Chargers Improve in Second Half for Win

The Chargers got off to a 1-0 record, but it did not appear that they would after a lackluster first half.

The first 15 seconds of the game had Charger fans everywhere feeling like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Percy Harvin returned the opening kickoff for the Vikings 103 yards for a touchdown. Not only did the Chargers concede a touchdown, but Nate Kaeding suffered an injury to his left knee that may be a torn ACL. The team will need to sign a replacement for the duration of the injury.

The Chargers then went three and out on their first possession and punted to the Vikings.

The Bolts caught their first break on the Vikings possession that followed when Shaun Phillips tipped and intercepted a pass from Donovan McNabb on the first play. That gave the ball to the Chargers on the six yard line and they quickly capitalized when Phillip Rivers found Mike Tolbert all alone for a one yard touchdown pass.

That was the last time they would score in the half, but the Vikings got on the board two more times. Ryan Longwell hit a 33 yard field goal and Donovan McNabb threw a three yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins. The score at halftime was 17-7 Vikings.

Adrian Peterson seemed like he was more than the defense could handle at the half with 74 of his 98 yards coming in the first half. Donovan McNabb, however, did not impress in either half and ended up with 39 total passing yards.

The second half began and a much sharper Charger team took to the field. The defense turned up the intensity and made life very difficult for Peterson and company. The Vikings were not able to score at all and were held to 26 total yards. The downside was that defensive end Luis Castillo went out of the game with a fractured tibia.

Offensively, the Chargers put on a pretty good show in the second half. Phillip Rivers worked out of the shotgun multiple times and spread the ball effectively. Tolbert stole the show with two more touchdowns, the last of which was the game winner. Unfortunately, he exited the game with an injury a short time later. His injury is likely not serious.

Tolbert’s first touchdown was a seven yard run up the middle. Before his second touchdown of the half, punter Mike Scifres was called upon to fill in for injured special teams partner Nate Kaeding. You would have thought Scifres was a place kicker by trade with the way he split the uprights on a 40 yard field goal. Tolbert then caught a 19 yard touchdown pass from Rivers. Rivers could have run on the play, but Tolbert was able to get open and reach past the pylon for the score.

The final score was 24-7 Chargers.

Linebacker Takeo Spikes and Safety Bob Sanders were the big name free agents brought in for the season, and they did not wait to make an impact. Spikes led the team in total tackles with 11. Rookie linebacker Donald Butler had a solid first NFL game with 5 solo tackles.

Second year running back Ryan Mathews finally made a first round caliber impact with 45 yards on the ground and 73 receiving yards. Antonio Gates got off to a Pro Bowl quality start with eight grabs for 74 yards. Phillip Rivers had two uncharacteristic interceptions, but made up for them with two touchdowns and 335 yards.

Although it is satisfying to be 1-0 on the season, the Bolts have a tough game waiting next week.

The New England Patriots came to town and beat the Chargers last season in one of the sloppier games of the year, and now the Chargers have to travel to Foxboro. If the game goes anything like last year’s game or this week’s first half, the Bolts are in trouble. If they pick up where they left off in the second half, it will be a hard fought matchup.

The game will be an important indicator of how the year will go, so hopefully they got all the rust shaken off this week.