Chargers avoid same ol headline in comeback win over Steelers

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Chargers avoid same ol' headline in comeback win over Steelers   Published: Dec 02, 2018 at 07:31 PM           Jim Trotter                              PITTSBURGH -- The weren't just losing at halftime Sunday night at Heinz Field, they were being embarra sed. They had just 2 yards rushing on nine carries, were 0-for-7 on third down and trailed the by 16 points in front of a hostile and vocal crowd. When quarterback got to the locker room, he could foresee the headlines being written at that time.     "I saw 'em in my mind," he would say. " "      For his part, Rivers was thinking back to a Sunday night game 12 years ago, in which the trailed the 24-7 at Denver with 9:25 to go in the third quarter. Things appeared bleak. The were being embarra sed. Maybe their 7-2 record was a mirage.      "It was the same thing: Sunday night game, down big, nothing going right," the excitable Rivers continued.  Eli Manning Jersey "Then LT (LaDainian Tomlinson) took that swing pa s and went 51 yards. You remember!"      You don't forget memorable comebacks, and just as the rallied for a 35-27 victory on that 34 degree night, they stormed back against the for that was as improbable as it was impre sive.      According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the had never lost a home game in which they led by at least 16 points. They were 174-0-1. In addition, they were 8-0 in December prime-time games at Heinz Field. To which the (9-3) ostensibly said,      "This was a statement game for us," said left tackle . "This game exemplified the character of our team that we've been trying to build for the past two years since (head coach Anthony Lynn) got here, that we can be a tough, resilient football team. When the opportunity came for the gut check, nobody blinked. We were ready to go."         Full disclosure: I was  Markus Golden Jersey among those thinking When you've seen them find strange ways to lose games they should have won, or when you've watched them tease you with the po sibility of what could be only to realize it never was, well, it's hard to see through murky waters. Particularly when the Bolts entered the game having defeated only one team (Seattle) with a winning record at that time.      But general manager Tom Telesco likes to say that each season and each game is unique to itself, which sounds like executive-speak until you witne s something like Sunday night. This group of is proving that the past does not have to be prologue.      "We knew that we had the talent to get back in this game," said 16th-year veteran . "We knew we couldn't get it all at once, so we were like, 'Let's go get a stop, D,' then, 'Let's go get a score, O.' The key is that you have to believe, and we did. That' Riley Dixon Jersey s important."     The have lost so many games that left you shaking your head, perhaps it was fitting they finally won one that defied description. For instance, their first touchdown never should have been. Right tackle clearly retreated in pa s protection before the snap, so much so that some defenders let up. However, no penalty flag was thrown, and Rivers capitalized with .      The ' second touchdown also never should have been. Rivers zipped a pa s near the right corner of the end zone, believing he had for the score. But cornerback undercut the route and had his hands on the ball for an apparent interception, only to have the ball pop into the air and the waiting hands of Allen  Doug Kotar Jersey after .         Those sorts of plays have gone the in seasons past, but on Sunday night, the ball bounced their way. What should have been a dead ball resulted in a touchdown. What should have been an interception was instead a score. And when early in the fourth quarter (after ), it was clear these were not going to break from adversity.     They had contributions from acro s their roster, whether it was Rivers throwing for 299 yards and two scores with no turnovers; Allen catching 14 pa ses for 148 yards and a touchdown; rookie rushing eight times for 63 yards and a touchdown; and -- the team's seventh kicker in two seasons -- converting after consecutive offsides penalties on Pittsburgh.         "These guys, they play four quarters," Lynn said. "We talked about playing with heart. We knew this was going to be a gut check for us. We believe in one another and play for each other and pull in one direction. We try not to listen to the outside noise. We believed we could come back and win this football game.     "The more times we're in these situations, the more confident we're going to be in these situations, and these young guys, the experience they gain from being on national television, on the road, behind by (16) points, winning on the road, that can only give you momentum and help you down the road."      Consider me a believer.     Follow Jim Trotter on Twitter .       This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us  New York Giants Jersey link in our site footer to report an i sue. Click here Click here Click here