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Chargers cut down 49ers

Aug 30, 2008 - 5:57 AM By Tom Kent PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Charlie Whitehurst threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Eldra Buckley with 29 seconds left to give the San Diego Chargers a 20-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Friday in the preseason finale for both teams.

The winning drive was set up when Robert Ortiz fumbled a punt on the 49ers 17 with 1:51 left. Whitehurst, a former star at Clemson, led the eight-play drive that secured the win for the Chargers, who host the Carolina Panthers in their season opener on September 7.

Former overall first-round pick Alex Smith, who will begin the season as the backup to J.T. O'Sullivan, started the game and completed 12-of-17 passes for 146 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown strike to reserve tight end Billy Bajema midway through the final quarter that opened a 17-13 advantage for San Francisco, which opens the season at home on September 7 against Arizona.

Backup tight end Delanie Walker scored San Francisco's first touchdown, returning a kickoff 101 yards in the second quarter to forge a 10-10 tie.

The Chargers sat out most of their starters, including quarterback Philip Rivers and running back LaDainian Tomlinson.

Billy Volek started for San Diego and played one series, completing all six of his pass attempts for 55 yards, including a six-yard touchdown toss to fullback Mike Tolbert.

Tolbert caught three passes for 32 yards. An undrafted rookie out of Coastal Carolina, he has looked good in the preseason and is hoping to assume the starting fullback position previously held by Lorenzo Neal, who was let go by the Chargers in offseason.

San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman, who has decided to forego season-ending surgery in order to play this year, was inactive but did participate in warmups with the first-team defense.