Chargers upset Colts 38-35 to advance to Conf Finals

The San Diego Chargers outlasted the Indianapolis Colts 38-35 in one of the biggest upsets in CFL history. The Colts entered the game riding a 9 game win streak courtesy of quarterback Peyton Manning's CFL record 57 touchdown passes. He threw 4 more in the divisional playoff game, but it wasn't enough to bring the Colts all the way back.

The Chargers won the toss and elected to receive. Gramatica's opening kickoff went out of bounds and the Chargers started with the ball on their own 40 yard line. Three plays later, they had advanced 3 feet and were forced to punt. The Colts started at their own 28 and drove down the field. The Chargers appeared to stop the Colts at the San Diego 39 when Manning's third down pass to Marvin Harrison was overthrown. However Coach Weiss elected to go for it and Manning found an open Brandon Stokley for 17 yards and a first down. Two plays later Manning finished off the drive with another 17 yard pass, this time to Harrison and the Colts lead early 7-0. Following a nice Tim Dwight kickoff return followed by a 15 yard roughing penalty the Colts, the Chargers again had good field position at their own 46 to start their second drive. Drew Brees directed them down to the Colts 3 where they faced a 4th and goal. Coach Lowe also decided to go for it, and Brees found Antonio Gates in the end zone and the game was tied at 7. On the ensuing kickoff Dominic Rhodes broke off a 68 yard return and the Colts were in business at the San Diego 26. Four plays later, the Colts faced a 4th and 1 at the San Diego 1. For the second time in the game, Coach Weiss gambled and again he came up big as Edgerrin James crashed in for the touchdown to give the Colts a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Chargers next drive stalled at the Colts 31. Facing 4th and 5, Coach Lowe sent the normally reliable Nate Kaeding into the game to cut into the Colts lead. However, the 48 yard field goal attempt was wide and the Colts had good field position again starting at their own 38 yard line. The Colts drove down to the Chargers 20 yard line, and looked like they were going to take a 2 score lead, but Manning's pass to Harrison was intercepted by Jerry Wilson at the 9 to stop the drive. The Chargers wasted little time tying up the game on a 4 play, 91 yard drive culminated with Brees 8 yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Floyd. Rhodes broke another long kickoff return to the Colts 45, and 2 plays later Manning had the Colts at the Chargers 35. But, for the second straight drive, his pass attempt to Marvin Harrison was intercepted, this time by Drayton Florence and the Chargers again took over inside their own 20 yard line. Drew Brees directed San Diego down the field and completed the 81 yard drive with a 2 yard touchdown pass to Eric Parker to give San Diego their first lead at 21-14. Peyton Manning was intercepted for the third straight drive when his pass directed towards Brandon Stokley was grabbed by Donnie Edwards who returned the ball to midfield with 1:44 left in the half. Three plays later, LaDainian Tomlinson sprinted in from 6 yards out and the Chargers lead 28-14 at the half.

The punters battled for field position most of the third quarter as both team were forced to punt on their first 2 possessions. Manning drove the Colts down to the Chargers 24, but on 2nd and 7 his pass towards Dallas Clark was intercepted by Terrence Kiel at the Chargers 5 yard line. The Chargers were forced to punt for the third time in the quarter and Indianapolis got the ball back at their own 16 with 2 seconds left in the quarter. On the quarter's final play, Manning found Brandon Stokley all alone and he rambled down to the San Diego 10 on a 74 yard play to bring the third to a close.

Following a sack by Randall Godfrey, the Colts faced a 3rd and goal at the San Diego 14. Peyton Manning was intercepted for the 5th time in the game when his pass towards Harrison was grabbed by Shaun Phillips in the back of the end zone to keep the Chargers up by two touchdowns. On the Chargers drive, it was time for Drew Brees to thrown an interception and Jason David returned it to the San Diego 34. Two plays later, Manning found Dallas Clark in the end zone and the San Diego lead was cut to 28-21 with 11:15 remaining in the game. Tim Dwight took the ensuing kickoff and rambled to the Colts 20 to give San Diego great field position. On second down, Brees was intercepted by Von Hutchins at the Colts 9 to end a great opportunity to regain a 2 score lead. Peyton Manning directed the Colts quickly down the field and finished the drive with a 1 yard touchdown pass to Edgerrin James to tie the score up at 28 with 6:45 left in the game. Coach Weiss had learned his lesson after watching Tim Dwight's returns and elected to have Martin Gramatica squib kick the ball. However, he caught too much of the ball and Jesse Chatman grabbed it at his 17 yard line and weaved back and forth across the field for 16 seconds before falling into the end zone allowing San Diego to regain the lead 35-28. The Colts situation went from bad to worse when an illegal block pushed them back to their own 4 to start their next drive. Manning drove them out to their 46, but he underthrew Brandon Stokley on a crossing pattern and was intercepted for the sixth time in the game, this time by Steve Foley.

The Chargers had the ball at the Colts 46 with 4:51 left and a 7 point lead. Three plays netted 7 yards and facing 4th and 3 at the Colts 39, Coach Lowe had a decision to make. Despite Kaeding's miss from 48 earlier in the game, Coach Lowe showed faith in his kicker and sent him out to try a 56 yard field goal. If he missed, the Colts would have great field position trailing by a touchdown. However, Coach Lowe's faith was rewarded and Nate Kaeding's 56 yard field goal was good to increase the Charger lead to 38-28. Manning started the next drive at his own 12 with 3:07 on the clock. He quickly drove the Colts down the field and they finished the 6 play drive with a 7 yard pass to Dallas Clark to cut the lead to 38-35 with 2:04 left in the game. With 2 timeouts left, Coach Weiss had a decision to make. He passed up an onside kick and had Gramatica kick it deep. This ended up being the wrong decision as Tomlinson powered for 2 first downs on the ground, and when the Colts could no longer stop the clock, Brees took a knee to end the game. The Chargers knocked off the top seed Colts 38-35 despite 492 yard passing by Manning. Brandon Stokley finished the game with 228 yards on 9 receptions to lead the Colts. The Chargers were out gained 571-392 and only survived because their opportunistic defense grabbed 6 interceptions. When added to the 7 they had grabbed in the regular season finale against the 49ers, the Chargers had a total of 13 interceptions in 2 games. San Diego advanced to the conference championship where they get to return to the scene of the Boston Massacre from two weeks before when the Patriots wiped out the Chargers 32-7.

TURNING POINT: Jesse Chatman's 83 yard kickoff return for a touchdown after the Colts had batted back to tie it up at 28 with 6 and a half minutes left in the game.

--submitted by John Lowe--