Turner, Chargers get playoff win San Diego heading for Indy; NY. Giants win in Tampa
SAN DIEGO — Now that they've won their first playoff game in 13 seasons, the San Diego Chargers don't want to stop there.
The Chargers finally came to life late in the second half Sunday to beat the Tennessee Titans 17-6 in an AFC wild-card game.
LaDainian Tomlinson was held to 42 yards on 21 carries, but the star running back got to celebrate the first playoff victory in three tries in his brilliant seven-year career.
"It didn't come easy, but I tell you, I'm just happy to get that first one," Tomlinson said.
"It's a relief, but at the same time, it's not like we're saying, 'OK, we won a playoff game, so let's get ready to lose,' you know what I mean? I'm already thinking about next week and how tough of a game we're going to have going to Indianapolis, facing the champs."
The Chargers (12-5) advance to face the Colts on Sunday. San Diego escaped with a 23-21 win over the Colts at Qualcomm Stadium on Nov. 11, when Peyton Manning threw a career-high six interceptions and Adam Vinatieri missed a 29-yard field-goal attempt with 1:31 left.
"We're feeling good, but like I've been telling everybody all week, we're smirking and not smiling," outside linebacker Shaun Phillips said. "It's just one playoff win and if we're satisfied with just one playoff win, then we should just pack our bags right now."
The Titans bottled up Tomlinson, the two-time NFL rushing champion and 2006 league MVP, and dared quarterback Philip Rivers to beat them. The second-year starter did just that, throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson late in the third quarter that gave San Diego its first lead at 10-6.
L.T. finally found the end zone midway through the fourth quarter, on a fourth-down leap over the pile from inside the 1 that had to survive a video review.
Giants 24, Bucs 14
Turns out Ronde Barber was wrong. The New York Giants weren't vulnerable because of Eli Manning.
At least not against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Shrugging off past postseason failures, as well as critical comments by the twin brother of Tiki Barber, Manning and the Giants dominated the Bucs 24-14 in Sunday's NFC wild-card game.
"We have been in the playoffs the last three seasons, and I haven't played particularly well in the two games before," Manning said. "Just to come here and play well, give our team a chance to win the game and make some big plays, that was quite a situation to be in."
Barber, the Bucs' top cornerback, made headlines in New York last week when he said Manning "can be had" because the fourth-year quarterback is inconsistent and tends to make costly mistakes.
Manning, also criticized in the past by Tiki Barber, answered by throwing for 185 yards and two touchdowns. In addition, he didn't have a turnover for the first time in three career playoff games.
New York's first postseason victory since January 2001 sends the Giants (11-6) to Dallas for a divisional round matchup against the NFC East champion Cowboys, who handed New York its only road loss in the season opener.
Barber discounted the impact his words had on the Giants, who fell behind 7-0 before taking over the game.
