Bolts make it 11 straight, baby

Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner called it his team’s most complete performance of the season, quarterback Philip Rivers called it a relief to get back in the win column, and running back LaDainian Tomlinson saw it as a redemptive night after a tough loss just four days ago.

“After the showing last week, I think we wanted to prove to everyone that that wasn’t us and that’s not the team we wanted to be,” Tomlinson said. “It was good that it was a short week and we got to show people who we are as a group.”

The Chargers scored on their first four drives Thursday, posted 378 yards while holding Oakland to just 163 and capitalized on 4 takeaways by their defense as the Bolts cruised to a 34-7 victory over the Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium. The victory was their 11th-consecutive win against their arch rivals.

“We came out and played tonight and played the way we’re capable of playing,” Turner said. “Obviously our guys did a great job preparing. They weren’t distracted (by the short week).”

The Chargers took control of the game from the get go as Nate Kaeding’s 20-yard field goal gave the Bolts a 3-0 just three minutes into the game.

The Bolts offense and defense fed off of each other throughout the night, and a big play from Shaun Phillips allowed the Chargers to push the lead to 10-0 right out of the gate. On Oakland’s first possession of the game, Phillips sacked Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell and forced a fumble that was recovered by Jyles Tucker.

Three plays later, LaDainian Tomlinson scored his 122nd career rushing touchdown, his 19th of his career against the Raiders, on a three-yard run the made it a 10-0 contest.

San Diego’s third possession of the night brought the Chargers’ longest scoring drive of the season as the Bolts went 96 yards on 15 plays, capped by an eight-yard catch and run by running back Darren Sproles to put the home team up 17-0.

Just moments later, the Chargers used their second takeaway of the night to set up another quick score. Linebacker Stephen Cooper intercepted Russell, and Rivers quickly helped the Bolts capitalize. His 59-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson allowed the Chargers to extend their lead to 24-0 midway through the second quarter.

Phillips, who had 2.5 sacks on the night, pressured Russell into the errant throw. The early lead allowed the Chargers to make the Raiders one dimensional, which helped the pass rush get going.

“It gives us an opportunity to get our pass rush going because we know they’ve got to pass the ball to try to get back in the game,” Cooper said. “Ron Rivera did a great job in play calling and we made some plays.”

The only blemish in the box score for the Chargers came in the final 30 seconds of the opening half. After a 39-yard Kaeding field goal made it 27-0 game right before the half, Raiders kick returner Justin Miller found an open lane and raced 92 yards for Oakland’s only touchdown of the night.

Midway through the fourth quarter, the Chargers delivered their final shot of the night when Rivers again connected with Sproles on a scoring strike, an 18-yard screen play that put the Bolts up 34-7.

Rivers finished the night 10-of-22 passing for 214 yards and three touchdowns, the sixth time this season he’s tossed a trio of scores in one game. He now leads the NFL with 26 touchdown passes on the year.

Thanks to the pace of the game and the fact that the Chargers jumped out to an early lead, they were able to feed the ground game and control the clock. Tomlinson rushed for 91 yards on 25 carries, his second-most of the season, and the Bolts gained a season-high 158 yards on the ground.

“The offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage and that’s not easy to do against that group,” Tomlinson said. “Any time you have that, you love it.”

Jackson led the Chargers with five receptions for a career-high 148 yards, including two grabs of 40 yards or more.

The victory allowed the Chargers to snap a three-game skid and kept their postseason hopes alive for at least another week. The Bolts trail the Broncos by 2.5 games as Denver prepares to host Kansas City on Sunday.

“Regardless of what happens with Denver, which we can’t control, we are going to keep playing hard,” Rivers said. “We are going to play with the same intensity, same passion. It was good to get a win and at least keep the shot alive of playing in January.”

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