Count me among the millions of people who are shocked at the result of today's San Diego-Indianapolis playoff tilt. I thought there was no way - no way - San Diego could go into Indy and pull off that upset. Not with the way Indy played down the stretch, and not with how bad San Diego looked against Tennessee last week. But, somehow, the Chargers managed to do it - and, to make it even more amazing, they did it with Philip Rivers, LaDanian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates spending large portions of the game on the bench.
The Chargers were flat-out not supposed to beat Indy - especially not with Tomlinson giving them almost nothing. And with Billy Volek leading the final touchdown drive. Billy Volek? Philip Rivers hurt himself at the end of the third quarter and it was up to the journeyman to bring it home. Of course, upsets of this magnitude do not happen without help from the upsetee. The Colts gave San Diego plenty of assistance in the form of a Marvin Harrison fumble and two Peyton Manning interceptions, the second coming when Indy was trying to punch the ball into the end-zone. And Indy had their injury problems too: Harrison played but was clearly not 100%, while both Bob Sanders and Joseph Addai missed time themselves with dings.
Still, even when you factor in Colts turnovers and injuries, the whole thing doesn't add up. Indy at home, Tomlinson knocked out, Gates marginalized, Rivers missing the fourth quarter...and the Chargers are the team that's moving on to the next round? Head-scratcher.
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Comments (2)
Heck of a game and I agree ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Danny Strickland | January 13, 2008 5:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Heck of a game and I agree a stunning upset. Three plays wrap this up.
Two red zone interceptions; both on tipped balls. Addai's dropped passed at the goal line with a little over 2 mintes remaining forcing a fourth down attempt.
I don't think the Chargers have any prayer against New England. Of course I didn't think they had a prayer today either.
1. Posted by Danny Strickland | January 13, 2008 5:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 13, 2008 17:05
2. Posted by Peptite | January 14, 2008 3:34 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Oh don't forget that bogus, biased holding call against the Chargers on that Rivers-Sproles touchdown reception/run. We would've been at 35-24 if the refs werent paid off.
2. Posted by Peptite | January 14, 2008 3:34 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on January 14, 2008 15:34