Rough Rivers hopes for better days

By: JAY PARIS - Staff Writer | Sunday, September 30, 2007 9:32 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- Quarterback Philip Rivers' glum face told the story.

"When you have adversity,'' he said, "this is when you really have to pull it together.''

Rivers and his Chargers possess a heavy heaping of hardship after dropping their third straight game Sunday. And Rivers had a hand in it, just like his fingerprints were on last year's 14-2 record.

In the 30-16 pratfall to the Chiefs, Rivers accounted for three of the team's four turnovers. He tossed two interceptions and lost a fumble as the Chargers fell to the AFC West cellar all by their lonesome.

"The last place isn't really a big deal at this point,'' said Rivers, who was 21-of-42 for 211 yards and no touchdowns. "There is a lot of football left.''

After a strong showing last week in Green Bay, Rivers struggled. And again, Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson weren't on the same page.

The two had an animated conversation two games ago when Rivers didn't look Tomlinson's way on a critical second-half third-down play in Green Bay. Sunday, he eyed Tomlinson too early and the result was an interception.

"It's supposed to be a check down,'' Tomlinson said. "I wanted to try and work (Derrick Johnson), but he was backed off. I wanted to get into him and work him. Maybe I should have turned inside; I turned right into him and Philip had released the ball before I was able to turn around.''

The ball glanced off Tomlinson and Johnson snagged it. Three plays later, Chiefs quarterback Damon Huard hit Tony Gonzalez for a 22-yard touchdown to tie the score at 16.

"I got to (Tomlinson) a little quick,'' Rivers said. "That's just a play that can't happen. That one hurt.''

The next two Chargers' third downs saw Rivers throw short in trying to reach Vincent Jackson and misfire on a deep ball to Antonio Gates.

But when Clinton Hart intercepted a Huard pass, Rivers was back in business.

Then came his last turnover, when he held the ball too long before fumbling it away while being sacked by Johnson.

"It was a play that takes some time to develop,'' said Rivers, who was hoping to reach Malcom Floyd. "I take responsibility for every turnover, but there are situations where we're all involved.''

To a man, the stunned Chargers are in a leaky boat.

"Things are going to continue to go south or you turn it around,'' said Rivers, who has six interceptions after throwing nine last season. "We're a quarter of the way through the season; there are three quarters left.''

But at 1-3, the Chargers' glass looks half empty rather than half full.

Contact staff writer Jay Paris at jparis8@aol.com.