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I'd rather see the Dolphins and Jets in the Sunday nighter, but NBC made the right call. The game's gonna go something like this. San Diego will roll out to an early 10 point lead. About halfway through the second quarter, with things looking bleak for Denver, Rivers will throw an interception that's run back for a touchdown. When the Chargers get the ball back, Rivers and the Chargers go to a no huddle, shotgun every down scheme and go three and out. Cutler leads the Broncos down the field for the tying field goal right before halftime.
In the second half, Chargers get two easy TDs and are up 24-10. Seems like the Broncos secondary can't stop even if they let them play a 13 man defense. Denver goes on a long, clock consuming drive that ends with a QB sneak touchdown, but Cutler is limping after he scores. Shanahan calls an onside kick and Denver recovers. On first down Cutler hits Marshall on a 30 yard wheel route to get the Broncos into San Diego's red zone. Two plays later, Shanahan somehow convinces a 25 year old hotdog vendor to sign with the team as a tailback, and he punches the tying score into the endzone. Three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Chargers are driving. Rivers drops back to pass, gets his first read, second read, third read, fourth read hits Champ Bailey right between the numbers and throws his second pick of the game. Broncos go conservative because Chargers can't stop the clock. Earlier in the game, Philip Rivers was too busy yelling smack talk to Cutler and had to burn all the TOs lest the Chargers be flagged for delay of game. Prater kicks a 54 yard field goal with 9 seconds left on the clock but it's well short of the uprights.
Beginning of OT, Chargers win the toss and Philip Rivers trumps Hasselbeck's classic "We want the ball and we're gonna score" line when he says "Give us the ball, I want to see the look on this hillbilly got's face when we win the game!", standing only an inch away from Cutler's face as he says it. Sproles returns the kickoff to midfield and suddenly it looks as if Philip Rivers is a prophesizer of Biblical proportions. SD gets a first down and on the next set of downs are stopped on third and inches for a loss. Norv Turner sends in Kaeding for the game winner, and in typical Kaeding fashion he shanks it off the right upright. Broncos take over in decent field position and line up in the shotgun for the first play in overtime. Cutler does a sick pumpfake and the Charger D bites on it. He has ALL DAY to pass, scans his reads and sees Brandon Marshall five or six steps in front of Cromartie going down the left sideline. Cutler airs it out, CAUGHT AT THE 35 YARD LINE! THE 20! THE 10! HE COULD! GO! ALL! THE! WAY! MARSHALL SCORES! AND THE BRONCOS WIN THE GAME 30-24!
Cutler, Marshall, Bailey, and Shanahan celebrate by doing the Riverdance on the Chargers midfield logo. Tomlinson remains on the bench with his helmet on, where he'd been sitting since the 3rd quarter since he pulled a muscle taking off his pads at halftime. Rivers is caught on camera crying with his arms around Governor Schwarzenegger and then making out with Jude Law.
Epic Game. I'd root for the Chargers to win the game so I could own their sorry asses for the third straight year, but hey, it's Christmas.
