|
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: The San Diego Chargers shocked
Indianapolis and the New York Giants stunned Dallas to keep their
Super Bowl hopes alive Sunday in the National Football League
playoffs.
San Diego’s 28-24 victory over
Indianapolis meant an end to the season for Colts quarterback Peyton
Manning, who guided his team to the Super Bowl crown last season.
Meanwhile, his younger brother
Eli Manning, the Giants’ signal-caller, was rock solid in New
York’s 21-17 triumph over the Cowboys in Dallas.
The Chargers booked their spot in
next Sunday’s American Conference championship game against
top-seeded and unbeaten New England, which remains in pursuit of a
perfect season.
In the National Conference, the
Giants also spoiled a potential clash of the top two seeds in next
week’s championship contest, earning a trip to Green Bay to take
on Brett Favre and the Packers for a berth in Super Bowl 42.
The Chargers survived the
departures of quarterback Philip Rivers and 2006 NFL Most Valuable
Player LaDainian Tomlinson with injuries, coming from behind four
times to deny the Colts.
Tomlinson left the game early in
the second quarter and Rivers was hurt on the final play of the
third quarter.
“We certainly gave our best
effort out there,” said Peyton Manning, who passed for 402 yards
and three touchdowns. “Give San Diego credit. They made more plays
than we did, and they deserved to win the game. That’s the cold,
hard truth.”
Reserve quarterback Billy Volek
scored on a sneak for the go-ahead touchdown and the Chargers
stifled the Colts in the waning stages to claim their second victory
over Indianapolis this season.
“There’s a mind-set in our
league that our guys play good and are front-runners,” first-year
Chargers coach Norv Turner said.”
--AFP
|
