Chargers sink Titans
San Diego secure playoff bye with 42-17 win to become AFC second seeds in postseason.
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| Tomlinson says the Chargers are on top of their game going into the NFL postseason [EPA] |
The streaking San Diego Chargers wrapped up a first round playoff bye in emphatic fashion with a 42-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Philip Rivers passed for two touchdowns and 264 yards while LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles each rushed for scores as the Chargers cruised to a 10th consecutive win in becoming AFC second seeds.
Sproles also caught one of Rivers’ TD passes to have a hand in three touchdowns for the AFC West Champions.
Rivers was an outstanding 21-of-27 in passing to help the Chargers tie the 1970-74 Miami Dolphins for the most successive wins in a month.
“We’ve put ourselves in as good a position as we can going into the postseason,” Rivers said on Friday.
“It’s been quite a run.”
Tennessee’s Chris Johnson, the NFL rushing leader, posted his 10th successive 100-yard rushing game but it was not enough to eliminate the Titans from playoff contention.
Streaks
Only Detroit Lions’ Barry Sanders (14 games in 1997) and the Oakland Raiders’ Marcus Allen (11 games in 1985-86) have longer NFL streaks than Johnson.
The Titans were trying to become the first NFL team to start the season 0-6 and make the playoffs but were powerless to prevent the San Diego from scoring on six of their first eight drives in building a 42-10 lead.
Tomlinson put the Chargers ahead 7-3 on a one-yard run and the advantage stretched to 21-3 on Rivers’ touchdown passes, a 36-yarder to Antonio Gates and a three-yard reception by Sproles.
Quarterback Vince Young pulled Tennessee to within 21-10 on a three-yard run as half time approached.
The next three touchdowns belonged to San Diego, however, a one-yard run by Tomlinson and Sproles’ scores of nine and one yard.
“We’re playing our best football,” Tomlinson said after the Chargers improved to 7-1 in road games this season.