LaDainian Tomlinson wanted to eliminate all the risks of trying afield goal in overtime.
So he took the ball, cut to his left and outran everyone on a 16-yard touchdown run with 7:29 left in overtime, finishing off theChargers' rally from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat theTennessee Titans 23-17 on Sunday.
"Anything can happen with a field goal," Tomlinson said.
The Chargers (8-5) won their third game in a row and seventh innine games but didn't clinch their second consecutive AFC West titlebecause Denver beat Kansas City.
"To come in here and get a win is really, really big for ourguys," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "And then the way we did it,I think the key for our football team today was we fought hard."
The Chargers won a physical game in which linebacker ShawneMerriman got two sacks early in the first half, then spent the restof the day sidelined by an injured left knee. Tight end AntonioGates hurt his back and returned to catch the game-tying touchdown.
Philip Rivers, intercepted twice, hurt his left knee in the firsthalf and returned to finish the game wearing a brace.
"He went out there and gave us everything he had," Merriman said."He wasn't 100 percent. You could see it. He was limping around allthe time, but he still went out and fought for us."
Rivers, the Alabama native with lots of family and friends in thestands, had 37 yards passing through three quarters. He led therally by throwing two touchdown passes in the final 7:29 -- the lastwith nine seconds left.
"He kept getting up," said Titans defensive end Kyle VandenBosch, who had three of five sacks for Tennessee (7-6). "He stayedafter it."
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