Rivers Leads Bolts To 4th Straight Win, 30-13 Over Redskins
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Philip Rivers passed for 319 yards and two touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Chargers continued their ferocious playoff push with their fourth straight victory, 30-13 over the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
Tyrell Williams caught a 75-yard touchdown pass and Hunter Henry had another scoring grab for the Chargers (7-6), who have won seven of nine after an 0-4 start to their relocation season.
While outscoring their opponents 131-53 during their winning streak, the Chargers also moved above .500 for the first time since September 2015 with a dominant offensive performance against Washington.
The Chargers stayed atop the AFC West alongside the Chiefs (7-6), their opponents Saturday in Kansas City.
Kirk Cousins hit Vernon Davis with an early TD pass for the Redskins (5-8), who have lost two straight and six of eight.
Although Bashaud Breeland returned an interception of Kellen Clemens' pass 96 yards for a touchdown with 2:36 to play, Washington's defense had few answers while the Chargers racked up 429 yards by midway through the third quarter.
Rivers passed for 256 yards in the first half of another outstanding performance late in his 12th season as the Chargers' starting quarterback. Rivers also moved ahead of Warren Moon for ninth place in NFL history in career yards passing while picking apart the Redskins' secondary.
Melvin Gordon rushed for a third-quarter score before several Los Angeles regulars took most of the fourth quarter off, banking rest for Saturday's showdown in Kansas City.
They earned the break on both sides of the ball by continuing their exceptional play since their slow start, winning their fourth straight home game. Rivers' offense played with confidence and flair, executing flea-flickers and thoroughly entertaining a crowd with distinctly fewer fans of the opposition than in the Chargers' first few games at StubHub Center.
Keenan Allen had six catches for 111 yards in his quietest performance during the Bolts' four-game winning streak. He still set new single-season career highs for receptions and yards during the first half for Los Angeles.
Los Angeles jumped to a 13-0 lead while scoring on its first three drives and getting a first-quarter interception by Kyle Emanuel, but Washington kept it close by forcing two field goals and then getting a 23-yard TD pass to Davis from Cousins, who repeatedly avoided the Chargers' vaunted pass rush.
But on the next snap, Rivers hit Williams deep downfield for an untouched, 75-yard score.
Los Angeles had a 23-6 lead when it drove 81 yards in the final 1:25 before halftime. The Chargers only missed out on even more points because Austin Ekeler was tackled on a 33-yard run at the Washington 4 as time ran out.
INJURIES
Redskins: Kick returner Byron Marshall's leg buckled underneath him while he moved to field a kickoff in the first quarter. He injured his hamstring and didn't return. ... Key LB Zach Brown injured his foot in the second half. ... LB Chris Carter injured his ankle in the second half and didn't return.
Chargers: Left tackle Russell Okung went down heavily in the first quarter and limped off the field with a knee injury. He returned later in the first half, however.
UP NEXT
Redskins: Host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Chargers: Travel to Kansas City on short rest for a first-place showdown with the Chiefs on Saturday.
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