The 16 plays that helped the Chargers snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in their 24-21 playoff loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday:

First Quarter

Time: 12 minutes, 55 seconds

Score: 0-0

Situation: On the opening drive, the Chargers advance into Patriots territory, facing a second-and-7 at the 46.

Mistake: Quarterback Philip Rivers throws a sideline strike to wide receiver Eric Parker, who appears to make the catch for the first down only to be stripped by Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs. It is ruled an incomplete pass.

Consequence: While the Chargers catch a break when the fumble is wiped away, the drop hurts almost as much. They punt two plays later.

Time: 10:59

Score: 0-0

Situation: New England's first drive starts at the 9 and its first two plays net 2 yards to set up a third-and-8 from the 12.

Mistake: Quarterback Tom Brady's short pass for Reche Caldwell is tipped high in the air by Quentin Jammer. The ball falls right into the waiting arms of safety Clinton Hart -- who leaps into the air despite being at least 5 yards from the nearest Patriots player and drops it.

Consequence: Instead of knocking on the door, the Chargers start from midfield after a punt.

Time: 10:03

Score: 0-0

Situation: After the punt and a LaDainian Tomlinson run for no gain, the Chargers have second-and-10 from the 50.

Mistake: Rivers finds Parker open over the middle. Parker suffers his second drop.

Consequence: Good field position is squandered as the Chargers go three-and-out without gaining a single yard.

Time: 6:52

Score: 0-0

Situation: It looks like Parker finds redemption after a 21-yard catch and run puts the Chargers in business with a first-and-10 at the Patriots 29.

Mistake: Redemption is short-lived as the Chargers call a reverse, New England gets good penetration and Parker slips for a 7-yard loss without being touched.

Consequence: It's a blow to a promising drive destined to end in a befuddling fashion.

Time: 5:21

Score: 0-0

Situation: Chargers advance to the Patriots 30, where they're faced with a fourth-and-11.

Mistake: Coach Marty Schottenheimer passes up a 47-yard field-goal attempt by Nate Kaeding and takes a shot at the first down.

Consequence: Rivers is sacked by Mike Vrabel -- the second time the Chargers come up empty in Patriots territory.

Second quarter

Time: 1:58

Score: Chargers 14, Patriots 3

Situation: The Patriots start a drive from their own 35 looking to pull within two scores.

Mistake: The Chargers play a soft prevent defense, trying not to allow a big play.

Consequence: Brady dinks and dunks New England down the field. Nine plays later, the Patriots are in the red zone with 17 seconds left.

Time: 13 seconds

Score: Chargers 14, Patriots 3

Situation: The Patriots face a second-and-3 from the 11, with the Chargers trying to maintain a healthy lead heading into the break by forcing a field goal.

Mistake: Linebacker Donnie Edwards jumps offsides.

Consequence: The ball is moved to the 6 and New England is handed a fresh set of downs. Brady throws a touchdown pass to Jabar Gaffney on the next play.

Third quarter

Time: 11:49

Score: Chargers 14, Patriots 10

Situation: After forcing a three-and-out on the Patriots' first possession of the second half, the Chargers have a third-and-7 from their own 37.

Mistake: Rivers lofts a perfect throw deep downfield into the hands of Vincent Jackson -- who drops it.

Consequence: What should have been a big play into Patriots territory becomes another missed opportunity.

Time: 8:50

Score: Chargers 14, Patriots 10

Situation: The Chargers are set up at the New England 32 after Drayton Florence's interception of Brady. After a first down, they're at the 21.

Mistake: Four gaffes on four consecutive plays: Right guard Mike Goff is flagged for holding; Jackson catches a home-run ball in the back of the end zone, but fails to drag his second foot in bounds; fullback Lorenzo Neal is dinged for illegal motion, but it's declined to set up third and long; Rivers is sacked by a blitzing James Sanders.

Consequence: Backed up to the 38, easy points turn into a punt.

Time: 5:32

Score: Chargers 14, Patriots 10

Situation: The Patriots punt from their own 20, assuring good Chargers field position once again.

Mistake: Parker tries to snag the punt off his shoe tops at the 31 and muffs it.

Consequence: El Camino graduate Antwain Spann alertly dives in to keep Parker from recovering the ball. David Thomas recovers for the Patriots at the 31.

Time: 4:30

Score: Chargers 14, Patriots 10

Situation: On a third-and-13 at the Chargers 29, Brady is sacked by linebacker Shaun Phillips at the 37.

Mistake: After the play, Florence loses his cool and gets in the face of tight end Daniel Graham. Florence draws the personal foul -- his second penalty on the drive.

Consequence: New England, which was likely out of field-goal range, gets a first down at the 18. Stephen Gostkowski caps the drive with a 34-yard field goal.

Time: 9 seconds

Score: Chargers 14, Patriots 13

Situation: After Gostkowski kicks off out of bounds to set up the Chargers at the 40, they march into Patriots territory again and have first-and-10 at the 38.

Mistake: Rivers attempts to flip a swing pass to LaDainian Tomlinson over the head of linebacker Rosevelt Colvin. There's not enough mustard on the throw and Colvin tips, then intercepts the pass.

Consequence: It is the fourth time the Chargers advanced into Patriots territory without scoring a point.

Fourth quarter

Time: 6:25

Score: Chargers 21, Patriots 13

Situation: A personal foul on Shane Olivea gives the Patriots good field position and they move the ball to the Chargers 41 before the drive stalls. On fourth-and-5, Brady throws into the arms of safety Marlon McCree at the 31.

Mistake: McCree, who could have batted the ball down, makes the pick and tries to run with it. He's stripped by Troy Brown, and Caldwell recovers at the 32. Schottenheimer adds to the damage by challenging the ruling.

Consequence: The Chargers, who could have ground out the clock with Tomlinson, give new life to Brady, who hits Caldwell for a touchdown and ties the game. Schottenheimer's challenge on what was clearly a catch and fumble may have been called to let his team regroup, but it doesn't work. The lost timeout would be needed later.

Time: 3:53

Score: Chargers 21, Patriots 21

Situation: Tomlinson, who had slashed through New England all day, starts the next drive by rushing for 5 yards to the Chargers 34.

Mistake: The Chargers stray from what had been working. Rivers throws two straight incompletions, and they burn their second timeout after the first one.

Consequence: Mike Scifres is sent in to punt, giving Brady 3:30 left to mount a game-winning drive. Again, the lost timeout would be needed later.

Time: 2:42

Score: Chargers 21, Patriots 21

Situation: The Chargers defense appears on the verge of forcing a punt as the Patriots face third-and-10 at their own 34.

Mistake: Jammer, matched up in single coverage on Caldwell, allows the former Charger to slip past him for a 49-yard reception to the 17.

Consequence: The Patriots run the clock down to 1:14-- with the Chargers using their final timeout -- before Gostkowski's go-ahead field goal splits the uprights.

Time: 1:05

Score: Patriots 24, Chargers 21

Situation: Rivers leads the Chargers on their last-ditch drive. Starting at their own 25, time is of the essence.

Mistake: Rivers starts with two short passes over the middle to Antonio Gates, who is tackled in bounds both times. In two plays, the Chargers amass a meager 18 yards in 41 seconds.

Consequence: Rivers finally hits Parker to get the Chargers to the Patriots' 36, but the first two plays ensure they haven't the time to give Kaeding a more manageable kick. His 54-yard effort falls short and wide right. New England moves on.