Chargers bounce back with win against Dolphins
A week after losing their home opener to the Ravens, the Chargers entered Sunday’s game looking to get back on the winning track and improve their record to 2-1. Standing in their way was a Dolphins team still in search of their first win of the season. A 0-3 start in the NFL is almost as good as a post season death sentence as only five teams in history have come back from such a beginning to make the playoffs. On paper the Chargers appeared to be huge favorites to win, but going up against a desperate team can often mean trouble no matter how good things look statistically in the pre game. And for much of the afternoon the Dolphins were hanging in there, threatening to pull the upset, but in the end the Chargers prevailed.
Babe Ruth once said that it’s better to be lucky than good, and in the NFL even the best of teams need their fair share of friendly bounces. Such was the case from the get go at Qualcomm Stadium when the Dolphins drove all the way to the Charger one yard line on their opening series. On the verge of scoring a touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead Chad Pennington tried to hand the ball of for a run play but fumbled the ball, which didn’t stop rolling until it had gone to the back of the end zone. The result was a touchback and the Chargers were set up at their own 20 yard line with the game still scoreless. It was a terrible miscue for Miami and an incredible break for San Diego.
After the fumble the Chargers were able to move the ball enough to get in position for a field goal, but throughout the first half their offense struggled to do much of anything. San Diego was without Ladanian Tomlinson for a second straight week, and for the third game in a row the running game could not produce. By game’s end Darren Sproles had carried the ball 18 times for only 41 yards while Michael Bennett went 8 for 18 yards. Combine this with a slow start from Phillip Rivers over the first two quarters and by halftime the Chargers found themselves in a 3-3 tie with the Dolphins. But even with this score the Chargers had to consider themselves lucky thanks to the blunder by Pennington and a lot of help from their defense, which had knocked Pennington out of the game.
> Find San Diego Chargers hats & Merchandise online through Pro Football Fans for all your team gear!
The Chargers still looked sluggish at the start of the second half, going three and out on their first possession and surrendering a field goal to Miami that gave the Dolphins their first lead of the game at 6-3. But as the third quarter neared an end the Charger finally got things going. Rivers sparked a drive by hitting Malcolm Floyd with a 47 yard pass, moving his offense from their own 25 yard line to the Dolphins 28. Four plays later Rivers sealed the drive by running the ball in himself from five yards out for the game’s first TD. It was a quick strike, taking just over two minutes and giving the lead back to San Diego at 10-6.
In the fourth quarter the Chargers defense continued to confuse Dolphins rookie quarterback Chad Henne and keep Miami’s offense at bay while their own offense tacked on field goals to widen the lead. The final blow, however, came when Miami still had a chance. With the score 16-6 in favor of San Diego, and just under six minutes remaining in regulation Henne threw a pass that was picked off by Eric Weddell and returned 31 yard for a touchdown. The pick six put the Chargers up 23-6 and pretty much ended any hope for a Dolphins comeback.
All things considered the Chargers have to be pleased with the results from Sunday’s game. As they say a win is a win and the Chargers got just what they needed. What they need now as they prepare for their next game is to try to get a little healthier. Ladanian Tomlinson tops the list of those they hope to get back on the field as they’ll surely need a better running game for their Sunday night match up at Heinz Field against the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
By
Steven Mondelli
ProFootball-fans.com San Diego Chargers Correspondent