San Diego Chargers earn an important win with strong second half performance
The San Diego Chargers poured it on in the second half to earn a hard fought 33-25 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, 31 November. The Chargers' come-from-behind victory lifts their record to
3-5 and comes at an important time with them struggling to turn their season around and stay in contention for a play-off spot.
How it happened
The game didn't get off to a very good start for the Chargers as their first possession ended with their punt getting blocked through the back of the end zone for a safety.
Two second-quarter touchdowns, a one-yard pass from Vince Young to tight end Craig Stevens and a 29-yard run for a touchdown by Chris Johnson, had the Titans in the lead going into half-time by a score
of 19-14.
The Chargers took control in the third quarter scoring 10 points including a 48-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to Antonio Gates who scored his ninth touchdown of the season – surpassing after just
eight games his total for all of last season.
With the Chargers leading 27-19 in the fourth quarter, the Titans had a chance to tie it up after Vince Young connected with receiver Nate Washington on a 71-yard pass for a touchdown, but the two-point
conversion failed.
The Chargers added another touchdown when Darren Sproles scampered in for a 13-yard touchdown run, and from there the Chargers defence was able to keep the Titans offence at bay to earn the win.
What they're saying
Chargers quarterback, Rivers and tight end Gates both credited Norv Turner's half-time team talk as being instrumental in turning the game around.
"He has plenty of passion and gives us plenty of motivation. But this halftime was his best, as fiery as he's been," Rivers said of his coach's impassioned speech. "That's why it's so emotional. It's been
tough. We don't deserve any sympathy. We've done it to ourselves."
"I think that was the turning point of the game, not what we did on the field," Gates said about Turner's appeal to his team.
What it all means
The Chargers win couldn't have come at a more important time. Had they dropped to 2-6 it could well have meant the end of their post-season hopes. The win also comes against one of the AFC's top teams
as the Chargers have now proved that they can actually compete among the NFL elite. They will try to keep momentum going as they prepare for another tough game against the Houston Texans next Sunday, 7 November.
The Titans (5-3) will drop into a tie for second in the AFC South with whoever loses Monday night's matchup between the Houston Texans and the Indianapolis Colts. The Titans now head into their bye week
as they prepare to take on the Dolphins, in Miami, on Sunday 14, November.
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