Chargers-Titans Quasi Live Blog, Second Quarter

On the flip, the Titans continue to run it down the gut, with a big 13-yard gain on a 3rd and 1. LemDale White Is Exerting His Will... but he's on the sidelines when Shawn Philips recovers a terrible fumble by Chris Brown, and it's Chargers ball inside their 10. That's what the Shooter Grandpappy used to call a game-changer right there. (He also said the same thing about Grandmom's burlap nightie, and so would you.)

LDT for El Dee Squat. Chambers for seven, and could we have a Charger first down today? On 3rd and 6, Rivers finds Gates and the Chargers are on the move. Eerie parallels to the early game, where the Giants didn't have a first down in the first quarter... LDT for 2 (he's now got 4 carries for 5 yards), and Rivers finds Chambers for a big 31 yard completion down the gut. I don't like either the QB or the WR there, but that was a nice play.

LDT for another loss; he now has 5 carries for 2 yards. Rivers scrambles and throws it away on 2nd, and we've got 3rd and 12. Will he throw a safe short pass and turn the ball over on a punt? Nope -- actually tries a deep ball to Vincente Padilla Jackson, and the ball in underthrown and out of bounds. At least field position was changed, and after the punt, the Titans will start at their 11. Did I mention that that the over bet is for crap yet?

White loses four on the worst screen execution ever; he was open, but falls down and soils himself. 3rd and 12, and if I were the Chargers, I'd watch the scramble... Young hits Chris Davis on a perfectly timed 9 yard out. A shame, since they needed 12. Pointless, and then it turns out to be dropped. They aren't sending the tape of this one to Canton. And Norv needs more lozenges, though the Sproles punt return started to clear things a bit. The Chargers will start in Titan territory.

Rivers on first down shows what he thinks of that with a bad pick on an underthrown deep ball to Chambers. Titans ball at their own 20. I'm starting to think that the 30 NFL teams that weren't involved in the Rivers-Manning trade were the real winners. QB Philip then spazzes out on the sidelines. Hoo boy.

3rd and 8 for the Titans is a long ball to a crowd of four players - 2 Titans, 2 Chargers. That's good football right there! After the three and out and punt and eye gouge, the punt goes out at the Chargers 44, and QB Philip is back in business and feeling much better after a Midol. Norv's switching to a menthol rub, though.

On 3rd and 10 after a false start and a near sack/disaster/afterbirth from QB Philip, Jackson gets wide open and the Chargers get to field goal position. But LDT is still getting stuffed (7 for 6 yards now), and Gates goes off on the cart after a one yard loss on a terrible pass behind him.

That sound you just heard was Norv peeing himself while coughing, and the Colts redoubling their prayers for a Bolts win. The Pats are also starting to entertain the notion of a 20-point line for their home game against the Titans.

QB Phil throws a rainbow to the corner into double coverage, and it's knocked down. Nate Kaeding, who Jim Nantz informs us isn't 100% and is still Nate Kaeding with his unfortunate history of being Nate Kaeding, misses badly from 45, and it's still 3-0 Titans, with less than three minutes left in the half.

Gates is said to have a toe problem and a questionable return. Speaking of questionable, the Titans run it twice before the two minute warning, because they're dying to make sure they lead this game by no more than three points at the half. On 3rd and 10, Young finds someone named Byron Eelie (I have no idea if that spelling is right) for a first down. Chris Brown runs for 10 yards from dreadful tackling masquerading as hard hitting, but a flag brings it back. Some more dull plays later, it's 3rd and 7 with 46 seconds left, and Young finds Eelie again for the first. With the ball at the 40, they're almost in range for Bironas, and that's all the Titans want, since touchdowns are evil.

Moulds for 5, and there's 32 seconds left in this cure for life. 5 yards to Troupe for a first down, and tick. Cooper, the Charger DL, dives for the spike (hmm, interesting) and misses. 15 seconds left from the Charger 30. an you feel the tension. I can, but it's been a while since I moved my bowels. White for 3, and Bironas is on to try from 45, which he makes straight down the gut. It's 6-0 Titans, and the Charger players might want to attempt a tracheotomy on Norv during the halftime. I saw a MASH episode once, and all you need is a swiss army knife and a pen tube. It's easy!