Final
Rivers leads Chargers over Bills
Sep 21, 2014 - 11:44 PM Orchard Park, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Philip Rivers threw two touchdown passes to Eddie Royal and the San Diego Chargers beat the Buffalo Bills 22-10 on Sunday despite being down two running backs.The Chargers (2-1) were without starter Ryan Mathews due to a sprained knee and backup Danny Woodhead was carted off the field just minutes into Sunday's game with an ankle injury.
Still, the Chargers moved the ball well behind Rivers, who was 18-of-25 for 256 yards. Donald Brown picked up the slack in the backfield, running for 62 yards, but needed 31 carries to get there. He had just 15 carries for seven yards in the second half. Malcom Floyd had all of his game-high 98 receiving yards in the first half.
EJ Manuel passed for 238 yards for Buffalo (2-1) but made several key mistakes down the stretch. Running back Fred Jackson had 34 yards rushing and 78 receiving, including an 11-yard touchdown catch. Sammy Watkins caught just two passes for 19 yards a week after grabbing 11 for 117 yards and his first NFL touchdown.
The Bills committed 11 penalties for 110 yards.
"It's a group effort. Just like the past two weeks when we won. It's never just going to be one person," said Manuel. "We have to come back hungry and get back into that groove. Winning is a happier mindset. We have to get back into that mindset."
The Chargers had a 13-3 lead at halftime. Rivers completed 13 of his 16 passes for 183 yards, including a 49-yard pass to Floyd on the first drive that set up a 3-yard touchdown throw to Royal.
Brown worked hard on a 17-play scoring drive that covered 89 yards in 17 plays but ended with Nick Novak's 19-yard field goal instead of a touchdown despite a pass interference penalty that put the Chargers at the 1-yard line.
The Bills also settled for a field goal, a 45-yarder from Dan Carpenter at the end of a 65-yard drive that covered most of its ground when Manuel slipped a pair of tacklers for a 37-yard completion to tight end Scott Chandler.
Novak added a 37-yarder before the break and Royal caught his second touchdown pass, from five yards, to cap an 80-yard drive that opened the second half and make it 20-3.
The Bills cut the deficit to 10 points on Jackson's slashing 11-yard touchdown on a screen pass with 1:16 left in the third quarter.
Manuel was sacked for a loss of 17 yards on a third-down play near midfield early in the fourth and threw the ball out of bounds from the end zone under pressure later in the quarter, leading to a safety and a 22-10 San Diego lead.
"A great job by our defense there to stop them and get pressure on the quarterback," said Chargers coach Mike McCoy.
Game Notes
The Chargers held slight advantages in first downs (20-18) and yards (336-292) but Buffalo was penalized 11 times for 101 yards ... The Bills, who were trying to start a season 3-0 for the first time in three years, go back on the road to play Houston next week ... The Chargers are home against Jacksonville next week.
- SAN DIEGO: 22
BUFFALO: 10
Final
Sep 21 4:06 PM - SAN DIEGO: 22
BUFFALO: 10
End of Regulation
Sep 21 4:06 PM - Offensive penalty on Buffalo, E.J. Manuel, Intentional Grounding, 10 yards, enforced at the Buffalo 0.
Chargers 22, Bills 10 4th - 3:23Sep 21 3:52 PM - SAN DIEGO: 20
BUFFALO: 10
End of 3rd
Sep 21 3:11 PM - SAN DIEGO: 13
BUFFALO: 3
Halftime
Sep 21 2:24 PM - SAN DIEGO: 7
BUFFALO: 0
End of 1st
Sep 21 1:35 PM - SAN DIEGO: 0
BUFFALO: 0
1st Quarter - 15:00
Sep 21 1:02 PM
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