Nov 9, 2008 - 8:57 PM
0 shoutsBy Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Philip Rivers threw a pair of second-half touchdown passes and the San Diego Chargers made a huge stop on a two-point conversion attempt to fend off the Kansas City Chiefs, 20-19, on Sunday.
The Chargers snapped a two-game losing streak and remained one game behind the Denver Broncos for the lead in the AFC West.
San Diego's defense, led by newly promoted coordinator Ron Rivera, barely held off a comeback attempt in the fourth quarter when Chiefs coach Herman Edwards gambled on the conversion instead of the tying extra point attempt.
"I think we made some stops that were big-time, and that is an improvement," San Diego head coach Norv Turner said. "We need to continue to find ways to make stops."
Quarterback Tyler Thigpen hit tight end Tony Gonzalez on a 3-yard touchdown to pull Kansas City within one point with 23 seconds to play, but Thigpen's pass on the conversion was batted down by Clinton Hart in the end zone to secure the victory for the Chargers.
Edwards, whose team lost its fifth straight game and has dropped 17 of its last 18, had no regrets about going for the victory.
"I think that our guys played about as well as they could play and we fell short," Edwards said. "You try to play to win, and you have to understand where your team is at. I'd (go for two) again 100 times."
Rivers hit Antonio Gates on an 8-yard strike with 6:55 remaining in the fourth quarter to snap a 13-13 tie and help the Chargers (4-5) prevail for the first time in four weeks.
The 26-year-old Rivers finished the contest 27-for-36 with 316 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
"Bottom line is when you win, you can somewhat say it was a (good performance)," Rivers said. "When you lose in one like this, you're really sick about (mistakes). All in all, I think we'll find more good in it than bad, and winning is what's most important."
Coming off a bye week and a two-game road trip that took the team overseas to London and led to two defeats and the firing of defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, San Diego started out slowly in this one.
Thigpen drove the Chiefs 95 yards on the team's first possession, capped by a 30-yard pass to Mark Bradley that gave Kansas City an early 7-0 advantage.
The score was the first touchdown allowed by San Diego's defense in the opening quarter in its last 12 games. Rivera's defense yielded a second score in the half as the Chiefs built a 13-6 lead going into halftime.
The deficit drew boos from a home crowd disappointed by a team that came into the season with Super Bowl aspirations.
"I don't think we were slow (in the first half)," Turner said. "I think (Kansas City) had a plan and we made some adjustments. They scored touchdowns and we didn't."
Rivers, however, finally gave the crowd something to cheer about in the third quarter. The NFL's highest-rated passer entering Sunday, he threw a 5-yard touchdown to Malcolm Floyd that evened the score at 13-13 with 3:43 remaining in the third.
All-Pro tailback LaDainian Tomlinson carried the ball 22 times for 78 yards but was held without a score.
Gates had eight receptions and a touchdown while Vincent Jackson had five receptions for 83 yards and Floyd caught four balls for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Thigpen continued to solidify the quarterback spot for Kansas City, which has started three different players at the position, going 27-for-41 with 266 yards and three touchdowns.
"Offensively, we did a great job today," Thigpen said. "We just came up short. There were a lot of things we did right today, and eventually, it's going to fall our way."
Gonzalez had 10 catches for 113 yards and two scores. He tied Kellen Winslow for the most 100-yard games by a tight end in league history with 24.
Kansas City's Dantrell Savage filled in for rookie Jamaal Charles, who suffered an ankle injury in the contest, and rushed 12 times for 44 yards.
From the Bleachers
-
KANSAS CITY: 19
SAN DIEGO: 20
Final
Nov 9 7:22 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 19
SAN DIEGO: 20
Final
Nov 9 7:22 PM -
NFL
TD KAN
TONY GONZALEZ 23 YD PASS FROM TYLER THIGPEN
(TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
KANSAS CITY 19
SAN DIEGO 20 0:23 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Nov 9 7:19 PM -
NFL
TD KAN
TONY GONZALEZ 23 YD PASS FROM TYLER THIGPEN
(TWO-POINT PASS CONVERSION FAILED)
KANSAS CITY 19
SAN DIEGO 20 0:23 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Nov 9 7:19 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
ANTONIO GATES 8 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
KANSAS CITY 13
SAN DIEGO 20 6:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Nov 9 6:43 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
ANTONIO GATES 8 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
KANSAS CITY 13
SAN DIEGO 20 6:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Nov 9 6:43 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 13
SAN DIEGO: 13
End of 3rd
Nov 9 6:28 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 13
SAN DIEGO: 13
End of 3rd
Nov 9 6:28 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
MALCOM FLOYD 5 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
KANSAS CITY 13
SAN DIEGO 13 3:43 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Nov 9 6:17 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
MALCOM FLOYD 5 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
KANSAS CITY 13
SAN DIEGO 13 3:43 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Nov 9 6:17 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 13
SAN DIEGO: 6
Halftime
Nov 9 5:33 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 13
SAN DIEGO: 6
Halftime
Nov 9 5:33 PM -
NFL
TD KAN
TONY GONZALEZ 34 YD PASS FROM TYLER THIGPEN
(PAT FAILED)
KANSAS CITY 13
SAN DIEGO 6 3:11 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 9 5:19 PM -
NFL
TD KAN
TONY GONZALEZ 34 YD PASS FROM TYLER THIGPEN
(PAT FAILED)
KANSAS CITY 13
SAN DIEGO 6 3:11 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 9 5:19 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 26 YD
KANSAS CITY 7
SAN DIEGO 6 6:47 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 9 5:09 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 26 YD
KANSAS CITY 7
SAN DIEGO 6 6:47 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 9 5:09 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 34 YD
KANSAS CITY 7
SAN DIEGO 3 14:03 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 9 4:49 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 34 YD
KANSAS CITY 7
SAN DIEGO 3 14:03 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 9 4:49 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 7
SAN DIEGO: 0
End of 1st
Nov 9 4:45 PM -
KANSAS CITY: 7
SAN DIEGO: 0
End of 1st
Nov 9 4:45 PM -
NFL
TD KAN
MARK BRADLEY 30 YD PASS FROM TYLER THIGPEN
(CONNOR BARTH KICK)
KANSAS CITY 7
SAN DIEGO 0 3:15 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Nov 9 4:36 PM -
NFL
TD KAN
MARK BRADLEY 30 YD PASS FROM TYLER THIGPEN
(CONNOR BARTH KICK)
KANSAS CITY 7
SAN DIEGO 0 3:15 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Nov 9 4:36 PM -
NFL
KANSAS CITY 0
SAN DIEGO 0 14:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR
SDG BALL ON SDG 20 YD LINE
1ST AND 10
Nov 9 4:16 PM
