It was just a matter of time.
After starting the season 1-3, the San Diego Chargers clinched the AFC West title with a blowout 51-14 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Bolts (9-5) have won four straight games, eight of their last 10 and now have two straight division championships.
“It doesn’t matter how you start, but how you finish,” running back LaDainian Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson ran 15 times for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Darren Sproles had 25 carries for 122 yards and a pair of scores. It was the first time the Chargers had two running backs rush for more than 100 yards in the same game.
Cornerback Antonio Cromartie set a team record with his 10th interception of the year and the defense had five total picks.
The 51 points were the most the Chargers have scored since defeating Pittsburgh 54-44 in 1985.
Now if they can just save a few for the postseason.
Miami gets a W: The Miami Dolphins got the gorilla off of their backs. By beating Baltimore 22-16 in overtime on Sunday, they avoided becoming the first NFL team to finish a season at 0-16.
They celebrated as if they had won the Super Bowl.
“I’m just glad no one is going to be talking about the winless season,” said Dolphins’ receiver Greg Camarillo, who ran for most of a 64-yard pass play for the winning score. “We got a win to get the monkey off our back.”
It almost didn’t happen. Baltimore’s Matt Stover missed a 44-yard field goal earlier in overtime. Ravens coach Brian Billick also decided to go for a game-tying field goal instead of a touchdown on fourth down at the half-yard line at the end of regulation.
Miami (1-13) won for the first time since Dec. 10, 2006, and snapped its 16-game losing streak. It was Cam Cameron’s first victory as an NFL head coach.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day for quite some time,” Cameron said.
Former Dolphins coach Don Shula and six players from the 1972 team that went undefeated were on hand as honorary captains.
“I talked to Coach Shula, and I told him we would win,” defensive end Jason Taylor said. “I can’t lie to Coach Shula.”
Westbrook gives up TD: Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook listened to a teammate and gave up an easy touchdown in a 10-6 win over Dallas on Sunday. Westbrook had the end zone in front of him with just over two minutes left, but kneeled down at the Cowboys 1 instead of scoring. A touchdown would have given Philadelphia a 17-6 lead.
Why?
Westbrook listened to his veteran offensive tackle, Jon Runyan.
“I got a stern talking-to right before that play,” Westbrook said. “He said, ‘Listen, if you’re down to the 1, take a knee.'”
Runyan ran after Westbrook on the play, yelling his advice.
“I looked back and saw all 6-7, 6-8 of him running toward me saying ‘Get down,'” Westbrook said. “So I got down.”
Donovan McNabb kneeled down three times to run out the clock.
“I suggested this because then they won’t get (the ball) back,” Runyan said. “In a crazy game like this, you never know.”
Lewis has the wheels for snow: There was a snowstorm in Cleveland on Sunday, but that didn’t stop all-weather Browns running back Jamal Lewis. Lewis gained 163 yards on 33 carries as the Browns shut out Buffalo 8-0 to move closer to a playoff berth.
Cleveland (9-5) moved into a tie for first place with Pittsburgh in the AFC North and eliminated the 7-7 Bills from playoff contention. Two Phil Dawson field goals and a safety accounted for all of the scoring.
It was the first 8-0 game in the NFL since Nov. 10, 1929, when the Chicago Cardinals defeated the Minneapolis Red Jackets.
Week 15 Leaders:
Passing: Drew Brees, Saints, 26-30, 315 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT.
Rushing: Jamal Lewis, Browns, 33 carries, 163 yards, 0 TD.
Receiving: Marques Colston, Saints, 8 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD.
Solo Tackles: Gerald Alexander, Lions; Nick Barnett, Packers, 13 each.
Sacks: Mario Williams, Texans, 3.5.
Interceptions: Oshiomogho Atogwe, Rams; Atari Bigby, Packers, 2 each.
Quotable: “I don’t like playing in this weather. I’m a surfer.”
” Patriots LB and former Charger Junior Seau on snowy, rainy, windy and cold day in New England on Sunday.
Sidelines: Green Bay’s Brett Favre has topped Dan Marino on the all-time passing yards list. Favre has 61,405 career yards to Marino’s 61,361″¦Fred Taylor ran for 147 yards in Jacksonville’s win over the Steelers. He is the first visiting player to run for 100 yards in Pittsburgh since Cincinnati’s Rudi Johnson in 2004″¦The Cowboys failed to score a touchdown for the first time since November 2004 in their 10-6 loss to Philadelphia”¦Indianapolis is the first team with five consecutive 12-win seasons”¦Eli Manning’s 34 incompletions in the Giants loss to Washington were the most since the Jets’ Joe Namath in a 1967 game against Denver.