Great game tonight: reduces my pick record to 1-1 but boy was it close.
My observations:
-San Diego's special teams play was brilliant: The statistics say Mike Scifres: 6 punts for 316 yards, an average of 51.7 per punt and 6 inside 20s. None of his punts were returned for much by Indy, if returned at all and handed the San Diego defence opportunities to mount pressure. Two of his punts later resulted in 3-and-outs for Indianapolis and then touchdown-scoring drives for San Diego starting from around halfway.
The biggest punt came late in the fourth quarter: after a long Colts' drive that burned around six minutes off the clock, the Chargers moved about 30 yards, copped a third-down sack on Rivers from Robert Mathis and then up steps Scifres and kicks it 52 yards, pinning the Colts down at the 1. The Chargers later made a sack on third down and Darren Sproles made a pretty good return on a long punt. Rivers would hit Gates for two receptions, getting them enough for Kaeding's tying field-goal.
-The Colts made most of the big plays up until the last half of the final quarter: San Diego scored their two touchdowns out of good field position established by their special teams. Indy scored their 17 points off a series of long drives. They forced a Darren Sproles fumble late in the third resulting in a recovered touchback, and then they picked off Phillip Rivers on the next drive. Manning made a 2nd-and-long completion to Wayne and later switched a play resulting in a run which got them another first down. I don't know what happened but after that, the Chargers made all the running from then on, right to Darren Sproles' gamewinning touchdown run. Which leads to...
-Darren Sproles' is the toast of San Diego: Everyone knew that LaDainian Tomlinson was banged up coming into the game. He came in and ran the ball a handful of times, scored on a short TD run but didn't play after that.
As it turned out, they didn't need him. Darren Sproles got plenty of playing time during the regular season as a result of LT's injury. Not only did he score that game-winning touchdown but he was also great on the punt return (especially his 26-yard run that helped set up the tying FG) and made a couple of critical catches in the fourth quarter which he turned into first downs.
The Chargers are facing either the Titans or the Steelers, two nasty defensive teams so obviously they're wanting LT back though, but Sproles' and his 328 total yards was one of the game-changers.
-From the start of the fourth quarter, the penalty count was 6-0 in favour of San Diego: The refs didn't mess it up: the Colts gave away a 15-yard penalty on the interception return preceding their 6-minute fourth quarter drive and then gave up three more during that drive. The three penalties which were accepted cost Indy a happy 35 yards: their drive eventually died at their own 43...they could've used the points as it turned out.
In overtime, the big call was on Clint Session: the play before, on a 3rd-and-8, Antonio Johnson was pinged for holding which gave the Chargers a first-down, moving them to the 35. Session followed that up with a 15yd facemask on second down which effectively, was the game.
The Colts had a pretty good chance to seal the thing off after Manning found Wayne on that no-huddle pass but they couldn't get anything going after that: San Diego's D for most of the second half was great.
Eagles-Vikings and Dolphins-Ravens up tomorrow: I don't think they excite me as much as today's, but I guess I'm being biased.
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