SPORTS:
It looks like the Chargers are going to have another season just like all of their others. Rivers threw for the most yards of his professional career with 436 yards, and they still couldn’t manage to win. LT did not play for the first time since 2004, with a sprained ankle injury.

RECAP:
The Ravens kicked off, and the Chargers went three and out.

The Ravens went three and out.

Starting from the few inches yard line, the Chargers finally got a first down throwing to Jackson. Sproles rushed for 7 yards on the next play, and 2 plays after that Rivers threw a 2 yard pass caught by Sproles on the San Diego 21 yard line. Sproles then ran it all the way downfield for a TOUCHDOWN! He was wide open, and ran like a mo-fo where he faked the hell out of two Ravens’ defenders in the Baltimore red-zone Whoo-hoo!

San Diego kicked off and the Ravens returned the ball to their own 33. The Baltmore offense showed up for this possession. They moved the ball into the end-zone in 8 plays (3 passes and 5 runs). They got a first down on nearly every single play. They had only two second downs and only one third down. They have a very impressive offense.

With the score 7 – 7, Baltimore kicked off with 4:49 left in the first quarter. Cromartie received the ball, and almost made it to the 20, but a personal foul called on the Ravens gave the Chargers another 15 yards. Bennett ran for two plays to the 47. Rivers then threw a 45 yard pass to Floyd! On second and eight, on the Baltimore 5 yard line, Rivers was sacked for a loss of 10. They only gained 5 yards on third so they had to settle for a 29 yard field goal.

From all the injuries incurred during the Raiders game, the Chargers had to try to protect Rivers and stop Baltimore with rookie and back-up linemen on both sides of the ball. The Ravens moved the ball down field and to San Diego’s 23 yard line. On third and eleven, a pass interference foul was called on San Diego, giving Baltimore a first down on the 3 yard line. McGahee was unstoppable, and he rushed in for a touchdown.

Baltimore kicked off and Sproles ran to San Diego’s 34. The Bolts got the ball to mid-field and then Rivers was sacked.

San Diego punted with 8:04 left in the half. Baltimore went three and out.

From their own 38 yard line, Sproles ran the first 2 plays for a 22 yard gain. After an incomplete end-zone pass, Rivers threw a 37 yard pass to Gates, who FUMBLED! The ball was recovered by San Diego on the Ravens’ 2 yard line. Denied a touchdown again! A second field goal put the Chargers behind by only one point with 3:00 left to go in the half.

With runs and passes, the Ravens drove the entire length of the field and scored a touchdown with 1:38 left in the half.

Sproles, the Firefly, ran the Ravens’ kickoff to Baltimore’s 42 yard line.  I love this guy!  An incomplete, a short pass to Gates, and a short pass to Sproles only benefited the Chargers 8 yards.  They go for it on fourth and two.  A 9 yard pass to Gates puts San Diego on the 25 yard line with :29 seconds in the half and the clock continued to run.  Rivers spiked the ball to stop the clock.  A 24 yard pass to Jackson, placed the ball on the 1 with :19 seconds left.  A penalty and a play review stopped the clock.  When play resumed, San Diego was only given :12 seconds on the play clock and were charged with a delay of game.  WTF???!!!  An officiating fuck-up and the penalty was still assessed?  After 2 incompletes and with :10 seconds left on the clock, my good buddy Norv Turner decided to kick a field goal.  That SUCKED!

At halftime the score was Baltimore 21, and San Diego 16.

San Diego started the second half by kicking off and the Ravens return it to their own 42 yard line.  The Ravens went three and punted.  A Charger linebacker was pushed into the punter and the Ravens got the ball back from a roughing the kicker penalty.  On their second chance, the Ravens went three and out again.

Starting from their own 2 yard line, Hester, Chambers, and Sproles gained 22 yards on the first three plays.  After an incomplete, Rivers threw an interception scrambling to escape a sack.  Rivers was scrambling to avoid sacks all afternoon.

The Ravens had no trouble pounding the ball into the end-zone for another Baltimore touchdown.

The kickoff was kicked out of bounds so the Chargers started from their own 40.  A bad ‘chop block’ call took all of San Diego’s gained yardage in the Ravens’ territory.  On third and eighteen from Baltimore’s 35, Rivers threw a TOUCHDOWN pass to Jackson who was under triple coverage by the Ravens.  Whoo-hoo!  The Ravens now only led by 5, with 2:26 left to go in the third quarter.

Baltimore has a great and very well rounded offense.  With rushing and passing, they drove 50 yards to San Diego’s 30.  But on third and eight, Flacco threw a pass that was PICKED OFF, by Cason!  Cason ran the ball back to the San Diego 45 yard line!

The ball was effectively moved with a 15 yard pass, a 10 yard pass, and a 20 yard pass to the Baltimore 10 yard line.  Once again, the Ravens kept the touchdown out of reach.  Kaeding knocked another one in from 25 yards away.

San Diego trailed by 2 and kicked off with 7:11 left in the game.  Baltimore got one first down, and then went three and out.

From their own 7 yard line, Rivers threw two incompletes.  On third, when attempting a 12 yard pass, Chambers was hit before he touched the ball.  The ball bounced off his hands and was caught by a Ravens’ player.  It becomes their ball.

On second and tweleve on San Diego’s 15 yard line, Luis Castillo sacked Flacco for a loss of 10!  It was San Diego’s turn to deny the touchdown, but Baltimore got the field goal.

REAL TIME:

The score is Baltimore 31, San Diego 26, with 2:54 left in the game.  Sproles returns the kickoff to the San Diego 27.  On first and ten, Rivers throws a 37 yard pass to Jackson!  The clock runs.  After an incomplete, the two minute warning is reached.  Play resumes and Rivers throws an 8 yard pass to Manumaleuna.  It’s third and two, and the clock runs.  Sproles rushed for 4 yards to Baltimore’s 24.  The clock runs.  Rivers attempts a touchdown pass to Naanee, that is incomplete stopping the clock with :52 seconds, and making in second and ten.  Rivers throws an 8 yard pass to Naanee, and San Diego calls a timeout with :41 seconds left.  On third and two, at the Baltimore 15 yard line, Rivers throws an incomplete pass.  With :37 seconds left, the Chargers go for it on fourth and two.  They hand the ball off to Sproles as Ray Lewis busts through the offensive line hammering Sproles for a loss of 5.  Flacco downs the remaining play.  Final score Baltimore 31, San Diego 26.  I TOLD YOU!  I knew that the Chargers were going to lose this game.

TAKE A HIKE:

My Take A Hike section goes to the referees of this game.  There were so many bad calls.  During a booth review, the play clock froze at :12 seconds, and the Chargers were penalized with a delay of game… the ball had not been snapped yet… it was a officials’ mistake, but the penalty counted?  The Chargers were given a chop block penalty as well… the block started above the waist of the Ravens’ player and then the Charger player fell… it was not a chop block.  During a Ravens’ possession, a referee ran up to the Ravens center, while Flacco was calling the play signals.  After a few seconds, the referee ran out of the way.  The confusion caused a false start called on the Ravens… I have never seen anything like that before, and even the commentators mentioned how odd it was.  In the play of Baltimore’s second interception, Chambers was hit by a Ravens’ player, before he touched the ball. An official said that there were two fouls against the Chargers, but the fouls were really against the Ravens. An official called a foul on Charger #23, when #23 wasn’t even on the field.  The last two calls are really unnacceptable.  If you don’t even know which team the penaly is against, and which player the penalty is against, then you shouldn’t even been on the field.  Last year, some of San Diego’s losses were due to poor referee calls.  I don’t want to go through that again!

LEISURE:

Team/Player Photos: San Diego Chargers Team / Player Photos on Jul 29, 2010

See what I mean about the Tampa Bay Bucaneers’ cheerleader uniforms?  These are really hot!