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Chargers mount second straight comeback victory, get rare win in Denver

By: JAY PARIS - Staff Writer | Sunday, November 19, 2006 10:38 PM PST ∞

San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson slips by Denver Broncos safety Nick Ferguson on a 3-yard touchdown run during the third quarter Sunday.
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DENVER ---- This time attitude, and LaDainian Tomlinson, trumped altitude.

"One thing about Denver ---- we knew it would be a tough place to play,'' Chargers tight end Antonio Gates said. "But this is a different team, man, a different attitude. And the most important part of all of this is we play for each other.''

For only the second time in their past 12 Colorado visits, the Chargers danced away winners.

For the second straight week, the Chargers dusted off a road deficit like so much lint. They rallied to defeat the Denver Broncos 35-27 before 75,506 at Invesco Field at Mile High.

"We knew in the second half we were going to come back and win this game,'' defensive lineman Jamal Williams said. "We know the type of team we have. I guess it was a bit of a boost of confidence last week that we could overcome anything. Seven points? Come on, with our offense.''

The Chargers again rode Tomlinson like a bronco ---- sorry, Denver ---- as he scored four touchdowns for the second straight week. He set a slew of records on this chilly evening, the most impressive being the fastest player ever to 100 touchdowns.

"It's a phenomenal thing,'' Tomlinson said of passing Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith with his 100th touchdown in 89 games. "But I have a lot of guys to thank. The offensive line has played great this season, and Lorenzo Neal is the best in the league blocking.

"It's a whole team effort. I cant take all the credit, but it's been phenomenal and I'm just going along for the ride like everyone else.''

Denver has long been the Chargers' Waterloo. Instead, it was the Broncos (7-3) who ended up all wet this time, letting a 24-7 third-quarter advantage slip away in this battle for the AFC West lead.

"We didn't panic when it was 24-7 and say, 'We got to score 28,' '' Rivers said. "We just took seven at a time, and we're a very mature team in that sense that we don't try to get it all back in one play.''

The Chargers (8-2) went ahead 28-27 for the first time when Rivers clicked with Vincent Jackson on a perfectly thrown ball in the back of the end zone with 6:45 to go. Jackson was in single coverage with Darrent Williams, and Rivers lofted a pass that Jackson was able to pluck from the air and still get both feet down for his third touchdown of the year.

Tomlinson added his fourth touchdown of the night, converting a Drayton Florence interception into a score. Then the Chargers held on in the final defensive series, despite Igor Olshansky getting thrown out of the game for unnecessary roughness and a delay of game penalty on Florence.

Shaun Phillips sacked Jake Plummer at the Chargers' 46-yard line to kill both the clock and the Denver jinx in one swoop.

"San Diego stepped up and played and coached a better game than we did,'' Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said. "We had our opportunities to put them away, and we didn't.''

The momentum shifted when Rivers hit Tomlinson for a 51-yard touchdown with four minutes left in the third quarter, drawing the Chargers to 24-21.

Tomlinson caught the pass on the right side, then quickly spilt Champ Bailey and Ebenezer Ekuban.

But the Chargers couldn't stop the Broncos from getting into field-goal range on the next drive.

Jason Elam connected from 38 yards. Two big plays fueled the scoring drive: Phillips was called for offside on third-and-2 on the Denver 41, and Javon Walker made a difficult catch of a 23-yard pass with Quentin Jammer in coverage.

The game started like most the others the Chargers had dropped here, which included but two victories in their past 19 visits.

In the first quarter, the Broncos were unable to convert a rare Rivers turnover, when his pass was deflected by Gerard Warren to Nick Ferguson.

The Chargers held, with Williams tipping a Plummer pass on first down. Plummer then misfired on third down, but Paul Ernster's punt was fielded on the Chargers' 1.

The Chargers, though, didn't fret and went to work with one of their most impressive drives of the season ---- and longest since a 99-yard drive Nov. 25, 2001 against Arizona.

The offense went 99 yards, with Eric Parker picking up two big first downs.

Appropriately, the 99-yard waltz was capped by Tomlinson's 99th career touchdown. Tomlinson went over from the left side from 3 yards, following a fine block by Lorenzo Neal.

The Broncos tied it to open the second quarter, with Mike Bell scoring from the 1. Twice, they converted third downs: on a 13-yard pass to Bell and a 5-yard run by Bell.

Bell put the Broncos ahead 14-7 in the first half's final minute. The touchdown was set up by Damien Nash's 22-yard run, the longest allowed in the game by the Chargers.

But in the long run, the Chargers finally left Denver with their spirits a mile high.

"This team always feels like it is still in the game, no matter what the deficit is,'' Tomlinson said. "We always feel like we can get it going and score points.''

Even in Denver.

Contact staff writer Jay Paris at jparis8@aol.com. To comment, go to sports.nctimes.com.

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

CHARGERS....><><><><> wrote on Nov 20, 2006 8:07 AM:CHARGERS ARE #1... WE ARE GOING TO WIN THE SUPERBOWL.....L.T.....<~~~~~#1...... SAN DIEGO CHARGERS...!!!!!!

American-Irish Resident wrote on Nov 20, 2006 9:33 AM:How does the NFL justify looking the other way on the cut back blocks executed by the Denver Broncos? Those hits are outlawed and can be career ending activities. Olshansky reacted in the way any emotionally charged man would and the NFL's officials penalize only Olshansky. It would be most appropriate if the SD front office filed repeated grievances against Shanahan and his band of underhanded thugs.

CHARGER AL wrote on Nov 20, 2006 10:35 AM:I MUST AGREE WITH THE SITUATION BETWEEN OSHANSKY & NALEN...THE BRONCOS ARE REGARDED AS A CHOP BLOCK TEAM...SO , MOST TEAMS UTILIZE A OVERSIZE BALL IN PRACTICING DURING THE WEEK , TO PREPARE FOR DENVER....EVEN TREVOR PRYCE THAT WAS WITH DENVER & NOW WITH THE RAVENS , COMMENTED THAT SHANAHAN & THE BRONCOS WILL TRY TO WIN AT ANY COST...I AM MAKING THE ASSUMPTION , THAT CHOP BLOCKING , IS PART OF THE GAME.....THIS WIN WAS MORE SATISFYING THAN THE BENGALS WIN.......THE CHARGERS FATE IS IN THEIR OWN HANDS....HOPEFULLY , THE RESULTS THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT !!

flash19sd wrote on Nov 20, 2006 11:51 AM:Great win, the Mile High jinx is over for one year at least. What's with all the calf injuries? Kiel and D-Flo both played well and deserve credit. Olshansky had a great hustle game and I don't blame him for going after Nalen. Rivers TD pass to LT was thrown before LT turned around to catch it. He did the same to Parker in the redzone earlier to get a 1st down. Our success on 3rd down on "O" and "D" is unreal. This team looks like something special if their superstars stay healthy.

SD fan wrote on Nov 20, 2006 1:01 PM:I agree, however i believe everyone must stay healty not just the stars, its an all around team effort. I would have to say though Jammer is my only concern on the chargers "d"! He is giving up big plays and not reacting to the ball like a big time player should. Maybe he should play on the weak side and get more safty help so he can play tighter..dunno just my opinion!

Concerned wrote on Nov 20, 2006 1:02 PM:I didn't hear the annoucers say anything about Denver's chop blocking scheme. You could definitely see it, and the fact that we had all those injured calves was probably a result of this type of dirty football. I agree we should send a letter to the NFL office. Go Bolts...this could be the year.

Natoma56 wrote on Nov 20, 2006 2:29 PM:JAMMER GET OFF THE FIELD! Igor feel free to protect yourself as a man anytime. O-Line you rock. Harris92 you look like a bay lights out awesome play #92. And 95 your a releanless stud.Nice fill in job and FINISHED.

James wrote on Nov 20, 2006 3:45 PM:Great Win. Focus on Oakland!...This is the Miami Game frome last year...Oakland is playing well and have been in all of their last four games...Chargers need to jump on them fast and lay them to rest early...don't let them hang around... Everyone off Jammer...he's playing well...I played corner, so I watch the corners moreso than most...he gives up a comeback catch here and there, rarely gives up touchdown passes...the catch he gave up on the sideline, he was right there, just a perfectly thrown ball and a great catch...by the way the person who thinks he knows what he's talking about by saying maybe put Jammer on the weakside...guess what the weakside corner is the most difficult position in football...usually one up on the best reciever (see Mike Haynes and Deion Sanders)...so if you say that Jammer is the weaker corner why would you put your weakest corner at the tougher of the two positions?...know what you are talking about before you comment. Jammer's playing well...Don't worry about him..just remember the secondary has been having problems since Catillo and Merriman went out...it's a team game!

Jimbo wrote on Nov 20, 2006 4:57 PM:It's all downhill from here to the playoffs. We are in the driver's seat and Denver is in the rearview mirror for a change. Another outstanding performance by LT...Brees throws for 510 yds...hard to choose between the two for MVP.

Lord help us wrote on Nov 20, 2006 6:46 PM:If anything happens to L.T. and Rivers, the entire Chargers offense will be dead. The other players are just there to clear their way.

R. Roundtree wrote on Nov 20, 2006 8:01 PM: Two thumbs up for the chargers sunday night,I of course won $100 form my co-workers in Augusta GA. I am oringinally form Oceanside unfortunately I had to move to GA to finish college. As far of Olshansky actions late in the 4th quarter I think he over reacted you live and learn. CHARGERS #1 4 life

R. Roundtree wrote on Nov 20, 2006 8:11 PM: All the Chargers need is a big play wide reciever someone like a T.O. Moss,or Harris type reciever. It would boost their offence and give Tomlinson some rest

LT? wrote on Nov 20, 2006 8:14 PM:I didn't know Lawrence Taylor came out of retirement?!

JON619 wrote on Nov 20, 2006 9:42 PM:CHARGERS ARE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL PERIOD!!!!!!!!!

DIRTY ROTTEN BRONCOS wrote on Nov 21, 2006 11:47 AM:How about if the rest of the league, when playing the Broncos, used these dirty legal chop blocks. How would Shanahan & Pat Bowen like that ? What if Igor dives at Nalen`s knees when the Broncos come to town would that be legal ? Hey Denver say hello to S. Merriman dec 10th.

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