Chargers play isn't pretty, but they get the win

By: JAY PARIS - Staff Writer | Sunday, November 5, 2006 8:53 PM PST ∞

Chargers' Keenan McCardell looks for running room past the Browns' Brian Russell after a second quarter reception. McCardell fumbled the ball when he was tackled on this play and it was recovered by the Browns.
Bill Wechter
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SAN DIEGO ---- Style points? Look somewhere else. Efficiency? Not on this Sunday. A victory? Right this way.

The Chargers proved Sunday afternoon that winning ugly beats losing pretty. While playing down to their competition, the Chargers defeated the lowly Cleveland Browns 32-25 at Qualcomm Stadium.

LaDainian Tomlinson grabbed a mop and cleaned up this mess before 65,558. He rushed for three touchdowns and 172 yards, allowing the Chargers to save face, even if it had a red hue.

"I'd be lying if I told you guys we weren't getting frustrated, because we were,'' Tomlinson said. "But we kept our poise, for the most part, when we needed to.''

But they won't be saving space in the Louvre for this Chargers effort. A masterpiece it wasn't, with the Bolts committing a season-high 12 penalties, having trouble generating any offensive rhythm and being exposed defensively on key plays.

"We were all mad, but we weren't out of sorts,'' said Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who was 19-of-28 for 211 yards. "We were frustrated, but we knew we had to keep it all together and go. And that is what we did.''

The Chargers (6-2) got right, when they got back to handing the ball to Tomlinson. After carrying it five times in the opening drive, Tomlinson had but two more rushes through the first half.

After Nate Kaeding capped the opening drive with a 29-yard field goal, the Chargers punted on their next four possessions.

The lone first-half spark came when Randall Godfrey sacked Charlie Frye. He forced a fumble, which Frye kicked toward Marques Harris at the Chargers' 6-yard line, and Harris reached the end zone.

Phil Dawson kicked the second of his Browns franchise-best six field goals before the half, then added another one after a Keenan McCardell fumble.

That sent the bummed Chargers to the locker room, down 12-9 and carrying a bundle of blahs.

It was a 30-minute performance that caused Marty Schottenheimer to clear his voice. And he wasn't singing his team's praises; just the opposite.

"He wasn't (too happy), to be quite honest,'' Tomlinson said. "He wasn't at all. He gave us a mouthful and we deserved to get a mouthful, a tongue-lashing ---- you know the way Marty talks.''

Rivers said it was time to walk the walk.

"We didn't win it because we came in at halftime and dreamed up a magic offense,'' Rivers said. "We won because we kept playing together, kept caring about one another and kept grinding it out.

"These are the kind of games you got to win. To me, this is more important than beating Pittsburgh.''

The Browns (2-6) aren't the Steelers, but the Chargers showed their mettle nonetheless. They gave Cleveland a heavy dose of Tomlinson, and that's always a good thing.

Tomlinson scooted 41 yards around the left side for his first score, thanks to key blocks by Kris Dielman, Marcus McNeill and Brandon Manumaleuna.

After another Dawson field goal, Tomlinson scampered 8 yards for a score and a 24-15 cushion.

"It was just a matter of time,'' said Tomlinson, who has 129 second-half rushing yards. "I felt like we go to the run, (then) bring it home with the run.''

Tomlinson added his final touchdown, an 8-yarder, which plopped the last plot of dirt on the Browns. After a grave first-half, the Chargers had their second straight victory, despite missing suspended Pro Bowler Shawne Merriman and losing other defensive starters throughout the game.

"We kept our poise, and Coach always talks about keeping your poise when things are not going well," Tomlinson said. "And it was hard because we knew that we weren't holding our end of the bargain offensively.

"I kept telling Philip, 'Keep your poise; we are going to be OK.' For some reason Marty was in my head; he always says that.

"Once we did that and started to make some plays, it kind of got us going. That is one thing about our team; we always find a way to make it happen.''

Contact staff writer Jay Paris at jparis8@aol.com. Comment at sports.nctimes.com.