Six Inches Leads To San Diego Loss
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By Deron Snyder/For the (Orange County) REGISTER
LANDOVER, Md — Football has been called a game of inches. A half-dozen cost San Diego in a heartbreaking overtime loss Sunday against Washington.
After the Chargers settled for a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation – despite having first-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line – the hosts won the coin toss and drove the length of the field in a 30-24 victory.
For a moment, it appeared that San Diego went ahead when halfback Danny Woodhead caught a short pass and knocked over the right pylon with 21 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The play was ruled a touchdown on the field but overturned by the replay official.
Referee Jerome Boger spotted the ball at the “6-inch yard line,” and that’s where it remained after a Woodhead run and two not-very-close incompletions.
“We’re not going to second-guess ourselves,” said coach Mike McCoy, leaving that to everyone else who wondered why the Chargers (4-4) didn’t try to punch it in. “In this business it’s would’ve, could’ve, should’ve. If one of those three plays worked there’d be no questions asked. If they don’t work, the questions come out and they don’t stop.”
Rivers hit rookie wideout Keenan Allen for a 16-yard touchdown with 2:49 left in regulation, pulling San Diego to within 24-21. The defense forced a punt on Washington’s ensuing possession, positioning the Chargers for a win. Taking over at his own 8-yard line, Rivers led the offense all the way to… the 6-inch yard line.
“We gave ourselves a chance to win and that’s all you can ask for in this league,” Rivers said. “A chance to win from the half-yard line and we didn’t get it done. It was a heck of a drive to get down there and it’s just too bad we didn’t finish it.”
San Diego led at halftime, 14-7, but the hosts came out and scored 17 unanswered points. They rushed for 128 yards after intermission and converted eight of 11 third downs, keeping Rivers & Co. on the sidelines for most of the second half.
Washington halfback Alfred Morris carried 25 times for 121 yards, but fullback Darrel(CQ) had three short touchdown runs, including the game-winner from four yards out. When the Chargers weren’t gouged on the ground, they were shredded through the air. Wideout Pierre Garcon caught seven passes for 172 yards.
“It’s tough to win when you’re not able to get off the field on third down,” San Diego linebacker Jarret Johnson said.
The defense, which set a franchise record for consecutive quarters without yielding a touchdown (12), was responsible for the game’s first score. Defensive end Lawrence Guy, who blocked a short field goal on Washington’s opening drive, batted Robert Griffin III’s pass on the next series. The ball rolled off nose tackle Cam Thomas’ back into the arms of defensive end Sean Lissemore in the end zone.
“I was kind of suspended in the air between people and all sorts of stuff,” Lissemore said. “I looked down and something brown and held onto it. It was tough down there with people pawing at it and grabbing at it.”
Rivers passed for 341 yards but threw two costly interceptions. One was on a miscommunication with wideout Vincent Brown in the second quarter and the other when Allen (8 catches, 128 yards) was outfought for a ball in the fourth quarter. Both turnovers were converted into points, including the field goal that put Washington up, 24-14, with 6:59 left in regulation.
“We have a lot to learn from this football game,” McCoy said. “But we need to find a way to win these games.”
