SANTA CLARA, Calif. // Philip Rivers looked at the 21-point deficit on the scoreboard at halftime and even he wondered whether the San Diego Chargers had it in them to come back. The season depended on it, so Rivers took charge.
He prevailed through a balky back and a sore chest to keep San Diego’s slim playoff chances alive, rallying his team to tie it in the final minute and setting up Nick Novak’s 40-yard field goal nearly 5 minutes into overtime in a 38-35 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night.
“Obviously, an unbelievable finish,” coach Mike McCoy said. “We had about as bad a first half as we could possibly play. ...You saw a lot of emotion on the sideline throughout that second half – the excitement, the energy, the way we play football.”
Rivers found playmakers in Antonio Gates and Eddie Royal when two of San Diego’s offensive stars were down with injuries.
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He completed his fourth touchdown pass of the day with a tying 11-yard TD pass to Malcom Floyd with 29 seconds left in regulation after completing a pair of fourth-and-longs as the Chargers (9-6) forced overtime.
Phil Dawson’s 60-yard field goal attempt for San Francisco as regulation ended fell way short. Quinton Patton then fumbled in overtime to set up San Diego’s winning drive.
“What a comeback. It’s one of the greatest I’ve been a part of, and it keeps us alive,” Novak said. “To kick the game-winner, do-or-die kick ... loved being in that moment.”
On a night nearly everything clicked for the home team until the waning moments, Rivers made plays without wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back Ryan Mathews.
He shined with the season on the line. The Chargers came in needing to win out and get some help after beginning the week tied with Kansas City and Buffalo, one game out of the final wild-card berth. San Diego ends the season at Kansas City next Sunday.
Rivers converted fourth-and-8 and fourth-and-10 on the key final San Diego drive of the fourth quarter.
“We just got going and fell into a rhythm,” Rivers said. “At halftime, we didn’t know if we could come all the way back, but we were going to fight. That’s who we are.”
Eagles stumble against Redskins in their play-off pursuit
The Philadelphia Eagles are on the brink of elimination from the playoff race after a 27-24 loss to the Washington Redskins on Saturday night.
Kai Forbath kicked 26-yard field goal with 5 seconds left to snap the Redskins’ six-game losing streak. The Eagles lost their third in a row to fall to 9-6. They need the Dallas Cowboys to lose their final two games to have a shot at repeating as NFC East champs.
The Redskins improved to 4-11. Robert Griffin III returned as the Washington starter and won in his first complete game in more than a year. He went 16 for 23 for 220 yards with one interception.
Mark Sanchez committed two turnovers for the Eagles, including Washington rookie cornerback Bashaud Breeland’s interception with 1:31 left that led to the winning field goal. Sanchez was 37 of 50 for 374 yards with two touchdowns to Riley Cooper.
The Eagles (9-6) will now focus their energies on rooting for the Indianapolis Colts to beat the Cowboys (10-4) on Sunday. Philadelphia then would need to beat the New York Giants on the road next week, then hope that Dallas loses to the Redskins. That would create a 10-6 tie atop the NFC East, with the Eagles claiming first place because they hold the tiebreaker based on a better division record.
Philadelphia’s loss clinched a playoff berth for the Detroit Lions. The Eagles were eliminated from the wild-card race.
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