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Chargers top lowly Jaguars

Oct 21, 2013 - 12:52 AM Jacksonville, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - Philip Rivers completed 22-of-26 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown to lead the San Diego Chargers to a 24-6 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Ryan Mathews carried the ball 21 times for 110 yards and a touchdown and Eddie Royal caught four passes for 69 yards and a score for the Chargers (4-3), winners in two straight and three of their last four overall.

"It was an outstanding team effort today. On a short week and traveling across the country, the players had an outstanding week of practice. If we play that way during practice it carries into our games," said Chargers head coach Mike McCoy.

San Diego dominated the time of possession 37:30-22:30. In their four wins this season, the Chargers hold a 150:21-89:39 advantage in time of possession.

Chad Henne completed 23-of-36 passes for 318 yards and an interception and Mike Brown caught five passes for 120 yards for the Jaguars (0-7), who failed to score a touchdown for the fourth time this season.

"We talk about getting better and we completely missed an opportunity. That's what not getting better looks like. Penalties, missed tackles, missed assignments, spirit, effort," said Jags head coach Gus Bradley. "We talk about playing with toughness, playing with effort, playing with enthusiasm and playing smart. That's our style. I don't think we did any one of those four today."

The Chargers took over 7 1/2 minutes off the clock on the game's opening possession before Danny Woodhead ran it in from two yards out.

Jacksonville looked poised to respond on the ensuing touch. A 31-yard completion to Marcedes Lewis got the ball down to the Chargers' 29, but Henne was sacked on second and third down, knocking the Jags out of field goal range and forcing a punt.

San Diego used another long drive, this time for just over six minutes, before Royal found the end zone on a 27-yard reception. Royal caught the ball near the left sideline, turned and stretched for the pylon as he was knocked out of bounds. The play was reviewed, but it was determined that Royal had made contact with the pylon before his knee touched out of bounds.

The Jags responded with a 30-yard Josh Scobee field goal to cap an 18-play drive that took nearly eight minutes. Jacksonville converted on third down three times on the drive and also kept the sticks moving on fourth, but Henne's pass to Cecil Shorts in the end zone on 3rd-and-3 from the 12 fell incomplete.

San Diego drove the length of the field in the closing moments of the first half, but on 1st-and-goal with one second left, Rivers tried to scramble into the end zone and was stopped short, wasting a scoring opportunity for the Chargers.

Nick Novak's 20-yarder made it 17-3 with 6:48 to play in the third, but Scobee and the Jags answered back with a 23-yard field goal from Scobee nearly three minutes later to make it 17-6 game.

Mathews' 3-yard touchdown run capped a 10-play, 84-yard drive early in the fourth to make it a 24-6 game. A 29-yard gain by Royal on an end around originally ended in a fumble, but following a review, it was clear that Royal's elbow had touched before the ball came loose. Mathews carved his way into the end zone on the next play.

Game Notes

The Chargers sacked Henne six times ... Keenan Allen caught three passes for 67 yards for San Diego ... Jacksonville finished 3-for-11 on third down ... Shorts caught eight passes for 80 yards ... The Chargers have won the last three meetings and hold a 4-2 edge in the all-time series.