Philip Rivers News: Pro Sports Daily

Foundering Giants need to regain winning swagger

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November 6

New York Post

"So what has gone wrong for the Giants during their three-game slide? How about everything, says Sirius host and Giants' play-by-play man Bob Papa. "The thing that sticks out at me is they are breaking down in all phases," Papa said. "It's kick coverage, missed throws, missed blocks, missed tackles, guys out of position — it's un-Coughlin like to be honest with you. It's a lot of little things that have added up to big headaches and that's what they are dealing with right now." The Giants were 5-0 and considered by some to be the best team in the NFL. But that was before a home loss to the Cardinals was sandwiched between road thrashings by the Saints and Eagles. Big Blue returns to the ..."

Eli, Rivers to battle for 1st time since draft-day trade

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November 6

New York Post

""With the fourth pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, the Giants select Philip Rivers, quarterback, North Carolina State." Those words never triggered a rush of excitement from Rivers and never prompted the Giants to envision Rivers wearing their uniform. The intricacies of a draft-day trade necessitated the Giants taking Rivers three picks after the Chargers made Eli Manning the No. 1 overall selection, even though Manning had already stated he wanted no part of playing in San Diego. It didn't take long from there for the details to get ironed out and for the Giants to send three draft picks to the Chargers as the two teams exchanged players they hoped would develop into franchise quarterbacks. ..."

Rivers, Manning forever linked by draft

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November 5

San Diego Union-Tribune

"For all Philip Rivers and Eli Manning have been mentioned together, they have hardly ever met. So much time has passed, and the whole thing never was personal between them anyway. And they don't really play against each other. So this is all a little bit about nothing pertinent, really. Except that one will never be extricated from the other."

Defensive lapses lead to Chargers' big plays

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October 26

Kansas City Star

"There wasn't much to say. The big plays happened, the Chiefs were blown out, and a group of discouraged and overmatched defenders struggled to explain why. San Diego used six plays that gained at least 20 yards, including two 51-yarders that made Kansas City's secondary look bad - and the team's locker room look discouraged and confused after the Chargers' 37-7 walloping at Arrowhead Stadium. "That was pretty embarrassing," Chiefs cornerback Brandon Carr said. "To get beat by that large margin." For the first three quarters, before San Diego finally let off the accelerator, the Chiefs looked disorganized, confused and out of place against the Chargers' talented offense. And for the second ..."

LT, Rivers assert team's 'quiet confidence'

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October 15

San Diego Union-Tribune

"These are not the words of a team coming off an embarrassing loss on national television, a group that for the third straight season has yet to find its collective step in the early going. "It's a quiet confidence," running back LaDainian Tomlinson said Wednesday when asked how the Chargers were feeling going into Monday's game against the Denver Broncos. "You look in each man's eyes in that locker room, you can tell there is something extra." Later, quarterback Philip Rivers voiced the same sentiment without being asked specifically about Tomlinson's comments."

Rivers is no Usain Bolt, but can leg it to finish line

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September 28

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Philip Rivers runs to daylight like a man dodging furniture in the dark. His stride is long, but his steps are slow and self-conscious, as if he were concerned about crashing into a credenza. "He looks like a giraffe," Chargers guard Kris Dielman said Sunday of his galumphing quarterback. Except on the stat sheet, that is, where Rivers looks like a deer."

Dolphins must get up in Phillip Rivers' grill

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September 24

Miami Herald

columnist Armando Salguero

"You want a defense that quarterbacks fear? You want a defense that gets off the field on third down? You want a defense that can make up for some deficiencies in the secondary? Then you want a defense that rushes, hurries, sacks, hits, or torments the quarterback. The Dolphins need that type of defense Sunday at San Diego. The Dolphins need to put Phillip Rivers on his behind otherwise, as the commercial says, he might go all Phillip Rivers on Miami. What I'm saying is the Dolphins need to improve their pass rush. And they must do it by any means necessary which might include doing that which the team doesn't like to do much -- blitz. The Dolphins are not a good blitzing team. Let's face ..."

Value of Rivers' deal: $92 million

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August 29

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Philip Rivers will make $38.15 million in fully guaranteed money over the next two years and an almost certain $46.55 million in the next three years, according to contract numbers reviewed yesterday by the Union-Tribune. The exact potential value of the six-year extension is $92.25 million. A $6 million salary in 2009 means Rivers is scheduled to make $98.25 million by 2015. In addition to a $19.55 million signing bonus and $6 million option bonus, Rivers' salaries in 2009 and '10 ($6.6 million) are fully guaranteed. His 2011 salary ($8.4 million) is guaranteed against injury."

Chargers give Rivers big deal: cool $93 million

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August 25

Denver Post

"Quarterback Philip Rivers signed a six-year contract extension Monday with the Chargers worth $93 million, with $38 million guaranteed. The deal goes through 2015. Rivers is coming off his best pro season, when he threw 34 touchdown passes to tie former teammate Drew Brees for the NFL lead and break Hall of Famer Dan Fouts' Chargers record. He also led the NFL with a quarterback rating of 105.5, another team record."

Rivers signed to long-term deal

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August 25

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Philip Rivers wanted to get this deal done, and so did the Chargers. He didn't need to be paid the most money. The Chargers didn't need to lowball him. That's why a deal to keep him in San Diego through 2015 was struck just more than a week after talks began. "I ultimately didn't want it to get in the way of what we're trying to get done (as a team)," Rivers said. "If we were even going to have to think about it, it could be a distraction." Rivers and the Chargers agreed late Sunday on a six-year extension potentially worth slightly more than $92 million with about $50 million to be paid over the first three years. "I certainly couldn't have asked that it could have gone any better ..."

Bears QB Jay Cutler may get last laugh on Philip Rivers

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August 7

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Mike Mulligan

"News of Eli Manning's ridiculous new contract means the Bears are eventually going to pay through the nose for Jay Cutler. How much and how soon may be determined in part by the next big-money quarterback deal, the one that Philip Rivers eventually will sign in San Diego. Manning and Rivers will be forever linked by the 2004 draft-day deal that saw Manning force a trade from San Diego, which picked him No. 1 overall, to the New York Giants. The Giants gave up Rivers, who was the No. 4 selection, along with a 2005 first-round pick that turned into Shawne Merriman and a 2004 third-rounder that turned into Nate Keading. All three Chargers have made it to the Pro Bowl, but the Giants got the ..."

Rivers contract talks may heat up

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August 6

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Talks on a new contract for Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, while considered inevitable for months, have not begun. That may soon change. Both sides have long intimated that nothing would get done with Rivers until Eli Manning's numbers in New York were settled. Wednesday, that happened as Manning and the Giants agreed on a six-year extension worth $97.5 million, with $35 million in virtually guaranteed money. With Ben Roethlisberger having signed an eight-year, $102 million ($36 million guaranteed) contract last year, Rivers is the last QB from the 2004 first-round draft class yet to get a new deal."

What the San Diego Chargers Need To Do for 2009

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January 27

San Diego Union-Tribune

"While we all speculate and predict what happens to the future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson, we should also speculate and predict what happens to some of the other San Diego stars such as linebacker Shawne Merriman, backup running back and special-teams weapon Darren Sproles, and defensive tackle Jamal Williams. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that LaDainian is going to have a very long offseason. If he's traded, there's going to be a lot of talk, debates, and criticism everywhere. Should AJ Smith-San Diego Chargers General Manager-decide to keep the running back, there STILL may be trouble regarding his age, productivity in the past two seasons and his consecutive ..."

Talks will begin soon on new deal for Rivers

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January 21

San Diego Union-Tribune

"As the LaDainian Tomlinson situation percolates, another key component to the Chargers' offseason and salary cap machinations is about to commence. General Manager A.J. Smith confirmed Tuesday that the team soon will begin negotiations with quarterback Philip Rivers on a long-term contract. "You offer a contract and hope for the best," Smith said while watching a Senior Bowl practice. "We'll have a contract (offer) and hope it's successful. If not, we have the franchise (tag)." This is not a surprise, but it is certainly significant. The roots of Tomlinson's possible departure are based in the large chunk of salary cap he would currently take up, as the team has several key players ..."

Defensive struggles ultimately did in Bolts

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January 16

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Defense wins championships. For all the reasons the Chargers are home right now, look no further than that cliché. The Chargers finished the 2008 season ranked 15th in the NFL in points allowed, 25th in yards allowed and 31st in passing yards allowed. Now, it was a strange year. Linebacker Shawne Merriman, perhaps the most disruptive player in the league, played just one game before succumbing to two torn ligaments. Coordinator Ted Cottrell and his players did not handle the loss of Merriman well. Cottrell was gone at midseason and replaced by inside linebackers coach Ron Rivera. The statistics and results were greatly improved once Rivera's changes set in. But there remain holes. ..."

Rivers poses significant challenge

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January 11

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Philip Rivers, QB, of the San Diego Chargers poses a significant challenge for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense tomorrow afternoon at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Rivers who was considered for offensive player of the year is leading his team to a strong finish down the stretch. For the 2008 NFL season, Rivers has racked up quite the statistics with over 65% completion percentage, 34 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and boasts a quarterback rating of 105.5. Based on these statistics alone, Rivers can make a strong case for offensive player of the year considering that he matched the same touchdowns as Drew Brees, but threw 6 less interceptions. Most of this weeks media has been geared towards ..."

Colts commit no turnovers but fail to convert in key spot

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January 5

Indianapolis Star

columnist Phil Richards

"It was the definitive Dungyball exhibition. The Indianapolis Colts played without a turnover. They had two end-zone takeaways. They followed their winning formula. They still lost 23-17 in overtime in Saturday night's wild-card game at San Diego. "I thought we'd win the game if we didn't turn the ball over," coach Tony Dungy said Sunday, back at the team complex. Of course he did. The Colts were 6-0 this season when they played without a turnover. They are 29-2 and have averaged 31.7 points in 31 giveaway-free regular-season games since 1998. They have been almost automatic. The playoffs have been a dramatically different story. The Colts are 1-4 in turnover-free postseason games since ..."

Rivers is last QB standing

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January 4

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Peyton Manning gets a trip to Hawaii. Philip Rivers gets a trip to either Tennessee or Pittsburgh. Guess which one he prefers. Rivers may not have statistically outdueled the NFL's three-time Most Valuable Player in Saturday night's 23-17 AFC wild-card playoff win over the Indianapolis Colts at Qualcomm Stadium. But he was the quarterback on the field when the game was won in overtime, which counts for something. He'll take that over any pina colada. "These are the kinds of games you savor," Rivers said. "It's not personal. I didn't beat Peyton Manning. But anytime you are able to help contribute and lead your team to a win over a Peyton Manning-led team, that means something." For the ..."

Strength faces strength in Rivers vs. Colts secondary matchup

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December 31

San Diego Union-Tribune

"The Indianapolis Colts have allowed just six passing touchdowns this season, fewest ever in the NFL in a 16-game season. The quarterback who this year threw a league-leading and team-record 34 touchdowns is duly impressed. "That's crazy," Philip Rivers said. "They're so simple in their scheme. They don't do a bunch of things. But they do it so well. They have those two pass rushers, and Bob Sanders is in there flying around ... You have some teams that do so much that they don't do anything real good. These guys don't do a lot but they do it real good." Rivers completed two touchdown passes against the Colts in Indianapolis' 23-20 victory on Nov. 23. But the Chargers also failed to get ..."

Rivers passes legendary Fouts

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December 29

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Dan Fouts? Tough dude, yes. About the toughest. But he couldn't block a lick, either. Anything the bearded one did for the Chargers over those glorious years made Fouts the incomparable quarterback, but Philip Rivers has changed all that with his play in 2008, and Sunday night he exceeded even Fouts' accomplishments in San Diego. In the process of quarterbacking the Chargers to a fourth straight win and a most improbable division championship, completing 15-of-20 passes for 207 yards and a passer rating of 141.0, Rivers threw touchdown passes No. 33 and 34 to break Fouts' single-season Chargers record. Fouts had 33 TD passes in 1981, which happened to be the year Rivers was born. ..."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lack of pass rush hurting

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December 23

St. Petersburg Times

"The Bucs' pass rush has been lacking for the past two-plus seasons. But rarely has its absence been as glaring as in Sunday's loss to the Chargers. QB Philip Rivers took his time as he dissected the Bucs secondary because, well, he could. The result: 9.3 yards per pass attempt and a 136.7 rating, his second highest this season. "We've got to do a better job rushing the passer, No. 1," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said Monday. "These deep-in breaking routes take a while. That's seven-step-drop type patterns. We have to get a better rush going, certainly." Gruden lamented the impact injuries have had on the defensive line. Chris Hovan (knee), Jovan Haye (knee), Gaines Adams (ankle) and Greg ..."

Better numbers can't carry Rivers back to the Pro Bowl

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December 18

San Diego Union-Tribune

"It seems Philip Rivers was a better quarterback when he had a passer rating 10 points lower than he does today. At least that's what Pro Bowl voters indicated this season, making Rivers a first-alternate to the Pro Bowl despite the fact he leads the league in passer rating and touchdown passes and is second in average gain per attempt. In 2006, when Rivers struggled mightily at times and was not asked to do as much, but the Chargers went 14-2, Rivers was voted to the Pro Bowl. "It just shows to me as a quarterback that the most important stat is wins and losses," said Rivers, who has a 101.4 rating and 28 TD passes. "I've said that all long, regardless of the Pro Bowl, you want to win. ..."

Enthusiastic quarterback Rivers carries Chargers in clutch

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December 15

San Diego Union-Tribune

"He was sheepish, to be sure, but non-apologetic. After the game he'd had, and after what he'd just done, Philip Rivers had earned his moment of temporary insanity. Rivers' pass of 10 yards had barely cleared the fingertips of wide receiver Vincent Jackson - whose touchdown catch gave the Chargers a 22-21 lead over the Kansas City Chiefs that stood over the game's last 36 seconds - when the quarterback turned and made a mad dash back upfield. Fists thrusting upward, legs churning to beat the Chiefs band, Rivers veered at midfield and hit the Chargers sideline at full speed. "That," Rivers said of his broken-field celebration, "was about as authentic of a spaz-out as I've ever had." He ..."

Big gaffes again haunt QB Rivers in loss

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November 17

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Philip Rivers was not down, not bowing his head. He accepted his plight and vowed to move on. But he was ticked off. At himself. "I want to do all I can on every play to help us win," Rivers said. "I fell short on a few today." The Chargers defense did not allow a touchdown in Sunday's 11-10 loss to the Steelers. It also could be argued that neither did it make stops when it had to do so. But the blame for this loss fell on the offense and its leader. In a game on a sloppy field, in the cold, Rivers had statistically his worst game since Nov. 11, 2007, a span of 20 games. He did not throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 17 games and finished with a passer rating of 43.6. It has ..."

Aggressive mind-set keeps Rivers confident, successful

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November 10

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Tim Sullivan

"Philip Rivers called it a "silly throw," and then he didn't. Two minutes into his post-game news conference yesterday afternoon, the Chargers quarterback was backpedaling rhetorically, adjusting on the fly, searching for the precise phrase for an imprecise pass. "I shouldn't say 'silly throw,' " Rivers said. "You can totally cross that one out. Silly was the wrong word. It was just a poor throw. I left it inside and short." Things happen in the heat of the moment that can seem silly in slow-motion, but it's useful to remember that an NFL quarterback isn't out there lining up putts. He's reacting to something he sees, or thinks he sees, and he's trying to do it before some defensive brute ..."

Rivers smart enough to forget his gaffs in heat of the moment

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November 10

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Tim Sullivan

"Philip Rivers called it a "silly throw," and then he didn't. Two minutes into his post-game news conference Sunday afternoon, the Chargers' quarterback was backpedaling rhetorically, adjusting on the fly, searching for the precise phrase for an imprecise pass. "I shouldn't say 'silly throw,' " Rivers said. "You can totally cross that one out. Silly was the wrong word. It was just a poor throw. I left it inside and short." Things happen in the heat of the moment that can seem silly in slow-motion, but it's useful to remember that an NFL quarterback isn't out there lining up putts. He's reacting to something he sees, or thinks he sees, and he's trying to do it before some defensive brute ..."

Rivers hardly satisfied with his season so far

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November 6

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Philip Rivers leads the NFL in passer rating, touchdown passes and average gain per attempt. "That's why stats don't tell you the whole story," Rivers said. "While I've been playing good, these last two games there have been critical mistakes that essentially cost us." That's a little harsh on the self-criticism, but it's also the truth. The Chargers quarterback is perhaps the only position player on the team who has lived up to (or surpassed) expectations. He might be the only Charger headed to the Pro Bowl. He is better then he's ever been, by far. And he is terribly disappointed in himself. Fourth-quarter interceptions have eradicated possible comebacks the past two games, a span ..."

Turnovers muddy Rivers’ day

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October 20

Buffalo News

"LaDainian Tomlinson and the San Diego running game have been struggling all season, so if the Chargers were going to beat the Buffalo Bills on the road Sunday, they needed a big game from Philip Rivers. Rivers was responsible for all three of San Diego’s turnovers, including a fourth-quarter interception deep in the red zone on a drive that could have given the Chargers the lead. Instead, San Diego fell to the Bills, 23-14, at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills (5-1) got the statement victory they were looking for while the Chargers (3-4) fell south of .500, a place no one expected them to see prior to the season, when they were considered one of the favorites to win the AFC. Rivers placed ..."

Rivers - and his Chargers mates - ran through them

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October 13

Boston Globe

"With a nagging toe injury limiting Chargers star running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the San Diego passing attack has been forced to carry the load. And that's been no problem for Philip Rivers. Despite wide receiver Chris Chambers being inactive, the Chargers signal-caller was unstoppable in last night's 30-10 blowout of the Patriots. Rivers was 18 for 27 for 306 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. It's clear Rivers is up to the task of sparking the offense. "Philip's been awesome," said Vincent Jackson, who had five receptions for a game-high 134 yards. Playing against a team that has knocked him out of the playoffs the last two seasons, Rivers made sure everyone knew that the ..."

This week's film session gets no thumb's-up from Rivers

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October 9

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Every week Philip Rivers watches a lot of film on the upcoming opponent's defense. Among the things he will watch, if applicable, is how he fared against the opponent in their most recent meeting. Watching his last game against the Patriots, the Chargers quarterback saw himself limping around a frozen field with his right knee braced as he completed 19 of his 37 passes in the AFC Championship Game in January. "It certainly brings back memories, and some tough ones just watching the tape," he said. " ... Watching the AFC Championship Game is tough to watch. It brings back a lot of thoughts, of plays you wish you would have made, how you felt and all the different kind of scenarios that ..."

Philip Rivers earns praise from Bill Belichick

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October 8

Boston Herald

"Football players are tough. That’s a given. But when a coach like Bill Belichick singles out a player for his grit, that’s an even greater compliment. The player in question? San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, who played in last season’s AFC Championship Game with a badly damaged right knee. “I think Rivers has really grown as a quarterback. I thought especially last year, in the playoff game, playing with the injury, I thought he showed a lot of toughness and grit - that wasn’t the greatest day to pass the ball, there in January,” Belichick said of Rivers, who had reconstructive surgery during the offseason to repair a torn ACL in his knee. “I thought that he made some excellent throws ..."

Rivers' ribs are acting up after two rough weeks in the trenches

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October 7

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Philip Rivers didn't get hit as much Sunday in Miami as he did the previous week in Oakland. But the back-to-back weeks of playing teams that got to him had him receiving treatment yesterday for the second straight day on his bruised ribs. "Just a couple bumps and bruises," Rivers said. "Nothing big." There are a few others - guards Kris Dielman (thigh bruise) and Mike Goff (knee strain), strong safety Clinton Hart (strained shoulder) and fullback Mike Tolbert (sprained ankle) - who can say the same thing. All of them will play Sunday against New England, though they could be rested in practice this week. But the Chargers will be without outside linebacker Jyles Tucker again this week and ..."

Rivers, sluggish offense melt in Miami's heat and humidity

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October 6

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Yes, the Chargers have mirrors in their locker room. They're going to need them. To a man, members of the Chargers offense can't put their finger on what's wrong with them. They are pointing fingers at themselves, though, and you can count on two hands the number of reasons why. That's the same number that was on the visitors' side of the scoreboard. "Ten points," said dispirited running back LaDainian Tomlinson. "For us, that's a struggle." Ten points are all that aerial-minded San Diego scored against a Miami Dolphins team rated among the worst in the NFL pass defense, a category wherein the Chargers happen to rank 32nd of 32 teams, incidentally. One touchdown. One field goal. ..."

As one of the NFL's top QBs, Rivers earns special treatment

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September 23

San Diego Union-Tribune

"He wears a red mesh vest over his jersey throughout the week, a tradition in the National Football League, where quarterbacks are thus designated as the "Untouchables" in drills. This time, though, the red on Philip Rivers' uniform was blood. It wasn't from a vicious hit under the chin or a finger smacked against an opposing helmet, for as Rivers himself noted, the New York Jets barely laid a glove on him all night. Rather, it was from the needle-puncture wound where Rivers had taken an intravenous fluid injection at halftime. "I kept seeing him run to the sideline and I couldn't see what they were doing," teased running back LaDainian Tomlinson. "While we were on the bench I saw them ..."

Philip Rivers: Calm amid the raging storm

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September 22

San Diego Union-Tribune

"If not for three points, a mere 26 seconds, Philip Rivers is being compared with Joe Montana. Too much, too soon? Perhaps. But factor in the overtime victory at Tennessee last December and the one-legged performance in January's AFC Championship Game, and Rivers is building a legacy of heroics. He is doing that regardless of the Chargers' 0-2 start going into Monday night's game against the New York Jets, it's just not quite what it might have been. "These are the situations you dream about," Rivers said this past week. "But winning them is the key." True, few have probably ever dreamed of leading their team back from nine points down with 10 minutes to play and 14 down in the third ..."

Paths converge yet again for Rivers, Jets WR Cotchery

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September 21

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Even before they'd met and become trusted teammates and friends, they'd met. In addition to being the Alabama Player of the Year in football his senior year at Athens High, Philip Rivers was a hot-shot basketball player whose greatest challenge one night was just to get the ball up the court against the quicker, smaller guy covering him, Jerricho Cotchery of Birmingham Phillips High. "I was checking him the whole game," said Cotchery, now a receiver with the New York Jets. "I shut him down." About to play against Cotchery again Monday night, Rivers does not dispute the account, but will amend it to include the reason Cotchery was assigned to guard him so closely that night. "The game ..."

Rivers' biggest critic in Denver is QB himself

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September 15

San Diego Union-Tribune

"Considering all that's gone down between him and the Denver Broncos and even their fans, he didn't expect to get any breaks in the Mile High City. Around here, Philip Rivers' middle name could be Muddy. So here's the twist. Rivers actually may have won some locals over with the intrepid way he brought the Chargers back Sunday, turning the boos to fearful quiet with a career-high 377 yards passing and three touchdowns. But the guy who rode him the hardest was Philip Rivers. "We put up 38 points, our red-zone offense was real good, but I missed two easy touchdowns," Rivers said. "I'm kicking myself about that." He wanted three passes back, passes that led to two Nate Kaeding field goals. ..."

N.C. State's Rivers can only watch as time ticked away

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September 8

Charlotte Observer

"San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers wasn't used to being in this position, watching the opposing team drive down the field in a game's closing moments, then winning it on the last play. But there he was, on the Qualcomm Stadium sidelines, as his Carolina Panthers counterpart, Jake Delhomme, drove his team to a game-winning touchdown as time expired Sunday. Delhomme's 14-yard pass to tight end Dante Rosario gave the Panthers a 26-24 victory. "We've won a lot of games like that," said Rivers, a former N.C. State player. "That last play will be replayed over and over. It's what's going to stand out. If it's incomplete you win. It's complete, they win." Rivers had already done his ..."

Rivers led by example in AFC title-game loss

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July 23

San Diego Union-Tribune

columnist Nick Canepa

"On Jan. 20, 2008, Philip Rivers became the undisputed leader of the Chargers. If there had been doubts before then, they ended on a day when global warming somehow missed Foxborough, Mass. The Kid became The Man in the New England chill. The Chargers quarterback was unable to do enough to overcome the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. But few people knew he played without an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Even fewer knew he had undergone arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage in the joint the previous Monday."