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One to remember: Chargers survive Rams

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These are the ones that don’t come along often.

These are the ones that go remembered.

The Chargers and Rams rented rights to a sledgehammer Sunday, swinging it at the other when not busy dropping it on themselves.

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These games are rare.

“These are the games you are going to remember five and 10 years from now,” outside linebacker Dwight Freeney said. “We’ll sit back and think, ‘Remember the game against the Rams?”

Remember a half-season’s worth of drama in 60 minutes? Remember the number of blows, not Manny Pacquiao straight jabs but Rocky Balboa haymakers, that landed? The Chargers somehow survived, a last-breath interception the knockout to a 27-24 brawl.

That, to make this game memorable, might’ve been enough.

A turnover to end it, Chargers safety Marcus Gilchrist reading quarterback Shaun Hill like the back of a cereal box on second-and-goal in the final minute, would’ve done it.

But it wasn’t just that. No oh no.

Freeney can sit back and remember the time -- not the first -- quarterback Philip Rivers got intercepted when throwing to Keenan Allen as the wide receiver slipped to the ground. Better footing may have helped catch cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who sprinted 99 yards for the score.

Freeney can remember Jenkins forcing Allen to fumble at the end of a 33-yard catch, or Allen muffing a punt, or Allen finding redemption on a 29-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving San Diego a 27-17 lead.

Think to that Nov. 23 game at Qualcomm Stadium.

Think to Chargers special teams captain Darrell Stuckey blocking a second-quarter field goal or the fourth-quarter fake the Rams punt team converted, the 19-yard pass to wide receiver Stedman Bailey leading to a touchdown that cut the score to 27-24.

San Diego, down 10-6 at halftime, hadn’t scored a touchdown in 10 quarters.

Remember the team’s two touchdowns in 21 seconds during the third quarter. The first was a Ryan Mathews run, the second an Andrew Gachkar 13-yard fumble return off a sack-fumble that defensive end Corey Liuget forced.

Two Rams touchdown passes this day were negated by penalty.

Also, Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin, his team down 27-24 with about 90 seconds left, returned a punt around 75 yards inside the Chargers’ 5-yard line. Each team was penalized, though, Rams linebacker Marshall McFadden for holding and Chargers punter Mike Scifres for a low block. The officials took about four minutes to sort through it all, their game hanging in the balance as the ball was first spotted at the St. Louis’ own 23-yard line before being relocated to the Chargers’ 40.

St. Louis then moved the football the old fashioned way.

A 27-yard Kenny Britt catch set up first-and-goal at the 6.

First play: 2-yard Benny Cunningham run. Second play: Gilchrist.

What the Chargers do now, five weeks to go, tied for second place in the AFC West, one game back with a 7-4 record, ultimately will influence how the Chargers remember this game. But for all its wildness, for every hammered blow, it can stand alone.

“We tried to give it away,” tackle King Dunlap said, “but we made plays to win the game. Gilly, that pick. It was a fun one.”

“Today was one of those days that makes you appreciate being in the NFL,” outside linebacker Jarret Johnson said. “It makes you kind of sit back and enjoy it. Even with the back and forth, today is why it’s such a great game.”

Chargers v. Rams 11/23/2014

  • San Diego 27. St Louis 24.
  • Qualcomm Stadium
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