Trailing 28-7 at halftime, the San Diego Chargers looked like their playoff dreams would remain only just that. However, a fierce rally led by Philip Rivers brought the bolts back to level terms at the end of regulation and led them down the field for a game-winning field goal to sink the San Francisco 49ers 38-35 in overtime.
Playing with injuries to his back and chest, Rivers submitted a sublime performance to keep his team’s season alive; he threw for 356 yards and four touchdowns (along with three interceptions), completing 4th-and-8 and 4th-and-10 passes on San Diego’s game-tying drive late in the 4th quarter. His fourth and final touchdown pass could hardly have been more clutch, as he dropped in an 11-yard strike to Malcom Floyd to tie the game with just 29 seconds to go.
The loss was emblematic of what has become a wildly frustrating season for San Francisco. With head coach Jim Harbaugh seemingly out the door already and their record a tremendously disappointing 7-8, dysfunction is currently ruling the day for the Niners. They did get tremendous rushing performances last night from both Frank Gore (26 carries, 158 yards, 1 TD, many lives ruined) and quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7 carries, 151 yards, 1 TD), who broke a 90-yard TD run in the 3rd quarter:
San Fran’s inability to do much through the air, however, proved to be their undoing. Kaepernick again struggled through a sub-par passing night (15-for-24, 114 yards, 1 TD), and after scoring touchdowns on three of their first four drives the Niners mounted just two possession of more than four plays the rest of the game.
While their season will end next week, the Chargers are very much still alive in the AFC Wild Card race. The 9-6 Chargers need to beat the Chiefs next week, then get some help from Buffalo, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh in order to make the postseason.
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