Chargers keep Rivers clean in exhibition win
Philip Rivers jogged around the field Saturday pre-game. He peppered red-zone passes to coaches standing in the end zone. He played a friendly competition of "Who can hit the cross bar?" — quarterbacks coach Nick Siranni won, drilling the post from 45 yards.
Then, he watched.
Free of contact. Free of risk. Totally unscathed.
The Chargers franchise quarterback is valuable enough for a four-year, $83.25 million extension. He's valuable enough to be spared exposure to injury in an exhibition game. He watched in a white ball cap as teammates faced the Cardinals, one of several Chargers who didn't play in a 22-19 win due to precautionary reasons.
The team called sitting Rivers a coach's decision.
And coach Mike McCoy said that decision came way back in May or June when he and Rivers mapped out what his participation level would be in July and August, leading up the regular season. Certain days, he'd take off. He wouldn't participate in afternoon walk-throughs following a morning practice. And he'd miss this game.
Less predictably, other key players were sidelined due to injury, however minor.
Running back Melvin Gordon, cornerback Jason Verrett, inside linebacker Denzel Perryman, cornerback Stevie Williams, defensive end Corey Liuget and center Trevor Robinson were among the others who did not play. Most, if not all, would've been active if Saturday was a regular-season game.
This afforded opportunity to others.
Quarterback Kellen Clemens played the entire the first half. He finished 9-for-15 for 88 yards, his numbers not helped by two drops from wide receiver Keenan Allen. Quarterback Brad Sorensen played the whole second half. He led a two-minute drive from San Diego's own 11 to set up the game-winning field goal.
Richard Crawford started at cornerback.
View the photo gallery: Chargers Cardinals preseason 2015
He had his struggles. Wide receiver John Brown caught a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter with him in the area. Along with Verrett and Williams, the Chargers also were without cornerback Chris Davis (concussion).
Nick Novak dealt with tightness in the third quarter after a made extra point.
"I said, 'OK, you're done.' I took him out," McCoy said.
In came Josh Lambo.
By that time, the undrafted rookie had one Saturday kickoff for a touchback — his total preseason ledger was 3-for-3 at the time — with a 53-yard field goal in the second quarter. In the fourth, Lambo was the difference. The former youth soccer standout converted a 43-yard field goal and then, to break a 19-19 tie as time expired, was good from 47 yards.
Rivers watched from the sideline.
A win. A clean jersey.
The Chargers happily will return home with both.
