Week 6 Game Recap: San Diego Chargers 48, San Francisco 49ers 19

What you need to know

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers started off hot, racing out to a 35 to 19 half time lead. The offense used a balanced attack throughout the game to score in every quarter and the defense shut out San Francisco in the second half. Philip Rivers unleashed a lethal air assault, completing 29 of 39 passes for over 300 hundred yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. He is taking control of this offense, and his accuracy allowed the Chargers to rely less on their very effective rushing attack.

LaDainian Tomlinson punched in four touchdowns, but only ran for 71 yards. He added 64 yards on seven pass receptions. Even with the Chargers comfortably ahead, Tomlinson remained in the game. He scored his fourth and final touchdown with 4:20 remaining and San Diego up 41–19.

Antonio Gates scored the game’s first touchdown on the opening drive, catching a short ten yard pass from Rivers and rumbling the final 47 yards with just 3:00 minutes gone. He totaled five receptions for 78 yards. Eric Parker and Keenan McCardell added 13 receptions between them as a total of seven different receivers contributed to the aerial onslaught.

The Chargers never let up in this game. In the past, they have been accused of being too conservative, of playing down to their opponents, and relying too much on the running game but they did none of those things in this game.

San Francisco 49ers

The young 49ers discovered that they don’t yet have the firepower to get involved in a shoot out with the Chargers. After San Diego opened the scoring on their first possession, San Francisco responded with a five play, 74 yard drive of their own, culminating in an Alex Smith TD pass to Bryan Gilmore. With 6:00 minutes gone in the first quarter, the score was 7–7.

The San Francisco defense, however, is ranked near the bottom of the league. The Chargers immediately marched 91 yards on 11 plays to go ahead for good. On the day, the 49ers gave up 48 points as Tomlinson scored four touchdowns and Rivers passed for 334 yards.

Alex Smith continues to demonstrate improving quarterback play, hitting 20 of 31 passes for 214 yards, two touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 92.7. He threw one interception, which came off a deflected pass at the line of scrimmage.

Frank Gore had a tough time finding room to run against the stingy Chargers’ defense, but managed to grind out 55 yards on ten carries and no touchdowns.

Antonio Bryant led all 49ers’ receivers with 78 yards, and Bryan Gilmore caught one pass for a touchdown.

In the second half, trailing 35–19, San Francisco could never mount a serious offensive threat.

What you ought to know

QB Philip Rivers, Pass: 29 - 39 - 334 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 2 - 0

Rivers completing 29 of 39 passes for 334 hundred yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, and a quarterback rating of 116.8. He constantly passed the ball downfield while the 49ers seemed determined to try and stop the Chargers’ potent rushing attack. He continues to demonstrate pinpoint accuracy, but he is still a young quarterback. In the second quarter, he was flagged for intentionally grounding the ball in his own end zone, resulting in a 49ers’ safety. It is the sort of mistake quarterbacks make when they are learning the ropes, but Rivers has already surpassed the expectations of many football observers.

QB Charlie Whitehurst, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0

When the Chargers took over on downs with 31 seconds left in the game, leading 48 to 19, the rookie was sent into the game to take a knee.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Rush: 21 - 71 - 4, Rec: 7 - 64 - 0 (8 targets)

Tomlinson punched in four touchdowns, the last coming with 4:20 remaining and San Diego up 41–19. He also caught seven passes for 64 yards. His first TD of the game gave him 84 for his career, moving him ahead of Lance Alworth on the Chargers’ all time TD list.

RB Lorenzo Neal, Rush: 5 - 15 - 0, Rec: 2 - 3 - 0 (2 targets)

Neal is still the primary blocking back for Tomlinson, but was able to also contribute 15 rushing yards and two pass receptions for a total of three yards.

RB Michael Turner, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets)

Turner saw very little action in this game and was a non factor.

WR Eric Parker, Rec: 7 - 88 - 0 (8 targets)

Parker’s 88 yards led all San Diego receivers. He made the most of his opportunities catching 7 of the 8 passes thrown his way.

WR Keenan McCardell, Rec: 6 - 65 - 0 (8 targets)

The wily old vet is still a viable cog in the Chargers’ passing attack. He was targeted eight times and caught six passes for 65 yards.

WR Vincent Jackson, Rec: 1 - 33 - 1 (2 targets)

Rivers hit Vincent Jackson in the second quarter on a pretty 33 yard pass for the Chargers’ third touchdown. On the play, rookie defensive back Marcus Hudson, who had just entered the game to replace the injured Sammie Davis, but was unable to cover Jackson.

WR Malcolm Floyd (4 targets)

Floyd was unable to catch any of the four passes thrown to him.

TE Antonio Gates, Rec: 5 - 78 - 1 (8 targets)

Gates scored on the Chargers’ opening drive in the game when he caught a ten yard pass, broke a bad tackle, and lumbered 57 yards for the touchdown. He totaled five receptions for 78 yards.

TE Brandon Manumaleuna, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets)

The free agent from the Rams caught one pass in the second quarter for three yards.

PK Nate Kaeding 2 - 2 FG, 6 - 6 XP, 12 points

Kaeding made both field goals, from 24 and 44 yards, and was perfect on all six extra points.

SD Rush Defense

The Chargers’ offense scored on five of their six first half drives, and San Francisco only attempted to run the ball 14 times. Frank Gore was held to 55 yards on ten attempts and Bryan Gilmore gained 31 yards on two end arounds.

SD Pass Defense

Rivers was flagged for intentional grounding in his own end zone, resulting in a safety for San Francisco, but San Diego immediately got the ball back after the ensuing free kick. Shaun Phillips batted the pass up in the air at the line and Louis Castillo intercepted it. The Chargers sacked Smith four times, twice by Phillips, once by Shawn Merriman, once by Castillo, and pressured him all afternoon as the 49ers tried to play catch up.

QB Alex Smith, Pass: 20 - 31 - 214 - 2 TD / 1 INT

Smith ran into a tough San Diego defense, but managed to hit 20 of 31 passes for 214 yards and two touchdowns. He earned a quarterback rating of 92.7 for the game. He threw one interception, which came off a deflected pass at the line of scrimmage, but happened late in second quarter when San Francisco was still in the game, only down 28 to 19. To finish with a 92.7 rating against a defense this good is saying something though.

RB Frank Gore, Rush: 10 - 55 - 0, Rec: 5 - 35 - 0 (8 targets)

With the 49ers never ahead in this game, the running game was more or less abandoned. Gore averaged 5.5 yards but on just ten caries, and also caught five passes for 35 yards. He entered the game with 465 yards and tied with the Rams’ Steven Jackson for the league lead.

RB Maurice Hicks, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0, Rec: 1 - 16 - 0 (1 targets)

Hicks caught one pass for 16 yards, and returned nine kickoffs for 21.7 yard average.

RB Michael Robinson, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0

The Penn State rookie had one carry for two yards.

RB Moran Norris, Rec: 1 - 2 - 1 (1 targets)

Norris has replaced Chris Hetherington as the FB in this offense and caught a two yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

WR Arnaz Battle, Rec: 5 - 39 - 0 (6 targets)

Battle caught five passes for a total of 39 yards.

WR Antonio Bryant, Rec: 4 - 78 - 0 (8 targets)

Life as the 49ers’ number one receiver has been a struggle lately, but Bryant managed to grab four passes for 78 yards.

WR Bryan Gilmore, Rush: 2 - 31 - 0, Rec: 1 - 15 - 1 (3 targets)

Gilmore caught two passes for 31 yards, and also ran two end arounds and gained a total of 31 yards.

WR Delanie Walker (1 targets)

In the fourth quarter the Central Missouri rookie caught a 16 yard pass, but the play was overturned on a holding penalty.

TE Eric Johnson, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (6 targets)

Johnson, still filling in for the injured Vernon Davis, caught three passes for 39 yards.

TE Billy Bajema (1 targets)

The back up tight end could not catch a short pass from Smith in the third quarter.

PK Joe Nedney 1 - 1 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 5 points

Nedney hit his only FG attempt, from 42 yards, and made both extra points.

SF Rush Defense

The 49ers only allowed 87 yards rushing and a 2.9 yard per carry average, but Tomlinson scored four TDs from in close.

SF Pass Defense

Philip Rivers torched the 25th ranked pass defense for 334 yards and two touchdowns. They were unable to either sack him or intercept a pass.