subject: San Diego Chargers beat Denver Broncos 35-14 [print this page] San Diego Chargers beat Denver Broncos 35-14
San Diego Chargers beat Denver Broncos 35-14
Take away all those special-teams blunders and turnovers, and this is how the San Diego Chargers were supposed to look all along.
Philip Rivers tied his career high with four touchdown passes and the Chargers beat the Denver Broncos 35-14 Monday night for their third straight victory.
While Rivers did it on a season-low 233 yards, San Diego's defense, led by linebacker Shaun Phillips, settled in and harassed Denver's Kyle Orton after he led an easy opening scoring drive.
Patrick Crayton scored on a 40-yard catch-and-run late in the second quarter, hurting his left wrist as he fell into the end zone, and speedy Darren Sproles had a 57-yard catch-and-run early in the third.
The four-time defending AFC West champion Chargers (5-5) even pulled off a fake punt, a remarkable accomplishment considering the special-teams gaffes that contributed to a 2-5 start. Mike Scifres who has had five punts blocked this year waited for fullback Mike Tolbert to get open and hit him with a 29-yard pass that set up Rivers' tying 6-yard scoring pass to Malcom Floyd in the first quarter.
The Chargers, coming off their bye, pulled into a second-place tie with Oakland, one game behind Kansas City, You want to buy San Diego Chargers Jerseys? welcome to ujersy. Denver fell to 3-7.
Rivers completed 15 of 24 passes, including three to Crayton for 105 yards. Tolbert gained 111 yards on 24 carries.
Rivers also threw four touchdown passes in the Chargers' previous game, a 29-23 victory at Houston on Nov. 7.
Young's season is over
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said Vince Young needs season-ending surgery on his throwing hand, Recommend directory: Denver Broncos Jerseys. Not that being healthy would have kept the quarterback in the Titans' starting lineup.
The team is placing Young on injured reserve within the next few days, but after his latest meltdown throwing his pads into the stands Fisher said Young wouldn't have started Sunday against Houston anyway.
Where to buy NFL Jerseys? Go toujersy,Young saw a hand specialist Monday, and Fisher said team doctors recommended the surgery to repair Young's torn flexor tendon in his right thumb. Young was injured late in the third quarter of Sunday's 19-16 overtime loss to Washington.
Fisher said he didn't know and didn't sound as though he cared if Young will get an outside opinion.
"He may want to get a second opinion. He may want to get two dozen opinions. Our doctor said for his position, it needs to be fixed," Fisher said.
Rusty Smith, No. 2 on the depth chart Sunday, replaced Young in the game and Fisher said the rookie from Florida Atlantic will start against Houston. The Titans are bringing in Chris Simms to back up Smith.
Notes
The New York Giants' problems have gone from bad to worse.
With the team riding a two-game losing streak that has suddenly put it out of a playoff position, the Giants (6-4) learned leading receiver Hakeem Nicks is going to be sidelined for at least three weeks after being treated for Compartment Syndrome in his lower right leg.
Nicks was hurt in Sunday's 27-17 loss in Philadelphia. He experienced swelling in the area Monday and was immediately taken to a hospital in New York where doctors were to perform an emergency procedure to relieve the pressure on nerves and blood vessels.
