SAN DIEGO — It’s all but over for the star-studded San Diego Chargers, who were done in Sunday by a rookie quarterback, a rookie head coach and a former teammate.
Yes, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and the surprising Atlanta Falcons are very much alive in the NFC playoff picture, thanks to their 22-16 win over the collapsing Chargers.
Ryan, the rookie from Boston College, threw two touchdown passes and Turner, the former understudy to LaDainian Tomlinson, ran for 120 yards against his former team.
The Chargers? A popular preseason pick to make it to the Super Bowl, they’re on the precipice of a super collapse.
“We got our butts kicked — plain and simple,” said Tomlinson, the two-time defending NFL rushing champion who was held to a season-low 24 yards on 14 carries, the second-lowest total in his eight-year career.
The Chargers (4-8) are three games behind the Broncos with four to play in the anemic AFC West.
San Diego underwhelmed again under coach Norv Turner, losing for the fifth time in six games. The Chargers gained a season-low 201 yards.
A season after reaching the AFC championship game, San Diego can finish no better than .500. Tomlinson spoke to his teammates afterward.
“The message was, don’t give up. A lot of people around the league probably think we are going to pack it in and give up. But we won’t.”
The Falcons (8-4) continued their big turnaround from a 4-12 season, winning for the fourth time in five games under rookie head coach Mike Smith. They remain one game behind Tampa Bay and Carolina in the NFC South.
Ryan completed 17-of-23 passes for 207 yards. Turner carried 31 times in his sixth 100-yard game of the season. He was allowed to leave San Diego as an unrestricted free agent after last season.
The Chargers may have stuffed Turner on fourth-and-goal from the 1 right before halftime, but the bruising back got the victory he was seeking.
“It was a physical game,” Turner said. “I practiced with them and I know what they do, and they know what I can do.”
All of San Diego’s points were a result of Atlanta’s three lost fumbles.
Turner is among those who are surprised at the Chargers’ collapse.
“They’re struggling this year — and now it’s a shock.”
