Midway through the season, Rivers ranked among the NFL's top-five QBs in yards, completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdowns and passer rating. In other words, he was good. Real good.
Sunday was another story. Rivers was bad. Real bad. He completed 12 of 23 passes for 138 yards and zero touchdowns against three interceptions and lost a fumble in a 37-0 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Chargers finished scoreless in a game for the first time since 1999, and Rivers' 31.0 QB rating was the third-worst of his career — and lowest since 2007, according to pro-football-reference.com.
The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback hadn't thrown fewer than 200 yards all year, and recorded at least one touchdown in each contest. His three interceptions against Miami matched his total through seven games. It got so bad that backup Kellen Clemens replaced Rivers in the fourth quarter.
Dolphins counterpart Ryan Tannehill sat on the sidelines in the final frame, too, but for far different reasons. He completed 24 of 34 attempts to 10 different receivers for 288 yards and a trio of touchdowns in the blowout victory, helping Miami improve to 5-3 on the season and move into the playoff picture.
The Dolphins scored 13 of their 37 points off Rivers' turnovers, but San Diego had bigger problems. The Chargers' depleted backfield managed just 50 yards on 19 carries. The offensive line allowed four sacks, including Olivier Vernon's fumble-inducing hit that led to a Tannehill touchdown pass in the third quarter. And San Diego's defense allowed 441 yards to a middling Miami offense. Nothing was working.
The loss marked the third straight for San Diego, which fell to 5-4 and outside the AFC's top eight seeds. And things don't get much easier. After win-able games against the Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams in the next two weeks.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...blowout-loss-to-miami-dolphins-211839802.html
Sunday was another story. Rivers was bad. Real bad. He completed 12 of 23 passes for 138 yards and zero touchdowns against three interceptions and lost a fumble in a 37-0 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Chargers finished scoreless in a game for the first time since 1999, and Rivers' 31.0 QB rating was the third-worst of his career — and lowest since 2007, according to pro-football-reference.com.
The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback hadn't thrown fewer than 200 yards all year, and recorded at least one touchdown in each contest. His three interceptions against Miami matched his total through seven games. It got so bad that backup Kellen Clemens replaced Rivers in the fourth quarter.
Dolphins counterpart Ryan Tannehill sat on the sidelines in the final frame, too, but for far different reasons. He completed 24 of 34 attempts to 10 different receivers for 288 yards and a trio of touchdowns in the blowout victory, helping Miami improve to 5-3 on the season and move into the playoff picture.
The Dolphins scored 13 of their 37 points off Rivers' turnovers, but San Diego had bigger problems. The Chargers' depleted backfield managed just 50 yards on 19 carries. The offensive line allowed four sacks, including Olivier Vernon's fumble-inducing hit that led to a Tannehill touchdown pass in the third quarter. And San Diego's defense allowed 441 yards to a middling Miami offense. Nothing was working.
The loss marked the third straight for San Diego, which fell to 5-4 and outside the AFC's top eight seeds. And things don't get much easier. After win-able games against the Oakland Raiders and St. Louis Rams in the next two weeks.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...blowout-loss-to-miami-dolphins-211839802.html
