"Philip Rivers should be carding his receivers.

Before the Chargers offense takes the field, the best quarterback in football should make like a bouncer and check IDs - not just to verify the ages of his wannabe pass catchers, but to make sure they aren't using aliases and even qualify to be in the same nasty dive bar with him.

Of course, Rivers isn't that way. He would take delight in throwing footballs to a group of overweight monks. Come on out and play, guys. Welcome to my neighborhood. You get open somehow, down there by that black Chevy, and I'll get it to you.

Listen up. Dan Fouts is in the Hall of Fame, and he was really good, but although he was high sheriff in San Diego, he never was any better than Rivers is right now. Maybe because he never had to be. When did he have to throw to the posse of well-meaning amateurs Rivers had to sign up here Sunday?

Rivers not only was forced to play without his top four wide receivers and the best tight end in the game, but he won with their subs. When it appeared lost, when it seemed he had no right to, Rivers did a Gary Cooper, showing up here at high noon without much help and beat the Houston Texans 29-23 in Reliant Stadium.

But, when you're as good as he is, doing things at this stage of a season no quarterback playing with a full deck has ever done, you have every right to. Rivers' box of cards is missing its aces and a few kings. No matter.

The Chargers are 4-5 as they head into a bye week they need as much as the air we breathe, and they still aren't very good and have no chance to be if their special teams units continue their run as the worst in the NFL's 91 seasons. But they still have Rivers walking around."