Los Angeles Chargers vs New York Giants Match Player Stats On Oct 08, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 8, 2017

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Quarterback Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes, two of which came in the second half and one of which brought his team back from behind, to lead the Los Angeles Chargers to a 27-22 win over the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.

Both teams were winless coming into the game.

The Chargers' winning score came after defensive end Melvin Ingram sacked and stripped Giants quarterback Eli Manning to give his team the ball on the 11-yard line. Three plays later, Rivers found running back Melvin Gordon in the end zone for the 10-yard touchdown.

The Giants (0-5) jumped out to a 9-0 first-quarter lead, which included their first points scored on offense in the first quarter since a 22-yard field goal by Robbie Gould in the 2016 regular-season finale against Washington. Running back Orleans Darkwa, who got the start for the injured Paul Perkins, recorded a 23-yard touchdown run.

Prior to Darkwa's score, the Giants got a safety when Chargers center Spencer Pulley snapped the ball before Rivers was ready. Rivers, who was at his 7-yard line, alertly batted the ball out of the back of the end zone for the safety.

The Chargers (1-4) finally got on the board in the second quarter thanks in part to 20 penalty yards racked up by the Giants defense that included a 15-yard unsportsmanlike call against linebacker B.J. Goodson.

Rivers then capped the Chargers' eight-play, 77-yard scoring drive with a 6-yard pass to Gordon to cut the Giants lead to 9-7. He then took advantage of another offside penalty against defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul in the red zone to extend a 12-play, 49-yard scoring drive cumulating in a 20-yard field goal by Nick Novak to give his team a 10-9 lead at the half.

After a Rivers interception, the Giants marched 80 yards where Manning connected with receiver Roger Lewis on a 29-yard strike for a touchdown.

On their next drive, the Chargers responded with a 12-play, 92-yard scoring drive in which Rivers connected with tight end Hunter Henry on a 25-yard touchdown to make it 17-16 Los Angeles at the end of the third quarter.

The Giants answered that with a 48-yard touchdown pass from Manning to receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to make it 22-17. However, the Giants were hit with a delay of game penalty when they tried to line up for the 2-point conversion; after the penalty, Manning's pass to Beckham failed.

The Chargers made it 22-20 on a 31-yard field goal by Novak before taking the lead for good on the Rivers to Gordon 10-yard strike.

The Giants lot four receivers to injuries, the most serious of which was to Beckham, who appeared to get his left ankle twisted underneath him after making a catch late in the fourth quarter. Beckham had to be carted off the field. Sterling Shepard and Brandon Marshall both suffered ankle injuries in the second quarter, and Dwayne Harris suffered a broken foot in the third quarter.

NOTES: Chargers DE Joey Bosa's first sack of the game was the first allowed by the Giants' offensive line in 122 pass attempts by QB Eli Manning. Bosa, who came into the game with 2.5 sacks, had 2.0 in the game, both coming against Giants RT Bobby Hart. ... Giants CB Eli Apple was apparently benched for the team's first three defensive series. Apple made his debut on defense on the Chargers' fourth offensive series. ... Giants RB Orleans Darkwa's 23-yard touchdown is the longest of his career. ... Chargers QB Philip Rivers passed Fran Tarkenton for 10th place on the all-time career passing yards list. Rivers now has 47,198 passing yards for his career. ... TE Hunter Henry became the sixth opposing tight end to score a touchdown against the Giants defense this season.