SAN DIEGO (AP) -One team is 5-3 and the bandwagon is rolling once again, loaded with fans who’ve hopped back aboard during a three-game winning streak.
The other team also is 5-3 and maybe not feeling quite so spry, having lost a chance to take sole possession of its division lead.
Up, down. Down, up. It’s been the story so far for the Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers, who will be trying to sort out their immediate futures when they play Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium.
The Chargers look a bit more like the contending team they’re supposed to be after rallying behind Philip Rivers to beat the New York Giants 21-20 at the Meadowlands. They’re not quite world-beaters, though. Their winning streak includes victories against Kansas City and Oakland, the doormats of the AFC West. Although Rivers led a thrilling drive to beat the Giants in the final seconds, the Chargers were the benefactors of New York’s free-fall.
a 34-23 loss to AFC West leader Denver on Oct. 19.
“It’s still early. We’re just to the halfway mark but we are playing better,” Rivers said. “We’re three weeks better than we were post-Denver game. And if we can keep that going, then we’ll give ourselves a chance.
“But certainly winning three football games doesn’t make us any different or the game’s going to be any easier. That confidence needs to be there, but also that same urgency and focus. If we can combine those and stay the course, we should be in good shape.”
Rivers was the first to note that the Chargers still have a lot to work on. Their running game was practically nonexistent against the Giants and is dead last in the NFL. Receivers dropped passes and Rivers was intercepted twice.
Fans wonder why the Chargers don’t show the same urgency earlier in games than they do late.
Rivers capped a magnificent 80-yard drive with an 18-yard pass to Vincent Jackson with 21 seconds to play to beat the Giants.
Then again, that’s exactly how the last two seasons have unfolded under coach Norv Turner. After slow starts, the Chargers fired up in the second half.
seem to get going and improve week to week come midseason, it’s allowed us to win a bunch of football games and play into January.”
The Eagles are coming off a 20-16 home loss to Dallas that gave the Cowboys the NFC East lead. A week earlier, the Eagles routed the Giants 40-17. But there was also a mystifying 13-9 loss at Oakland on Oct. 18.
“A 5-3 record is not a bad record,” quarterback Donovan McNabb said. “Obviously everyone would like to be 7-1 or 8-0, but we’re not. There were mistakes that we made in certain games that we possibly could have won, but there’s nothing that you can do at this particular point about it. But you can correct it and hopefully in these next eight games be able to get those wins you wish that you could have had and felt like you should have had.”
The Eagles played without star running back Brian Westbrook for the second straight game because of a concussion. Westbrook was expected to play, but he started experiencing symptoms of a mild headache on the Friday before the Dallas game. Westbrook then underwent more tests and the Eagles held him out as a precaution.
Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman had his second straight two-sack game as he continues to look stronger in his comeback from knee surgery that cost him virtually all of last season. Like Rivers, Merriman said the Chargers need to make a move if they hope to overhaul Denver and win their fourth straight AFC West title.
“We’ve got to put down our foot right now,” Merriman said. “If we put down our foot right now, we’re going to be in pretty good shape. Every game’s not going to go how you want it, but we can do our best to make sure it’s in our favor.”
And the Eagles, in the wake of their disappointing loss to Dallas?
“Just to go out to San Diego, have fun, play our style of football and score points,” McNabb said.
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