Vincent Jackson catches a touch down pass.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Five years after being traded away in a draft-day swap for Eli Manning, Philip Rivers came back and stuck it to the New York Giants.

Rivers capped an 80-yard drive with an 18-yard pass to Vincent Jackson with 21 seconds to play and the San Diego Chargers stunned the Giants 21-20 on Sunday, posting their third straight win while handing New York its fourth straight loss.

San Diego (5-3) is now well positioned for the second half of the season. The Giants (5-4) can only shake their heads in disbelief after blowing their first 5-0 start since 1990.

“It’s a big emotional win,” said Rivers, who threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns. “I don’t need a real reason why, but it ranks right up there with the win at Indy in the playoffs [2009]. The link between me and Eli is always going to be there. So yeah, it’s a little special. Any time you play against a team that won the Super Bowl, it’s fun. It [the trade] didn’t weigh into my mind and my thinking, but I bet it was there.”

Rivers had the Giants to thank for giving him the chance to pull the game out.

Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas returned an interception 33 yards to the Chargers 4 with 3:14 to play. If Manning and company had punched the ball in, the game would have been over.

But a first-down holding penalty on Chris Snee pushed New York back 10 yards and it settled for Lawrence Tynes’ second field goal, a 22-yarder with 2:07 to play for a 6-point lead.

“We had a chance and you can’t leave that team in the game,” said Manning, who was 25 of 33 for 215 yards and two touchdowns. “You can’t leave that team an opening. They are good and talented and if you have a chance to end it, you have to end it.”

Rivers did. He hit 6 of 8 passes in the game-winning march, hitting Malcolm Floyd for 12 yards, two to Antonio Gates and a 21-yarder to Darren Sproles that put the ball at the 18. On the next play, Rivers found Jackson in the right corner of the end zone for the game-winner.

“Vincent just came open and separated himself from the defender,” Rivers said. “On that play, he was probably the last option to get the ball by the way it set up. But we had all that field and I just wanted to give him a chance to get to it.”

Jackson also caught a 10-yard TD pass in the second quarter.

“He’s calm and confident and that just rubs off on everyone else,” Jackson said of Rivers. “It didn’t matter what the score was or how much time was left. We were going to get the job done.”

Appropriately, the game ended with Shawne Merriman sacking Manning. San Diego drafted the linebacker in 2005 with one of the picks the Chargers got from the Giants in the Manning deal.

“We showed a lot of team character to bounce back,” Merriman said. “We never want to start off slow, but we’ve learned when we need to hit our stride.”

Rivers also hit Kris Wilson on a 2-yard TD in the third to give San Diego a 14-7 lead in a game in which the Giants defense rebounded from a miserable efforts the previous three weeks.

Manning drove the Giants 60 yards in 10 plays on the next possession and Tynes got New York within 14-10 with his 38-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

The Giants defense, which gave up 112 points in the first three games of the losing streak, then helped them take the lead, recording three straight tackles for losses and forcing the Chargers to punt from their 4.

Domenik Hixon returned the ball to the San Diego 39 and Manning needed only six plays to put New York on top, hitting Kevin Boss with an 8-yard TD on a play when the Chargers were offside.

A bizarre play at the end of the Giants’ opening drive cost them 3 points. New York lined up for a 39-yard field goal attempt, but Tynes never got the kick off. Feagles took the snap and Tynes said Feagles had both hands on the ball so he could not kick it.

“We are all very, very upset, very disappointed obviously in the loss,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. “We played hard, did a lot of good things but obviously we didn’t do enough.”

Rivers gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter with his first TD pass to Jackson. It capped a 45-yard drive after a short punt by Feagles.

The Giants tied the game on the ensuing series on Manning’s 6-yard TD pass to Steve Smith. The pair had kept the nearly 11-minute drive alive with a 19-yard completion on third-and-18 from the Chargers 44.

Game notes
Giants weakside LB Michael Boley and DT Chris Canty returned to the lineup. Boley missed a month after knee surgery. Canty was out since the opening week with a calf injury. … Chargers starting ILB Kevin Burnett was inactive with an ankle injury. … The Giants decided to honor the Yankees for their recent 27th world championship and introduced manager Joe Girardi during a break in the game. He was identified on the scoreboard as the team’s general manager. Does Brian Cashman know?

We’ll also take your phone calls and emails

Show Links

• Chargers win 13th straight over Raiders.
• Bolts cut veteran WR Chambers.
• What losing Chambers means to San Diego.
• Rookie LB James Holt added to roster.
• North County agrees to cooperate on possible new stadium.
• It’s Malcom Floyds time.
• Nick Hardwick to possibly see action vs. Giants.
• Chargers at Giants preview.
• Week 9 injury report.
• Bang Cartoon
• Chargers 50th Anniversary Block Party.
• Bolt Bunker-BoltTalk Taco Party 11-15-09 info.
• www.sdstadium.org

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LaDainian Tomlinson

The Chargers and Giants tangle in the Meadowlands on Sunday, two teams desperately looking for a win.

Of course that story line takes a backseat to the one few can get enough of: Philip Rivers vs. Eli Manning.

Manning was a Charger for, oh, about 45 minutes, on draft day before being trade to the Giants. Rivers was among the booty headed the Chargers way, and Sunday marks the first time the two quarterbacks will square off against each other as starters.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson said if he were just a fan, he would be watching those two big names from one of the NFL’s most celebrated drafts.

“Sometimes rivalries are just naturally built because of where you are drafted, and then there is the trade aspect of it,” Tomlinson said. “There is a natural rivalry there with Philip and Eli as it was with Michael Vick and myself from the trade.”

Vick was nearly a Charger before then-general manager John Butler pulled off the blockbuster which brought Tomlinson, a future Hall of Famer, to San Diego.

“Some things are going to follow you your whole career,” Tomlinson said. “Them two are going to be linked together their whole career so as a fan it is something you just want to watch.”

But there is more to this game than those two. Both teams need a win as the season starts to make a turn into the second half.

The Chargers are showing a pulse again after beating up on AFC West rivals Kansas City and Oakland. While those wins have the Chargers over .500 at 4-3, they know they are stepping up a class this week.

And they face a Giants team which is in a sour mood after dropping three straight games after winning their first five.

The Chargers have to prove they can beat someone other than an AFC West patsy.

“I can’t say it’s a must-win because after this game we have eight left and anything can happen in eight games,” Tomlinson said. “That is a whole half of a season.”

Still …

“This is a game we need to win,” Tomlinson added. “We need to get on a roll and put games tighter, winning games, to kind of get that confidence going, to build that confidence.

“And going to a place like New York, a hostile environment against a very good team, it will do a lot for our confidence.

“I don’t know if it is a benchmark game or not but this is a very good team and we will see where we stand after Sunday.”

The Chargers can’t stand to give much more ground, already two games behind AFC West-leading Denver. But they also know the Giants, at home, aren’t going to fold easy despite stubbing their toes in their last three games.

“You go back to New York and play in the late afternoon game is really why you play,” Rivers said. “We have been in these types of games before and won and that’s going to be the plan as we head to Sunday.”

The Chargers are entering a grueling three-week run in which they are at the Giants, home to the Eagles and then at the Broncos. After such a sputtering start, the Chargers know they have to find that extra gear right now.

“This is a very good defense and it’s obvious they get after you,” said Tomlinson, who rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in his lone game against the Giants. “They have talent at pretty much every position: Osi (Umenyiora), Justin (Tuck) and (Antonio) Pierce, that is the core of their defense, but they do got other guys that get after you.”

After this game, the Chargers will know if they are legitimate playoff team.

Series History: 10th regular-season meeting. Giants lead series 5-4, but the Chargers won the last game, 45-23, in San Diego in 2005. The Chargers’ last visit to New Jersey came in 1995 where they needed to win to secure a playoff spot. The game was marred by the Chargers being buried by a barrage of snowballs.

NOTES, QUOTES

—olb S hawne Merriman said this game will be determined in the trenches. “They are powerful up front and they got a lot of experience in their front line and they got a running back (Brandon Jacobs) who goes straight downhill,” he said. “I think it’s going to a battle of the front seven.”

• Coach Norv Turner said there is something special about playing in the Meadowlands. “It’s one of my favorite places to go because it’s the NFL, it’s the New York Giants and they are always good and it’s a challenge to go in and play a real good football team and it is a great atmosphere.”

• Turner is a student of good quarterbacks and he thinks Eli Manning certainly fits that bill. “He’s got great poise, great presence, a great command of their offense. He knows where everybody is. He fits the ball in some real tight areas. He makes some throws where you say, ‘Wow that is a big-time throw.’ He has a lot of experience and you are not going to rattle him,” Turner said.

• QB Philip Rivers is a small-town country guy, so landing in San Diego instead of New York City was a-OK with him. “I feel like I made out on the good side of the deal in many ways,” he said.

• Giants offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride was the Chargers head coach for 22 games from 1997-98, going 6-16 before he was fired.

• The Chargers tried to sneak RB Gartrell Johnson onto their practice squad at the end of camp, but he was discovered and claimed by the Giants. The fourth-round pick was praised this week by Giants coach Tom Coughlin for his physical style.

• Turner said the Chargers are doing what he wants – improving each week.

“We are growing and we’re getting better,” Turner said. “We’re getting some guys going. We’ll have a great week of practice and we’re looking forward to going back and playing. The look on our guys’ faces before the game, the energy we have before the game, and there’s a sense of confidence in terms of where we’re at. We’ve got a real challenge this week and we’ll go practice and prepare for it.”

• Might the Chargers go to the Wildcat formation again after Tomlinson took a direct snap last week and rushed for a touchdown? “I can’t tell you,”’ Tomlinson said.

By The Numbers: 2 – The number of times Eli Manning and Philip Rivers have played each other. But this is the first time the two have started against each other.

Quote To Note: “Absolutely. In their minds there is only one L.T. How can you argue with the L.T. in New York and the time he played? At the same time I’m the West Coast guy, so I will just look at it like that.”—RB LaDainian Tomlinson on if Giants fans give him grief for having the same nickname as Hall of Fame Giants LB Lawrence Taylor.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

This is the first game the Chargers will play without WR Chris Chambers, who was released. Malcom Floyd will start opposite Vincent Jackson. The Chargers used the roster spot with ILB James Holt, who doesn’t figure to play, but he should stay ready as the Chargers have had a rash of injuries at the inside spot. ILBs Kevin Burnett and Tim Dobbins won’t play because of injuries. Brandon Siler will get his first NFL start in his three-year career.

Player Notes

• WR Vincent Jackson has six receptions for 25 yards or more this season. Three have gone for at least 50 yards.

• RB LaDainian Tomlinson became the 14th player in NFL history to rush for more than 12,000 career yards in last week’s win over the Raiders. Tomlinson has 12,027 yards; Thurman Thomas is next at 12,074.

• RB Darren Sproles collects yards on rushes, receptions and returns. His 1,336 combined yards are the second-most in the league.

• OLB Shawne Merriman is coming off his first game with a sack this season – and he had two. Merriman was given a game ball for his efforts.

• TE Antonio Gates not only has six receptions of 25 yards or more, but his 176 yards on third downs is 10th in the league.

Game Plan: What the Chargers do best is throw the ball, and considering the various injuries to the Giants’ secondary, coach Norv Turner will not be shy about attacking the Giants in that manner. Defensively, the Chargers are going to have to win on the early downs to get Manning into passing situations and then see if their improved pass rush is for real or just a mirage from playing the Raiders and Chiefs.

Matchups To Watch: Chargers run defense vs. Giants running game. Third-string inside linebacker Brandon Siler starts because Kevin Burnett and Tim Dobbins are out with injuries. Plus Stephen Cooper, the other inside linebacker, has a knee problem which flares up. The Giants will point Brandon Jacobs toward the middle and see if the Chargers have enough muscle and experience to bring the physical running back down. There are also questions in the middle without Pro Bowler Jamal Williams but lately the interior has played better. This will come down to how well the inside backers play.

• Chargers QB Philip Rivers and WRs Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd vs. Giants secondary. The Chargers dig the long ball and they will throw it early and often – they opened the game with a 53-yard bomb to Floyd last week. Among the reasons the Giants have lost three straight is because they are susceptible to big plays. That’s not a good sign for the Giants – unless their pass rush can keep Rivers from setting his feet. The Chargers have 18 passing plays of 25-plus yards, tied for the third-most in the NFL.

• Chargers OLBs Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips vs. Giants QB Eli Manning. The Chargers were ecstatic last week when Merriman and Phillips combined for four sacks and numerous other quarterback hurries. And this week they need to get to Manning, otherwise the ultra accurate passer will exploit a secondary which has proved to be good only when it gets a pass rush. The Giants’ front line is stout and the Chargers will also be sending DBs Steve Gregory and Eric Weddle in an attempt to rattle Manning.

Injury Impact: ILBs Kevin Burnett (ankle) and Tim Dobbins (knee) didn’t practice Wednesday and won’t play this week. DT Ogemdi Nwagbuo (ankle) didn’t practice but has a chance to be ready by Sunday. TE Antonio Gates (foot) was limited but will be fine for Sunday. C Nick Hardwick (ankle) was limited and he is still a week away from returning to games. DL Travis Johnson (groin) was limited but he will go on Sunday.

SAN DIEGO (AP) —When Eli Manning and Philip Rivers play at Giants Stadium on Sunday, it’ll be the first matchup between the two quarterbacks who were swapped for each other during the first round of the 2004 draft.

Be sure to watch, said Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, whose spot in San Diego was secured as part of a draft-weekend blockbuster trade, in 2001.

“There’s a natural rivalry there with Philip and Eli, as it was with Michael Vick and myself from the trade,” Tomlinson said. “Those two are going to be linked for their whole career. So, as a fan, that’s something you want to watch.”

Manning preferred the Giants to the Chargers, who took him anyway with the No. 1 pick, then dealt him to New York for Rivers and a handful of picks.

Two years ago, Manning led the Giants to a Super Bowl victory.

“I don’t have any regrets,” he told San Diego reporters during a conference call Wednesday.

Rivers said he’s happy the Chargers acquired him and two future Pro Bowlers – outside linebacker Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding.

“I think I like it here a whole lot better,” Rivers said. “It certainly fits me out here.”

Merriman said he doesn’t sense the Chargers harbor any ill will toward Manning for choosing New York over San Diego.

“I just look at it as another quarterback I need to get on the ground, period, and he’s a pretty good one,” he said.

As for the Chargers jersey that Manning got on draft day? “I think my parents have it,” Manning said. “I gave it to my mom. She put it in her purse that day, and she has it for a rainy day, I guess.”

NOTES: ILBs Kevin Burnett and Tim Dobbins did not practice because of ankle injuries. … Tomlinson said Giants fans will razz him, telling him that former Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, a Hall of Famer, is the real L.T. “How can you argue?” Tomlinson said. Merriman wears No. 56 partly in honor of Taylor.

James Holt

SAN DIEGO (AP)—The San Diego Chargers have signed rookie linebacker James Holt from the practice squad to fill the roster spot created when wide receiver Chris Chambers was released.

Holt originally joined the Chargers in May as a free agent. He was released at the conclusion of training camp and added to the practice squad.

The Chargers need a linebacker because Tim Dobbins is expected to be out for two weeks after sustaining a knee injury in Sunday’s 24-16 win over Oakland.

The Chargers signed linebacker Jeremy Leman to the practice squad.

General manager A.J. Smith didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.

Chris Chambers

Among the feel-good stories coming out of Sunday’s 13th straight win over the Raiders was the critical contribution of wide receiver Chris Chambers.

Chambers had struggled this year, fighting for playing time with an emerging Malcom Floyd. But on a crucial fourth-quarter, third-down on what would be the drive which would give the Chargers’ their margin of victory, Chambers made a difficult 20-yard catch, looking into the sun, with Pro Bowl cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha on his hip.

While Chambers was upbeat after the game that feeling didn’t last long.

Chambers was cut on Monday.

“There are a number of things that went into the decision,” coach Norv Turner said. “The reason we’re able to do this is the play of Malcom and the way Legedu Naanee is performing.

“Certainly there are a number of other things in terms of our football team that we need to address. Defensively and in the kicking game … we need to get some help.”

Still the releasing of Chambers came as a surprise. Especially with the Chargers still carrying Buster Davis, a first-round bust who doesn’t even suit up for games.

There’s no discounting the improved play of Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee. But neither supply the veteran presence that Chambers did and what if they get hurt down the stretch?

Chambers came over from the Dolphins in 2007 and the price was steep: a second-round pick. But it seemed to be a pick well spent as Chambers enhanced the Chargers’ developing passing game.

But this year he fell out of favor in Turner’s scheme and had a hard time getting on the field. He also wasn’t shy about expressing his frustration, and that might have led to the Chargers cutting ties as well.

After Sunday’s game he was quoted as saying: “I thought I’d play a lot more. Coach said I would rotate and all of a sudden he didn’t let me rotate, so I was a little disrespected in that way…Coach might have lost some confidence in me, but I haven’t lost any confidence in myself.”

Chambers, a nine-year pro, entered the game with just eight catches and he dropped a couple of passes the previous week in Kansas City, one of which would have been a touchdown.

But it was just last year that he had a touchdown catch in five straight games, the first time he had done that in a Pro Bowl career.

NOTES, QUOTES

—olb S hawne Merriman showed some of his old burst in recording his first sack since the end of the 2007 season. Merriman, a three-time Pro Bowler who missed all but one game last year with a knee injury, had two sacks against the Raiders. “That is what they brought us both here for,” said OLB Shaun Phillips, who also had two sacks. In years past, me and Shawne have been able to feed off each other.”

• RB LaDainian Tomlinson sounded like a Chargers fan when asked what is the difference about playing the Raiders. “I think our mind-set is different when we play these guys,” said Tomlinson, who rushed for two touchdowns, one coming out of the wildcat formation. “In our mind, it’s the Battle of California, with so much stuff between the two teams.”

• The defense, which had struggled early on, got a boost when it made a fourth-quarter stand to basically end the game with the Raiders down by a score. It was a big boost for the defense, which is often over-shadowed by the offense. “The offense started off real well and we tried to pay catch-up,” said Stephen Cooper, after a game-high 10 tackles. “I think now we found our knack and (defensive coordinator Ron Rivera) did a great job of play-calling and pressuring the quarterback. If we do that, we will be the defense of the old.”

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Player Notes

• ILB Tim Dobbins will be out two weeks with a knee injury. Dobbins was filling in for Kevin Burnett (ankle); Burnett has missed the past two games and could be down again Sunday.

• RB LaDainian Tomlinson had multiple touchdowns Sunday for the first time since scoring three times in last year’s regular-season finale. Counting receiving, rushing and passing, he has produced 28 touchdowns in his career against the Raiders.

• WR Vincent Jackson could be in the chatter for a Pro Bowl roster spot. For the second time in six games, he has turned in consecutive 100-yard receiving games.

• DT Travis Johnson as given the interior line a boost since returning from a groin injury two weeks ago. He’s part of the regular three-player rotation making due in the absence of injured Pro Bowler Jamal Williams.

• ILB Brandon Siler’s stock is going up after coming in and playing well when Tim Dobbins went down with a knee injury. Siler, a third-year pro, could get his first start Sunday.

• FB Mike Tolbert has contributed mostly on special teams this season. But his stellar play of late and in practice has him in the mix with starter Jacob Hester at fullback as well. The Chargers like the hard-nosed Tolbert’s attitude; he was an undrafted free agent last year and surprisingly made the club out of camp

Report Card Vs . RAIDERS

Passing Offense: C—Not Philip Rivers grandest game but it was a winning performance. He threw for a score and 249 yards. He did throw an interception, but it came off a deflection. Malcom Floyd set the tone early in corralling a 53-yard catch on the Chargers’ first play. The pass-protection was keen against what can be a physical Oakland front.

Rushing Offense: C—LaDainian Tomlinson had two rushing scores—one off a direct snap in the wildcat—but there is still work to be done on the running game. The Chargers did get to 100 rushing yards and seem to be more motivated to establish a running attack. The run-blocking was pretty good—a step up if nothing else.

Pass Defense: B—Hard to get a bad grade here when JaMarcus Russell is dropping back. Russell is horrible and the Chargers took advantage of his play with an interception by Antonio Cromartie and five sacks. Russell threw for a scant 109 yards. Good work by the secondary and the pass rush to get his feet moving on his throws.

Rush Defense: B—The middle of the line is so much better than a month ago, in the wake of Jamal Williams being lost for the season. The Chargers are rotating three players in at tackle. The linebackers had one of their better games with Stephen Cooper collecting 10 tackles and Brandon Siler doing a good job when filling in for the hobbling Tim Dobbins. The defense kept the Raiders under 100 yards—just barely, though, at 99.

Special Teams: D—Darren Sproles had a costly fumble on a punt return which the Raiders cashed into points. There was also a letdown on coverages when allowing a 60-yard return. P Mike Scifres wasn’t the best punter on the field, but he still had a long of 56 and two of his three efforts were downed inside the Oakland 20.

Coaching: A—The offense was good enough to win, although it seemed like the Raiders hung around longer than they should have. But it was the defense which had a late stand and is starting to play with more confidence. Since coordinator Ron Rivera shook up the secondary, he has been blitzing like crazy with safeties and corners and it is working. If the defense can continue to improve—and do so against better teams—Rivera deserves to take a bow.

By Bernie Wilson

Eli Manning and Philip Rivers go head-to-head for the first time.

SAN DIEGO (AP)—Philip Rivers calls it one of “those little sidebars.”

Really, though, it’ll be the featured event when Rivers and his San Diego Chargers face Eli Manning and the struggling New York Giants on Sunday at the Meadowlands.

Manning was drafted by the Chargers in 2004, then traded to the Giants within an hour for Rivers and a handful of picks that San Diego ended up spending on kicker Nate Kaeding and outside linebacker Shawne Merriman.

Manning went on to lead the Giants to a Super Bowl upset of the Patriots two seasons ago. Rivers is still trying to get to his first Super Bowl.

The Chargers (4-3) are rejuvenated after wins over AFC doormats Kansas City and Oakland. The Giants (5-3) have lost three straight, including Sunday’s 40-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

“It’s fun,” Rivers said Monday. “The one thing I know and I know Eli knows, all the quarterbacks know, we’re not playing one another out there. We’ve got plenty of other things to worry about on the defensive side of the ball we have to go against.

“But it is fun competing against another team led by a quarterback that you are linked to in many ways, especially being the same draft class.”

This will be Rivers’ first start against the Giants. Drew Brees was still the Chargers’ starter when Manning and the Giants came to San Diego in September 2005.

The Chargers won 45-23 that night and their fans booed and heckled Manning, still angry he had spurned San Diego 17 months earlier. Days before the 2004 draft, Manning’s family asked the Chargers not to draft Eli. The Chargers did anyway, then pulled off a blockbuster trade that helped both teams.

Rivers said he sent congratulations two seasons ago after Manning led the Giants to a thrilling Super Bowl win over the previously undefeated Patriots.

“I don’t know him real well, but certainly enjoy watching him play. It’ll be fun competing against those guys this weekend,” Rivers said.

The Chargers have popped above .500 thanks to Sunday’s 24-16 home win over Oakland and a 37-7 win at Kansas City a week earlier.

“Every week is a treat to play in the NFL, to play in an NFL game,” Rivers said. “But these are the kind of games, the reason why you play. You get to go right in the thick of all the action in the East Coast, being in New York, and play, obviously, a team that won the championship two years ago and is a very capable one and thought of highly this year. It’s a tough place to go on the road, in a game I think that will say a lot about us.”

San Diego’s win, coupled with Denver’s loss at Baltimore, pulled the Chargers within two games of the Broncos in the AFC West race. San Diego is trying to win its fourth straight division title.

“I think we’ve put two together that many expected us to win, as did we, but you’ve still got to go do it, and now this one here will be the toughest challenge we’ve had in three weeks,” Rivers said.

On Monday, the Chargers released wide receiver Chris Chambers a day after he had a key catch against the Raiders. Coach Norv Turner said they waived Chambers because of the emergence of Malcom Floyd and the need to sign a linebacker due to a knee injury to Tim Dobbins on Sunday. Dobbins could be out for two weeks.

Chambers was demoted Sunday in favor of Floyd, yet still had a big catch in the win. Chambers was obtained at the trading deadline in 2007 from Miami for a second-round draft pick, and helped the Chargers reach the AFC championship game that season.

His production dropped off dramatically this season, with just nine catches for 122 yards and one touchdown.

Chris Chambers

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Chargers have released wide
receiver Chris Chambers a day after he had a key catch in a
24-16 win over the Oakland Raiders.

Coach Norv Turner said the Chargers released Chambers because of the emergence of Malcom Floyd and the need to sign a linebacker because of an injury to Tim Dobbins on Sunday.

Chambers was demoted Sunday in favor of Floyd, yet still had a big catch in the win over the Raiders, which lifted the Chargers to 4-3.

Chambers was obtained at the trading deadline in 2007 from Miami for a second-round draft pick, and helped the Chargers reach the AFC championship game that season.

His production dropped off dramatically this season.

LaDainian Tomlinson celebrates 1 of his 2 TD's over the Raiders.

SAN DIEGO(AP) LaDainian Tomlinson did what he always does against the Oakland Raiders .

Shawne Merriman got to break out his spasmodic ”Lights Out” sack dance for the first time since 2007.

It was simply business as usual for the San Diego Chargers , who got two touchdowns from Tomlinson – one out of the wildcat – in beating Oakland 24-16 on Sunday, their 13th straight against the hapless Raiders. It’s the longest active NFL winning streak by one team over another.

The Chargers (4-3) have swept the series for the sixth straight season. Many Chargers, including quarterback Philip Rivers , have never lost to the Raiders (2-6). It was San Diego’s seventh straight home win against the Raiders.

”When I first got here, the intensity and atmosphere of the game, it rubbed me the wrong way,” said Tomlinson, who was drafted by the Chargers in 2001. ”By beating them 13 times, it means 13 times their fans went home with their heads hanging.”

Oakland coach Tom Cable called it ”a big hump to get over. We’ve had two good opportunities this year. Are we closer? Yes. But you don’t take anything from it until you get over the hump.”

With the Denver Broncos losing 30-7 at Baltimore, the Chargers pulled within two games of the AFC West lead. San Diego is trying to win its fourth straight division title.

Merriman got his first two sacks since 2007, dropping JaMarcus Russell late in the second quarter and again late in the fourth. The outside linebacker has been working his way back from knee surgery that cost him the final 15 regular-season games and both playoff games last year.

”It’s one of those things that was long coming,” Merriman said. ”I don’t put as big an emphasis on sacks as everybody else does. But they are important. I realize I’ve got to go out and make plays and get those sacks in order for us to be a better defense. As long as
I’m doing that and putting pressure on the quarterback and forcing him to do things that he doesn’t want to do, we’re going to be better.”

San Diego had a season-high five sacks and allowed a season-low 180 yards. The other outside linebacker, Shaun Phillips , also had two.

Rivers, who was sacked only once, was impressed watching his defense.

”Not that they haven’t been applying pressure, but it’s good to see. There’s something to getting the quarterback on the ground,” Rivers said. ”I think it’s huge. The thing about sacks, just what I’ve seen from the sideline, these guys have had a force in some of these games. But when you don’t see it in sacks, it doesn’t get the attention.

”The thing with sacks that’s funny is you can have a spurt in a few games and all of a sudden have six, seven. I think it just shows what a huge pro he is, all these guys, that they just kept hammering away.”

The Chargers didn’t have to rally to win as they did in the season opener at Oakland, when they were physically beaten up by the Raiders despite taking a 24-20 victory.

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie intercepted Russell when tight end Zach Miller fell down. It was the first pickoff in 20 games for Cromartie, who had 10 in 2007 but dropped off to two last season.

The Chargers’ first play from scrimmage was a 53-yard pass from Rivers to Malcom Floyd , who replaced struggling Chris Chambers in the starting lineup. It gave San Diego first-and-goal on the 6. Tomlinson took the direct snap and ran around the right end for a 7-0 lead.

Oakland tied it early in the second quarter after Rivers’ pass to Vincent Jackson glanced off the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by Chris Johnson , who returned it 20 yards to the San Diego 27. Justin Fargas scored on a 3-yard run to cap the short drive.

San Diego scored on its next two drives to go up 21-7. Rivers hit a wide-open Jackson on an 8-yard scoring pass and Tomlinson scored on a 10-yard run.
Rivers was 16 of 25 for 249 yards. Tomlinson had 56 yards on 18 carries. Fargas also carried 18 times for 59 yards.

Tomlinson has accounted for 28 touchdowns against Oakland in his nine-year career: 22 rushing, three receiving and three passing.

All the Raiders got the rest of the way were three field goals by Sebastian Janikowski , of 48, 41 and 28 yards.

Russell, benched in a 38-0 home loss to the New York Jets a week earlier, was 14 of 22 for 109 yards.

”He seemed very much to be in control today,” Cable said. ”A couple throws he’d probably like to have over again, but for the most part he gave us a chance to win today.”

NOTES: Chargers ILB Tim Dobbins left on a cart with a knee injury but returned. … The Raiders reported these injuries: CB Chris Johnson (groin), DT Tommy Kelly (elbow), DT Gerard Warren (toe), LB Jon Alston (shoulder).

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Show Links

• Chargers destroy Chiefs 37-7.
• Hardwick returns to practice.
• Book Review: LT & Me.
• Chargers-Raiders preview.
• Week 8 injury report.
• Vote Philip Rivers for FedEx Air Player of the week.
• Chargers 50th Anniversary Block Party.
• Bolt Bunker-BoltTalk Taco Party 11-15-09 info.
• www.sdstadium.org

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