CHARGERS: Sproles carries Bolts to playoff win over Colts

By SCOTT BAIR - Staff Writer | Sunday, January 4, 2009 2:13 AM PST ∞

Chargers running back Darren Sproles rushes in for the winning touchdown against the Colts in overtime. Photo by Jamie Scott Lytle - Staff photographer.

The Chargers' Antonio Cromartie reaches out to prevent the Colts' Reggie Wayne from catching a pass during the second quarter at Qualcomm Stadium on Saturday. Photo by Hayne Palmour IV - Staff photographer.

Chargers running back Darren Sproles scores a touchdown as the Colts' Antoine Bethea and Bob Sanders defend in the second quarter. Photo by Jamie Scott Lytle - Staff photographer.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, left, throws over Chargers defensive tackle Luis Castillo during the first quarter on Saturday. Photo by Chris Carlson - Associated Press

SAN DIEGO ---- The Chargers will tell you they've been in the postseason for quite some time. They've played five straight games with a do-or-die mentality, when a loss would effectively kick the chair out from under a season headlocked in a noose. The first four were simply to avoid the embarrassment of a sub-.500 regular season, early January tee times and a second-place finish in a disgraceful division.

The fifth was something more all together. It was a chance to effectively erase past disappointments, render an 8-8 regular season inconsequential and do something special.

The Chargers did exactly that on Saturday night in front of 68,082 at Qualcomm Stadium. They secured a 23-17 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC wild-card playoffs, winning a game few thought they would win and even less believed they would qualify for.

"Our regular season ended a long time ago," Chargers head coach Norv Turner said. "Our guys have gotten stronger and gotten better through this stretch, something that's necessary to win a game like this. After all that we've been through, winning a game that allows you to continue playing ---- it doesn't get much bigger than this."

It doesn't get much bigger than the performance of Darren Sproles, who did a little bit of everything for the Chargers while LaDainian Tomlinson was sidelined most of the game with a groin strain.

Sproles had 23 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns, five catches for 45 yards and 178 yards on returns. He saved his finest effort among all those touches for the overtime period, when he seemed to be out of gas.

He sprinted past the defensive line and ran 22 yards into the end zone for the game-winning score, which sends the Chargers on to the divisional round and on the road against either Tennessee or Pittsburgh, depending on the outcome of Sunday's wild-card contest between Miami and Baltimore.

It also made up for a major blunder in the third quarter, when Sproles lost fumble on the 2-yard line that undoubtedly cost the Chargers points.

"That just felt great," Sproles said. "The fumble I had was still on my mind. I wanted that touchdown bad to make up for that fumble."

It brought elation to a team dead in the water a few moments prior. The Chargers' season looked all but over as the fourth quarter slowly ticked away.

Indianapolis had a 17-14 lead down the final stretch and the Chargers had to give up possession with less than three minutes remaining.

Mike Scifres sent one of several booming punts Indianapolis' way, but this one was his masterpiece. It bounced its way toward the 1-yard line. The defense forced a three-and-out and the offense drove 30 yards on seven plays to set up Nate Kaeding's game-tying 26-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining.

The Chargers won the toss, elected to receive and eventually set up Sproles' big run.

While Tomlinson couldn't do much Antonio Gates' sprained ankle allowed him to make a bigger impact, recording eight receptions for 87 yards, including a 30-yard reception that keyed the Chargers first touchdown and a pair of clutch receptions that set up Kaeding's game-tying field goal.

That combined with Tomlinson's touchdown and Sproles' score on a 9-yard run in the second quarter proved to be enough points to push the game into overtime.

It brought an end to a dramatic affair that kept the Chargers season and its lofty goals alive.

"This was just another step toward our ultimate goal," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. "We've set the bar high, and we're going to keep on working to meet those goals and hopefully go all the way."

Contact staff writer Scott Bair at (760) 739-6642 or sbair@nctimes.com.