Rivers shows he can take Charge for San Diego

I don't think it's going to change, either. In fact, if I were to guess, I'd say Indianapolis borrows a page from the Tennessee playbook and forces Rivers, not Tomlinson, to beat the Colts.

Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn't. I don't care. What matters is that Rivers did it once, answering the questions and responding to critics that dogged the guy all season.

"It brings so much joy to see Philip play that way," said Gates, "because he's been going through so much -- so much adversity and ups and downs this season.

"His ability to take everything in and come out and play this game speaks volumes about the character of a person. He's put up with boos and different rumors you hear, but he managed to come away, play well and win this game."

Of course, Rivers had help. The offensive line protected him. Receivers Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson each had 100-yard games. And the Chargers defense was superb, holding Tennessee to a solitary field goal on three series inside the San Diego 20.

But this game wasn't as much about San Diego as it was its quarterback. For months, the word around the NFL was that you could stop the Chargers if you could stop Tomlinson -- and that, in fact, seemed to be the case when the club dropped three of its first four as L.T., Rivers and the Bolts floundered.

But that was then and this is now, and now the Chargers won their last seven, and their quarterback has one interception in his last four starts. Trust me, the two are related.

"I'm about as competitive as it gets," said Rivers. "I hate to lose. I don't pay much attention to the talk, but I hear it. (Critics say) the guy over center is a big question mark, but I know what I can do. I know my teammates believe in me. But believe me, it's more than me making a throw and a play."

Sure it is, but until Sunday nobody was certain Philip Rivers could make a throw or a play when it mattered. Now, critics are asked to roll the videotape to San Diego's latest triumph and draw their own conclusions.

"He showed a lot of poise, and he was confident," said Tomlinson. "I was impressed."

So were a lot of people -- including some who dressed in the Tennessee locker room. But that's why the Chargers never blinked when they lost Rivers' predecessor, Drew Brees, to free agency. They believed in Rivers, and they believed he could take them where they are now.

"I was impressed with his composure, his accuracy and his poise in the pocket," said Turner. "We didn't get L.T. going early, but it didn't stop us from doing what we want to do."

Precisely. And that's a big step forward for the San Diego Chargers and their quarterback.