Chargers Fall to Dolphins in Nail Biter 31-24
- Updated: November 14, 2016
At a certain point during the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins game Sunday, it became obviously clear that the victorious team would be the one that was the last to shoot itself in the foot. Or maybe the one that ran out of feet to shoot.
And that’s pretty much how it turned out in this back-and-forth and nail-biting game, as the Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers threw four interceptions in the fourth quarter in the Chargers’ loss 31 – 24 against the visiting Dolphins before 55,107 at Qualcomm Stadium.
In a game where the lead changed hands six times, the big plays were only overshadowed by the plenty of mistakes on both sides of the field. The Dolphins, a team penalized 11 times for 81 yards mostly during critical moments of the game, also muffed three punts, the latter being a Jakeem Grant turnover on the Dolphins’ own five yard-line. This gave the Chargers, trailing 24-17 early in the fourth quarter, a chance to possibly take the lead. Well, until Rivers got his first shot at … his own foot. His first interception was a perfectly tossed ball to an uncovered Dolphin Tony Lippett in the end zone. End of opportunity.
Rivers, who finished 23 for 44 with 326 yards and two touchdowns, also surpassed the 300-touchdown mark as well as John Elway for eighth on that list. And now back to the foot thing. After the Dolphins shot themselves in its foot by extending a Charger drive with penalties, Rivers threw his second interception, this one to Byron Maxwell at the Dolphin’s 15 yard line. Once again, after Miami hurt themselves with multiple pass interference penalties, Rivers tossed a fine-touch pass to Tyrell Williams who streaked 51 yards to give the Charger’s a 24-21 lead.
With Miami tying the game on an Andrew Franks 27-yard field goal with 2:58 to go, it was time for the final blow. Or shot? So, it is first and 10 on the Dolphins’ 42-yard line with 1:13 left in the game. Rivers in shotgun, takes the snap and goes back to pass. As Tyrell Williams cuts back across the field, Rivers fires a pass his way, only to hit the advantageous Dolphin linebacker Kiko Alonso right in the hands. The pick-6 went 60 yards and put Miami up 31-24. One last shot at tying the game ended on River’s final interception, as Tippett got his second of the game with 38 seconds left.
Said Rivers on a post-game interview courtesy of KNSD Sportswrap in San Diego, “Those critical turnovers, I won’t be the first quarterback to have them, and I won’t be the last. I can’t remember one quite like this. I hate it for the guys in here. We had plenty of opportunity. I know they count on me to make those, and I do as well. And just didn’t get it done today.”
On the other side of the field, the Dolphins’ quarterback Ryan Tannehill had one of his better outings, going 17 for 24 with 240 and two touchdowns, amassing a 130.6 passer rating, the second best of his career. His long ball was even working, as he hit Kenny Stills for a perfect-touch 39-yard touchdown pass and a 56-yard pass to wide receiver DeVante Parker that helped set up the tying field goal late in the game. Tannehill’s own reckless but gutsy third down 18-yard scamper extended a drive that concluded with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Damien Williams at the end of the third.
Though he failed to surpass the 100-yard mark for a fourth consecutive game, Dolphin running back Jay Ajayi rushed 79 yards on 19 carries, including two big plays that set up Dolphin scores.
Said Dolphin coach Adam Gase, courtesy of an interview on NFL.com, “They did a great job today, sticking with what we asked them to do. I don’t think this group is worried with what the score is or what part of the game it is. They are putting their head down and just playing. They are in the moment, and our job is to get the lead by the time the clock hits zero.”
The Dolphins (5-4), winners of their last four, will next play the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, November 20 at the LA Memorial Coliseum, while the Chargers (4-6) will take the bye week off figuring out how to leave their feet alone.
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