Rivers precise in regular-season finale

Sunday, Dec 31, 2006
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

From the looks of how he played Sunday, there’s nothing wrong with Philip Rivers’ game.  From the way he spoke following the Chargers’ 14th win of the season, there isn’t anything significantly wrong with his foot either.

Rivers completed his first year as an NFL starter in prime fashion.  Although the Chargers ended the year with a 10-game win streak, Rivers saw his accuracy taper in recent weeks.  On Sunday, he hit 19 of his 24 passes (79 percent) for 231 yards and two scores.

“I felt like I needed to get back on track,” Rivers said. “I felt good out there.  I haven’t been playing as efficient as I did early (in the season).  That was important.  If I’m completing passes, then the offense is moving the ball.  We did some good things in the passing game and we finished it off.”

Most of his success came despite being hobbled by a sore foot.  Midway through the first quarter, Rivers came down awkwardly while being sacked by Chike Okeafor and suffered a sprained right foot.  He left the game for one play before returning to throw two touchdowns.  

While Rivers appeared to be limping some after the game, but he repeatedly said that it will not keep him off the field.

“It’s sore, but the foot to me, it will be a non-issue,” Rivers said. “It’s something that I obviously have to get taken care of, but it will be a non-issue come two weeks from now.”  

With the Chargers needing a win to secure homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and having the nod from the team’s medical staff, Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer decided to keep his starting quarterback on the field through the third quarter.

“The medical staff at half came out and said he was fine and he could go,” Schottenheimer said.  “They had run some diagnostic studies and everything looked to be okay in terms of bone structure even though there is some swelling in there.  As we moved forward, I went back to them again and asked what their thoughts were because I never play doctor, I never make a decision on a player’s availability.  I leave it up to the professionals.  Their feeling was that we probably ought to pull him.”  

In his first action as a Charger, backup Billy Volek entered midway through the third quarter and spent most of his time handing the football to his running backs.  Thanks to the work Rivers had done earlier in the game, that was all that was needed of him.

One thing Rivers failed to do Sunday was surprise his teammates, who seem to gain more respect for him each week.  

“He was terrific,” running back LaDainian Tomlinson said.  “He had that look in his eyes which we all like to see.  He had a very focused look in his eyes.  I could tell from the jump that he was going to have a good day.”

Rivers completed his first year as an NFL starter with a 14-2 record.  He wrapped up his postgame press conference by asking people to focus on his team’s success rather than the foot that he believes will be okay.

“To me, it’s not the biggest news of the day,” Rivers said.  “It’s what we did today.  We accomplished a lot this year.  We have a lot to be excited about.”