Philip Rivers Redeems Self in 'Eli Bowl'

With 3:30 left in the game and his team trailing by three points, Philip Rivers had a chance.

He had a chance to win in New York with much of the nation watching. He had a chance to best Eli Manning, a man who refused to play for the Chargers and was eventually swapped for Rivers and another draft pick (which turned into Shawne Merriman). He had a chance to prove he was a winner, despite the fact that his team hasn't helped him win a ring yet. He had a chance to prove he belonged in the same conversation as the game's elite, and that he's just as qualified a quarterback as Eli.

And on the first play of the series, Rivers threw an interception. What happened next, though, rallied San Diego to a 21-20 win and defined the essence of Rivers as a player.

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Tom Coughlin, apparently deciding Rivers couldn't get the job done, played for a field goal by running up the middle on second-and-14 and third-and-9. The Chargers would get the ball back with just over two minutes to play and trailing by six. You didn't even have to see Rivers to know about the fire in his belly. They don't think I can do it, he surely thought.

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You see, Rivers doesn't take care of the ball like Kyle Orton. He's not a student of the game like Peyton Manning. He doesn't have a rocket for an arm or excessive mobility. He doesn't rack up Drew Brees-like stat-lines. He doesn't have the quiet leadership of Ben Roethlisberger or the postseason resume of Tom Brady. One thing about Rivers, though, is that he's a fighter.

And when he gets angry, he fights even harder. Judging from his career 37-18 record entering Sunday's game, he's also a winner.

The Giants' decision to give Rivers another chance was tantamount to a slap in the face of Rivers. Just like when the Chargers had to "settle" for Rivers. Just like when no one thought the Chargers could win a playoff game in Indianapolis. Just like countless other times when people told Rivers he wasn't good enough.

As usual, he responded.

Rivers took the Chargers 80 yards in 1:36, and he didn't even need a timeout -- finding Vincent Jackson in the corner of the end zone for the game-winner with just 21 seconds remaining.

"It's a big emotional win," Rivers said. "The link between me and Eli is always going to be there. So yeah, it's a little special. Any time you play against a team that won the Super Bowl, it's fun. [The trade] didn't weigh into my mind and my thinking, but I bet it was there."

After the pass, Rivers sprinted upwards of 50 yards backward on the field, facing the Giants sideline, screaming in joy (and probably some lingering anger). Whether you consider it fire or foolishness, it's Rivers. That's what he does. He uses his emotion on the field and lets it come out when he's conquered his opposition. In this case, he beat Coughlin, the Giants and -- from a certain point of view -- Manning.

"We had a chance and you can't leave that team in the game,'' said Manning, who was 25 of 33 for 215 yards and two touchdowns. "You can't leave that team an opening. They are good and talented and if you have a chance to end it, you have to end it.''

The Chargers are now 5-3 and trail the Broncos by a game and a half in the AFC West, but they came out of New York with plenty of swagger and momentum. Just like their quarterback.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

11-08-2009 @ 8:27PM

busman said...

Did anyone watch Corey Webstwer singlehandedly cost the Giants the game? What was even more amazing was the fact he was on the field yucking it up with Charger players after the game. Rivers approached him from behind tapped him on the shoulder, Webster turns and smiles and yucks it up with him.If the giants do not respond to this the nfl should, at the very least and I will not imply more, leaves a bad taste in every fans mouth.

11-09-2009 @ 3:45PM

Gman96 said...

I Did

11-08-2009 @ 8:30PM

tom said...

Rivers had an awful game and Manning was nearly flawless. Giants penalties, not Rivers won the game for Sand Diego. Obviously you where looking for any way to trash Manning and promote Rivers even if the game actually didn't work out that way.

11-08-2009 @ 8:36PM

Matt Snyder said...

Tom:

Where did I "trash" Eli? I didn't say one negative thing about him. Not one.

11-08-2009 @ 9:12PM

jcd503 said...

tynes cost the game in the first quater

11-08-2009 @ 9:27PM

kaixoman said...

C'mon.. Now there is a conspiracy against the G-men. Get over it busman! The giants did not put the Bolts away when they could have. And you just dont give Rivers a 2nd chance. He did exactly what any good Q-back will do when he has a chance. Get it done when it counts. Sorry Eli boy.The Rivers man gotcha this time.
See the NYG excuse makers coming out here now.
Take it like men. They where not good enough today.

11-09-2009 @ 1:46AM

RyRy said...

haha, you giants fans are priceless. we have one fan implying that corey webster helped the chargers win the game. we have another fan who stated that rivers had a horrible game, when in fact had his receivers not dropped 4 perfect passes, his stats would've easily trumped manning's stats. for the first fan, don't be a child. what's next? corey webster played horrible because he was attracted to the opposing teams cheerleaders? take it what happened as what it is: a loss. same goes for the second fan. rivers had 2 ill advised passes that resulted in interceptions. everyone from cbs commentators to radio coverage was mentioning the drops hurting rivers. so why don't you rewatch the game, take off your custom "G-MEN RULE!" t-shirt, and watch the game without bias so you can see that rivers played well, and HE won the game. not the penalties. learn to take a loss like an adult. you can put the blame on whatever you want, but in the end, all the comes up on the scoreboard is 21-20. and by the way, there was no criticism of manning whatsoever, so stop complaining.

11-09-2009 @ 6:21AM

Me said...

Oh come on, the game is fixed. They have the same scriptwriters as the WWE. In the end it will be the colts and giants in the SB and everyone will call it the Manning Bowl. The colts of course will win because big brother Paidtoomuch has a contract stating he has to be the best. Don't cry giants fans you were already given your championship. Archie complained about only one of his sons having a ring so the NFL wrote in a championship for them while preserving Don Shula's perfect season.

11-09-2009 @ 6:56AM

Geezer said...

Now, we finally have proof that Philip Rivers is much better than Eli - as if watching Eli turn into Jamarcus as soon as the slightest breeze starts to blow in New York wasn't evidence enough.

Face it - Philip is clutch, Eli - as evidenced by that truly awful last-minute trip to the red zone - is not.

11-09-2009 @ 8:30AM

giffan said...

giants first drive. take a 7 yard pass play instead of 5 yard penalty on first down? downs like outs in baseball are too important. something wrong with giant thinking.

11-09-2009 @ 8:56AM

romanoffj said...

The Giants have been playing to avoid losing, instead of playing to win. The play calling has been so conservative that whenever the
Giants are in or near the Red Zone the opposition know that they will run the ball. When Jacobs was running well it was effective, now the penalties destroy the opportunity. The long pass downfield, effective in the first few games, has been discarded because the receivers are unable to catch the ball when they have to out-jump the defender. They need to get tall wide receivers and like Shockey and Burris the team becomes a winner. Get the right personnel to fill in the spots vacated by departed players.

11-09-2009 @ 8:58AM

mdg1942 said...

How can you a first an goal on the four yard line and not score. First Snee should be benched, it seems that in every critical situation he gets flagged for some stupid peanility. Also when will the Giants learn to pass into the end zone when your inside the 10 yard line. Every team lines up knowing the Giants are going to run. Time for a major change in coaching.

11-09-2009 @ 2:04PM

I see you Padin said...

Eli is the better QB. This is a fact. Everyone outside of San Diego probably agrees. Rivers is in the Matt Hasselbeck range of QBs. He tries hard but just doesn't really have the talent. Also Rivers doesn't seem very smart, and could use some shutting of his childish mouth.

11-09-2009 @ 7:48PM

sdbrian71 said...

When you say "Eli is a better QB". That is an opinion not fact.

Trying to pawn an opinion off as a fact is just downright lame.

11-09-2009 @ 2:47PM

sports said...

Some of the people on this site have no idea what there talking about. Rivers did win the game for the chargers, not penalties on the giants. He drove his team 80 yards down the field with two minutes and without using a timeout. Giants had the lead going into that final drive, Rivers just played spectacular football showing leadership and poise. And to guy that said Rivers doesn't seem very smart, If i remember correctly he was tied in the league in touchdowns and lead passer rating last year. He's also has, less pick, more yards a better record and better passer rating than Eli does this year.

11-09-2009 @ 3:29PM

reikilight said...

Rivers is a loud mouthed baby and not all that! Can he throw the ball ... hell yeah! Is he all that? By NO MEANS! If he wasn't such a loud mouthed cocky jerk maybe I could admire him but come one Matt ... the game was not a show of Rivers greatness as much as it was the Giants floundering. Rivers is a jerk ... and the media is trying to make him something nice ... which is total BS! Rivers can't hold the jock of the QBs you listed in the opening paragraph. He is a whining crybaby who the media has tried to make into a "more mature" leader ... which is a crock of crap!

11-09-2009 @ 4:32PM

csnthesky said...

Chargers won, Giants lost. End of story

11-10-2009 @ 2:48AM

Gilbert said...

Rivers is a great leader. He plays hard and plays tough. Heck, he has even played hurt when his team needed him the most.

11-10-2009 @ 10:05PM

tim said...

Jeez. Seriously. Are we even arguing about who is better? How much more does Rivers have to prove? Did Eli even throw a pass more than 15 yards downfield that game? C'mon people...