Eagles Lose To Chargers 33-30 In Home Opener
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The San Diego Chargers looked more like Chip Kelly's Eagles on Philly's turf.
Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes to Eddie Royal, and Nick Novak kicked a 46-yard field goal with 7 seconds left to lead the Chargers past Philadelphia 33-30 on Sunday, spoiling Kelly's home debut.
Michael Vick threw for a career-best 428 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score. But a porous Eagles defense couldn't stop Rivers all day.
Rivers finished 36 of 47 for 419 yards, and the Chargers punted only once. They fumbled twice inside Philadelphia's 10 in the first half.
The teams combined for 1,150 total yards, including 539 for San Diego (1-1).
It was a costly win for the Chargers because receiver Malcom Floyd left on a stretcher after sustaining a neck injury on a hard hit by DeMeco Ryans and Nate Allen on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter.
Following a dynamic 33-27 victory over Washington last Monday, the Eagles (1-1) needed more time to get their high-octane offense going against San Diego. They crammed 53 plays into the first half against the Redskins, took a 26-point lead in the third quarter and held on to beat the defending NFC East champs.
But it was the Chargers speeding things up and moving the ball seemingly at will in the first half. Those two turnovers were costly, however, and the Eagles had a chance to win at the end.
They had a first down at the Chargers 10 before Vick got shaken up on an incomplete pass. Nick Foles came in and threw another incompletion before Vick returned and misfired on a throw. Alex Henery kicked a tying 32-yarder that left Rivers plenty of time to answer.
He quickly led the Chargers down the field with less than two minutes left, and Novak nailed his fourth field goal to win it.
The Eagles took their first lead, 27-23, when Vick ran in from the 2, but the defense couldn't hold it.
Henery allowed the ball to slip through his hands when Fozzy Whittaker fumbled on the kick return and the Chargers started at the Eagles 39. A few plays later, Rivers tossed a 15-yard TD pass to Royal for a 30-27 lead.
DeSean Jackson had 193 yards receiving, including a 61-yard TD for the Eagles. LeSean McCoy had a career-high 114 yards receiving.
Antonio Gates led the Chargers with 124 yards receiving, Floyd had 102 and Royal added 90.
Rivers found Royal wide open on a third-and-10 for a 24-yard TD pass for a 20-10 lead, but the Eagles got a field goal and tied it when Vick hit Jackson in stride on a deep ball.
Vick tossed a 13-yard TD pass to Riley Cooper to cut San Diego's lead to 13-10 in the second quarter.
Then the Chargers wasted two excellent opportunities on consecutive drives.
Brandon Boykin forced Antonio Gates to fumble after a catch, and Casey Matthews recovered at the Eagles 2.
The Chargers were at the Eagles 8 on their next drive before Trent Cole forced Ryan Mathews to fumble and Mychal Kendricks recovered. Vick quickly moved the Eagles into field-goal range, but Henery missed a 46-yarder wide right at the end of the half.
Rivers completed his first 10 passes, including an 11-yard TD toss to Royal to give San Diego a 10-3 lead.
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