1:46 left in the half.

After the Colts took possession following the miss, Manning moved Indianapolis into position for a score. But on second-and-10 from the Chargers' 35-yard line, Cromartie intercepted a pass.

Cromartie returned the theft 89 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the officials called the play back for holding on the return with three seconds left in the half. The Chargers protested the call, but Rivers took a knee to end the half with the Colts leading 10-7.