San Diego Chargers NFL 2008Regular Season Review

The Chargers (8-8) Finished the Regular Season as AFC West Champions

The Chargers (8-8) won the AFC West defeating the Denver Broncos on the last gamne of the NFL 2008 regular season, 52-21. The victory capped a four-game winning streak down the stretch during which the San Diego Chargeres outscored its opponents, 149-73. The Chargers are the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after a 4-8 start. The last 8-8 team to go to the playoffs were the New York Giants in 2006.

Chargers Quarterback Philip Rivers finished the regular season as the NFL's top-rated passer with a 105.5 rating, and tied for the NFL lead with 34 touchdown passes, while throwing for 4,009 yards.

Philip Rivers had a sensational month of December in leading the Chargers to the playoffs.

In December, Philip Rivers completed 80 of 121 (.661) for 1,054 yards with 11 touchdowns and just one interception. His passer rating for the month, a lofty 120.3 was second in the NFL in December behind only Peyton Manning, who raked up a rating of 130.8.

For his effort, Philip Rivers was named December's AFC Player of the Month on offense. In Week 15 against Kansas City (12/14), Rivers was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week after directing a Chargers' fourth quarter-rally for a 22-21 win. In the fourth quarter against the Chiefs, Rivers completed 18 of 24 passes (75.0 percent) for 190 yards with two touchdowns and a 125.3 passer rating.

Two weeks later against Denver in a must-win scenario to reach the playoffs, Rivers posted a 141.0 passer rating and registered two or more touchdown passes for the fourth time in December as the Chargers defeated the Broncos 52-21.

The Chargers were 4-0 in December and the team has won an NFL-record 14 straight games in December. San Diego has not lost a game in December since 2005. The December streak includes eight straight at home and six straight on the road.

The Chargers scored 439 points in 2008, second-most in the NFL to New Orleans (463). It's the Chargers fifth straight year (2004-08) of scoring at least 400 points. The 2008 Chargers featured a 4,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher. Rivers (4,009), Vincent Jackson (1,098 yards) and LaDainian Tomlinson (1,110 yards) were the three players involved.

For the 2008 season, Rivers tied for the NFL lead with 34 touchdown passes as he threw at least two TD passes in 12 of the team's 16 games and three or more in seven of 16 games, led the league with a passer rating of 105.5, finished with 4,009 passing yards.

Philip Rivers directed three fourth-quarter comeback victories this season. In 2008, Rivers was the NFL's second-leading passer in the fourth quarter with a rating of 111.7 and the Chargers led the NFL with 152 points in the fourth quarter. Rivers' fourth quarter totals included 90 of 141 (.638) for 1,148 yards with 12 TDs and two interceptions.

Rivers spread the wealth this season as nine different Chargers had at least 10 catches and nine different players scored touchdowns.

Antonio Gates led the team with 60 catches and eight touchdowns, while Vincent Jackson led the Chargers with 1,098 yards. Vincent Jackson set career highs in catches (59), yards (1,098) and touchdowns (seven) in 2008. He finished the year ranked 11th in the NFL in receiving yards. Jackson's game-winning 10-yard touchdown catch with 36 seconds remaining at Kansas City on December 14th helped the Chargers cap an 18-point comeback and keep their fleeting playoff hopes alive. Tight end Antonio Gates earned his fifth-consecutive Pro Bowl bid.

Tomlinson's 1,110 yards allowed him to become just the third player in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in each of his first eight NFL seasons. He joined company with Barry Sanders, who did so from his rookie season in 1989-98 (10 seasons) and Curtis Martin, who also did so over his first 10 seasons (1995-04). LaDainian Tomlinson finished the 2008 season ranked 14th on the NFL's all-time rushing list. He's 240 yards away from the 12,000-yard mark and 314 behind the NFL's 13th all-time leading rusher, Thurman Thomas.

With three touchdowns in the 2008 regular-season finale against Denver, Tomlinson moved into a tie with Dallas' Terrell Owens (139) for fourth place on the NFL's all-time TDs list. For Tomlinson, it was his 13th career game with three or more touchdowns in a game, leaving him one shy of the NFL record shared by a pair of Hall of Famers, Jerry Rice and Jim Brown. While tied Owens for total TDs, Tomlinson did take sole possession of second place on the NFL's rushing TDs list in the '08 season finale. Tomlinson now has 126 rushing TDs and trails only former Dallas Cowboy Emmitt Smith (164).

Although known for their offense, the Chargers defense played a big role this season.

The Chargers are a team known for their offense, but their defense has been impressive since Ron Rivera was given control as the Chargers defensive coordinator 8 games ago. The Chargers have become very stingy since then, especially in the second half. Only two of the Chargers last seven opponents have scored more than seven points in the second half against their defense (Colts and Bucs).

Under Rivera, the Chargers are allowing just 18.1 points per game and 317.1 yards in the second half of the 2008 season, down from the 24.8 ppg and 371.6 ypg prior to his taking over.

Shaun Phillips had a solid 2008 season, leading the team with 7.5 sacks, while also pacing the squad with 15 tackles for loss. Despite missing the first four games of the year due to suspension, linebacker Stephen Cooper led the team with 136 tackles on the season.

Cooper made a strong case for AFC Defensive Player of the Month honors for December, with four interceptions in the month and 41 tackles. Cooper's four interceptions for the season were the most by a linebacker in the NFL and they were also the most by a Chargers linebacker since Donnie Edwards tallied five in 2004.

Mike Scifres was one of the best punters in the NFL. He set a team record and ranked third in the league in net punting average (40.9). Seven times this season, he allowed zero or negative punt return yards. Scifres had only five touchbacks in 51 punts (9.8 %) and 19 of his 51 landed inside the 20. Among kickers with 40-or-more punts, only two others allowed fewer than Scifres' 146 return yards. Only five teams had more than 15 punt return yards against the Chargers this season.

San Diego Chargers (8-8) NFL 2008 Regular Season

 

NFL 2008 Game 1: Carolina Panthers 26, San Diego Chargers 24

The Chargers opened the NFL 2008 regular season at home against the Carolina Panthers. Despite outgaining the Chargers in total yards in the first quarter, 150-67, the Panthers were held scoreless thru the first quarter. Carolina had a chance to score early but their second drive of the game stalled on downs at the Chargers' one-yard line.

In the second quarter, the Panthers scored first on a Kasay 44-yard field goal. The Chargers responded by scoring their first touchdown of the season on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to Chris Chambers. The Panthers responded with two more Kasay field goals (33-yards, 30 yards) to lead at halftime, 9-7.

In the third quarter, the Chargers scored on Kaeding's 27-yard field goal to take the lead at 10-9 but at the end of the quarter, Antonio Gates was stripped of the football after making a third-down catch for first-down yardage. The Panthers' Chris Gamble recovered the fumble and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown and a 16-10 Panthers lead. Panthers kicker Kasay added a 49-yard field goal to extend the Panther lead to 19-10.

The Chargers rallied from a 19-10 deficit to take a 24-19 lead with 2:27 left in the fourth quarter. First, the Chargers drove the ball 80 yards in six plays to score on a 24-yard TD pass from Rivers to Gates. Then, after a Panthers turnover, the Chargers scored again on a five-yard pass from Rivers to Vincent Jackson to take the lead.

But the Panthers put together an 11-play, 68-yard drive over the final 2:27 and scored the game-winning touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Jake Delhomme to tight end Dante Rosario with no time left on the clock.

• Panthers 2 12:35 Kasay 44 yd field goal [10-58, 4:57]
• Chargers 2 9:34 Chambers 44 yd pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick) [6-80, 3:01]
• Panthers 2 4:23 Kasay 33 yd field goal [11-56, 5:11]
• Panthers 2 0:08 Kasay 30 yd field goal [11-55, 2:45]
• Chargers 3 5:10 Kaeding 27 yd field goal [12-51, 7:10]
• Panthers 3 1:29 Gamble 31 yd fumble return (Kasay kick)
• Panthers 4 10:09 Kasay 49 yd field goal [7-16, 4:34]
• Chargers 4 6:45 Gates 24 yd pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick) [6-80, 3:24]
• Chargers 4 2:27 Jackson 5 yd pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick) [6-28, 2:29]
• Panthers 4 0:00 Rosario 14 yd pass from Delhomme (Kasay kick) [11-68, 2:27]

NFL 2008 Game 2: Denver Broncos 39, San Diego Chargers 38

The Broncos took advantage of a questionable interception to lead the Chargers 7-3 in the opening quarter at Denver. The Broncos scored on a one-yard touchdown leap by Michael Pittman and the Chargers answered with a 34-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding.

The Broncos outscored the Chargers 24-14 in the second quarter to lead 31-17 at the half. The highlights of the quarter for the Chargers included a team-record-tying 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Darren Sproles and a 48-yard touchdown catch by Chris Chambers.

The Chargers started the third quarter with an injured LaDainian Tomlinson (toe) on the sideline, but outscored the Broncos 10-0, scoring on a 15-yard TD pass from Rivers to Chambers and a 21-yard Kaeding field goal. After giving up 329 yards of total offense in the first half, the Chargers defense forced two three-and-outs in the third quarter and held the Broncos offense to a total of 10 yards.

In the fourth quarter, fans witnessed one of the most exciting 15 minutes ever played between the Chargers and Broncos.

The Chargers scored on a 66-yard catch-and-run by Darren Sproles with 4:22 left in the game and added a two-point conversion to come all the way back from 18 points down and take a 38-31 lead. That drive was all made possible by an interception in the end zone on a third-and-goal play by rookie Antoine Cason. It was his first-career interception and it came at the end of a 14-play Denver drive.

The Broncos, however, answered after the Sproles TD with a four-yard touchdown pass from Cutler to Eddie Royal with 24 seconds left. Instead of kicking the extra point and playing for overtime, Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan decided to go for two points and the win. Again, Cutler found Royal in the middle of the end zone and to execute the successful game-winning two-point conversion.

• Broncos 1 8:41 M.Pittman 1 yd. run (M.Prater kick) [5-29, 2:39]
• Chargers 1 3:47 N.Kaeding 34 yd. Field Goal [10-66, 4:54]
• Broncos 2 13:48 T.Scheffler 3 yd. pass from J.Cutler (M.Prater kick) [12-80, 4:59]
• Broncos 2 10:42 T.Scheffler 14 yd. pass from J.Cutler (M.Prater kick) [2-48, 0:33]
• Chargers 2 10:28 D.Sproles 103 yd. kickoff return (N.Kaeding kick) [0-0, 0:14]
• Broncos 2 5:53 M.Prater 52 yd. Field Goal [8-46, 4:35]
• Chargers 2 2:25 C.Chambers 48 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [6-80, 3:28]
• Broncos 2 0:02 B.Marshall 6 yd. pass from J.Cutler (M.Prater kick) [11-80, 2:23]
• Chargers 3 10:44 C.Chambers 15 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [8-59, 4:16]
• Chargers 3 7:29 N.Kaeding 21 yd. Field Goal [6-75, 2:01]
• Chargers 4 14:08 N.Kaeding 28 yd. Field Goal [14-71, 6:15]
• Chargers 4 4:22 D.Sproles 66 yd. pass from P.Rivers (P.Rivers-L.Naanee pass) [3-91, 1:07]
• Broncos 4 0:24 E.Royal 4 yd. pass from J.Cutler (J.Cutler-E.Royal pass) [12-80, 3:58]

NFL 2008 Game 3: San Diego Chargers 48, New York Jets 29

The Chargers (0-2) headed home to host the New York Jets (1-1) on Monday Night Football. The Chargers earned their first win of the season with a 48-29 decision before a record crowd of 68,922 at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium.

The Jets scored scored first on a 25-yard interception returned for a touchdown by David Barrett on Philip Rivers first pass of the night. The Chargers responded in the first quarter with a field goal and a one-yard touchdown catch by Mike Tolbert.

The Chargers seized control of the game in the second quarter, outscoring the Jets 21-7 to take a 31-14 lead at the half. In the quarter, the Chargers scored on a 52-yard interception return by Antonio Cromartie on a spectacular play in which he broke up a pass intended for Jerricho Cotchery and tipped it to himself. That score was followed by a 27-yard touchdown catch by Chris Chambers and a six yard TD catch by Antonio Gates. The Jets scored their touchdown on a three-yard catch by Laveranues Coles, which was set up by a 94-yard kickoff return by Leon Washington.

After combining for 45 points in the first half, the scoring slowed dramatically as the Chargers scored the only points of the third quarter on a two-yard touchdown run by LaDainian Tomlinson, his first of the season, and San Diego lead 38-14 after three quarters.

However, the fourth quarter turned into scoring-palooza as the teams combined for 25 points.

The Chargers points come on another two-yard TD run by Tomlinson and a season-long 49-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding. Early in the quarter, the Jets got a touchdown on a pass from Brett Favre to Chansi Stuckey and after recovering an onside kick, a 32-yard field goal by Jay Feely. Another long kickoff return by New York, this one from Cotchery, would set up Favre's second TD pass of the quarter, a 13-yarder to tight end Dustin Keller. The Jets tried for two points following both of their fourth-quarter TDs and San Diego's defense stopped both.

• Jets 1 11:27 D.Barrett 25 yd. interception return (J.Feely kick)
• Chargers 1 5:40 N.Kaeding 36 yd. Field Goal [12-53, 5:47]
• Chargers 1 2:03 M.Tolbert 1 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [5-16, 1:54]
• Chargers 2 14:48 A.Cromartie 52 yd. interception return (N.Kaeding kick)
• Jets 2 13:50 L.Coles 3 yd. pass from B.Favre (J.Feely kick) [2-5, 0:58]
• Chargers 2 11:17 C.Chambers 27 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [5-44, 2:33]
• Chargers 2 3:17 A.Gates 6 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [10-45, 5:50]
• Chargers 3 10:36 L.Tomlinson 2 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [7-79, 4:24]
• Jets 4 10:30 C.Stuckey 4 yd. pass from B.Favre (pass failed) [15-83, 5:28]
• Jets 4 8:21 J.Feely 32 yd. Field Goal [6-43, 2:09]
• Chargers 4 3:55 L.Tomlinson 2 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [7-80, 4:26]
• Jets 4 3:09 D.Keller 13 yd. pass from B.Favre (pass failed) [2-19, 0:46]
• Chargers 4 2:03 N.Kaeding 49 yd. Field Goal [4-8, 1:06]

NFL 2008 Game 4: San Diego Chargers 28, Oakland Raiders 18

The Chargers got off to a slow start before a late-arriving sellout crowd at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum as Oakland jumped out to a 5-0 first quarter lead. The Raiders scored on a field goal and a safety after Philip Rivers jumped on a loose ball in the end zone and was tackled by a Raiders defender.

The Raiders completed a first-half shutout of the Chargers by outscoring San Diego 10-0 in the second quarter. Tight end Zach Miller hauled in a 63-yard TD catch and outraced several Chargers to the end zone, and minutes later, the Raiders missed a golden opportunity to stretch out their lead and settled for a 29-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski. The Chargers had a chance to get their first score of the game late in the quarter, but two late sacks backed up the SD offense and Nate Kaeding's 44-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

The Chargers offense finally showed some signs of life as the Chargers scored the only points of the third quarter, scoring on a 28-yard Kaeding field goal. Late in the quarter, the Chargers started their first touchdown march after Tim Dobbins intercepted a pass that was tipped at the line by Shaun Phillips.

Trailing 18-3 at the end of the 3rd quarter, it took the Chargers only two plays into the fourth quarter to score their first touchdown of the day and they didn't stop there as they would go on to score 25 points and outscore Oakland 25-3 in the period to close out the 28-18 win.

Antonio Gates started the scoring on a nine-yard touchdown catch and then Marques Harris' sack, strip and fumble recovery against Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell set up the Chargers go-ahead touchdown, a 13-yard run by Tomlinson. Kaeding would rebound from the earlier misses to hit from 47 after Oakland had tied the game at 18-18 and then Tomlinson put the game on ice with a 41-yard TD run all but dashing the Raiders' hopes.

• Raiders 1 10:57 S.Janikowski 22 yd. Field Goal [7-48, 4:03]
• Raiders 1 7:17 P.Rivers tackled in end zone by Gi.Wilson for a Safety
• Raiders 2 11:22 Z.Miller 63 yd. pass from J.Russell (S.Janikowski kick) [1-63, 0:10]
• Raiders 2 5:26 S.Janikowski 28 yd. Field Goal [9-41, 4:55]
• Chargers 3 7:34 N.Kaeding 28 yd. Field Goal [13-75, 7:26]
• Chargers 4 14:12 A.Gates 9 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [8-66, 4:37]
• Chargers 4 12:47 L.Tomlinson 13 yd. run (P.Rivers-D.Sproles pass) [1-13, 0:02]
• Raiders 4 2:47 S.Janikowski 32 yd. Field Goal [11-49, 5:26]
• Chargers 4 1:51 N.Kaeding 47 yd. Field Goal [4-6, 0:56]
• Chargers 4 1:04 L.Tomlinson 41 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [2-44, 0:13]

NFL 2008 Game 5: Miami Dolphins 17, San Diego Chargers 10

The Chargers headed east to play the Dolphins in Miami. The Chargers played the Dolphins to a 3-3 draw in the first quarter as the Chargers opened the scoring on a 34-yard Nate Kaeding field goal in the first quarter. The Dolphins answered on their next series with a 47-yarder from Dan Carpenter.

In second quarter, the Dolphins outscore the Chargers 14-0 as Chad Pennington and Greg Camarillo hook up for 17 yards and Ronnie Brown runs one in from five yards out. The Chargers go three-and-out on their first two possessions and their third ends the half after three plays.

After a slow start to the third quarter, the Chargers appear poised to get right back into the game after Miami misses a 42-yard field goal attempt. The Chargers scored on their ensuing possession on a 17-yard pass from Philip Rivers to Chris Chambers, who makes a tip-toe catch in the back corner of the end zone in his first game back in Miami since his trade to the Chargers from the Dolphins last October. Quickly after the TD catch, the Chargers get the ball right back when Jacob Hester forces a fumble and recovers it himself on the ensuing kickoff and the Chargers get the ball at Miami's 25-yard line.

Unfortunately the Chargers aren't able to take advantage of the turnover as LaDainian Tomlinson is stopped short of the goal line on a fourth-and-one play on the first play of the fourth quarter and that was as close as the Chargers would get in a scoreless fourth quarter with the Dolphins holding on and running out the final 5:55 to prevail, 17-10.

• Chargers 1 7:42 N. Kaeding 34 yd. Field Goal [14-61, 7:18]
• Dolphins 1 2:48 D. Carpenter 47 yd. Field Goal [9-44, 4:54]
• Dolphins 2 5:25 G. Camarillo 17 yd. pass from C. Pennington (D. Carpenter kick) [9-65, 5:13]
• Dolphins 2 0:41 R. Brown 5 yd. run (D. Carpenter kick) [11-79, 3:40]
• Chargers 3 3:13 C. Chambers 17 yd. pass from P. Rivers (N. Kaeding kick) [7-68, 2:52]

NFL 2008 Game 6: San Diego Chargers 30, New England Patriots 10

Before a capacity crowd of 68,704 on NBC's Sunday Night Football, the Chargers knock off the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots, 30-10, in a rematch of last year's AFC title game.

San Diego started fast, outscoring the Patriots 10-0 in the first quarter to run their steak of consecutive regular-season games without allowing an offensive touchdown in the first quarter at home to 11 games. It was bombs away from the get-go as Philip Rivers and Vincent Jackson connected for 48 yards on the first play of the game, marking the start of a season-high 306-yard night by Rivers, who had his first career 300-yard game at Qualcomm Stadium and threw three TD passes for the fourth time this season. The Chargers scored in the opening quarter on a 25-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding and a career-long 49-yard TD catch by Malcom Floyd.

The Chargers lead grew to 17-3 at halftime as the Chargers outscored the Patriots, 7-3, in the second quarter with Stephen Gostkowski kicking a 47-yarder and Jackson adding a four-yard touchdown catch.

The Chargers came out of the locker room and dominated the third quarter, outscoring the Patriots 10-0 to stretch their lead to 27-3. A defensive stand at the goal line that included four stops on fourth-and-goal at the one led to a 98-yard touchdown drive and a one-yard TD catch by Antonio Gates that gave the Chargers a 24-3 lead. That drive was highlighted by a 59-yard catch by Jackson, his second long grab of the night.

The Chargers added a couple of late field goals and a late New England touchdown cut into the San Diego lead, but the Chargers held on for the win.

• Chargers 1 10:41 N.Kaeding 25 yd. Field Goal [10-73, 4:19]
• Chargers 1 3:58 M.Floyd 49 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [4-62, 1:55]
• Patriots 2 7:13 S.Gostkowski 47 yd. Field Goal [7-14, 3:30]
• Chargers 2 1:07 V.Jackson 4 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [4-31, 1:15]
• Chargers 3 7:07 A.Gates 1 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [4-98, 2:05]
• Chargers 3 4:20 N.Kaeding 35 yd. Field Goal [4-9, 2:35]
• Chargers 4 10:50 N.Kaeding 23 yd. Field Goal [13-77, 6:50]
• Patriots 4 5:18 S.Morris 1 yd. run (S.Gostkowski kick) [8-46, 3:41]

NFL 2008 Game 7: Buffalo Bills 23, San Diego Chargers 14

On the road in Buffalo on an unusually warm and sunny day on the shores of Lake Erie, the Chargers started fast before a capacity crowd of 71,602 at Ralph Wilson Stadium, outscoring the Bills, 7-3, in the opening 15 minutes. The Bills got an early field goal from Rian Lindell and the Chargers countered late in the quarter with a 14-yard scoring pass from Philip Rivers to Malcom Floyd.

The first half of the game and even into the early third quarter was marked by a massive power failure in the Orchard Park area that knocked out the power in the stadium and caused a first quarter delay of approximately 10 minutes. Power was not fully restored in the stadium until early in the second half. The outage was caused by a bundle of balloons that became entangled in a power line.

San Diego's offense stagnated in the second quarter and the Bills outscored the Chargers, 10-0, on a two-yard touchdown catch by Lee Evans and a Lindell field goal. On their only two series of the quarter, the Bolts lost the ball on a fumble and went three-and-out.

San Diego's defense set the tone early in the third quarter. A defensive stand on Buffalo's opening series led to the Chargers' second TD of the game, an 80-yard drive capped off by a 14-yard Jackson catch that gave San Diego a 14-13 lead, but Buffalo answered right back with a 78-yard drive of their own and scored a touchdown on a nine-yard run by Marshawn Lynch to reclaim the lead at 20-14.

The Chargers first drive of the fourth quarter stalled out at Buffalo's 40-yard line and two others ended in turnovers as the Bills added a late field goal and closed out the game 23-14.

• Bills 1 6:46 R.Lindell 38 yd. Field Goal [9-52, 5:44]
• Chargers 1 0:21 M.Floyd 14 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [11-78, 6:25]
• Bills 2 5:20 L.Evans 2 yd. pass from T.Edwards (R.Lindell kick) [7-38, 4:05]
• Bills 2 0:16 R.Lindell 27 yd. Field Goal [10-59, 3:17]
• Chargers 3 6:28 V.Jackson 12 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [12-80, 6:17]
• Bills 3 0:33 M.Lynch 9 yd. run (R.Lindell kick) [9-78, 5:55]
• Bills 4 3:17 R.Lindell 44 yd. Field Goal [7-43, 2:48]

NFL 2008 Game 8: New Orleans Saints 37, San Diego Chargers 32

For the first time in franchise history, the Chargers played a regular-season game on foreign soil in front of 83,226 British and American fans at Wembley Stadium in London. Both teams launched an epic aerial attack, combining for 69 points and 860 total yards.

Despite a valiant come-back effort led by quarterback Philip Rivers, the Chargers fell to the Saints, 37-32. Rivers threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Leading 9-3, New Orleans got a break when Darren Sproles fumbled at kickoff return and Saints cornerback Usama Young snatched the loose ball mid air. That led to a one-yard touchdown run by Deuce McAlister that extended the New Orleans lead to 16-3.

LaDainian Tomlinson's 40-yard run in the second quarter set up a 12-yard catch and run for a score. That closed the gap to 16-10. New Orleans scored again to go up 23-10, but with less than two minutes left in the first half, Rivers capped of a five-play, 64-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates to put the Chargers back within six points at the end of the half.

The Chargers had a chance to tie it on their first drive of the second half, but a potential 72-yard touchdown pass fell through Vincent Jackson's hands, and the Bolts were forced to punt, leading to yet another Saints' touchdown. San Diego's longest drive of the game came on their ensuing possession as Rivers drove the Bolts inside the Saints' 10 yard line, but a holding penalty negated a Brandon Manumaleuna touchdown catch and the Chargers had to settle for a Kaeding field goal, which left them down 30-20 late in the third quarter.

New Orleans scored again, but the Bolts pulled to within two touchdowns when Kaeding hit his third field goal of the day, a 31-yarder, that was followed by a perfectly executed onside kick that landed in the arms of Antoine Cason. Five plays later, Rivers connected with Jackson on a 14-yard touchdown pass to make it a 37-30 game.

Late in the fourth quarter, the Chargers made one final push to tie the game. With 4:08 remaining. Rivers drove San Diego all the way to the Saints' 32-yard line, but Jonathan Vilma's interception in the final moments thwarted the comeback and sealed the Saints' victory.

• Saints 1 6:34 T.Mehlhaff 23 yd. Field Goal (14-69, 8:26)
• Chargers 1 3:30 N.Kaeding 33 yd. Field Goal (7-51, 3:04)
• Saints 2 11:02 D.Henderson 12 yd. pass from D.Brees (kick failed) (10-89, 4:06)
• Saints 2 8:52 D.McAllister 1 yd. run (T.Mehlhaff kick) (6-25, 2:00)
• Chargers 2 5:35 L.Tomlinson 12 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) (7-66, 3:17)
• Saints 2 3:29 L.Moore 30 yd. pass from D.Brees (T.Mehlhaff kick) (4-76, 2:06)
• Chargers 2 1:08 A.Gates 12 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) (5-64, 2:21)
• Saints 3 10:15 M.Campbell 1 yd. pass from D.Brees (T.Mehlhaff kick) (8-87, 3:43)
• Chargers 3 3:25 N.Kaeding 24 yd. Field Goal (12-64, 6:50)
• Saints 4 14:49 M.Karney 1 yd. run (T.Mehlhaff kick) (7-77, 3:36)
• Chargers 4 9:35 N.Kaeding 31 yd. Field Goal (12-63, 5:14)
• Chargers 4 7:21 V.Jackson 14 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) (5-57, 2:14)
• Chargers 4 0:08 D.Brees fumble out of bounds in end zone for a Safety

NFL 2008 Game 9: San Diego Chargers 20, Kansas City Chiefs 19

The Chargers escaped with a 20-19 victory over the Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium, and for the third time this season, the game came down to the wire and was decided in the final seconds. San Diego improved to 4-5 on the season after safety Clinton Hart batted down the Chiefs' two-point conversion attempt after they scored on a three-yard touchdown catch by Tony Gonzalez with 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

The Bolts didn't lead in the game until the fourth-quarter when Philip Rivers' eight-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Gates gave them a 20-13 advantage with 6:55 remaining in the game. Rivers passed for 316 yards and two touchdowns, but two costly interceptions kept the Chiefs alive. Kansas City got out to an early 7-0 lead when Tyler Thigpen completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Mark Bradley.

Twice in the second quarter, the Chargers drove deep into Chiefs' territory, but settled for field goals. Late in the second quarter, Thigpen connected with Gonzalez on a 34-yard catch-and-run, allowing Kansas City to extend its lead to 13-6 just before halftime. A botched PAT attempt by the Chiefs would prove to be the difference in the game.

The Chargers tied the game midway through the third quarter when Rivers punctuated an eight-play, 58-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to Malcom Floyd. San Diego's defense held the Chiefs to just 27 yards and one first down in the third quarter. That defensive stand allowed Rivers to lead the Bolts on their longest drive of the season from a time of possession standpoint. Rivers capped off an 8:28, 14-play, 94-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Gates. Kansas City began their final drive at their own 40 with 3:00 minutes remaining and converted three third downs en route to Gonzalez' three-yard touchdown grab that made it a one-point game. Hart spoiled the potential game-winning two-point play when he jumped in front of Gonzalez and knocked down Thigpen's pass. Hart's stellar play preserved the Chargers lead and ultimately sealed the victory.

• Chiefs 1 3:15 M. Bradley 30 yd. pass from T. Thigpen (C. Barth kick) [12-95, 7:08]
• Chargers 2 14:03 N.Kaeding 34 yd. Field Goal [10-64, 4:12]
• Chargers 2 6:47 N. Kaeding 26 yd. Field Goal [11-77, 5:33]
• Chiefs 2 3:11 T. Gonzalez 34 yd pass from T. Thigpen (pass failed) [7-83, 3:36]
• Chargers 3 3:43 M. Floyd 5 yd. pass from P. Rivers (N. Kaeding kick) [8-58, 4:14]
• Chargers 4 6:55 A. Gates 8 yd. pass from P. Rivers (N. Kaeding kick) [14-94, 8:28]
• Chiefs 4 0:23 T. Gonzalez 3 yd. pass from T. Thigpen (pass failed) [14-60, 2:37]

NFL 2008 Game 10: Pittsburgh Steelers 11, San Diego Chargers 10

LaDainian Tomlinson's three-yard touchdown run in the first quarter gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Pittsburgh scored on their next series when James Harrison sacked Philip Rivers in the end zone and forced a fumble. Marcus McNeill recovered, resulting in a safety which made it a 7-2 game. The Bolts drove to Pittsburgh's 17 yard line in the final two minutes of the first half, but a Harrison interception ended the Chargers' chance for another score. Ben Roethlisberger drove the Steelers 54 yards to set up a 21-yard field goal, making it 7-5 at halftime.

Pittsburgh opened the second half with a 14-play, 54-yard drive but only mustered a 41-yard kick, which gave the Steelers their first lead of the day at 8-7. San Diego responded with a drive of its own to Pittsburgh's 24, but came up short after a 41-yard Nate Kaeding field goal sailed wide right. After another stop by the Chargers' defense, Rivers led the Chargers on their longest drive of the season in terms of plays (17), but that drive resulted in only a 22-yard field goal.

The Bolts took a 10-8 lead with 6:41 remaining in the game, but the Steelers drove the length of the field to set up a 32-yard game-winning field goal.

• Chargers 1 6:46 L.Tomlinson 3yd. run (N.Kaeding kick)[6-59, 3:30]
• Steelers 2 14:46 M.McNeill tackled in end zone by J. Harrison for a safety
• Steelers 2 0:00 Je.Reed 21 yd. Field Goal [8-54, 1:23]
• Steelers 3 8:41 Je.Reed 41 yd. Field Goal [14-54, 6:19]
• Chargers 4 6:41 N.Kaeding 22 yd. Field Goal [17-78, 7:34]
• Steelers 4 0:11 Je. Reed 32 yd. Field Goal [13-73, 6:30]

NFL 2008 Game 11: Indianapolis Colts 23, San Diego Chargers 20

In yet another heartbreaking defeat for the Chargers, the Indianapolis Colts avenged a loss in last season's playoffs when Adam Vinatieri's 51-yard field goal as time expired gave the Colts a 23-20 win before a capacity crowd in San Diego and a national-television audience on NBC.

Tied at 3-3 in the second quarter, the momentum pendulum took a huge swing in the Chargers' favor when Quentin Jammer intercepted a deep ball from Peyton Manning, setting up an 89-yard touchdown drive that culminated with Philip Rivers and Vincent Jackson connecting on a 39-yard touchdown pass that gave the Chargers a 10-3 lead. Manning quickly rebounded from the turnover and led the Colts on a nine-play, 71-yard drive that ended with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Gonzalez and tied the game, 10-10, at the break.

The Chargers appeared to regain control on the opening series of the third quarter, driving as far as the Indianapolis 14-yard line, but the drive stalled there after Rivers was sacked and stripped from behind, turning the ball over to the Colts. Indianapolis capitalized on the turnover with a long drive of its own that ended with a one-yard touchdown toss from Manning to Dominic Rhodes on fourth-and-goal and gave the Colts a 17-10 lead late in the third quarter.

Indianapolis added another field goal and led by 10 points early in the fourth quarter, but the Chargers began chipping away. They drove 70 yards and scored on a one-yard TD catch by Jacob Hester, the first of his career, to pull within 20-17. A defensive stand on the ensuing drive, featuring a two-yard tackle for loss by Shaun Phillips and Jyles Tucker on third-down, set the stage for the Chargers' game-tying field goal, a 47-yarder by Nate Kaeding, with 1:30 to play in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately that left the Colts with plenty of time and Manning directed a 37-yard drive that included a 14-yard pass to Marvin Harrison on fourth-and-one and put the Colts in position for Vinatieri's game-winning kick as time expired.

• Colts 1 1:42 A.Vinatieri 23 yd. Field Goal [12-62, 5:40]
• Chargers 2 11:43 N. Kaeding 35 yd. Field Goal [9-66, 4:59]
• Chargers 2 4:56 V.Jackson 39 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [9-89, 4:35]
• Colts 2 0:38 A.Gonzalez 13 yd. pass from P.Manning (A. Vinatier kick) [9-71, 4:18]
• Colts 3 3:51 D. Rhodes 1 yd. pass from P.Manning (A.Vinatieri kick) [13-66, 7:10]
• Colts 4 11:48 A.Vinatieri 38 yd. Field Goal (13-62, 4:10)
• Charges 4 5:36 J.Hester 1 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [12-70, 6:12]
• Chargers 4 1:30 N.Kaeding 47 yd. Field Goal [8-58, 1:45]
• Colts 4 0:00 A.Vinatieri 51 yd. Field Goal [8-37, 1:30]

NFL 2008 Game 12: Atlanta Falcons 22, San Diego Chargers 16

The Chargers may have finally seen their postseason hopes slip away with a 22-16 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on an unseasonably warm afternoon in San Diego. For the Chargers it was their 3rd loss in a row as their record fell to 4-8 on the season.

The Bolts fell behind early, but took a late first quarter lead on a three yard touchdown run by LaDainian Tomlinson. That touchdown was made possible off a fumble recovery by Anthony Waters after Harry Douglas muffed a Mike Scifres' punt. The Chargers recovered at Atlanta's 20 and scored four plays later to make the score 7-3. Atlanta then went on a 12-0 run that included a field goal, an 18-yard touchdown catch by former Charger Justin Peelle and a safety, when Philip Rivers was called for intentional grounding from the end zone. After all was said and done, Atlanta led 15-7. The Falcons appeared on their way to another score late in the first half, but the Chargers defense made a ferocious stand at the one-yard line to keep the Falcons out of the end zone and off the scoreboard to close out the half.

Coming out of the locker room, Atlanta took the ball and drove to San Diego's 16-yard line, but Quentin Jammer forced a fumble against Brian Finneran and Eric Weddle returned the loose ball a team-record 86 yards for a score. The Chargers, however tried for two, but a fade pass intended for Malcom Floyd in the end zone fell incomplete, holding the score at 15-13. A few series' later, Douglas redeemed himself for the earlier miscue with a five-yard touchdown catch and the Falcons extended their lead to 22-13.

On their ensuing possession, the Chargers gained 28 yards on a fake punt and appeared poised to cut into the lead, but Nate Kaeding had a 43-yard field goal blocked. A strip and fumble recovery by Jammer gave the Chargers the ball again, and this time the Chargers got the field goal, trimming the Atlanta lead to 22-16. The Chargers defense, led by Stephen Cooper and Igor Olshansky, produced a three-and-out to give the offense one last chance to win the game, but from deep in their own territory, the Chargers themselves went three-and-out and Atlanta ran out the clock to put away the win.

• Falcons 1 5:56 J.Elam 35 yd. Field Goal [10-49, 4:38]
• Chargers 1 1:41 L.Tomlinson 3 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [4-20, 1:28]
• Falcons 1 0:00 J.Elam 40 yd. Field Goal [5-42, 1:41]
• Falcons 2 9:24 J.Peelle 18 yd. pass from M.Ryan (J.Elam kick) [8-46, 3:31]
• Falcons 2 7:54 Penalty on P.Rivers enforced in end zone for a Safety
• Chargers 3 12:08 E.Weddle 86 yd. fumble return (pass failed)
• Falcons 4 14:56 H.Douglas 5 yd. pass from M.Ryan (J.Elam kick) [11-72, 5:46]
• Chargers 4 5:15 N.Kaeding 28 yd. Field Goal [10-35, 3:50]

NFL 2008 Game 13: San Diego Chargers 34, Oakland Raiders 7

The Chargers knocked off the Oakland Raiders, 34-7, in a Thursday night game at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers took early advantage of a sack and forced fumble by Shaun Phillips to outscore the Raiders 10-0.

In the second quarter, Stephen Cooper had two interceptions that led to 10 points as the Bolts outscored the Raiders, 17-7. One of Cooper's interceptions led to a 59-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to Vincent Jackson. Darren Sproles scored the first of his two touchdowns as the Chargers led 27-7 at the half. Oakland QB Jamarcus Russell injured his ankle late in the half and did not return. Andrew Walter was no more effective against a Chargers' defense that collected three sacks, including a career-high 2.5 by Phillips. Oakland's lone touchdown of the night came on a 92-yard kickoff return just before the half.

The Chargers scored the only points in the second half, tacking on Sproles' second TD of the night, to close out the victory.

• Chargers 1 11:47 N.Kaeding 20 yd. Field Goal [7-59, 3:13]
• Chargers 1 8:43 L.Tomlinson 3 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [3-12, 1:24]
• Chargers 2 12:58 D.Sproles 8 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [15-96, 8:29]
• Chargers 2 9:02 V.Jackson 59 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [3-63, 0:49]
• Chargers 2 0:23 N.Kaeding 39 yd. Field Goal [7-16, 1:19]
• Raiders 2 0:10 J.Miller 92 yd. kickoff return (S.Janikowski kick) [0-0, 0:13]
• Chargers 4 7:19 D.Sproles 18 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [8-53, 4:50]

NFL 2008 Game 14: San Diego Chargers 22, Kansas City Chiefs 21

In what might go down as one of the most memorable comebacks in franchise history, Philip Rivers rallied the Chargers from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to direct the Chargers to a 22-21 win over the Chiefs on a cold and blustery afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium. Temperature at kickoff was 36 degrees with a wind-chill of 24, however the temperature plummeted throughout the afternoon.

San Diego trailed 21-10 after three quarters, scoring on a Nate Kaeding field goal before halftime and a LaDainian Tomlinson touchdown run in the third quarter. Turnovers plagued the Bolts as the Chiefs converted two of San Diego's three giveaways into touchdowns. But with 4:55 remaining in the fourth quarter, Rivers directed a 15-play, 89-yard touchdown drive that would get the Chargers to within five with 1:13 remaining.

Punter Mike Scifres was called upon to attempt an onsides kick and with a jarring hit, Antwan Applewhite knocked the ball loose from Dwayne Bowe and Kassim Osgood recovered for San Diego. A 42-yard pass to Vincent Jackson immediately moved the Chargers to the Chiefs' 19-yard line and three plays later on a third-and-one, Rivers hit Jackson on a 10-yard scoring pass and the Bolts took the lead. Kansas City managed to scratch out one final drive, but rookie kicker Connor Barth's 50-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left and the Chargers held on for the win.

• Chiefs 1 4:59 T.Gonzalez 4 yd. pass from L.Johnson (C.Barth kick) [15-96, 7:56]
• Chiefs 2 2:53 D.Bowe 1 yd. pass from T.Thigpen (C.Barth kick) [9-54, 5:09]
• Chargers 2 0:11 N.Kaeding 32 yd. Field Goal [8-38, 2:42]
• Chiefs 3 12:35 T.Thigpen 3 yd. run (C.Barth kick) [1-3, 0:04]
• Chargers 3 8:29 L.Tomlinson 6 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [10-65, 4:06]
• Chargers 4 1:13 M.Floyd 4 yd. pass from P.Rivers (pass failed) [15-89, 3:42]
• Chargers 4 0:36 V.Jackson 10 yd. pass from P.Rivers (pass failed) [4-61, 0:37]

NFL 2008 Game 15: San Diego Chargers 41, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24

Riding a career-high four-touchdown performance from Philip Rivers, the Chargers overcame a fourth quarter deficit for the second-straight week and rallied for a 41-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their first-ever visit to Tampa Bay.

The Chargers scored early and often, taking a 20-10 lead at the half, including a team-record and career-long 57-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding on the final play before intermission.

Tampa Bay rallied in the third quarter, outscoring the Bolts, 14-0 to take a 24-20 lead, but the Chargers withstood the Tampa Bay rally and responded with a 21-point fourth quarter of their own that included a game-clinching 59-yard interception return for a touchdown by rookie Antoine Cason. Several milestones were set in the game as Antonio Gates caught a season-high two touchdown passes, the 50th and 51st of his career, to become the fastest tight end in NFL history with 50 touchdown catches, while also surpassing 5,000 career receiving yards in the game. Meanwhile running back LaDainian Tomlinson (90 yards) and wide receiver Vincent Jackson (111 yards) both went over 1,000 yards for the season.

The Chargers' win, combined with Denver's loss to Buffalo set up a season-ending AFC West title game at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday night.

• Chargers 1 5:04 B.Manumaleuna 11 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [8-59, 3:56]
• Buccaneers 1 2:39 B.Askew 1 yd. run (M.Bryant kick) [4-11, 2:25]
• Chargers 2 13:26 A.Gates 15 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [7-69, 4:13]
• Chargers 2 5:32 N.Kaeding 28 yd. Field Goal [12-75, 6:13]
• Buccaneers 2 0:17 M.Bryant 49 yd. Field Goal [8-49, 1:39]
• Chargers 2 0:00 N.Kaeding 57 yd. Field Goal [2-25, 0:17]
• Buccaneers 3 7:41 J.Garcia 7 yd. run (M.Bryant kick) [13-78, 7:19]
• Buccaneers 3 5:05 A.Bryant 71 yd. pass from J.Garcia (M.Bryant kick) [3-82, 1:15]
• Chargers 4 14:53 A.Gates 5 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [11-63, 5:12]
• Chargers 4 7:18 D.Sproles 32 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [4-46, 2:06]
• Chargers 4 3:00 A.Cason 59 yd. interception return (N.Kaeding kick)

NFL 2008 Game 16: San Diego Chargers 52, Denver Broncos 21

In front of a team-record crowd of 69,131, the Chargers scored a season-high 52 points and cruised to a 52-21 win over the Denver Broncos to secure their third-straight AFC West championship.

The Chargers rode a three-touchdown performance from LaDainian Tomlinson, who contributed to a team-record 289 yards rushing against the Broncos. Darren Sproles spelled Tomlinson late in the game and racked up a team-high 115 yards and scored two touchdowns, including one through the air.

Philip Rivers threw two touchdown passes to set a team single season record (34) and also became the second quarterback in franchise history to throw for 4,000 yards in a season.

San Diego's defense turned in its share of big plays as well, with safety Paul Oliver intercepting a Jay Cutler pass in the end zone and Luis Castillo intercepting another one off a pass that was tipped by Shaun Phillips.

San Diego scored on six of its first seven possessions to lead 24-6 at the half and 34-13 after three quarters.

• Chargers 1 11:41 N.Kaeding 28 yd. Field Goal [6-60, 3:19]
• Broncos 1 7:36 T.Bell 26 yd. run (kick failed, hlu) [10-73, 4:05]
• Chargers 1 2:52 L.Tomlinson 1 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [8-73, 4:44]
• Chargers 2 11:30 B.Manumaleuna 12 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [8-72, 4:12]
• Chargers 2 3:32 L.Tomlinson 4 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [9-58, 6:10]
• Broncos 3 12:47 T.Bell 37 yd. run (M.Prater kick) [5-73, 2:13]
• Chargers 3 9:59 D.Sproles 13 yd. pass from P.Rivers (N.Kaeding kick) [5-69, 2:48]
• Charges 3 9:41 L.Tomlinson 14 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [1-14, 0:07]
• Broncos 4 13:01 T.Scheffler 25 yd. pass from J.Cutler (J.Cutler run) [7-75, 2:49]
• Chargers 4 9:47 D.Sproles 2 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [6-66, 3:14]
• Chargers 4 1:15 J.Hester 4 yd. run (N.Kaeding kick) [11-70, 7:03]

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