Philip Rivers May Require Back Surgery
SAN DIEGO (CBSLA.com/AP) — Quarterback Philip Rivers isn't sure if he's going to need surgery on his ailing back now that the Chargers' season is over.
"I can't rule it out but it's too early to know," Rivers said Monday, a day after the Chargers' season ended with a 19-7 loss at Kansas City.
A victory would have clinched a wild-card spot for the Bolts. Instead, Rivers was sacked seven times, was intercepted twice and lost a fumble as the Chiefs overwhelmed the Chargers' line.
Rivers had been listed on the injury report in recent weeks as having chest and back injuries.
Reports surfaced that Rivers had a bulging disc in his lower back.
Asked to confirm or deny it, he said: "I just don't think there's any reason to confirm it. Can't deny it, but it's not exactly accurate."
Rivers said talking about his injuries "does no good. It's self-serving, really, to tell you anything, because then it's like, `Oh, well that's why this and that happened.' My injuries had nothing to do with whether I threw it good or threw it bad."
Rivers was intercepted seven times in the final three games. He finished the season with 4,286 yards, 31 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
The Chargers lost three of their last four games, and will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.
Coach Mike McCoy, who failed to replicate the job he did in getting the Chargers to the playoffs as a rookie head coach in 2013, refused to divulge more information about Rivers' injury.
McCoy didn't have many answers for why the Chargers flopped when they controlled their own destiny to grab a playoff berth.
"I think we had a lot of confidence going in in our plans and what we were going to do and we just didn't play well enough to win in all three phases," he said. "I think they were ready and ready to go."
Asked what blame the coaching staff should take, McCoy said: "We're all in it together. It's not the coaches, it's not just the players, it's all of us. Everything we do, we're one. We're a football team, we're an organization. We're going to back each other. It's not just one phase, it's not just one coach. It all starts with me as the head coach and we didn't play well enough to win, so give me all the blame for it. That's fine."
McCoy, who is from the San Francisco Bay Area, was asked if he's interested in the 49ers' vacancy after Jim Harbaugh's mutual agreement with the team to part ways.
"I'm very happy with where I'm at. I love my job," McCoy said.
Rivers finished 2014 completing 379 of 570 passes (66.5%), 4,286 yards, 31 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. His interception count is tied for first with Jay Cutler.
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