Postgame Notes from today's Chargers-Dolphins game
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POSTGAME NOTES
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS vs. MIAMI DOLPHINS
Qualcomm Stadium (70,000) – San Diego, California
Sunday, October 2, 2011 – 1:15 pm PDT
Marcus Gilchrist had his first career NFL interception in the first quarter…Gilchrist finished the game with a team-high two passes defensed, including one in the end zone in the third-quarter that prevented a Dolphins’ touchdown and forced a field goal try.
On Vincent Jackson’s 55-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, he moved past Ronnie Harmon (3,928) and LaDainian Tomlinson (3,955) and into ninth place on the Chargers’ all-time receiving yardage list...on the Chargers’ first field goal drive of the second quarter, Jackson caught a 42-yard pass…on that catch, he went over 100 yards for the game and 4,000 yards for his career…Jackson finished today’s game with three catches for 108 yards. He now has 4,022 career yards, needing 163 to move past Tony Martin (4,184) and into eighth place.
Vincent Brown had his first NFL catch for a first down on a third-and-two play in the second quarter…it helped sustain a Chargers field goal drive…Brown’s only other catch went for 20 yards on a 3rd-and-15 play to help keep alive a third-quarter touchdown drive.
Nick Novak tied his career high with four field goals today…Novak hit from 27, 48, 23 and 38 yards…the only other time he hit four in a game was Sept. 28, 2008 against Denver when kicking for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Philip Rivers had his best statistical outing of the season, completing 21 of 31 (.677) for 307 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. His rating today was a season-high 110.6. It was also his first game of the season without an interception.
Larry English had a career-high two sacks today.
Takeo Spikes had his first sack as a Charger.
Eric Weddle helped seal the victory with his team-leading second interception of the season. It was his second-straight game-clinching interception. Today’s interception came with 2:53 left in the fourth quarter. Last Sunday, Weddle intercepted Kansas City’s Matt Cassel with 55 seconds left in the final quarter.
Ryan Mathews had 149 yards of total offense for the second-consecutive week and now has 298 yards of total offense in the last two games combined (179 rushing and 119 receiving)…his performance today against Miami included a career-long 42-yard catch on a 2nd-and-18 play during the Chargers’ third-quarter touchdown drive.
The Chargers are 3-1 overall and 3-0 at home for the first time since 2006.
The Chargers continued their defensive domination at home, allowing only 194 yards through the air today with three sacks and two interceptions. The Dolphins’ team passer rating today was just 56.8. In three games at home, the Chargers have allowed only 43 points and 393 passing yards (131.0 ypg), while collecting six sacks and four interceptions.
The Chargers reported the following injuries today: Vincent Jackson (leg).
