Visitor: San Diego Chargers

Home: Buffalo Bills

Date: December 3, 2006

Scoring:

Team 1 2 3 4 Final

SD 10 7 0 7 24

BUF 0 0 14 7 21

Visitor playmakers:

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, TE Antonio Gates, DE Shaun Philips, LB Shawne Merriman

Home playmakers:

TE Robert Royal, RB Willis McGahee, WR Peerless Price, DE Aaron Schobel, DE Ryan Denney

Network: CBS (KFMB San Diego)

Announcers: Gus Johnson, Steve Tasker

Pregame: Yes

Halftime: Yes

Postgame: Yes

Commercials: Yes

Grade: A-

Notes: RB LaDainian Tomlinson was the Chargers' ideal tonic for a blustery winter afternoon in the Buffalo area, producing 178 yards rushing and two touchdowns in San Diego's 24-21 victory against the Bills. With 1,324 yards rushing, Tomlinson joined Eric Dickerson as the second NFL player to reach 1,200 yards rushing in each of his first six NFL seasons. The two scores gave Tomlinson 26 for the year, inching him within two of matching the single-season record by Seattle's Shaun Alexander last year.

Best of all, he's got the Chargers (10-2) on a six-game winning streak and -- combined with Indianapolis' loss to Tennessee earlier in the day -- now sitting in a tie with the Colts for first place in the AFC.

The Bills (5-7) were denied a three-game winning streak in a game not as close as the score indicated.

Buffalo took advantage of ideal field position to score twice in the third quarter to cut San Diego's lead to 17-14. Tomlinson then sealed the victory, scoring on a 2-yard run to cap a 13-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 8:06 of the fourth quarter.

The Bills made it close again when QB J.P. Losman hit WR Peerless Price for a 6-yard touchdown with 30 seconds left, but Buffalo failed to recover the onside kick.

Sparked by linebacker Shawne Merriman's return after missing four games because of a steroid suspension, San Diego generated four turnovers and limited the Bills to 230 yards offense -- 62 coming on their final drive. Merriman finished with six tackles, two sacks -- giving him 10½ on the season -- and forced two fumbles.

Tomlinson’s 51-yard score late in the first quarter set the tone, bursting through a big hole up the left side created by RB Lorenzo Neal's massive block. Streaking up the left sideline, Tomlinson wasn't touched until safety Ko Simpson got a hand on him near the 2. Receiver Keenan McCardell was more impressed watching L.T. produce on the Chargers' final scoring drive. Tomlinson's 178 yards were 5 short of a season high, and came against a defense that allowed an average of 172 yards rushing over its previous four games. His two TDs gave him 106 for his career. He's already in 12th place on the NFL list; he jumped ahead of Tim Brown and Don Hutson.

QB Philip Rivers finished 17-for-29 for 160 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to TE Antonio Gates, who led the Chargers with 90 yards receiving.

Buffalo tight end Robert Royal scored on a 5-yard catch, while WR Willis McGahee also scored on a 2-yard plunge.

The Bills failed in an attempt to produce a third consecutive last-minute comeback victory. The Chargers improved to 5-7 all-time when it's 40 or colder.

Thanks Jeff!

Running time: 3:55 (2 discs)