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NFL: Injury-hit Chargers defeat Colts

Bryan Fletcher, left, of the Indianapolis Colts is tackled by Shaun Phillips of the San Diego Chargers during their AFC Divisional Playoff game at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Even without LaDainian Tomlinson and Philip Rivers, the San Diego Chargers ousted the Super Bowl champions the Indianapolis Colts from the NFL playoffs with a stunning 28-24 victory on Sunday.

Later, Eli Manning progressed further than his brother Peyton Manning for the first time by leading the New York Giants over the Dallas Cowboys 21-17 and into the NFC championship game for the first time since the 2000 season.

The Giants will be hosted by the Green Bay Packers next Sunday.

San Diego will face the undefeated New England Patriots for the AFC championship.

The winners advance to the Super Bowl on Feb. 3.

The San Diego Chargers' task will be especially difficult without an injured Tomlinson, who departed in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts with a bruised left knee, and starting quarterback Rivers, who went out in the third quarter with a damaged right knee. Both said they hoped to be ready for the Patriots and coach Norv Turner said they were "questionable."

"That's the true measure of a team," league rushing leader Tomlinson said. "Guys stepped up and got it done."

Those guys included Billy Volek at quarterback and Michael Turner as the main runner. Led by those substitutes, San Diego went 78 yards on eight plays, with Volek sneaking in from the one with 4 minutes, 50 seconds remaining for the lead. The Chargers' big-play defense then held on downs at its seven and stopped Indy again in the final moments to preserve their eighth straight win.

To advance to their second Super Bowl -- the other was a loss to San Francisco in 1995 -- the Chargers will need all that resourcefulness again.

With All-Pro cornerback Antonio Cromartie getting an interception and fumble recovery and linebackers Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips plaguing Peyton Manning, the Chargers showed they have the ability to throw off any offense. Maybe even the most prolific attack in NFL history. The Patriots are 17-0 this season.

"Seventeen have tried and it hasn't happened," Rivers said of New England's perfect record. "We think it can happen."

It was a gutsy showing by Rivers, who threw for three scores -- he banged his right knee on a 56-yard screen pass touchdown by Darren Sproles to end the third quarter. Turner gave the offense the balance it desperately needed in the late stages of the upset, rushing for 71 yards. Tight end Antonio Gates endured much of the game on a dislocated toe.

For the Indianapolis Colts, it was a bitterly quick elimination from the postseason.

A defense that allowed the fewest points during the season wore down against the equally physical Chargers. Manning did throw for 402 yards, completing 33 of his 48 throws, but both interceptions killed deep scoring threats.

Rivers was 14-of-19 for 264 yards and Volek went 3-of-4 for 48 yards in his plucky relief role. Vincent Jackson became Rivers' top target and had seven catches for 93 yards and a score.

Meanwhile, in Irving, Texas, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning made his few chances count against the Dallas Cowboys, throwing two touchdown passes to Amani Toomer and getting a one-yard touchdown run from Brandon Jacobs.

Cornerback R.W. McQuarters intercepted a pass into the end zone with 9 seconds left, ending the Cowboys' final drive and marking quarterback Tony Romo's second straight last-minute goof to cost Dallas a playoff game. His flubbed hold of a short field goal in Seattle ended the Cowboys' season last year.

The Cowboys just wasted a 13-3 season, which matched the best in team history. They're the first No. 1 seed in the NFC to lose in this divisional round since the NFL went to the 12-team playoff format in 1990. They also became the seventh team to lose a playoff game against a team they'd beaten twice in the regular season -- joining Dallas' 1998 club. The Cowboys have not won a playoff game since 1996.

New York gave up 45 and 31 points in the first two meetings, in part because the defensive front that produced a NFL-best 53 sacks went hard after Romo but missed and wound up allowing big plays. This time, the Giants were content to give up short yardage and the Cowboys accepted the invitation.

Their first three scoring drives took nine, 20 and 14 plays, burning a total of 23 minutes, 32 seconds off the clock. Dallas converted eight straight third downs in that stretch, yet came away leading only 17-14 midway through the second quarter.

Toomer turned a short pass into a 52-yard touchdown on the game-opening drive, breaking free from two tackles and running away from everyone else. New York hardly had the ball for the rest of the first half, but got it back at its 29 with 47 seconds left and Manning turned it into another touchdown to Toomer, a four-yarder on a drive helped along by a 15-yard face mask penalty.

The Giants had to go only 37 yards on their go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Jacobs ran it in, then threw the ball into the play clock for emphasis.
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