Quick hits: Rivers rolls, Weddle’s new job
Third down is no charm
The Chargers’ third-down woes continued Sunday, though Philip Rivers was shocked to learn after the game that they had been just 4 of 12.
“It felt better than that,” Rivers said.
That’s because the Chargers still got 19 first downs. They just got them on first and second down.
Over the last five games, the Chargers are 18 of 58 (31 percent) on third down, the worst such stretch in Rivers’ nine seasons as starting quarterback.
Rivers flows
It would have been difficult to feel better than Rivers did in the second half Sunday. He was 14 of 15 for 185 yards and a touchdown (140.3 QB rating). In those final two quarters, his only incompletion came on a ball batted down at the line.
For the game, Rivers was 29 of 35 for 291 yards, with the one TD and an interception. His 98.9 rating was his highest in five games. His 82.8 percent completion rate was second-highest in his career for a game in which he attempted more than 24 passes.
Just the five of them
The Chargers’ offensive line played perhaps its best collective game since the season’s second week. It was also the first time since Week 3 that just five players played on the line.
“Like a receiver and quarterback,” coach Mike McCoy said, “the longer guys play together, the better they’re going to be.”
No gimmes
Eric Weddle smiled as he considered what is ahead for the Chargers in the season’s final five weeks.
“We’re going to either earn our way in or not,” the Chargers free safety said.
Not only is the .690 winning percentage of the Chargers’ opponents the highest of any team’s remaining slate, no other team looks at their schedule now and sees no opponent with a losing record.
More responsibility
A little more is on Weddle’s plate.
He wore a speaker in his helmet Sunday for the second straight game, allowing him to receive play calls from defensive coordinator John Pagano and relay them to teammates in the huddle. Inside linebacker Donald Butler previously handled the task, but with his playing time reduced, he’s often not on the field.
Butler played 23 of 66 snaps versus the Rams.
He has been relegated to the base defense as part of a larger rotation that has kept the Chargers’ front seven fresh since the Week 10 bye.
Still perfect
Nick Novak didn’t miss that field goal two weeks ago.
Not as far as he’s concerned.
Mental tricks are part of the Chargers kicker’s approach to his game. He did miss a 48-yard field goal Nov. 16 against the Raiders. It ended the first half following a two-minute drill. On Sunday, he tried a field goal from the same distance, the same left hash mark in the same situation on the other end of the same stadium. He made it.
Novak’s miss ended a franchise-record streak of 32 straight conversions. He is 18 of 19 this year.
Novak said he told himself before the try Sunday, “Remember when you made this last week?”
Rule book
Chargers defensive line coach Don Johnson did his research.
He came into the office Monday morning citing the NFL rule book that explains why the officiating crew did what it did late in the fourth quarter Sunday. Offsetting penalties were called on a long Tavon Austin punt return. The ball was first spotted at St. Louis’ 23-yard line and then the Chargers’ 40.
Johnson settled the confusion.
“Article 14, Section 5, whatever rule number it is underneath there,” McCoy said. “That’s the way it’s stated in the rule book.”
