Chargers lose to Vikings

Sunday, Nov 04, 2007
By Tom Shanahan, Chargers.com

Six years ago, Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson burst upon the NFL as a rookie to help turn lead the franchise into the future.

But on Sunday, the Chargers found themselves on the other end of such as a performance by a rising star as rookie running back Adrian Peterson led the Minnesota Vikings to a 35-17 win at Minnesota.

The loss ended the Chargers' three-game winning streak, but the Bolts remained tied for first place in the AFC West with the Kansas City Chiefs with 4-4 records. The Vikings improved to 3-5.

"This was a hard game for all of us," Chargers head coach Norv Turner said. "We've bounced back over the last month and played good football, but obviously today we didn't. We need to regroup and bounce back again."

It was a game that saw Peterson and Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie both set NFL records.

Peterson's record was the most yard rushing in a game with 296 on 30 carries for three touchdowns.

"This is a team game, and all three phases contribute to whatever happens and contribute to what happens to each other," Turner said. "We weren't able to keep the ball and sustain drives. Minnesota came into the game second in the league running with a great back, and we gave them too many opportunities. But that's not to make excuses. We can play better than that in all three phases of the game, and we need to play better than that."

Cromartie's record was a 109-yard return of a missed field goal that gave the Chargers a 14-7 lead as time expired in the first half.

Cromartie, the Chargers' second-year cornerback, gave the Bolts a 14-7 lead as time expired in the first half with his record return.

The Vikings had moved the ball to the Chargers' 39-yard line when they attempted a 57-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell.

The kick was short, and Cromartie, who leaped to catch the ball and pull it down with his foot just a yard inside the back line of the end zone, returned up the middle and then cut to the right sideline.

He received the final blocks he needed from Matt Wilhelm, Shawne Merriman and Igor Olshansky with Eric Weddle escorting him to the end goal line.

The Chargers' first lead of the game was 7-0 lead when Tomlinson scored on a 1-yard run to complete a 10-play, 53-yard drive with 5:46 left in the first quarter.

Minnesota tied the game on their ensuing possession when Peterson scored on a 1-yard run with 2:52 left in the first quarter.

Most of Peterson's yards came in the second half when the Bolts lost defensive end Luis Castillo and cornerback Quentin Jammer, one of the league's best cornerbacks against the run, to injuries.

Castillo was injured early in the second half and Jammer aggravated a hamstring injury he first hurt in the the win over the Houston Texans a week earlier.

After the Vikings took a 21-14 lead in the third quarter, the Chargers cut the deficit to 21-17 with a 36-yard field goal by kicker Nate Kaeding.

The Chargers appeared position to regain when the lead when the defense forced Peterson to fumble. But a pass from quarterback Philip Rivers to wide receiver Chris Chambers deep in Minnesota territory was called back for an illegal formation.

"They came out with a plan to bring the house on defense run the ball on offense," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. "The game happens in four quarters, and you have to make plays or you get beat. We just missed by a hair on a lot of big plays. You can't do that in these kind of games or it can cost you."

The Chargers return home Sunday to play the Indianapolis Colts.