Overtime thriller in San Diego

San Diego, Ca

Don't pinch yourselves yet. The dream isn't over. In a game that featured excitement, drama, joy, self doubt, and most of all suspense, the Chargers were victorious. The Indianapolis Colts came to town with a 12-4 record, 9 straight wins, an MVP quarterback, and were stunned by the hobbled San Diego Chargers. The Bolts now travel East to face off with Mike Tomlin's Pittsburgh Steelers. The Chargers are one of only a handful of West coast teams to win a game when traveling East this season. This game marked the second time in as many years that the Bolts have defeated the Colts, thus ending their season. 

The AFC wild-card round brought the Colts to Qualcomm to face off with San Diego. The Chargers just came in with one thing on their mind. Stopping Peyton Manning. The Bolts defense played a solid game, pressuring Manning, flushing him out of the pocket, and even once, sacking the MVP.

"That's the best player in the league," said cornerback Quentin Jammer. "I've been saying it all week. We went out as a defense and dominated a great offense, it wasn't like it was easy. We played great against a great offense with the best player in the league calling the shots."

Jammer wouldn't be exaggerating on Peyton being the leagues best, nor about dominating a great offense on Sunday. A bit of humble pie might have been eaten though, as Jammer didn't boast of his own defenses success. San Diego held Indy to only 17 points in a game that ended with the same final score of the NFL's first postseason overtime game. Half a century ago it was the Baltimore Colts over the New York football Giants 23-17 in the championship game. 

The Chargers held the Colts to just 64 yards rushing and got pressure on Manning every time they needed to. The lone sack of the night came at the most critical time. With 2:30 left in the game Tim Dobbins plowed Peyton Manning to the turf from behind after blazing in from the left side. That play led to an Indy punt that the Chargers brought back down the filed for Nate Kaeding to score a 26 yard field goal with 31 seconds left. A couple of failed plays later, the Colts kneeled the ball on the games final play. They would never get another chance. The overtime coin flip went tails, and the way of the Bolts. Speedy Darren Sproles took care of the rest. A 22 yard touchdown scamper, capped by Sproles thumping his chest, pointing to the sky, and running off the field with the game ball. It's fun to see the smallest guy on the field make the biggest impact. Sproles put up 328 all purpose yards on the night, more impressive is that about 200 of those yards came in the final six minutes of the game. That's what you call clutch in the big leagues. Here's what Chargers coach Norv Turner had to say about Sproles effort;

"The guy who typifies our season and what are guys are about is Darren Sproles. He fumbles the ball on the two and when that happened, there wasn't any doubt in my mind he was going to make a big play that was going to have a major affect on this game. That's what that guy is all about. That's what our team is all about," said Turner.

In a game that I predicted the Chargers to win by seven, I have to say I came up just short. I will add it is probable that it would be exactly seven if the game had not reached overtime where the extra point was not necessary. Just keep an eye out for some other possible scenarios now. I predicted the seven point margin after thinking about Philip Rivers out pacing Manning by seven TD's (34-27) and seven yards passing (4,009-4,002) on the season. Wouldn't it be great now if the Bolts could come full circle and win a Super Bowl by beating the Carolina Panthers whom they lost to in the season opener on the final play of the game. I know , I know... it's a long shot and tons of variables factor in, but how often in sports do the most dramatic stories unfold before your eyes. San Diego would have to win the Three Rivers Rematch in Pittsburgh this weekend. Next weekend, hopefully play a Tennessee team or even Baltimore, either way, proving strength against a formidable foe. Finally, culminating with the Lombardi Trophy being hoisted in February. To dream is to believe, so don't wake yet. Rest your weary eyes upon the fronts of the San Diego uniforms. This Charger team is outperforming teammates by that simple thinking. Teamwork is poised to take the spotlight and shine, just in a time when our youths are straying so far from the concept. There will forever now be standout athletes and kids on pedestals thanks in large pats to the big sports networks and the finances behind the scenes, but teamwork is one of those fundamentals in sports. You can preach it forever, but until a team buys in, it's all words. The Chargers are eating those words and want the rest of the world to take notice.