First Playoff Game is on Jan. 17

Source: SD Tribune
The Chargers will play their first postseason game at 1:40 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 17, at Qualcomm Stadium, the NFL announced today.

If New England defeats Baltimore this weekend, the Chargers will play the Patriots. But if the Ravens win, then the Chargers will play the winner of the game between Cincinnati and the New York Jets.

This is the second straight year the Chargers will play in the final game of the NFL’s divisional playoff weekend. Last year they lost at Pittsburgh.

New Orleans (1:30 p.m. PST) and Indianapolis (5:15 p.m.) will host games on Jan. 16. The other game Jan. 17 (10 a.m.) will have Minnesota as the host team.

Chargers' Perfect Ending

SAN DIEGO – Why, yes, it was a ‘Skins game. Just like the kind they usually play in golf this time of year, the so-called “silly season.”

Meaningless.

An exhibition.

The only real conclusion to be drawn from the Chargers' 23-20 win over the Washington at Qualcomm Stadium is just that. It was a conclusion. Now complete is a regular season in which the Chargers lost three of their first five, then won all of its last 11 games en route to a fourth AFC West championship.

What was proven, however, was that one team’s backups and even third-teamers can beat another hapless franchise’s starters. Now in his 11th year as a reserve quarterback, Billy Volek drove the Chargers to the victory, hitting Buster Davis for an 11-yard pass to within inches of the goal line and pushing San Diego ahead with a short touchdown pass to fullback Mike Tolbert.

Such a close win or a loss to the Redskins might’ve set off all sorts of alarms in San Diego two or three months ago, but however it turned out, this merely meant the Chargers could get on with the postseason run for which they qualified three weeks ago. And try to get healthy in the process.

Indeed, about the only difference between this regular-season closer and the last game of the preseason is that players won’t be cut the next day. Instead, the Chargers will embark on a two-week preparation for a postseason game at Qualcomm Stadium in two weeks. The opponent will be determined next weekend in the first round of the AFC playoffs, which the Chargers will be sitting out with a bye earned by virtue of their No. 2 seed.

Considering the year the Redskins have been having, the red-clad fans in the lower rows behind their bench didn’t care if this was a Pop Warner outing. What they saw was a Washington team playing virtually three quarters against Chargers backups, not to mention a few who until yesterday had been regulars on the inactive list.

You didn’t even need to wait for the opening kickoff to know the importance of this finale, which was zero. The Chargers’ inactive list was full of dinged-up players – Shawne Merriman, Vincent Jackson, Eric Weddle and Jacques Cesaire – who likely would’ve been deemed playable if the contest had any ramifications whatsoever.

Then, the first play the Chargers got off was a pass to Buster Davis, the former first-round draft choice who was activated for the first time all season. Visibly, quarterback Philip Rivers was hardly his usual sharp self, overthrowing several of his early-game targets.

Still, the Chargers quickly assumed a 10-0 lead. Nate Kaeding opened the scoring with a 47-yard field, then Rivers capped an 11-play, 61-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates. Coming with 6:36 remaining in the first quarter, it was the last pass Rivers would throw all afternoon.

Volek, who’d thrown just one pass all season and generally been used to take a knee at the end of wins over Kansas City, took over and immediately introduced himself with a 50-yard connection to Malcom Floyd. That led to another Kaeding three-pointer of 24 yards, whereupon the Chargers pretty much plumbed the entirety of their their depth chart.

By no coincidence, the Redskins were ahead 14-13 at halftime. Jason Campbell, the usually beleaguered Washington quarterback, tossed a 2-yard TD pass to tight end Todd Yoder and a 3-yard score to fullback Mike Sellers. The latter was set up by a short pass that receiver Malcolm Kelly and some inexperienced defense turned into an 84-yard gain to the San Diego 4.

Until the winning TD, the second half was an exchange of field goals, a 45-yarder by Kaeding, two short kicks by Graham Gano after the Chargers defense held firm inside the 10-yard line.

LT still healthy, thanks to Sproles

SAN DIEGO – Darren Sproles, a 5-foot-6 Hercules known to his family and friends as Tank, might prove to be more valuable to the Chargers this season than even his NFL-leading 2,279 all-purpose yards would suggest.

LaDainian Tomlinson, with an essentially inconsequential game to still survive, is looking forward to going into this postseason strong.

For that, LT can thank his head coach and their little buddy.

“Obviously I haven’t taken a lot of shots (this season) like I usually take,” Tomlinson said. “So I think it helped me.”

With what certainly will be less than a full game yet to play on Sunday against the Washington Redskins, Tomlinson is virtually certain to finish this season with fewer carries (currently 221), rushing yards (729) and receiving yards (242) than he has ever had or it ever occurred to anyone he would ever have.

But he is healthy, and he is smiling. Tomlinson acknowledged recently he is as content as he’s ever been as a Charger, because he believes this is the best Chargers team he’s been on in nine momentous seasons.

And the Chargers believe Tomlinson’s current spry step — he’s had a number of his most impressive runs of the season over the past three weeks — will be an important cog to any success they achieve in the postseason.

It was always the plan. As he has been asked doggedly all season about Tomlinson’s lack of production, head coach Norv Turner has repeatedly referred to Sproles’ output and how he believes it will help Tomlinson.

The Chargers’ rushing offense, while 29th in the NFL overall, is ranked 21st during the span of their 10-game win streak. The improvement is greater than that might seem — from 57.6 yards per game to 108.5.

While the identity of their offense remains Philip Rivers and his receivers, the Chargers have improved running the football. Over the past 10 games, they have run almost 11 more times per game versus the first five. And they’re averaging 3.5 yards per carry, up from 2.9 yards per carry the first five games.

“When we run the ball and have the threat of the run it allows our big-play people on the outside and Philip (Rivers) to have a chance to make plays,” Turner said.

Tomlinson, for his part in that, has over the past two games averaged 3.7 yards per carry.

That’s a half-yard better than in his first 10 games.

“One of our big things, and we’re a week away from doing it, was to have LT healthy and fresh going into the playoffs and to have LT and our running game making that type of progress,” Turner said. “If you look back, he started slow, there were injuries on the line, LT missed two games. But over the past 10 games and the past five, our running game has been more than effective.”

Tomlinson’s health has become a topic of great import at Chargers Park over the past two Januarys.

It was in the final game of the 2008 regular season that he suffered a severe hip injury, rendering him ineffective in the Chargers’ wild-card victory over Indianapolis and sidelining him for their divisional-round loss at Pittsburgh.

That came a year after he sprained his knee in the Chargers’ divisional-round victory at Indianapolis that allowed him to play just four snaps in their AFC Championship loss at New England.

“You really cherish it, you really do,” Tomlinson said yesterday. “You cherish it when you’re healthy and able to crank it up and do what you want to do versus playing hurt and just trying to gut it out for the team. I’m so thankful to be at this position and have two feet to run on.”

Spelling Tomlinson most often on third down — and later in routs, such as his three-touchdown game last Friday — Sproles has 91 carries (30 more than last season) for 325 yards and 45 receptions (16 more than last year) for 497 yards this season, while also remaining the team’s punt and kickoff returner. But he knows his value is also immeasurable.

“As long as we’ve got him in the playoffs, that’s a good thing,” Sproles said of Tomlinson. “I’ve saved his body some hits. It’s good.”

Bolts Staying Focused

San Diego Tribune:
The Chargers have secured the AFC’s No. 2 seed, and they know what that means.

Nothing, really.

“I think going the bye route gives you an advantage,” head coach Norv Turner said. “It doesn’t guarantee you anything. You still have to play good.”

While teams fight for the coveted top two seeds and the bye week and at least one home game that are included, three of the past four Super Bowls have been won by a third, a fifth and a sixth seed.

A No. 2 seed has won four of the past 10 Super Bowls. A No. 2 seed has lost its first playoff game eight times over those 10 years.

As General Manager A.J. Smith has often said — just get in the tournament.

And after a 2-3 start, a beginning and middle of the season rife with injury, the Chargers are in the playoffs for the fourth straight year.

“I’m very proud of our players and coaches,” Smith said. “Our goal was to get to the playoffs. We have accomplished that, and in doing so we now have an opportunity to win a championship.

“To get in the tournament, you have to endure a long, hard, physical and demanding regular season. This team earned its way in, and I’m happy and excited for them.”

Smith knows the Chargers will benefit from the rest the No. 2 seed affords. But from his perspective the seed’s main benefit is that it eliminates a game.

Although getting the No. 2 seed has its own pitfalls, which the Chargers will now attempt to navigate with one regular season game remaining.

In 2006, the Chargers won their final 10 regular-season games to finish 14-2 and capture the AFC’s top seed. They played a final home game they needed to clinch that No. 1 seed, sat home for a week while the playoffs opened elsewhere and then hosted the New England Patriots — and lost 24-21.

No team is going to refuse a bye after playing 16 of the previous 17 weeks. The Chargers’ bye came in Week 5, so by next Sunday they will have played 12 straight weeks.

And starters playing one, two or three quarters against the Washington Redskins in the Jan. 3 regular-season finale likely will make little difference in how sharp they are come Jan. 16 or 17 in their divisional playoff game.

Maintaining a focus during the time off and practicing with purpose is going to be paramount.

“We have to use the bye smartly,” Turner said.

Players look back on three Januarys ago and believe the lead-up to that Patriots loss had something to do with the meltdown that occurred.

“We’d like to stay in a rhythm,” LaDainian Tomlinson said. “In ’06, we were like, ‘Well, let’s get everyone healthy.’ It didn’t work out to our advantage. That first game, we were a little rusty.”

Preventing that will be Turner’s main task, and he seemed primed for it immediately after Friday night’s victory over the Tennessee Titans.

“Every single guy is going to prepare to play next Sunday,” Turner said. “We’re going to practice the way we practice.”

Smith certainly had his opinion on Drew Brees playing in a meaningless 2005 season finale, when former coach Marty Schottenheimer started Brees, who ended up getting severely injured in what would be his last game as a Charger. But Smith has unequivocal trust in Turner. Plus, the two communicate daily.

“Coach Turner will give that great thought,” Smith said. “When he’s ready to make an announcement regarding our approach (against the Redskins), he will let us know.”

Turner said that after Friday’s practice the coaching staff will decide who plays against the Redskins.

By the time the Chargers play a meaningful game, it will have been three weeks since some of them were in a game. For some, it will have been four weeks or more.

But there are those among them who need it, and while Turner said his plan is fluid, it is almost certain some players won’t face the Redskins.

As much as anyone, outside linebacker Shawne Merriman can use time off. Merriman was in a protective boot after Friday’s game. Rehabbing instead of practicing most of the past seven weeks due to plantar fasciitis in his foot, Merriman has been playing Sundays with the aid of painkilling shots.

While he won’t be fully recovered until the plantar fascia completely tears or he gets the prolonged rest of an offseason, Merriman believes the bye will help him be stronger than he has since suffering his injury Nov. 8 at New York.

“Just knowing my body, I think it will,” he said. “For me it’s about doing what I’ve got to do to get on the field and be effective. I’m looking to be even more effective (in the postseason).”

Fellow outside linebacker Shaun Phillips got his long-injured ankle right last week, but he had his hip wrapped in ice as he left the field Friday after injuring it against the Titans.

Defensive end Jacques Cesaire missed Friday’s game with an elbow injury. Linebacker Kevin Burnett has missed two games with a neck injury. Almost every player plays through hidden injuries — aches, strains and just plain fatigue.

So the Chargers were pleased to be looking forward to some rest.

“It gets everyone healthy,” said cornerback Quentin Jammer, who like many others has been playing through various maladies much of the season. “It gets everybody back to 100 percent.”

Said left guard Kris Dielman of the bye: “It means the world. We have worked our (butts) off to get it … You get to rest. Linemen need it as much as anybody. We’ve been pounded pretty good every week for 16 weeks.”

2010 Schedule Set: New England and Cincinnati victories today made them winners of their respective divisions and made them opponents of the Chargers in 2010.

NFL teams have 14 games set for them and then play teams in assigned divisions that finished in their same spot. As AFC West champions, the Chargers were awaiting the winners of the AFC East (New England) and AFC North (Cincinnati).

The Chargers home schedule for '10: Arizona, Denver, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New England, Oakland, San Francisco and Tennessee.

The away schedule: Cincinnati, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Oakland, St. Louis and Seattle.

Dates and times are announced in April.

Merry F*ckin' Christmas! No. 2 Seed, First Round Bye!

NASHVILLE – The first time he threw deep, putting the headwind and the Tennessee Titans to the quick test, the ball seemed to flutter slightly and landed well short of its target. That was, a wide-open Vincent Jackson on a streak pattern with nothing but grass between him and the goal line.

However, if the breeze, the Christmas chill and other elements proved an initial impediment, they were not deterrents to Philip Rivers. By any means.

Rivers could not have been sharper with most of the rest of his passes, going long and short to pick the Titans apart in the Chargers' highly impressive 42-17 victory to make it a bah-humbug evening at LP Field, a performance that likely elevated San Diego further in the eyes of a national-television audience and might have pushed Rivers into the competition with peerless Peyton Manning and Drew Brees in Most Valuable Player discussions.

That the Titans were desperate for a win to stay alive for the postseason and the Chargers were already assured of a division title, motivated solely by the desire to gain the No. 2 seed in the AFC and a bye in the first round, made San Diego’s complete domination of Tennessee even more striking. The Chargers barely looked like a team needing a break of any kind, though they now have nine days before their regular-season finale against the Washington Redskins at Qualcomm Stadium.

For those keeping count, the Chargers who once were 2-3 have won 10 straight, the Titans 7-8 after an 0-6 start. More numbers: Darren Sproles scored three touchdowns, including the two in the third quarter that turned a game into a foregone conclusion. LaDainian Tomlinson scored twice, breaking an NFL record in the process, and the Chargers defense produced two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Rivers and his vast array of targets – he completed passes to nine different receivers, five to Jackson – simply had the Titans clueless how to stop San Diego. Rivers connected on 21 of 27 passes for 264 yards – attaining his second straight 4,000-yard season – including a 36-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates and a 52-yarder to Malcom Floyd that was negated by a holding penalty.

When the Chargers basically emptied their bench in the early fourth quarter – Rivers was replaced by Billy Volek, who spent his first seven seasons with the Titans – it was hard to believe the Titans actually held a lead. With the breeze at his back, Tennessee kicker Rod Bironas made good on a 46-yard goal to open the scoring nearly midway through the first quarter.

Four penalties by the Titans, including a pass interference on third-and-one at the Titans’ 11-yard line, helped the Chargers take the lead before quarter’s end. The two-yard touchdown by LaDainian Tomlinson was his 137th rushing score of the 21st Century, breaking him out of a tie with Emmitt Smith for most running scores in a decade.

Seemingly every time the ball got into the hands of Chris Johnson, the NFL’s new phenom did something breathtaking, and one of his carries on fourth-and-two set up the Titans with a first-and-goal at the Chargers’ 30-yard line. On the next snap, however, linebacker Brandon Siler intercepted Vince Young, whereupon Rivers passed the Chargers to another TD.

Immediately after a sack of Rivers by Jacob Ford, the Titans were closing in again on Rivers, but he showed some deft footwork to keep from getting tripped up for another loss. Moreover, with him on the run, the defense came off Gates, left uncovered for a 36-yard touchdown pass. The Titans challenged the score, thinking Rivers was across the line of scrimmage when releasing the pass, but the protest was not upheld.

Another turnover led to yet another Rivers touchdown pass. For the seventh time this season – a league high – linebacker Shaun Phillips forced a fumble and Stephen Cooper recovered at midfield. Rivers immediately went for the jugular, hitting Malcom Floyd for a 52-yard score that was negated by penalty. Tennessee continued to shoot itself in the foot, too, getting called for roughing-the-passer and tacking on another 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct. Two passes to Vincent Jackson got the offense close enough for Sproles to catch a three-yard TD and make it 21-3.

That might’ve been the game right there, really, but then Young began looking like the Vince Young who passed Texas to that incredible victory over USC in the Rose Bowl. Doing more damage with his legs, Young briskly moved the Titans downfield and personally punctuated the drive, scoring on a 3-yard keeper around the right side.

Tennessee wouldn't get closer.

Playoff Scenarios

Source: SD Tribune

The Chargers clinch their fourth consecutive playoff berth with a victory over (or tie against) the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Or they could lose and still clinch if one of six other combinations occur (See below).

The Chargers clinch the No.2 seed in the AFC and the bye that comes with it by beating the Bengals and having Denver and New England lose or tie.

To clinch the AFC West, the Chargers need Denver to lose against Oakland, or the Chargers could clinch the west with a combination of a win or tie and a Denver tie.

Here are the clinching scenarios:

Chargers win the West: 1. DEN loss 2. SD win or tie + DEN tie

Chargers clinch the No.2 seed: 1. SD win + DEN loss or tie + NE loss or tie

Chargers clinch a playoff spot: 1. SD win or tie 2. NE loss or tie + BAL loss or tie + MIA loss or tie 3. NE loss or tie + BAL loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie 4. MIA loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie + BAL loss or tie 5. MIA loss or tie + NYJ loss or tie + JAC loss or tie 6. MIA loss or tie + BAL loss or tie + JAC loss or tie 7. NYJ loss or tie + BAL loss or tie + JAC loss or tie

Chargers head to Pittsburgh

We already know this is going to be a fight between two of the most physical teams in the NFL.

They battled Nov. 16 and the defenses were so stingy that Tomlinson scored the only touchdown and the Chargers still lost. The score ended up a paltry 11-10, the first time that score had ever been recorded in the NFL.

According to weather.com, the temperature in Pittsburgh will vary from a low of 20 degrees to a high of 23, with a 30 percent chance of snow. The last game was a chilly, snowy night, and this one looks to be no different.

This part of the season, teams need to have a steady running game to stay competitive, but after RB Darren Sproles took a beating against the Colts over the weekend, it looks like the Bolts' running game will be in the hands of ex-Viking, Chief, and Buccaneer Michael Bennett. There is a possibility Sproles will be able to play extensively, but nowhere near his thirty-plus touches of the last game.

LT isn't even in the equation for the Chargers, because if they plan on getting past the Steelers, they'll need to rest him up in order to heal whatever is wrong—his groin, whether it's a tear or pull.

The Steelers have a bevy of healthy, well-rested runningbacks ready to play, but have a busted quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger. He is expected to play despite suffering a concussion in the final game of the season against the Browns. The two offenses are completely opposite, though both teams have strong defenses that never give up.

Rivers. Pro Bowl snub.

Threw for a franchise record 34 touchdowns, leading the NFL in touchdown's and quarterback rating, 105.5. In the Chargers last game in Pittsburgh, Rivers threw for two interceptions, but that was before the team got hot and won five in a row.

Rivers most likely won't have a running game to keep the offense honest, so he'll have to sling it more than usual. But there is the possibility Sproles will be available for screens—though highly ineffective against the quick Steeler defense.

In order for Rivers to be efficient, the offensive line has to deal with the likes of LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison, a two-time Pro Bowler. These two linebackers combined for 27.5 sacks this season, and don't miss tackles often.

With the Steelers defense applying pressure, their maverick can fly all over the field making plays, whether it's the run or the pass: Troy Polamalu, No. 43, the one with the hair.

Polamalu ended the regular season with seven interceptions, a career best and has been voted to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance. He is often the eighth man in the box, pulling back into coverage during pass plays and generally disrupting any offense that takes the field.

He is the key cog in the defense when it comes to stopping Philip Rivers on Sunday, as he can be deceiving when positioning himself before a play starts. The Steelers' defensive scheme uses Polamalu a lot in blitzes and stunts, made simply to confound quarterbacks and give the linebackers time to get to said QB.

If Rivers can connect with one of his tallest receivers (either Vincent Jackson or Legedu Naanee) consistenly underneath Polamalu's coverage, he may have a chance to hit a wide open Chris Chambers on the sideline or TE Antonio Gates down the seam.

Vincent Jackson arrested on suspicion of DUI

SAN DIEGO — Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Tuesday morning in Clairemont, authorities said.

Jackson, 25, was driving east on state Route 52 near Interstate 805 just after 2:30 a.m. when he was pulled over for an observed traffic violation, California Highway Patrol Officer Brad Baehr said.

Jackson, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound player who has been with the team since 2005, was driving a 2008 GMC Sierra registered to him, Baehr said.

He was booked into county jail and was released by 6 a.m., Baehr said.

Jackson faces the misdemeanor DUI allegation as well as charges that he was driving on probation for a prior DUI, Baehr said. The results of a blood test are pending.

The arrest will not keep Jackson from playing Sunday in the Chargers' divisional playoff game at Pittsburgh. The NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement gives authority to discipline players for alcohol and substance abuses to the league, not individual teams. Any suspension and/or fine would affect next season.

Jackson was at his career best in the 2008 season as the Chargers'second-leading receiver with 59 catches and 1,098 yards. He also scored 7 touchdowns.

Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith issued the following statement on Jackson's arrest:

"We're aware of the off-the-field issue involving Vincent. Obviously we're disappointed. We take these issues very seriously. Moving forward, we will monitor the situation and have no further comment."

After Saturday night's duel against the Indianapolis Colts, Chargers General Manger A.J. Smith called Jackson a true professional and ultimate team player.

“You win championships with players like Vincent Jackson,” Smith said.

Chargers dominate Colts in overtime!

SAN DIEGO — Peyton Manning has his MVP award and nothing more, outdone again in January by the San Diego Chargers.

Speedy little Darren Sproles scooted 22 yards for the winning score 6:20 into overtime and the Chargers beat the Colts 23-17 in an AFC wild-card game Saturday night, ending Indianapolis' nine-game winning streak a day after Manning won his third Associated Press NFL MVP award.

Sproles came up big on a night when the Chargers played the final 2 1/2 quarters without LaDainian Tomlinson, who stood on the sideline in obvious discomfort from a groin injury.

Fifty years after the Baltimore Colts won the first overtime game in league history by the same score over the New York Giants for the NFL title, Indianapolis wasn't so fortunate. It was victimized by Sproles, who rushed 23 times for 105 yards, caught five passes for 45 yards, had 106 yards on four kickoff returns and 72 on three punt runbacks.

The Chargers (9-8) won the overtime toss. Indy's Darrell Reid called heads, but referee Ron Winter's flip came up tails. Sproles sent the Chargers into the second round of the playoffs, either at Tennessee or Pittsburgh, by finishing off the only series of overtime with his TD run around left end against an exhausted defense for the Colts (12-5).

It was the 25th overtime game in the postseason, including one game in the AFL. The last overtime game in the playoffs was last season's NFC title game, won by the New York Giants and Manning's little brother, Eli, against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers.

Chargers uphold title of AFC West Division Champions!

Sunday, Dec 28, 2008
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

Four weeks after most left them for dead, the resilient Chargers won their fourth-straight game and 14^th-consecutive game in the month of December to complete an improbable comeback to claim their third-consecutive AFC West title Sunday night.

The Bolts’ emphatic 52-21 victory over the Broncos in front of a record crowd of 69,131 at Qualcomm Stadium allowed Norv Turner’s squad to become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs after starting a season 4-8.

“This is obviously history, the way we trailed the division and how we’ve now won it,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “We know the expectations we set out with and how high they were at the start of the year. All we’ve done is reopen some of those goal and some of those expectations now that we’ve got ourselves into January.”

The Chargers scored on their first four possessions of the first half and totaled a season-high 491 yards of total offense, forced two turnovers on defense and made a little history as they were able to vindicate a Week 2 loss in Denver and end the Broncos’ season.

Rivers tossed two touchdown passes to finish the season with 34, eclipsing Dan Fouts’ franchise record of 33, which he set in 1981. The Chargers also rushed for 289 yards as a team to set a new franchise record, and LaDainian Tomlinson’s three rushing touchdowns to push his career total to 126. LT entered the night tied with Marcus Allen for second-most in NFL history, and Tomlinson now sits alone in second place.

“Those things are nice individual things that come along with playing the way we played today,” Turner said. “It’s exciting to win the division. It’s exciting to know we’re going to play again.”

The Chargers came out with their foot on the gas pedal and never let up. They took a 3-0 lead on their opening drive of the night when Nate Kaeding capped a 60-yard drive with a 28-yard field goal.

Denver answered with a 26-yard touchdown run by Tatum Bell on their first possession of the night, but Matt Prater’s failed extra point attempt prevented the Broncos from tying the game.

The Bolts responded with a 73-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by Vincent Jackson’s 37-yard catch and punctuated by LaDainian Tomlinson’s one-yard touchdown run, his first of three on the night which made it a 10-6 game.

“The way the offense came out and got us that lead was huge,” safety Clinton Hart said. “We were able to dictate the pace of the game. It’s a whole lot easier to play with a lead, especially against an offense like that. We put together a complete game.”

Following a Broncos punt that ended their second possession, the Chargers widened the gap even further. A 34-yard catch by Antonio Gates set up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to give the Chargers a 17-6 lead.

The Chargers made it four for their first four as another Denver punt led to another Bolts touchdown drive. Tomlinson’s four-yard touchdown run made it a 24-6 Bolts’ advantage.

Late in the second quarter, the Broncos drove deep into Bolts territory and threatened to trim the lead just before halftime. But Paul Oliver picked a perfect time for his first career interception as his pick of Jay Cutler in the end zone brought the drive to a halt and allowed the Chargers to maintain their commanding lead.

“It seemed like every time they’d start to get going offensively, our defense would make a big play,” Jackson said. “Our offense and defense really fed off of each other tonight.”

The Broncos made it a little interesting early in the third quarter as they drove 73 yards on their first possession of the second half. Bell’s 37-yard touchdown run made it a 24-13 game just two minutes into the third frame.

As they did throughout the night, the Chargers had an answer. On the ensuing drive, Tomlinson’s 45-yard run, his longest carry of the season, put the Bolts on the door step once again. Rivers’ 13-yard pass to Darren Sproles allowed the star signal caller to set a new franchise record with 34 touchdown throws on the season and gave the Chargers a commanding 31-13 lead.

Just two plays later, the Bolts piled it on some more. On Denver’s first play of their drive that followed Sproles’ touchdown catch, Shaun Phillips tipped a Cutler pass that landed in the hands of Luis Castillo. Following the interception, Tomlinson found the end zone from 14 yards out to push the lead to 38-13.

“We practice the tip drill every day in practice,” Castillo said. “I looked up and saw the ball and was able to grab it.”

Early in the fourth quarter, Cutler threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tony Scheffler to pull Denver within 17, but the Broncos never got any closer. A 37-yard run by Sproles set up a two-yard touchdown run by the do-it-all back.

After a stop by the Bolts’ defense, the Chargers got a chance to drive one final nail in the coffin, and Jacob Hester served as the hammer. The rookie back picked up 37 yards in the waning minutes and scored his first-career rushing touchdown to round out the scoring at 52-21.

Tomlinson finished the night with 96 yards on 14 carries to finish the season with 1,110 yards and 11 touchdowns. Sproles led the club with 115 yards on the ground as the Chargers controlled the pace of the game and had the ball more than 12 minutes more than the Broncos. LT made sure to thank his offensive line for their big night.

“The guys up front, they totally dominated,” Tomlinson said. “They did what any good offensive line does; they took control of the game.”

Sunday’s win allows the Bolts to host the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC Wildcard playoff game next Saturday night. The Chargers enter the playoffs on a four-game winning streak and believe they’re playing their best football at the right time of the year.

“We’re on a good roll,” guard Kris Dielman said. “We’re ending the season on a good note. Now it’s time to go into the postseason and make a good run.”