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Chargers' hopes float on mediocre division

By BERNIE WILSON

Published November 24, 2008 at 6:06 p.m.
Updated November 24, 2008 at 8:07 p.m.

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SAN DIEGO (AP) _ Mediocrity has never looked so good to the underachieving San Diego Chargers.

If they were in any other division, the Chargers would officially be flops. But since they play in the awful AFC West, the Chargers are still in the playoff chase despite losing four of their last five games.

"We're for sure the only 4-7 team this year that's still got a chance, I guess," quarterback Philip Rivers said Monday, less than 24 hours after the Bolts lost 23-20 to the Indianapolis Colts on Adam Vinatieri's 51-yard field goal as time expired.

The two-time defending division champion Chargers remained two games behind the Denver Broncos, who were upset 31-10 by the Oakland Raiders.

"That's the only positive spin you can put on this whole deal is that we're still two games back with five to go and we get a chance at the team were chasing the last game of the year," Rivers said.

"As bad as it's been and as tough as it's been, again, I don't know how many weeks we'll be able to say it, but at least one more week, this week, we can say it, we're still in the hunt for everything we set out to accomplish."

The question is, will the Chargers still have a chance when they host the Broncos on Dec. 28?

Up next for the Chargers is a home game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons and Michael Turner, LaDainian Tomlinson's former backup who was allowed to leave San Diego as a free agent after last season.

While Tomlinson is having the worst year of his eight-season career, Turner is flourishing. He tied a team record with four rushing touchdowns in Atlanta's 45-28 win against Carolina on Sunday and cracked the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career.

"We just need to win one game," Rivers said. "It's not going to solve everything and put us in first place, or put us right where we want to be, but winning one game can do a ton for us."

To put the Chargers' plight a little more in perspective, they are only one game ahead of the Raiders, who visit Qualcomm Stadium a week from Thursday night. Remember, the Chargers were a popular preseason pick to make it to the Super Bowl.

Rivers said the Chargers are down but haven't lost confidence in each other.

"I'm not walking around with a frown on my face so everybody knows, 'Hey, I'm mad we're 4-7,' " he said. "I'm going to be in there Wednesday as if we're 12-0. I mean, what are we going to do? If I lift weights with a frown on my face, does that mean I care more than if I go in there and act as if I did before the start of the season? We've just got to go play. In the next five minutes, whatever I'm going to tell isn't going to change the game or change a throw or change anything. We've just got to go play. Nobody wants to be in this situation."

Comments

  • November 25, 2008

    7:11 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    piano3 writes:

    Who cares?

  • November 26, 2008

    2:01 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    deezBroncs1127 writes:

    What do you mean who cares? I can't believe that the Chargers are a pitiful 4-7 and still have a shot at making the playoffs. The Broncos could have pretty much wrapped things up if they would've just taken care of business against the Raiders.

    Mark my words, Denver will miss the playoffs once again and have a mid range draft pick (15-20). I love my Broncos, but at this point it doesn't look so good when we have to travel to San Diego to win 1 game in a hostile environment, that's if we take care of business when the Chiefs come into to town, we lose that one and we can kiss our chances GOOD BYE !!!