Philip Rivers carried the San Diego Chargers to a 27-10 upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.
Rivers completed 12 of 16 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in posting a 118.8 passer rating. Running backs Danny Woodhead and Ronnie Brown each rushed for a touchdown as the Chargers earned a date with the No. 1 seed Denver Broncos in next Sunday's AFC Divisional Round.
The Chargers have now won five in a row. Denver was 1-1 against San Diego in the regular season series. The Broncos and Chargers have never played each other in the postseason.
The Chargers outperformed the Bengals in two key areas.
San Diego racked up a season-high four takeaways with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries, and they rushed for a season-high 196 yards and got touchdown runs from Danny Woodhead (five yards) and Ronnie Brown (58 yards). Brown ran for 77 yards on eight carries, Woodhead tallied 54 yards on 15 carries. Ladarius Green caught three passes for 34 yards and a TD.
Woodhead put the Chargers ahead with a five-yard scoring run in the first period but the Bengals responded with Dalton's four-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Gresham and a 46-yard field goal from Mike Nugent to give Cincinnati a 10-7 led at the half.
But the Chargers dominated the game on defense in the second half, pitching a shutout as the Chargers outscored the Bengals 20-0. Rivers put the Chargers ahead with a four-yard touchdown pass to Green before Nick Novak added a 25-yard field goal for a 17-10 lead. In the fourth quarter , Novak added a 23-yard field goal before Brown capped the win with a 58-yard scoring run with 2:17 remaining in the game.
Cincinnati's first six drives of the second half ended with a punt after a third-down sack, a fumble, two interceptions and two on downs. Their seventh ended when the clock expired. In addition to the four takeaways, the Chargers' defense recorded three sacks, five tackles for loss and eight passes defensed.
Andy Dalton completed 29 of 51 passes for 334 yards, 18 more than the Chargers, and a touchdown but doomed the Bengals' chances after throwing three interceptions. Marvin Jones caught eight passes for 130 yards while Giovani Bernard rushed for 45 yards on 12 carries for the AFC North champion Bengals, who ended their season in disappointing fashion as they were beaten at home for the first time this season.
NFL Football News & Analysis
NFL FOOTBALL NEWS & ARTICLES
BASEBALL | BASKETBALL | COLLEGES | FOOTBALL | GOLF | HOCKEY | OLYMPICS | SOCCER | TENNIS
Receive our NFL News & Analysis by email by subscribing here
NFL Super Bowl History
NFL Super Bowl History, Scores, Summaries & Super Bowl MVP Articles
NFL Football News & Analysis [...]
- Seahawks vs 49ers: And The Edge Goes To ...
- Seahawks vs 49ers: The First Two Meetings
- NFC Championship: Seahawks WRs unworthy? Tate Says Wait
- Midseason Meet Prepared Seahawks for Gore
- Thomas: Seahawks 'Can Bully Whoever We Want'
- NFL Championship Weekend: What To Look For
- Four Teams Remain as NFL Enters Championship Weekend
- Broncos Hold off Chargers in 4th, Advance to AFC Championship
- Colin Kaepernick Shines as 49ers Beat Panthers to Advance to NFC Championship
- Legarrette Blount Runs Rampant Past Colts as Patriots Advance to AFC Title Game
- Marshawn Lynch Leads Seahawks Past Saints to NFC Title Game
- NFL Final Eight Take Center Stage in Divisional Playoffs
- Top‐Seeded Seahawks Host Saints in NFC Divisional Round
- Patriots Host Colts in AFC Divisional Round Matchup
- Panthers Host 49ers in NFC Divisional Round Matchup
- Broncos Host Chargers in AFC Divisional Round Matchup
- NFL 2013 Divisional Weekend: What to Look For
- NFL 2013 Divisional Playoffs: Injury Report
- Florida State Wideout Kelvin Benjamin Declares for NFL 2014 Draft
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014 Finalists Announced
- Johnny Manziel Joins 2014 NFL Draft
- Late Field Goal Lifts 49ers Over Packers
- Chargers Shock Bengals 27-10
- Mark Ingram Fuels Saints Offense past Eagles
- Colts Post Comeback Win Over Wounded Chiefs
- Titans Fire Head Coach Mike Munchak After Disappointing Finish
- Brandon Jacobs Announces Retirement
- NFL 2013 Wild Card Weekend Preview
- Colts Host Chiefs in AFC Wild Card Playoff Matchup
- Eagles Host Saints in NFC Wild Card Playoff Matchup
- Bengals Host Chargers in AFC Wild Card Playoff Matchup
- 49ers Head to Green Bay in NFC Wild Card Playoff Matchup
- NFL 2013 Wild Card Weekend: What to Look For
- NFL Playoff Best Performances and Playoff Records
- NFL 2013 Review: Record-Breaking Season Had It All!
- Giants Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride to Retire
- Bucs Hire Lovie Smith as Head Coach
- South Carolina Defensive End Jadeveon Clowney Enters NFL Draft
- Bears Sign Quarterback Jay Cutler to Seven-Year Deal
- NFL 2013 Regular Season Team Records and Milestones
- NFL 2013 Regular Season Individual Records and Milestones
- NFL 2013 Week 17: NFC Players of the Week
- NFL 2013 Week 17: AFC Players of the Week
- NFL 2013 Week 17: The Week That Was
Article: Copyright ©, iHaveNet.com
Chargers Shock Bengals 27-10 - NFL 2013 AFC Wild-Card Playoff Round