Manning’s Costly Interceptions Make San Diego’s Night Easy In 36-14 Victory Over Colts

Just as the Chargers seemed to show they couldn’t put the game away by failing in the red zone by failing on three plays from the Colts’ three-yard line and settling for the team’s fourth field goal of the game, the defense came up with its second touchdown of the game. Which gives it two more touchdowns than the offense.

The Chargers got their second interception return for a touchdown of the game and third interception overall of Peyton Manning. However, this last one seems like it might have been a little less within the rules than the previous two. Chargers safety Eric Weddle pulled down Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, but wasn’t flagged for the move.

The Colts offense might have been largely ineffective in the first half after its opening scoring drive, but Peyton Manning always seems to find a way to sneak a score in the final minutes before a half ends.

Such was the case when settling for less than a touchdown could have posed huge problems for the Colts. Trailing 16-7, Manning hit tight end Jacob Tamme and Pierre Garcon each for 30-yard gains to set up the Colts’ second touchdown, which went to Blair White with less than 30 seconds left in the first half.

The Chargers, more than most, are just able to force mistakes out of Peyton Manning. Though Manning did throw three interceptions last week in Foxborough, it’s not often he will post consecutive multi-interception games.

Though that’s what has happened on Sunday night at home against San Diego, a team known for rattling Manning. Peyton once threw a career-high six interceptions in a game against them in 2007. Through the first few minutes of the second quarter, Manning already has two.

Despite the Chargers coming in with the NFL’s top-ranked defense in terms of least yardage allowed, few would have figured the Sunday night game between San Diego and Indianapolis would be a low-scoring grind-‘em-out affair. Should the rest of the game play out like the first 11 minutes, there should be no lack of points.

On the game’s first drive, Indianapolis exploited a series of dumpoff passes to Donald Brown to pick up huge yardage. That 12-play, 78-yard drive was capped by a four-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Tamme.

San Diego won eight of nine games to close out the 2007 season, prevailed in five of the last six contests the following year and ripped off 11 wins in 12 tries at the conclusion of the 2009 campaign. Another season has passed and the Chargers are starting to heat up, having won three in a row since dropping three straight to fall to 2-5.

Jackson spent the previous three weeks on the Roster-Exempt list after signing a one-year contract last month. Jackson, who held out for an extended period of time, had to serve a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He started all 15 games he played in last season, catching 68 passes for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns to establish career highs in each category. Head coach Norv Turner is excited about his return.