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Tomlinson helps Chargers clinch AFC West, top Broncos

Dec 29, 2008 - 5:53 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for three touchdowns and Philip Rivers threw for two more as the San Diego Chargers pounded the Denver Broncos, 52-21, on Sunday to win their fourth straight and complete an improbable comeback to capture their third straight AFC West Division title.

San Diego (8-8) becomes the first team to make the postseason after starting 4-8, and Denver (8-8) the first since division play began in 1967 to relinquish a three-game lead with three to play. The Broncos held sole possession of the AFC West lead for all 16 weeks prior to the collapse.

The Chargers, who advanced due to their 5-1 record in the division, secured the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs and a home date against the fifth-seeded Indianapolis Colts (12-4) on Saturday night.

"It's a great feeling and it's a tribute to the guys that kept believing and kept fighting," Tomlinson said. "We have very prideful guys in that locker room. At the point that we were 4-8, we didn't know what was going to happen with Denver, but for us it was about how we wanted to finish."

Tomlinson scored twice in the first half as San Diego built a commanding 24-6 lead, scoring on each of its four possessions without being forced to punt.

Rivers hit Brandon Manumaleuna and Darren Sproles, who had two scores of his own, on touchdown strikes and also passed the 4,000-yard passing plateau on the season. The 26-year-old Rivers finished the game going 15-for-20 with 207 yards and two touchdowns.

"It's exciting," Rivers said. "It's obviously history, the way we trailed in the division and how we've now won it. Obviously, we all had the expectation to get here, but we went a different route than we thought we would."

The one blemish for San Diego came when Tomlinson exited in the fourth quarter due to a possible groin strain. He was held out of the game for precautionary reasons and will undergo an MRI on Monday.

"I don't know how bad it is, I think it's just a strain," said Tomlinson, who missed most of last season's AFC Championship game with knee injury.

"I'm not going to jump to any conclusions or say anything more about it because I really don't know at this point."

The Denver defense stopped San Diego just once in the contest and quarterback Jay Cutler's two interceptions contributed to a frustrating all-around game for the Broncos.

"We had our ups and downs this year on both sides of the ball," Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall said. "It definitely was rough, but we tried to make the best of it but came up short. We didn't get it done this year, simple as that."

Cutler did throw one touchdown - a 25-yard strike to Tony Scheffler with 13:01 remaining in the fourth - and finished 29-for-45 with 282 yards in the game.

"Obviously, I'm very disappointed," Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan said. "Give San Diego credit; they really pulled us apart and did everything they had to do to win. I thought we would play much better than that. Obviously, I didn't go a good enough job getting these guys ready to play at the level we need to play to win."

Tatum Bell had touchdown runs of 26 and 37 yards and rushed for 86 yards on eight carries.