Postgame Notes from today's Chargers-Cardinals Game at Qualcomm Stadium
The Chargers scored 21 points off turnovers today and have now scored 38 points off turnovers in their two home games.
Antonio Gates had 144 yards receiving today and Mike Tolbert 100 yards rushing, marking the first time the Chargers have had a 100-yard receiver and a 100-yard rusher in the same game since Oct. 7, 2007 at Denver when Gates had 113 yards receiving and Michael Turner had 147 yards rushing. The 144 yards for Gates was the third-highest single-game total of his career.
Gates scored two touchdowns today, his second multi-touchdown game of 2010 and the 13th of his career. It was also the 16th 100-yard game of his career and his second of this season. It was also Gates’ eighth-straight game with a touchdown catch. He’s now just one shy of the team record for receivers (nine games) set by Lance Alworth in 1963.
On the drive in which he caught his second touchdown pass, Gates caught the 500th pass of his career, becoming the seventh tight end in NFL history with at least 500 catches. Now with 503 career catches, Gates is two passes shy of tying Frank Wycheck (505) for the sixth-most catches by a tight end in NFL history. Today, Gates passed No. 8 Steve Jordan (498) and No. 7 Ben Coates (499) on the way to 500.
With 12 points today, Gates (390) moved past Dennis Partee (380) for sixth on the team’s all-time scoring list. Lance Alworth (500) is fifth.
Tolbert’s effort was the Chargers’ first 100-yard rushing game since Dec. 28, 2008 vs. Denver.
San Diego’s defense allowed only three points today with Arizona’s only other points coming off a fumble return touchdown. In four games, San Diego’s defense has only allowed four touchdowns and five field goals.
The Chargers had nine sacks today, including a career-high four by Shaun Phillips and a career-high two by Kevin Burnett. The eight sacks are the Chargers’ most in a game since they had nine at Kansas City Dec. 2, 2007. Phillips’ four sacks ties for the second-most in team history. Leslie O’Neal did it twice in 1991 and ’92. The team record is five, set by O’Neal in 1986.
Philip Rivers had a passer rating of 148.1 today. It was the second-highest single-game mark of his career. Rivers finished the game 15-of-20 for 241 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Rivers increased his career yardage total to 16,279 today, moving past Stan Humphries (16,085) for the third-most passing yards in team history.
Rivers threw a touchdown pass in his 17th consecutive regular-season game today, a new career high.
Today’s 31-point win was the Chargers’ biggest since a 52-21 win over Denver Dec. 28, 2008.
Nate Kaeding’s streak of 64-consecutive made field goals of 40-yards-or-less in the regular season came to an end today, as did his stretch of 22-consecutive overall in the regular season. He did bounce back from the one miss (38 yards) to hit from 48 and 47 yards to finish the game.
