The San Diego Chargers rallied from a 21-point deficit to claim a 38-35 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers to keep their playoff hopes alive in the AFC conference.
The 49ers took the lead on their first possession of the game as Frank Gore found a crease in the line and raced through to the endzone to register a 52-yard touchdown.
San Francisco should have extended their lead when Colin Kaepernick led his side to the goalline. The quarterback handed the ball off to Bruce Miller, but the full-back fumbled the ball when he was hit by Marcus Gilchrist, and Corey Liuget gathered for the visitors.
However, Philip Rivers gave the ball straight back to the 49ers when he was intercepted by Perrish Cox, and the home side drove to the 10-yard line where Kaepernick dropped back to find Bruce Ellington wide open in the endzone.
Rivers committed another error in the next series when he was intercepted by Antoine Bethea when trying to find Antonio Gates over the middle of the field. The defensive back made the catch and returned the ball all the way for the 49-yard score.
The Chargers got themselves on the board as Rivers finally got into a rhythm, and he was able to drop back in the pocket and loft a pass to the endzone for Eddie Royal to make a good catch for a 15-yard score.
However, the 49ers restored their 21-point advantage as the visitors committed several costly penalties in the redzone. They eventually did register the score when Ellington received an endaround and found the corner.
In the second half, the Chargers got back into the game when Rivers led his team down the field and fired the ball to Gates, who powered through a tackle on the goalline to find the endzone.
Minutes later, the visitors pulled within seven as Kaepernick was sacked in the pocket and fumbled the ball. Both teams scrambled to gather it as it landed in the endzone, but it was Liuget who claimed the ball to secure the touchdown.
Kaepernick atoned for his error as he produced a moment of magic by escaping the pocket and evading two tackles, before sprinting to the endzone for a 90-yard score to register his first rushing touchdown of the season.
Despite another interception from Rivers, the Chargers refused to quit and the quarterback found his tight end Gates for the second time in the game to breathe life into his team with five minutes remaining.
A defensive stand gave the visitors a chance to tie the game late on, and Rivers made a series of clutch throws to take his team inside the 10-yard line. With 29 seconds left on the clock, he brought his side level with a strike to Malcom Floyd.
There was still time for the 49ers to have a late attempt to win the game in regulation, but Phil Dawson missed from 60 yards.
Jim Harbaugh's men opted to take the ball first in overtime and they moved down the field well until Quinton Patton fumbled and handed possession to San Diego. Rivers moved his side into position, allowing Nick Novak to kick his team to victory.
Simon Sinclair
