"After several hours in which he and the Chargers could barely hear themselves think, Philip Rivers could barely be heard. His voice was as low as his spirits.

"That's something that's never happened," said the Chargers' now beleaguered quarterback, "and it never should."

It did. Just about the most solid center-quarterback connection in the National Football League — Nick Hardwick to Rivers, Pro Bowler to Pro Bowler — misconnected at the absolute worst time in a game the Chargers needed in the worst way.

Fifteen yards away from the goal line, with the Chargers needing only to kill some time before a game-winning field goal by near-automatic Nick Novak, the snap from Hardwick thudded off Rivers' fingers.

"I dropped it," said Rivers. "I dropped it.""