WEs Jackson, Naanee prove they're game

Mamba · Sep 15, 2009

OAKLAND – As spectacular as the catches by Vincent Jackson and Legedu Naanee were – and they positively saved the Chargers from a rare defeat to the Raiders last night – they don't surprise Philip Rivers. He sees them every day.

“It's just that when these guys get on the big stage,” the quarterback was saying late Monday night, “people want to ask about them, and rightly so. But these guys are always stepping up. It's no secret to us.”

In a 24-20 season-opening victory in which a bunch of offensive players stepped up at the end, Jackson and Naanee made the most spectacular plays at the most opportune times.

Jackson made a twisting, 15-yard touchdown catch to give the Chargers the lead with 7:22 left, and after the Raiders stormed back to regain the lead, Naanee, by the length of his fingertips, caught a pass at his ankles. He raced 23 yards to the Oakland 32 – the biggest play leading up to Darren Sproles'5-yard touchdown run that sealed the win.

The final two drives by the Chargers marked a stunning turnaround by an offense that sputtered through much of the first three quarters. In those final two possessions, Rivers completed 10-of-12 passes for 144 yards and a 144.4 quarterback rating. Before that, Rivers was 14-of-24 for 108 yards and a 52.1 rating.

“We just started taking what they were giving us,” said Jackson, who was one of four Chargers with five receptions.

Antonio Gates, who also had a couple of big catches down the stretch, notched 83 yards receiving. Jackson had 56, Naanee 49 and Sproles 43.

Naanee, who had eight catches in each of his previous two seasons, is known for his excellent hands, and he showed it on the key play on the last drive. Rivers was flushed from the pocket, and while moving to his left, he had to throw across his body to the wide-open Naanee. Initially, it looked like there would be no way Naanee could scoop the ball up from that low.

“An unbelievable catch,” Rivers said. “I'm moving left and trying to flick it right, and I don't know that I could have given him a good ball if I tried 10 times,” Rivers said. “He made three or four big-time catches.”

After Naanee's effort, a 13-yard completion to Gates moved the Chargers to the Oakland 10, and Sproles pulled off two 5-yard runs to get the Chargers into the end zone.

On the scoring play, Rivers said the Chargers originally were going to pass, but after Oakland called timeout with 21 seconds remaining they switched to the “trap” play inside.

“We put that play in during the week, and I really liked it,” Rivers said.

It was a gritty night for Rivers, who scrambled often and was even called for an untimely taunting penalty in the third quarter when a Raiders lineman rushed at his feet after the whistle had blown.

“My mouthpiece came out,” Rivers said. “It was loud, and they were kind of still playing. And I said, 'Stop on the whistle!' So it looked like I was barking at him. That was after the play that (center) Nick (Hardwick) got hurt. I was by no means taunting.”
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http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/sep/15/n105897-wrs-jackson-naanee-chargers/?chargers

Mamba · Sep 15, 2009

Our receiving corp is so deep. Vincent Jackson, Legedu Naanee, Malcom Floyd, Antonio Gates, Tomlinson and Sproles out of the backfield, and Chambers.

It is amazing that Chambers is probably the least threat out of all of them. He has really fallen off the map since he went out with injury last year. He's almost an after thought here in SD.

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WEs Jackson, Naanee prove they're game

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WEs Jackson, Naanee prove they're game

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