Chargers Handle Chiefs

NFL News - October 25th, 2009 - Written by John

LaDainian Tomlinson finally got his engine running and the San Diego Chargers gained 200 more yards than the Kansas City Chiefs to get their second division win of the year. Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes in a 37-7 win, more than covering their 8 1/2 point spread on Sunday.

It appeared that the Chiefs might have been coming into the game on somewhat of a roll after beating the Washington Redskins the week before. Then again, it was the Redskins and Kansas City went back to it's chaotic ways on offense. Matt Cassel was picked off multiple times for the first time all year and couldn't recover from an early 20-point hole.

Rivers finished the day 18-of-30 for 268 yards to lead his team to it's third straight win at Arrowhead. His main recipient was Vincent Jackson, who had nearly 100 yards by halftime, and finished the day with 143. Rivers could have easily gotten to 300, but with the increasing lead, head coach Norv Turner opted to pull him and give back-up Billy Volek some extra reps.

With rain pounding the field, Volek only needed to turn and hand the ball off to Tomlinson and Darren Sproles. Tomlinson had 23 carries and finished with a season-high 71 yards with a long of 36. Sproles was the only of the pair with a touchdown and averaged eight yards a carry. His touchdown came on a screen pass in which he took 58 yards to the house. It was a welcomed result after the Chargers entered the game with a miserable 57 yards per contest.

Sproles' score came when the game was already out of hand. Malcom Floyd and Jackson already had touchdowns to drive the score up to 20-0. After Cassel finally broke through with his only touchdown pass to Dwayne Bowe, the Chargers took their ensuing possession to midfield. That's when Rivers found Sproles in the flats, connecting with him low before the scatback outran several defenders in his way to the end zone.

Cassel's touchdown to Bowe broke a scoring drough of over six-quarters dating back to their Week Five game against Philadelphia.

The Chargers stamped the win with another embarrasing blow when Jacob Hester flew in on a Chiefs punt, blocked it, then fell on it in the end zone.

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