At end, Rivers cuts Giants down to size
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Five years after being traded away on draft day for Eli Manning, Philip Rivers came back and stuck it to the New York Giants yesterday.
Rivers capped an 80-yard drive with an 18-yard pass to Vincent Jackson with 21 seconds left, and the San Diego Chargers stunned the Giants, 21-20, posting their third straight win while handing New York its fourth straight loss.
JULIE JACOBSON / Associated Press
Vincent Jackson catches the winning touchdown pass as Corey Webster defends.
San Diego is well-positioned for the second half of the season. The Giants can only shake their heads in disbelief after blowing their first 5-0 start since 1990.
"It's a big emotional win," said Rivers, who threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns. "I don't need a real reason why, but it ranks right up there with the win at Indy in the playoffs" in 2009.
"The link between me and Eli is always going to be there," he said. "So, yeah, it's a little special. Any time you play against a team that won the Super Bowl, it's fun."
The trade "didn't weigh into my mind and my thinking, but I bet it was there," Rivers said.
Rivers had the Giants to thank for giving him the chance to pull the game out.
Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas returned an interception 33 yards to the Chargers' 4-yard line with 3 minutes, 14 seconds to play. If Manning and company had punched the ball in, the game would have been over.
But a first-down holding penalty on Chris Snee pushed the Giants back 10 yards, and they settled for Lawrence Tynes' second field goal, a 22-yarder with 2:07 to play, and a 20-14 lead.
"We had a chance, and you can't leave that team in the game," said Manning, who passed for 215 yards and two touchdowns. "You can't leave that team an opening. They are good and talented, and if you have a chance to end it, you have to end it."
Rivers hit 6 of 8 passes on the winning march, including a 21-yarder to Darren Sproles that put the ball at the 18. On the next play, Rivers found Jackson in the right corner of the end zone.
San Diego 0 7 7 7 – 21
N.Y. Giants 0 7 0 13 – 20
Second quarter
SD–Jackson 10 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick), 14:55.
NYG–Smith 6 pass from Manning (Tynes kick), 4:20.
Third quarter
SD–Wilson 2 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick), 3:51.
Fourth quarter
NYG–FG Tynes 38, 14:09.
