The San Diego Chargers sang a familiar refrain on Sunday. Philip Rivers threw for 336 yards and San Diego’s defense held Tom Brady and the New England Patriots to just 210 total yards, but costly, untimely mistakes cost them a 23-20 victory at home.
Week 7 NFL Scores And Results: Miscues Again Doom Chargers, Who Fall 23-20 To Patriots
Trailing 23-6 in the fourth quarter, Rivers found Antonio Gates for a four-yard touchdown, then Mike Tolbert scored on a one-yard plunge to cut the Patriots’ lead to three. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick decided to go for it on fourth down late to try to ice the game, but BenJarvus Green-Ellis was stuffed behind the line by Antwan Applewhite to give the Chargers a short field. Rivers found Gates on third down to get Kris Brown into range for a potential game-tying field goal.
A false start nudged the try back to 50 yards, which Brown promptly bounced off the right upright. Game, set, match.
The untimely penalty was just the tip of the iceberg, as four Chargers turnovers allowed Brady and the Patriots to grab a substantial early lead. Brady threw a touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski for a 7-3 lead in the first quarter. A Green-Ellis score sandwiched two Stephen Gostkowski field goals, which extended New England’s lead to 20-3 at the end of the third quarter.
So, in short: good offense (minus a running game), good defense, and more major miscues sent the Chargers to 2-5 on the season. New England, meanwhile, improves to 5-1.
For more, visit Pats Pulpit and Bolts From The Blue.
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