Regular Season Game #4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Total

San Diego

17

10

0

10

37

Kansas City

0

6

7

7

20

Chargers Get Six Turnovers, Crush Chiefs

Regular Season Game #4

NFL.com l Video Highlights

Chiefs QB Matt Cassel fumbled after being hit by Chargers LB Shaun Phillips.

Sept. 30- Philip Rivers threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, and the San Diego Chargers capitalized on six turnovers by the Kansas City Chiefs in a 37-20 victory Sunday.

Five of the turnovers came in the first half, when San Diego (3-1) raced to a 27-6 lead, and the Chargers turned the Chiefs' six total takeaways into 24 points.

Making his 100th career start, Rivers surpassed the 25,000-yard mark passing while improving to 28-10 against other members of the division. He's also 9-4 against the Chiefs.

Jackie Battle had a pair of scores against his former team, and Eddie Royal also caught a touchdown pass. San Diego improved to 8-2 in its last 10 meetings with Kansas City.

Matt Cassel threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns for the Chiefs (1-3), but he had three first-half interceptions. Jamaal Charles, who followed his big game last week at New Orleans with touchdowns rushing and receiving, also fumbled twice.

Dwayne Bowe had seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown for Kansas City.

In last season's meeting at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chargers gave the game away. The teams were tied in the closing seconds when Rivers fumbled a snap, preventing San Diego from attempting the winning field goal.

The game went to overtime and the Chiefs ultimately prevailed.

The regular officials were back on the field Sunday, and both teams kept referee Bill Leavy's crew busy. They combined for 15 penalties for 150 yards.

Chiefs safety Eric Berry was flagged twice for pass interference on the Chargers' opening possession, and Rivers capped off a 76-yard drive with a rather elementary pass to Royal for the touchdown.

Then the cacophony of errors truly began for Kansas City.

Cassel's third pass of the game was intercepted by Eric Weddle, giving San Diego the ball at the Chiefs 28. Four plays later, Nick Novak's 25-yard field goal made it 10-0.

On the Chiefs' next possession, Charles was stripped of the ball by Takeo Spikes on the first play after a false start. San Diego took over at the Chiefs 5, and Battle pounded forward twice to give the Chargers a 17-0 lead -- all before Kansas City had run five offensive plays.

The Chiefs have been outscored 41-6 in the first quarter this season.

Charles fumbled again midway through the second quarter, but this time the Chargers gave it right back. Rivers underthrew Robert Meacham, and Brandon Flowers made the interception.

Kansas City managed to go 85 yards in just five plays, Charles providing the highlight on an electrifying 37-yard touchdown run. But the momentum was squandered on the its next possession, when Cassel threw well behind Tony Moeaki, and Chargers linebacker Donald Butler grabbed hold of the deflection and waltzed 21 yards untouched to give San Diego a 27-6 lead.

Cassel threw his third INT deep in San Diego territory near the end of the half.

The Chiefs put together a long drive to start the third quarter, and Charles' 13-yard TD catch with 8:40 left gave the hardy Kansas City fans still sticking around reason to believe that yet another big comeback could be at hand.

But after rallying from a franchise-record 18 points down to beat New Orleans last Sunday, the Chiefs couldn't stop giving away their chances of getting back in the game.

They went three-and-out on two straight series, and Shaun Draughn fumbled on the next.

The Chargers put a tidy bow on an easy if underwhelming victory by going 49 yards for another touchdown, this time with Rivers finding Battle out of the backfield for the score.

Individual Statistics

Kansas City Passing:

Matt Cassel 24 of 42 for 251 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions

San Diego Passing:

Philip Rivers 18 of 23 for 209 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception

Kansas City Rushing:

Jamaal Charles 17 carries for 92 yards and 1 touchdown

Cyrus Gray 1 carry for 15 yards

Shaun Draughn 4 carries for 12 yards

San Diego Rushing:

Ryan Mathews 14 carries for 61 yards

Jackie Battle 15 carries for 39 yards and 1 touchdown

Le'Ron McClain 2 carries for 4 yards

Philip Rivers 3 carries for 0 yards

Kansas City Receiving:

Dwayne Bowe 7 receptions for 108 yards and 1 touchdown

Jon Baldwin 4 receptions for 50 yards

Shaun Draughn 4 receptions for 34 yards

Jamaal Charles 3 receptions for 23 yards and 1 touchdown

Tony Moeaki 3 receptions for 18 yards

Steve Breaston 1 reception for 12 yards

Dexter McCluster 2 receptions for 6 yards

San Diego Receiving:

Antonio Gates 3 receptions for 59 yards

Ronnie Brown 3 receptions for 50 yards

Jackie Battle 4 receptions for 42 yards and 1 touchdown

Malcom Floyd 2 receptions for 23 yards

Ryan Mathews 2 receptions for 21 yards

Eddie Royal 3 receptions for 16 yards and 1 touchdown

Le'Ron McClain 1 reception for -2 yards

Kansas City Tackles-Assists-Sacks:

Jovan Belcher 7-0-0, Eric Berry 6-0-0, Derrick Johnson 6-0-0, Ropati Pitoitua 6-0-2, Tamba Hali 5-0-1, Brandon Flowers 3-0-0, Justin Houston 3-0-0, Javier Arenas 2-0-0, Travis Daniels 2-0-0, Abram Elam 2-0-0, Cory Greenwood 2-1-0, Stanford Routt 2-0-0, Jalil Brown 1-0-0, Dontari Poe 1-0-0, Jerrell Powe 1-0-0, Tyson Jackson 0-1-0

San Diego Tackles-Assists-Sacks:

Quentin Jammer 8-0-0, Demorrio Williams 5-0-0, Atari Bigby 4-1-0, Donald Butler 4-2-0.5, Shaun Phillips 4-0-1, Eric Weddle 3-2-0, Antoine Cason 2-0-0, Marcus Gilchrist 2-0-0, Melvin Ingram 2-0-0, Takeo Spikes 2-0-0, Antwan Barnes 1-0-0, Aubrayo Franklin 1-0-0, Vaughn Martin 1-0-0, Kendall Reyes 1-0-0, Cam Thomas 1-1-0, Larry English 0-1-0.5, Corey Liuget 0-1-0

Kansas City Fumble Recoveries:

None

San Diego Fumble Recoveries:

Shaun Phillips 1 for 0 yards

Atari Bigby 1 for 0 yards

Corey Liuget 1 for 0 yards

Kansas City Interceptions:

Brandon Flowers 1 for 1 yard

San Diego Interceptions:

Antoine Cason 1 for 31 yards

Eric Weddle 1 for 21 yards

Donald Butler 1 for 21 yards and 1 touchdown