Chargers rout Broncos to win weakest division

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The mild, mild AFC West belongs to LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers and the rest of the San Diego Chargers.

The Chargers won the NFL’s weakest division with an 8-8 record, becoming the first team to go from 4-8 to the playoffs by routing the Denver Broncos 52-21 Sunday night.

The Chargers became the first team to win a division at 8-8 since the Cleveland Browns did it in 1985.

Tomlinson, who didn’t return after straining an abdominal muscle in the third quarter, had his first three-touchdown game of the season. Rivers threw his 33rd and 34th touchdown passes to break Hall of Famer Dan Fouts’ 1981 team single-season record.

Denver (8-8) completed a monumental collapse, becoming the first team since division play began in 1967 to miss the playoffs after having a three-game lead with three weeks to go. Needing just one win to wrap up the division, the Broncos lost at Carolina, at home to Buffalo and then to the Chargers.

The Chargers were 5-1 in the division but 3-7 outside it, and had zero wins against playoff teams. San Diego will play host to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night. San Diego upset the Colts in the playoffs last year, but Indy won 23-20 in San Diego on Nov. 23.

After Tomlinson scored on a 14-yard run midway through the third quarter, he celebrated with his teammates and then high-stepped across the field to the bench.

San Diego scored twice in 18 seconds midway through the third quarter. Rivers threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to speedy Darren Sproles to make it 31-13. Defensive end Luis Castillo intercepted Cutler’s deflected pass on the first play of the ensuing Denver drive, and Tomlinson then scored on his 14-yard run.

Tomlinson used a nice spin move to score on a 4-yard run late in the second quarter, adding to the 1-yard scoring run he had in the first period.

Sproles also scored on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter. He finished with 115 yards on 14 carries. Tomlinson had 96 yards on 14 carries.

Denver’s Tatum Bell had touchdown runs of 26 and 37 yards. San Diego’s Nate Kaeding kicked a 28-yard field goal.

Rookie Jacob Hester scored on a 4-yard run late in the game for San Diego.