AFC West: Turner keeps job at San Diego for another week
The AFC West is the Broncos Show, as they continue to win each week. Last week they defeated the Oakland Raiders to push their record to 9-3 and record their sixth consecutive win. The division title is theirs and now they can try to get home field advantage at least for the first round of the playoffs.
However, the San Diego Chargers are trying to make a charge to stave off elimination from the playoffs. On Sunday, the Lightning Bolts ended a four game losing streak and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-24. The win not only kept their very slim postseason hopes alive, but it made it all that more difficult for the Steelers as well.
The win on Sunday was the first for the Chargers against any other team with the exception of the Kansas City Chiefs, since the second week of the season, oh boy the way, Sunday was week 14 of the season.
With the win, the Chargers move to 5-8 on the season and mathematically cling to a hope and pray of making the playoffs. To reach the postseason the Chargers must receive a huge combination of help from other teams in the form of wins and losses, as well as needing to win all of their remaining three games.
Last season, the scenario was similar with the Chargers also making a charge late.
The team has been helped by two additions they picked up during the year – Michael Spurlock and Danario Alexander.
Quarterback Philip Rivers completed seven of this passes to Alexander for 88 yards, with two of the seven good for touchdowns. Spurlock had seven receptions as well for a total of 64 yards. His receptions were good for six first downs and converted on five third down situations.
After just the first four games of the season, the Chargers released Spurlock and he played seven games with Jacksonville before the Chargers grabbed him on waivers two weeks ago.
The Chargers defense has not been that strong this season, but was able to keep the team in the game while its offense worked on figuring out the Steelers defense. The Chargers held the Steelers offense scoreless for their first seven possessions and not until the eighth possession did, the Steelers convert a field goal, as the first half ended.
The win was Norv Turner’s first in Pittsburgh as head coach of the Chargers. His record prior to that win was 0-14 on the road versus Pittsburgh. Turner’s job status is doubtful at best, but Sunday he held onto it for another week.
Turner must be pulling out all the stops as the ultra-conservative play caller pulled off a fake punt to keep possession and run even more time off the clock in the second half.
This season realistically is lost for the Chargers and most likely Turner, but if they can put together three good games to end the year, it might go a long way in what they do next season.
