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No chance for Davis; Inman steps up

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Run over, still on top

Chargers linebacker Jarret Johnson’s eyes grew wide when he heard the number.

355.

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He knew the Chargers had allowed the San Francisco 49ers to rush for a lot of yards, but he’d been a little too busy to keep track.

“I have never given up that many yards,” the 12-year veteran said. “Definitely not given up that many and won. It is crazy.”

Asked if he could envision a team winning after yielding so many rushing yards, linebacker Manti Te’o said, “No. That usually doesn’t happen.”

No, it doesn’t.

Just 10 teams since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 have rushed for 355 yards or more. None had ever lost prior to Saturday.

No chance for Iron Bowl repeat

It was odd to see 49ers kicker Phil Dawson’s way-too-short 60-yard field goal try at the end of regulation bounce harmlessly along the grass without the Chargers having anyone back to attempt a return.

Especially with Chris Davis on the sideline. The rookie kick returner from Auburn is best known for his 109-yard return of a missed field goal for a game-winning touchdown on the final play of the Tigers’ 2013 Iron Bowl game against rival Alabama.

Mike McCoy explained the choice for the Chargers was to have 6-foot-9 offensive tackle King Dunlap in the game to attempt a block instead – just in case Dawson was able to get off a kick strongly enough that it had a chance to best his career-long by four yards.

“Yeah, we talked about everything,” McCoy said. “But they were doing some things there, getting King Dunlap in there, this and that, so there are a lot of things. I was just making sure we had 11 out there.”

Coincidentally, the last time an NFL team rushed for more yards than San Francisco did Saturday was Nov. 4, 2007, when the Minnesota Vikings ran for 378 yards against the Chargers. In that game, a 35-17 Vikings victory, Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie returned a missed field goal an NFL-record 109 yards for a touchdown.

Finally in, man

Dontrell Inman had been active just five times in the previous 14 games and had yet to catch a pass.

With Keenan Allen out and Seyi Ajirotutu proving ineffective, Inman got the chance many have been clamoring he get on Saturday. He responded by catching seven passes for 79 yards, all in the second half. He had 55 yards on six fourth-quarter receptions.

“To be called on tonight … and play the way he did,” Philip Rivers said. “I mean, fourth-down catch, some other big-time catches on in-cuts, made a diving third-down catch on a little stick route. He was awesome.”

Said Inman, who spent the past two season with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League: “It’s awesome to have a Hall of Fame quarterback trusting you. You can’t ask for anything better.”

Carryover?

Rivers would like to believe a comeback from a 21-point halftime deficit and 14 points down in the fourth quarter can create momentum. But …

“Well, gosh, games like this can do a lot,” Rivers said. “You never know. We won a game like this in Baltimore and then obviously scored 14 points over (the next) eight quarters, so I don’t know. We can’t have that type of drop-off. We’re going to be riled up pretty good here this next week.”

Widely better

Chargers wide receivers had caught just 46 percent (17 of 37) of the passes thrown their way in the Chargers’ previous two games.

Led by Eddie Royals’ 10 catches on 12 targets and Inman’s seven on nine, wideouts caught 21 of 34 (62 percent) passes Rivers threw their direction Saturday.

In nine victories, wideouts have caught 65 percent of the passes on which they were targeted as opposed to 51 percent in six losses. Tight ends and running backs have remained steady, at 75 percent in both wins and losses.

Happy Holiday

It’s an unusual week for the Chargers, afforded in part by having an extra day after Saturday’s game and partly due to McCoy’s desire to give players Christmas with the families.

The Chargers will practice Tuesday, their regular off day, and Wednesday before taking Thursday off. They will practice Friday prior to departing for Kansas City.

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