The Chargers did something today that they haven't done all season -- win two in a row.
Against an 0-6 Jaguars team, Philip Rivers and Co. once again, in methodical fashion, controlled the tempo at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, routing the Jaguars in a 24-6 victory.
San Diego received the ball first and capitalized on it with a long drive that ended in a rushing touchdown by running back Danny Woodhead. San Diego drove 80 yards in 13 plays, eating up nearly eight minutes, a strategy that helped them Monday night against the Indianapolis Colts by keeping their shorthanded defense off the field. Like their last game, the Chargers were once again without linebackers Donald Butler and Jarret Johnson, inactive due to injuries.
Back-to-back sacks from the Chargers, off Corey Liuget and rookie Jahleel Addae, destroyed an otherwise-successful opening drive for the Jaguars. San Diego would end the game with six sacks and one interception (Marcus Gilchrist) on Jags' quarterback Chad Henne.
The Chargers lost left tackle King Dunlap late in the first quarter to a concussion (his second of the season) and had only two offensive linemen active as backups today -- Mike Remmers, who was signed off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad October 9, and guard Rich Ohrnberger. Remmers was hurt four plays after Dunlap left the game, leaving a shuffle on the O-Line that, unfortunately, is all too familiar to the Chargers. Right tackle D.J. Fluker moved to left tackle and right guard Jeromey Clary slid to right tackle, leaving Ohrnberger to fill in at right guard.
Still, the patchwork offensive line did not hinder San Diego from scoring a touchdown that very same drive, this time from Rivers to wide receiver Eddie Royal. The 27-yard pass was Royal's career-high sixth touchdown this season and his first since Week 2.
A 17-play drive yielded three points for Jacksonville, as Josh Scobee hit a 30-yard field goal with about five minutes left in the second quarter.
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The Chargers found themselves in the end zone once more right before halftime, and could have taken a field goal attempt but instead elected to throw -- or in this case, run, as Rivers tried to scramble in for a touchdown but was a few inches short.
A 20-yard Nick Novak field goal gave the Chargers the first score in the second half. Jacksonville drove down the field in the next series (helped by the missed tackles of the Chargers defense) but were unable to get a touchdown, settling for three points instead.
Ryan Mathews would score next, this time with a rushing touchdown -- his first since Oct. 7, 2012. This is the second game of the season Mathews has rushed for more than 100 yards (also did so against the Indianapolis Colts last week).
With today's game, Rivers surpassed 30,000 passing yards for his career -- just second in Chargers history to Dan Fouts, who has 43,040.
