http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports...1s9chside.html
excerpt:
Keenan McCardell doesn't want to be the guy to say “I told you so,” but, well, he pretty much did tell everybody so last week in Baltimore.
After that 16-13 loss, in which the Chargers threw only eight passes in the second half, the veteran receiver said he was ticked off. He had no passes thrown his way while the rest of the team's talented receiving corps also seemed to be forgotten in the game plan.
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Now look at them. Seven Chargers caught 24 passes, including two for touchdowns, to lift the suddenly pass-happy Chargers to a 23-13 win last night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I've felt like from Day One we can do this,” McCardell said afterward. “Now this just gives everybody confidence, and that's what you want.”
The Chargers threw the football so often and so uncommonly deep at times that the receivers almost seemed surprised by it all at first. By halftime, several passes from quarterback Philip Rivers had slipped through or bounced off their fingers.
One deep pass in the second quarter went right through McCardell's hands. Another long pass on third-and-18 was botched by Eric Parker.
Not that it mattered much, though. Rivers gave his receiving corps so many chances to save face that by the time the game was over, McCardell (four) and Parker (five) had almost as many catches as they did during the previous three games combined, when they each had six.
The receivers credited Rivers' accuracy and the blocking up front for breaking the shackles off the passing game. Even the one interception thrown by Rivers was on the mark – it literally was taken out of Parker's hands by Steelers defensive back Ryan Clark.
“If the opportunity presents itself, if they (opponents) are leaning on the run, we're going to take advantage of it,” said tight end Antonio Gates, whose 22-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter gave the Chargers their first lead at 17-13.
Entering the game, only Atlanta had fewer pass attempts per game than the Chargers' 23.3. Last night, Rivers completed 24-of-37 attempts for 242 yards.
Instead of playing it safe with a running play on third-and-2 from the Pittsburgh 9-yard line late in the second quarter, Rivers lofted a fade pass to the left side of the end zone. Receiver Malcom Floyd jumped to get it over Steelers defensive back Deshea Townsend and barely managed to get both feet in bounds for San Diego's first touchdown, cutting the Steelers' lead to 10-7.
Rivers breaks out against Pitt
Rivers breaks out against Pitt
brees has also beaten tougher teams like the your eagles and carolina.
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