Chargers still alive...Barely

San Diego has playoff hopes

Believe it or not the Chargers are still alive in the playoff hunt. After beating the Chiefs and a Denver loss to the Panthers, the Chargers have lived to play another day. However, their win over Kansas City was off the narrowest of margins in what was yet another wild, down to the last second type of game, which has been typical of the Chargers games this year.

What also has been typical of the Chargers this year is falling behind early and that’s exactly what happened against the Chiefs on Sunday. The Chiefs struck early with a touchdown on their first possession of the game. The score came on a half back option pass from Larry Johnson to Tony Gonzalez from four yards out. Then in the second quarter, after the Chargers turned the ball over via a Vincent Jackson fumble, the Chiefs moved the ball downfield again. Tyler Thigpen hooked up with Dwayne Bowe for a one yard touchdown pass to get Kansas City up 14-0.

The Chargers got on the board with a field goal right before the half, but early in the third quarter the Chiefs scored again. Once more the Charger turned the ball over, this time Rivers throwing an interception that set up the Chiefs at the San Diego three. One play later Kansas City was us 21-3 after Thigpen ran the ball in on his own. It looked like the Chargers were finished and that their playoff hopes were about to officially come to an end. But these were the Kansas City Chiefs they were playing, and the Chiefs have blown many a leads before.

San Diego commenced their comeback on the very next drive. Rivers lead the Bolts from their own 35 to the Chiefs six where he handed the ball of to Ladainian Tomlinson. LT took the ball in for the score to make it 21-10. There was still a long way to go for the Chargers and on their next three possessions they had to punt the ball twice and failed to convert on a 4 th down. Time was running out to the point where San Diego was going to need a bit of a miracle to pull out with a win.

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The lead was trimmed to 21-16 when the Chargers drove the distance again and Rivers connected with Malcom Floyd for a four yard touchdown pass. The two point conversion attempt failed and with only 1:19 left on the clock there was only one option for the Chargers; an onside kick. The onside kick worked and San Diego got the ball at their own 39 yard line. The big play came when Rivers hooked up with Vincent Jackson for 42 yards. Three plays later the Chargers were in the end zone when Rivers hit Vincent Jackson for 10 yards and the go ahead touchdown, making the score 22-21. Yet the game still wasn’t over. Kansas City managed to get in position for a game winning field goal try. But from 50 yards Dustin Colquit’s kick was no good and the Chargers pulled it off.

Amazingly the Chargers still have a chance to get into the postseason and it’s the same route they’ve known about for over a month now, through Denver. If the Broncos lose at home to the Bills this week and the Chargers win at Tampa Bay, the last game of the season will have meaning. It would be the Broncos and Chargers in San Diego playing for the division title. Right now that’s a lot of ifs for the Chargers. Their first task is to beat the Buccaneers, another team fighting for its playoff lives, and that won’t be easy.

By Steven Mondelli
ProFootball-fans.com San Diego Chargers Correspondent