Rivers, Novak lead Chargers to 19-9 win

October 15, 2013

Scott Nunes,

Posted: October 15, 2013

SAN DIEGO (AP) – Philip Rivers and the San Diego Charges were
afterthoughts going into Monday night's game against Andrew Luck and the
Indianapolis Colts.

“I wasn't sure who the Colts were playing this week, all the ads I saw,” Rivers said.

Rivers helped take Luck out of the game by expertly
guiding a balanced offense on three scoring drives of at least 74 yards
in the Chargers' 19-9 victory on Monday night. He threw a 22-yard
touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field
goals for the Chargers (3-3), who bounced back from a dismal loss at
Oakland.

“We need to be able to run it, we need to have that
nice balance,” Rivers said. “There'll be some games where we'll spread
out throwing it. And they'll be some games like this. This is kind of an
old-school NFL win right here. It's good for our team to get that
done.”

The Chargers still trail the undefeated Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs by three games in the AFC West.

“I thought this was a turning point for our
season,” Rivers said. “That doesn't mean it's going to take care of
itself, but 2-4 would have been quite a bind to be in. We've got to get
Jacksonville next week before the bye and find ourselves at 4-3 and see
what happens the rest of the way.”

The Colts didn't even score a touchdown. All their points came on three field goals by Adam Vinatieri.

A week earlier, Luck helped rally the Colts to a 34-28 victory against Seattle.

Luck had no real chance against the Bolts because
of two long drives in the second quarter that helped contribute to the
Chargers dominating the time of possession 38 minutes, 31 seconds to
21:29.

Allen got behind safety Delano Howell and
cornerback Vontae Davis on a post route for the TD, completing a
12-play, 74-yard march. It was Allen's second TD catch of the season.

Novak's first field goal capped a drive that went
79 yards in 17 plays. The drive was kept alive when cornerback Greg
Toler was whistled for illegal contact for pushing receiver Lavelle
Hawkins out of bounds on third-and-6 from the Chargers 45.

Luck then completed four straight passes to move
the Colts into Chargers territory before Coby Fleener dropped a pass at
the 25. Luck scrambled for 6 yards and threw an incompletion before
Vinatieri kicked a 50-yard field goal as time expired.

Five things to know after the Chargers beat the Colts:

LONG DRIVES: The Chargers held the ball most of the
second quarter in outscoring the Colts 10-3. Allen scored to cap a
12-play, 74-yard drive that consumed 6:14 to take a 7-3 lead, and Novak
kicked a 31-yard field goal to end a drive that went 79 yards on 17
plays in 7:58. The Chargers had a drive later in the game of 15 plays,
74 yards and 9:13.

BALANCE: Allen caught nine passes for 107 yards,
giving him consecutive 100-yard games. Ryan Mathews ran for 102 yards on
22 carries for his first 100-yard game of the season. “That's the way
we need to be able to run the football,” Rivers said. “If we can mix the
run in, we got a chance.”

THE DROPS: The Colts had big dropped passes all
night. The biggest was when Darrius Heyward-Bey dropped what likely
would have been a long touchdown pass down the right sideline in the
second quarter. As Luck drove the Colts down the field in the closing
minute of the second quarter, tight end Coby Fleener dropped a pass at
the 25. The Colts had to settle for Vinatieri's 50-yard field goal as
the clock expired.

WAYNE'S WORLD: Colts receiver Reggie Wayne got his
1,000th career reception in the fourth quarter on a 21-yard pass from
Luck. Wayne had five catches for 88 yards, giving him 1,001 for his
career. He passed Hines Ward (1,000) for eighth place on the NFL list.
“It's a great honor,” Wayne said. “It's a humbling experience to be in
an elite class with a bunch of guys who have helped pave the way for
guys like myself. I wish it was more of a greater celebration. I would
rather take the 'W' than any accolades.”

THE PAGANOS: There were family ties in this one:
Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano beat older brother Chuck, the
Colts' coach. “Give John Pagano the credit he deserves,” Chargers coach
Mike McCoy said. “He did an outstanding job of getting these players
ready. It's him and the rest of the whole defensive staff.”

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