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NFL

Chargers get revenge for Manning's snub

Associated Press
Published September 27, 2005

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SAN DIEGO - Eli Manning has a simple request.

"Hopefully we can put all that's happened with the Chargers in the past," Manning said after his New York Giants were routed 45-23 by San Diego on Sunday night.

Chargers fans would probably agree to that, especially after getting some payback.

Seventeen months after the quarterback told the Chargers to take someone else with the first pick of the 2004 draft, San Diegans let him have it.

Boos and rude chants thundered down on Manning all night from the sellout crowd of 65,373.

Fans brought signs such as "Hey, Eli, Nobody Likes You," "Drew's Your Daddy" (a reference to Chargers quarterback Drew Brees) and "Daddy's Little Girl," a shot at Manning and his father, Archie.

In the front row behind the Chargers bench, fans pummeled a mannequin that was dressed in Manning's No.10 jersey and a Giants helmet.

"I knew it was going to be loud," Manning said.

While the crowd delighted in tormenting Manning, it also exhorted the Chargers and LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

San Diego linebacker Donnie Edwards said it was so loud he had to use hand signals to make defensive calls. At one point, he was tempted to plug the ear holes in his helmet with his fingers.

"The energy was awesome," he said.

"They really gave the Giants a hard time, especially Eli," Tomlinson said. "It was an electrifying event out there and it was like a playoff game."

Brees threw two touchdowns for the Chargers, who had 485 total yards. Manning threw for a career-high 352 yards and two touchdowns for the Giants, who gained 424 yards.

Chargers defenders said all week they were more concerned about getting a win than getting even with Manning.

Yet after Manning had to call a timeout early in the second quarter deep in New York territory, San Diego's players egged on the crowd. When Edwards sacked Manning on the next play, linebacker Steve Foley jumped all over Edwards in celebration.

Linebacker Ben Leber drew a roughing-the-passer call after Manning threw a touchdown to Plaxico Burress to pull the Giants within 21-10 late in the second quarter.

Stashed in Edwards' locker was a T-shirt imprinted with the same phrase fans had been chanting.

"I saw my name on a few things," Manning said. "I'm sure they made a good profit on T-shirts and things."

Edwards said he took Manning's slight personally.

"I was born and raised here in San Diego. It's almost like a slap in the face for us. I think a lot of people took it that way," he said.

Manning was selected by the Chargers with the first pick but was traded to the Giants for quarterback Philip Rivers, taken at No.4, and a handful of picks.

Manning did quiet the crowd by leading the Giants on three scoring drives late in the second quarter to pull them within 21-20. Manning was 24-of-41, both career bests, and was sacked twice.

But the Chargers scored on their first three possessions of the second half to put it away.

Early in the third quarter, Brees pitched to Tomlinson and the running back rolled right and threw a score to former Bucs receiver Keenan McCardell, who for the second time in the game was isolated on a linebacker.

[Last modified September 27, 2005, 02:45:31]