With L.T. stopped, Chargers take a pass

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SAN DIEGO -- Philip Rivers didn't take it personally. Just because Tennessee dared the San Diego quarterback to win the game with his arm. Just because the Titans threw everything in their book at Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, forcing Rivers to make the big plays. Just because it was an implied slight -- suggesting that the recipe for beating San Diego involves a heaping mess of Rivers' mistakes -- didn't mean he was dishing out the "don't disrespect me" post-game quotes. The truth is, Rivers is used to it. "That's been the strategy for -- what, like the 34 games that I've (started)?" joked the fourth-year quarterback, in his second year as the San Diego field leader at the age of 26. "It won't change as long as No. 21 (Tomlinson) is here, which is going to be a long time." Not so fast there, young gun. With a few more games like he had Sunday, steering the Chargers to a 17-6 playoff win over visiting Tennessee with a 292-yard passing performance, he may get NFL defenses thinking twice. For now, though, the kid has it right. The first priority for any defense will be stopping Tomlinson, the two-time defending NFL rushing champion, and making Rivers throw strikes. Said Tennessee linebacker Keith Bullock: "We wanted Philip Rivers to beat us. I think he did a good job of that." But for a while, the Titans had it their way, pinching a safety up for run support and getting away with single coverage on San Diego's receivers. Tennessee held a 6-0 lead at halftime, with Tomlinson running for 6 yards on seven carries. Meanwhile, Rivers had thrown his obligatory interception -- he's averaging one a game -- and had squeezed a mere three first downs out of his offense. Fortunately for the Chargers, their defense was nearly matching the Titans', stuffed play for stuffed play. "The main thing was the scoreboard," Rivers acknowledged. "If we scored one time, we had the lead, so let's not panic." Two times, but why quibble? The Chargers went from their own 12 to the Tennessee 2 on their first possession of the third quarter, settling for Nate Kaeding's 20-yard field goal. On the 12-play drive, Rivers went 5-for-6, including two 19-yard tosses to Chris Chambers and a 35-yarder to Vincent Jackson on third-and-9. Tomlinson's five carries on the drive amassed four yards. The Chargers got the ball right back and went 78 yards in seven plays, scoring on Rivers' 25-yard bullet to Jackson for a 10-6 lead they wouldn't give up. Tomlinson's two runs gained 5 yards on that drive. San Diego scored the clinching touchdown on Tomlinson's 1-yard leap in the fourth quarter -- after Rivers completed two third-down passes, one a 39-yarder to Chambers to the Tennessee 8 after the quarterback scrambled right and threw left. "I wasn't even thinking about (Chambers)," Rivers said. "But I had time and I noticed the safety was really moving (to the right). I looked back, and Chris was waving his arms like a left fielder out there." Said Chambers of Rivers: "He's a gutsy guy. He has huddle command. He communicates well. He'll talk to you on the sideline. It's easy to play with a guy like that." Rivers credited the offensive line for giving him time to make the throws downfield. "We have big-play capability and we're going to need it the rest of way," he said. He also praised Tomlinson "for finding a way" even when it wasn't his day. The Chargers running back ended with 42 yards on 21 carries and three catches for just 19 yards. Tomlinson has had bigger quarters than that, but not many bigger post-game smiles. It was the All-Pro's first postseason win in his seven years, and, of course, the first playoff win for the Chargers in 13 seasons. "It's a relief," Tomlinson said. "But it's not like we won a playoff game, and now we can go lose." Heading to Indianapolis to face the defending Super Bowl-champion Colts next Sunday, at least the Chargers now know they have a quarterback capable of engineering a postseason win, as the focal point of the offense. "It's something special to watch him handle himself," 10-year veteran guard Mike Goff said of Rivers. "The decisions he's making, the way he's orchestrating drives. He's a lot more calm now, even though he's an emotional guy." Rivers shrugged off the notion that the win was a turn-the-corner victory for him, or even a big shot for his confidence. "I'm as competitive as it gets," he said. "I know what I can do. And I know my teammates believe in me." Maybe a little more today.(Contact Gregg Patton at gpatton@PE.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)