Sep 14, 2008 - 10:09 PM
23 shoutsBy Tony Desiere PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
DENVER (Ticker) -- After watching a game in which the teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of offense, Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan wanted no part of overtime.
Jay Cutler completed a two-point conversion pass to Eddie Royal with 24 seconds remaining to complete the Broncos' comeback.
Denver (2-0) became only the third team to win on a game on a two-point conversion in the final minute while San Diego (0-2) suffered a second straight heart-breaking loss.
"You just got a gut sometimes," Shanahan said. "I didn't want them to catch us on the coin flip. I wanted to do it then, and obviously it worked out."
The gamble came after the Broncos benefited from a favorable ruling that left the Chargers shaking their heads.
Three plays earlier, Cutler fumbled when the ball slipped out of his hands and was recovered by San Diego at the 10-yard line. But the officials ruled the play dead after an inadvertent whistle and gave the ball back to Denver.
On fourth down, Cutler tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Royal to bring the Broncos within 38-37.
"It was clearly a fumble," said San Diego coach Norv Turner, whose team suffered a 26-24 loss to Carolina last week when Jake Delhomme tossed a 14-yard TD pass on the final play of the game.
"Ed (Hochuli), the official, came over to me and said he blew the whistle, and that is not acceptable to me. This is a high-level performance sport and it is not acceptable to have the refs decide it on that play."
Hochuli said the ruling on the field was an incomplete pass and that the replays rules in that instance do not allow the referees to award the ball to the other team.
"All we can do to fix it is put the ball at the spot that it hit the ground, which is why we moved it back to the 10-yard line and the down counts and it becomes third down," he said
Brandon Marshall set a Broncos' franchise record with 18 pass receptions , but he almost was overshadowed by San Diego's Darren Sproles, who scored two long touchdowns.
Last season, the Chargers swept the Broncos by a combined score of 64-6. In a 23-3 loss at San Diego in December, the Broncos were taunted by San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers. Sunday was payback.
"All of my goals are to break all the records," Marshall said. "I'm out here to play to win, and for me it was personal in this game because it was the San Diego Chargers."
Sproles tied a franchise record with a 103-yard kickoff return in the second quarter and caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Rivers with 4:36 remaining in the contest to give San Diego (0-2) a 38-31
"Offensively, we put up 38 points," said Rivers. "Our goal as an offense is to score one more point than the other team and this was the second straight week that we didn't do it. If they score 39, we need to score 40. We had our chances and didn't do it."
Cutler was 36-for-50 for 350 yards and four touchdowns, with tight end Tony Scheffler catching two scoring passes for Denver.
"The coaches got us into the right position and we made the adjustments to get into position," Scheffler said. "This meant a lot because it was the first win over San Diego for the 2006 draft class."
Rivers finished 21-of-33 for 377 yards with three touchdowns, including two to Chris Chambers.
LaDainian Tomlinson, who was limited in practice all week with a toe injury, carried the ball 10 times for only 26 yards. Sproles picked up the slack with 53 yards on the ground and 72 yards receiving.
"It was tough," Tomlinson said. "It was something I had to fight though. Having Darren there was huge, both offense and special teams. He did a great job for us."
The game was an offensive display for both teams. Denver finished the game with 486 yards and the Chargers 456.
After an early punt, the Broncos scored four touchdowns and a field goal on their next five possessions to open a 31-17 halftime lead. They led, 21-3, early in the second quarter.
From the Bleachers
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Chargers 38, Broncos 39 Final
DialH
The season is lost for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Time to give up hope.
Sep 14 8:24 PM -
Chargers 38, Broncos 39 Final
jllanclos
Can't wait to see the highlights! Thanks RUWTbot!
Sep 14 7:45 PM -
Chargers 38, Broncos 39 Final
mark
great freakin game. shanahan went for two (and the win) with less than a minute on the clock. seriously ballsy call.
Sep 14 7:41 PM -
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SAN DIEGO: 38
DENVER: 39
Final
Sep 14 7:38 PM -
-
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Chargers 38, Broncos 31 4th Quarter - 1:14
DialH
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!TD Broncos
Sep 14 7:33 PM -
NFL
SAN DIEGO 38
DENVER 39 0:20 LEFT, 4TH QTR
SDG BALL ON SDG 16 YD LINE
1ST AND 10
Sep 14 7:33 PM -
-
-
-
Chargers 38, Broncos 31 4th Quarter - 2:00
mark
Incomplete? That was a fumble! Major FAIL by Cutler.
Sep 14 7:25 PM -
Chargers 38, Broncos 31 4th Quarter - 4:22
DialH
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 14 7:11 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
DARREN SPROLES 66 YD RUN
(PHILIP RIVERS PASS TO LEGEDU NAANEE FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
SAN DIEGO 38
DENVER 31 4:22 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Sep 14 7:10 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 28 YD
SAN DIEGO 30
DENVER 31 14:08 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Sep 14 6:50 PM -
SAN DIEGO: 27
DENVER: 31
End of 3rd
Sep 14 6:45 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 21 YD
SAN DIEGO 27
DENVER 31 7:32 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Sep 14 6:31 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
CHRIS CHAMBERS 15 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
SAN DIEGO 24
DENVER 31 10:44 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Sep 14 6:18 PM -
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Chargers 17, Broncos 31 Halftime
alacy52
Now would be a good time for Cromartie to shut up. Marshall owns him.
Sep 14 5:59 PM -
SAN DIEGO: 17
DENVER: 31
Halftime
Sep 14 5:54 PM -
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NFL
TD DEN
BRANDON MARSHALL 6 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER
(MATT PRATER KICK)
SAN DIEGO 17
DENVER 31 0:02 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Sep 14 5:53 PM -
Chargers 17, Broncos 24 2nd Quarter - 0:13
DialH
The SS Charger is sinking faster than lead bricks can ever sink
Sep 14 5:52 PM -
Chargers 17, Broncos 24 2nd Quarter - 1:46
DialH
Broncos Worryingly close to the end zone
Sep 14 5:49 PM -
Chargers 17, Broncos 24 2nd Quarter - 2:25
DialH
Anyone willing to take on Merriman's injury, if you had the power:-)
Sep 14 5:40 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
CHRIS CHAMBERS 48 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
SAN DIEGO 17
DENVER 24 2:25 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Sep 14 5:37 PM -
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NFL
FG DEN
MATT PRATER 52 YD
SAN DIEGO 10
DENVER 24 5:53 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Sep 14 5:30 PM -
Chargers 10, Broncos 21 2nd Quarter - 7:13
DialH
This is the beginning of a TD Drive by the Broncos
Sep 14 5:27 PM -
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NFL
TD SDG
DARREN SPROLES 103 YD KICKOFF RETURN
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
SAN DIEGO 10
DENVER 21 10:28 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Sep 14 5:18 PM -
Chargers 3, Broncos 21 2nd Quarter - 10:42
DialH
The season is lost forever and ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 14 5:17 PM -
NFL
TD DEN
TONY SCHEFFLER 14 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER
(MATT PRATER KICK)
SAN DIEGO 3
DENVER 21 10:42 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Sep 14 5:14 PM -
Chargers 3, Broncos 14 2nd Quarter - 13:43
DialH
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 14 5:07 PM -
NFL
TD DEN
TONY SCHEFFLER 3 YD PASS FROM JAY CUTLER
(MATT PRATER KICK)
SAN DIEGO 3
DENVER 14 13:48 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Sep 14 5:04 PM -
SAN DIEGO: 3
DENVER: 7
End of 1st
Sep 14 4:58 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 34 YD
SAN DIEGO 3
DENVER 7 3:47 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Sep 14 4:48 PM -
NFL
TD DEN
MICHAEL PITTMAN 1 YD RUN
(MATT PRATER KICK)
SAN DIEGO 0
DENVER 7 8:41 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Sep 14 4:36 PM
