Darren Sproles and Mike Scifres won’t need to buy a drink in San Diego. Ever.

The Bolts gave the ball to Sproles, all 5’6” of him, and the guy ran past the Colts and led the way right to either Nashville or Pittsburgh. 328 total yards in a variety of roles. Fitting he took the rock into the endzone to seal the deal.

Scifres is a stud. I can’t punt that well in Madden 09. Never thought I would praise a punter, but he kept the Colts at bay all night.

Rivers to Gates was radically redundant and seemingly effortless.

Defense was stellar. They were porous against the pass but Ron Rivera came up with a scheme that kept Manning human and took the ‘MV’ out of ‘MVP’.

When the Colts went no-huddle during a Chargers substitution, catching them with their pants down, I nearly did a spit take. If San Diego lost, all fingers are pointing to that play.

This rivalry has become fantastic. Playoff football is always something special, but what a show the Bolts and Colts put on.

Coming into the game at .500 for the season expectations were low. They snuck in through the backdoor, will be one and done, an afterthought.

Not so fast.

Reports exploded today about the groin injury to LaDainian Tomlinson.

ESPN.com had the following:

…Tomlinson had a detached tendon that connects one of his adductor (groin) muscles to his pubic bone…

We’ll see how long he can last on the field.

Darren Sproles could have a big day.

When destiny is under control for weeks, tragedy can be averted.

When the improbable must be done, greatness can come to fruition.

In the end determination wins out. With a 52-21 win the Chargers left no doubt.

A mile-high collapse on a brisk San Diego night was witnessed, the effects of which are still soaking in for fans that never truly gave up but were staunch in the realistic outcome of this season.

The Chargers evidently scoffed at ‘reality’, spat at the improbable, and jettisoned through the backdoor into the NFL’s second season.

For weeks I have stated this team would not make it. For Chargers fans, I am happy to be proven wrong.

However, before the season began, I made a small note about the Week 17 matchup:

Another small caveat is those Denver Broncos. The Bolts will see their divisional rival in Week 2 and not again until Week 17. The Bronco bookend could pan out into something special. If Denver wants a shot at the division they must have both games scheduled in obnoxious orange. (“Much Ado About The Schedule”)

At least I got something right. Sort of.

A legion of San Diego supporters were camped out at Qualcomm for playoff tickets and left like thousands of Charlie’s with Golden Tickets to the Wonka factory. To the suddenly postseason bound Chargers fans now walking on air, I say go nuts.

An odd season resulted in a fitting end for San Diego. As for what lies ahead I will defy anyone to rest on their laurels and declare a lock for the Conference.

For a team that’s been in playoff mode for nearly a month, a seminal force is coming back to town for another battle. The 12-4 Wild Card Indianapolis Colts are traveling to the 8-8 Chargers, your AFC East Champions.

Reality be damned. It’s playoff time.

Kevin Hench over at FOX Sports wrote a niece piece on how this season could have played out.

Here’s to what could have been…

Courtesy of FOXSports.com

Stripes Doom Bolts

After going 14-2 in 2006 and coming within a game of the Super Bowl last year, the Bolts looked primed to get over the hump this season.

But three plays turned the Chargers’ season upside down. Instead of 9-5, atop the AFC West and readying for another playoff run, San Diego needs help from the last-place Bills if they’re to have any shot at catching the Broncos in their Week 17 showdown.

1. A 14-yard TD pass is not supposed to be a Hail Mary, but when Jake Delhomme fired the ball toward tight end Dante Rosario on the final play in Week 1 against the Chargers it looked like a prayer. But Rosario brought the ball down — his only touchdown of the year — and the Panthers stunned the Bolts as time expired. Turns out losing on the game’s final play in Week 1 was something of an omen for the star-crossed Bolts.

2. The game was over. Jay Cutler had fumbled and the Chargers had recovered to secure a win over the Broncos. But despite seeing the ball fly backward right in front of his face, Ed Hochuli incorrectly ruled the fumble a forward pass and could not remedy his mistake after blowing his whistle. We all know how that one ended.

3. Maybe because it happened in London nobody stateside said much about the second unconscionable call that might have cost the Chargers a game this season. Early in the fourth quarter in Week 8 against the Saints, a phantom pass interference call in the end zone on Cletis Gordon gave New Orleans the ball at the 1 instead of 3rd-and-10 at the 20. The Saints punched it in for a 37-20 lead in a game San Diego ended up losing 37-32. For the game the Chargers had 14 penalties for 134 yards, including another dubious pass interference call on Quentin Jammer on 3rd-and-long.

How bad has the Chargers’ luck been compared to the first-place Broncos? The Bolts have a plus-44 point differential and trail Denver (which has given up 40 more points than it’s scored) by two games. If there were a Bill James of football he could come up with a formula to explain precisely how preposterous this is.

Here is their poll…

So, Kansas City Chiefs, you give up 12 points in the last 73 seconds and try to take the title of best choke artists this year? Who do you think you are? Stellar choke jobs and last minute losses were all we had going, the few things San Diego has done brilliantly this season. But you just couldn’t let the Chargers lose in grand fashion, could you?

You’re selfish, Chiefs. Very selfish.

As a result, ears are peeking up in the Gaslamp, whispers of mathematic playoff possibilities are percolating throughout otherwise downtrodden sports bars. Hope is alive while harsh reality is kept at bay.

With Denver falling to Carolina, the Bolts are still technically alive for playoff consideration. Once again, it’s not going to happen.

I’ll tell you why.

From Week 1 to the Super Bowl, the NFL can be eerily predictable at times with trends and style. For instance, in a game, when a running back fumbles the ball and it bounces right back into his hands, you know the game is just going to go that way. Through Week 15, the Chargers have a propensity for giving a gallant effort resulting in an epic failure. This trend will continue until the final ticks of the Denver game Week 17.

I like what this team will be in 2009 and feel they can meet expectations. Hopefully for Bolts fans that championship window will still be open.

Yes, the Bolts have a pulse.

While their victor over the hapless Raiders wasn’t pulse-pounding, it was a great win at home, sorely needed.

Going into Thursday only a game separated these stalwart adversaries (or lame duck underachievers, depending who you ask) but on Thursday the Chargers and Raiders seemed worlds apart. It wasn’t close from the onset and you saw the Bolts firing on every level. Sure, bad teams make mediocre teams look special… but I won’t digress into anymore wallowing or get a case of the ‘coulda-ben’s.

Denver has to lose three out of four and the Bolts have to win out for a showdown Week 17. I still stand by my earlier forecast that their playoff hope is as dead as disco.

Nevertheless, it was a great show for the home team that was sorely needed. The Chargers looked energized, poised, and confident. For a short week against a divisional foe, that’ll due.

Here are the stats…

FOX Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Sporting News.

Well, I won’t say it hasn’t been fun. Because it hasn’t.

The loss to Atlanta gave San Diego its third consecutive loss. They are three games behind Denver with four to go. Is there a slim chance? Sure. Denver loses out, Chargers win out and make it to the playoffs at 8-8. Right. Hey, believe that and I have some stock to sell you.

Won’t happen. Don’t start the prayers and effigy burning. Save your energy for next year.

San Diego is done. Not from lack of effort or desire. I don’t see the 2008 squad as giving up. They were hit by key injuries, but under-performed and were out-coached throughout.

The off-season prognostication was a little lofty, but mostly warranted. They are better and should not be clutching to four wins at this point in the season.

This season is baffling. Such a completely wide open division. Seemed at times no one wanted to win it. Makes as much sense as Tim McGraw hosting Saturday Night Live last week with Ludacris & T-Pain. Not to mention, who or what is a T-Pain?

Regardless.

Chargers are showing up but coming just short. Such will be the tale of the season. Their heart is in it, potential is there, and that bodes well for 2009. Sadly, it’s just so far away.

So long, San Diego. Thanks for a job… done.

Wide receiver Craig Davis has been put in the injured reserve list due to a groin injury, thus ending his 2008 season.

Davis and his unenviable 59 total yards might be gone, but they’re assuredly soon-to-be-forgotten. I wouldn’t blame Davis. He missed plenty of games this year, and hasn’t been able to succeed in this offense. If he does get let go I can see him making great strides elsewhere. Tons of potential.

Tackle Corey Clark got a promotion and took Davis’ spot on the roster.

The Chargers should be out of it. Done.

They’re not. Technically, at least.

Forget the Wild Card. It’s the division or bust. Being only two games out of the lead with six games to go, anything could happen. If this sounds like a broken record, it is.

It seems week after week, loss after loss, players and fans alike are hanging on to the hope that Denver will collapse and the Chargers can patch together a few wins to pass them. When is this master plan supposed to come to fruition?

Let’s say the Chargers pull it together and take the division. What’s next? Early exit in the playoffs, finger pointing in the offseason, draft day, and then another season of trying to meet and exceed lofty expectations. The Bolts will not win the Super Bowl. I doubt they will make the playoffs.

Why? Two reasons.

First, injuries on defense mixed with a lack of comparable backup personnel peppered with a shaky coaching staff has made the Chargers hemorrhage points like a stuck pig.

Second, and quite simply, the running game has ran out. The running threat is non-existent.
And San Diego gets lay all this out at home on Sunday against the Colts. A team on a three game win streak that is battling for a Wild Card bid in a division that has the Titans with a near death-grip on the crown.

Indy has plenty to play for. Not sure what the Bolts have left to play for.

Appears that if Denver loses then it doesn’t matter how much the Chargers disappoint and under-perform. So, I say, “go whoever is playing the Broncos! Save the Chargers season… someone has to.”

The bye week was best-case scenario. Rest of the division lost. Time to capitalize against the Chiefs.

Long game. They caught up. The Chiefs are going for two.

Is this Denver all over again? Carolina? Are the Chargers this bad? Is the season over already?

Tyler Thigpen drops back… and the Chargers win. Finally. Thankfully.

Even in the face of a supremely needed victory, squeaking out a win against an abysmal team is nothing to go nuts about.

Defense did just enough to keep the game in hand. The running effort is still woefully absent and tragically needed if the Chargers want to make the playoffs. Said L.T. at a news conference Monday on why they aren’t running better:

“There’s reasons, but I’m not willing to talk about it to the media. That’s something that has to be dealt with internally within the organization; players, coaches, you know, that has to be dealt with between us.”

That tells me either they have no idea what the problem is or don’t want to admit it’s the loss of Michael Turner- backup turned featured back in the ATL that’s cruising at third in the league for rushing yards.

Whatever the problem is, I don’t think Pittsburgh is going to wait until San Diego sorts it out.