East Rutherford, N.J. • Philip Rivers threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Melvin Gordon with 2:58 to play and the Los Angeles Chargers rallied for a 27-22 victory Sunday over the New York Giants, who lost star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to a broken left ankle in the waning minutes.
The touchdown pass was Rivers’ third of the game and came three plays after Kyle Emanuel had a sack, forced fumble and recovery against Eli Manning at the Giants 11-yard line. It also came four plays after Beckham become the fourth Giants receiver knocked out of the game with an injury.
It was the ugliest thing in the game involving two teams that posted 0-4 records in the first month of the season.
Rivers also hit Gordon on a 6-yard TD pass in the second quarter and had a 25-yarder to tight end Hunter Henry in the third as the Chargers ended a nine-game losing streak dating to late November.
Manning had given the Giants a 22-17 lead early in the fourth quarter with a 48-yard TD pass to a wide-open Beckham. New York missed the 2-point conversion attempt after being hit with a delay of game penalty.
Manning, who was sacked five times, also threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to backup Roger Lewis Jr. in the third quarter. Orleans Darkwa scored on a 23-yard run and the Giants got a safety in scoring their first first-quarter points this season.
Manning’s attempt to rally the Giants in the final minute ended when he was intercepted by Tre Boston just inside Los Angeles territory.
This game was filled with errors and there were a combined 21 penalties. Rivers (21 of 44 for 258 yards) and Manning (21 for 36 for 183) each missed open receivers deep. The Giants got a safety on a play Chargers center Spencer Pulley snapped the ball from the 7-yard line before Rivers was ready, forcing the quarterback to toss the ball out of the end zone. Each team converted a PAT that hit the upright and bounced the right way. Referee Jeff Triplette announced “San Diego” on a call.
WR MISERY: Giants WRs Sterling Shepard and Brandon Marshall left the game on the same second-quarter series with sprained left ankles. Dwayne Harris broke a foot on a kickoff return in the third quarter. Beckham was hurt late when Casey Hayward pinned his ankle making a tackle after an incomplete pass.
OUT: After playing in 84 straight games, Giants DE Olivier Vernon (ankle) was sidelined for the first time in his career. New York C Weston Richburg (concussion) had started the last 26 games ... Chargers starting LB Korey Toomer did not play despite not being on the injury report all week.