Gameday: Chargers vs Falcons

Postgame Notes

• LaDainian Tomlinson scored a touchdown in the first quarter today, the 136th of his career. It moved him into a tie with Marshall Faulk for fifth all-time on the NFL’s career touchdowns list.
• Tomlinson also caught five passes today. His third catch of the day was also the 500th of his career. In the process, he became just the fifth player in NFL history to rush for more than 10,000 yards and catch 500 career passes.
• Eric Weddle’s 86-yard fumble return for a touchdown was a team record. The previous long return was an 82-yarder for a touchdown by Donnie Edwards at St. Louis on Nov. 10, 2002. Only three players in team history (Weddle, Edwards and Vencie Glenn) have returned fumbles for more than 80 yards.
• The Chargers reported four injuries following today’s game: safeties Clinton Hart (stinger) and Steve Gregory (stinger), wide receiver Malcom Floyd (shoulder), and linebacker Marques Harris (hamstring).

The Matchup

The Chargers will host the Atlanta Falcons at Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 30 for the first time in more than a decade. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. (PST). This is the second of three consecutive home games for the Bolts. Atlanta is the third of four NFC South opponents San Diego will face this season. FOX’s Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson will call the action from the booth.
   
The Series

Atlanta holds a 6-1 series edge over San Diego dating back to 1973. The two clubs last squared off in Atlanta on October 17, 2004. The Falcons escaped with a narrow victory, beating the Chargers 21-20 before a crowd of 70,187 at the Georgia Dome.

That was the first meeting between two of the biggest impact players selected in the 2001 NFL Draft: LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Vick. The Chargers owned the No. 1 overall pick in the draft that year, but traded it to Atlanta on the eve of draft day and selected Tomlinson with the fifth overall pick.

The Falcons last played in San Diego in 1997. The Bolts’ lone win in the overall series came during the 1988 season, but since then, Atlanta has ridden a four-game win streak.

San Diego has played only four franchises fewer times than Atlanta-Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars.  

Race to the Finish

Heading into Sunday’s games against Atlanta, the Chargers are two games behind the Denver Broncos for top billing in the AFC West. San Diego caught a break last weekend when Denver lost to Oakland, and with five games left to play, the season is far from over for San Diego, which will play three of its last five games at home. The Bolts have traversed a tough road leading up to this Sunday’s game against the 7-4 Falcons. Through the first 11 games, the Chargers had the tougher schedule. San Diego’s first 11 opponents have a combined record of 66-55, while Denver’s first 11 opponents have a combined record of 53-68. The Chargers have played four division leaders, including Denver, Carolina, Pittsburgh and the New York Jets, while the Broncos haven’t played any.

Notable Connections

• Chargers running backs coach Ollie Wilson held the same post in Atlanta from 1991-96, and again from 2002-07.
• Chargers tight ends coach Clancy Barone was the Falcons’ offensive line coach during the 2004 season, and was their tight ends coach from 2005-06.
• Chargers special teams coach Steve Crosby was on the Falcons’ coaching staff from 1986-89, first as their quarterbacks coach (’86), then finished his time in Atlanta coaching running backs (1987-89).
• Marcus McNeill attended Cedar Grove High School in Ellenwood, Georgia.
• Paul Oliver played collegiately at the University of Georgia and was born in Kennesaw, GA.
• Mike Tolbert was born in Carrollton, Georgia and prepped at Douglas County High School in Douglasville, Georgia.
• Charlie Whitehurst prepped at Chattahoochee High School in Alpharetta, Georgia.
• Kynan Forney was selected by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He spent the past seven years in Atlanta before coming to San Diego this season.
• Falcons’ running back Michael Turner was selected by the Chargers in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft and played four seasons in San Diego.
• Falcons’ tight end Justin Peele was selected by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL Draft and played four seasons in San Diego.
• Falcons’ head coach Mike Smith was an assistant coach at San Diego State University in 1982. He was also the linebackers coach for the Aztecs from 1983-85.
• Falcons’ wide receivers coach Terry Robiskie was on Norv Turner’s staff in Washington from 1994-2000