SAN DIEGO -- One Sunday night earlier, the Chargers returned to San Diego on a cross-country flight from South Florida, licking their wounds in nearly complete silence. Very few words were uttered on the airplane, as players and coaches reflected on an embarrassing performance against Miami.

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Exactly one week later, the mood was completely different. The Chargers put on a scintillating all-around performance that was easily their best showing of an up-and-down season and delivered a crushing 30-10 victory over the Tom Brady-less New England Patriots before 68,704 at Qualcomm Stadium.

It was a remarkable seven-day turnaround, fueled by Philip Rivers' three touchdown passes and Vincent Jackson's career-best receiving day, as the Chargers routed the Patriots -- the team that ousted them from each of the last two postseasons.

"You never can explain it," said Rivers, who passed for 306 yards. "You're not going to play perfect every week. I haven't seen a team do that yet. But we just came out and executed and played well.

"That's the tough thing about it -- now you look back and say, 'Why couldn't we have done some better things last week?' That's the way it goes. Each week is a new week."

The Chargers (3-3) looked like an elite team Sunday in dismantling New England (3-2), which had won 12 consecutive road games, the second-longest streak in NFL history.

"They did a better job than we did," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "I would say that about the players, the coaches, the whole works.

"The San Diego Chargers were better than the New England Patriots tonight. That' s across the board."

Shortly before game time, the Chargers learned that Denver (4-2) had lost to Jacksonville. Aware that a victory on the Sunday night stage would move them within a game of first place in the AFC West, they came out smoking hot, with Rivers completing a 48-yard throw to Jackson on the game's first play.

"It seems like we play our best when we need a win and our backs are against the wall," running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. "I wish we would approach every game like that."

The catch by Jackson (five receptions, 134 yards) set the tone, even though the opening drive stalled and the Chargers settled for Nate Kaeding's 24-yard field goal. What the initial play established was that the offense, which had sputtered early in games, wasn't going to be timid on this night.

That was reinforced on the Chargers' second possession when Rivers hit Malcom Floyd on the deep post pattern for a 49-yard touchdown to make it 10-0 just 11 minutes, two seconds into the game.

New England's Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 47-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to put the Patriots on the board, but the Chargers tacked on seven more points later in the period when Rivers threw a 3-yard scoring pass to Jackson to make it 17-3.

The Chargers also benefited from the inexperience of New England quarterback Matt Cassel, who hadn't started a game since high school (1999) before being thrust into the starting lineup due to Brady's season-ending knee injury.

On the opening drive of the third quarter, with the Patriots badly needing a score to cut into the Chargers' two-touchdown lead, Cassel made two key mistakes that prevented New England from pulling within seven points.

First, Cassel failed to hit Randy Moss on what would've been a 32-yard touchdown pass if his thrown had been in the vicinity of Moss, who had badly beaten Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie.

The Patriots recovered from the missed opportunity to reach the Chargers' 1-yard line, but then failed to score on the ensuing four plays. On the final play, Cassel froze and attempted to run, failing to spot tight end Benjamin Watson, who was running free in the end zone. Cassel was tackled at the 2.

"It was huge," said free safety Eric Weddle, who had 10 tackles. "The whole momentum went our way."

Indeed it did. The Chargers took over and marched 98 yards to take a 24-3 lead.

Rivers and Jackson teamed up for a 59-yard pass to the New England 35. Two plays later, Jackson had a step on Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs and was interfered with by Hobbs, the 32-yard infraction moving the ball to the 1.

Rivers hit Antonio Gates for a touchdown on the next play and the Patriots never again seriously threatened.

"Unbelievable goal-line stand, unbelievable," Rivers said. "The swing of events there -- they have a chance to cut it to seven to you're up 21, just like that."

And just like that, the Chargers' season has a new feel. A loss to New England would've left the Chargers with a 2-4 record and close to being placed on life support.

"We looked at it as a must-win," said cornerback Quentin Jammer, who had an interception while playing a solid all-around game. "You really don't want to start the season 2-4 and have to dog your way out of it. We had a hard time last year, so being 3-3 is huge."

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.