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Chargers look to get back on track vs. Chiefs

Nov 4, 2008 - 7:41 PM KANSAS CITY (1-7) AT SAN DIEGO (3-5), 4:15 pm EST

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- The fortunes of the San Diego Chargers mirror that of the current housing market - beset with woes but staying mainly afloat due to location.

The Chargers will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak and keep in the playoff race when they host the woeful Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

A two-game losing streak that dropped the Chargers to 3-5 entering the bye week could have been a death blow for San Diego's postseason hopes if it did not reside in the pitiful AFC West.

Instead, the Chargers are just a game behind division leader Denver, which plays at Cleveland on Thursday night.

San Diego is hoping to follow its path from a year ago. The Chargers entered their bye week at 3-3 but rattled off victories in eight of their final 10 games, including the last six in a row.

Injuries to standouts LaDainian Tomlinson and Shawne Merriman have plagued the team's running game and defense, respectively.

Tomlinson, who has been plagued by a nagging toe injury, showed he may be on the road to recovery when he cracked the 100-yard mark for just the second time this season in a 37-32 loss to the New Orleans Saints at London's Wembley Stadium on October 26.

However, that same game underscored the holes in the defense. With sack-master Merriman out for the season, San Diego has yielded 199 points - tops in its division but good for only 11th overall in the conference.

The one bright spot for the Chargers has been Philip Rivers, who leads the league with 19 touchdown passes compared to just six interceptions.

Rivers has thrown three scoring passes in five games and needs just three more to match his career high from 2006.

That could happen against the Chiefs, who squandered a 21-point lead at home in a 30-27 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend.

It was the 16th loss in 17 games for Kansas City, which bolted to a 24-3 second-quarter lead behind third-string quarterback Tyler Thigpen, who threw for a touchdown pass and caught a 37-yard scoring reception.

Running back Larry Johnson missed his third straight game due to team disciplinary reasons, and will sit out Sunday's game for violating the league's personal-conduct policy.

Backup Kolby Smith suffered a season-ending knee injury against Tampa Bay, leaving the starting job to rookie Jamaal Charles, who rushed for 106 yards and 18 carries against the Bucs.