Chargers won ninth straight game by beating Bengals 27-24

The San Diego Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding kicked a 52-yard field goal when it was only three seconds before game ended, and the playoff-bound Chargers pulled out a tight 27-24 win over the grieving Cincinnati Bengals, who entered Sunday’s game three days after losing wide receiver Chris Henry.


The winning kick came after Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers moved the Chargers 46 yards in 51 seconds with no timeouts and backup center Dennis Norman snapping after Scott Mruckzkowski was injured. A few minutes after the final gun, the Chargers clinched their fourth straight AFC West title when Denver lost 20-19 to Oakland.

Thus the Chargers won their ninth straight game and clinched a playoff spot before halftime because of other results. The Bolts improved to 17-0 in December dating to 2006.

Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco caught a 49-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to give the Bengals a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter, then the receiver wearing his No.85 Bengals jersey got down on both knees and touched his heart with his right hand. However, the Bengals finally only tied the game at 24 on Shayne Graham’s 34-yard field goal with 54 seconds left.

Bengals WR Henry died at 26, active, injured

The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry became the 10th active NFL player to die this decade. The time was 6:36 a.m. ET Thursday morning, the place was at Carolinas Medical Center, and the reason was being badly injured after falling out of the rear end of a truck.


According to police, a dispute happening Wednesday at a Charlotte-area home led to Henry’s fiancée Loleini Tonga leaving the residence in a truck. Henry jumped into the bed of the vehicle but then fell into the street nearly a half mile from the home and he suffered life-threatening injuries, including severe head trauma. The couple had planned to get married in March. Henry’s death left his fiancée Loleini Tonga three children: 3-year-old Seini, 2-year old Chris Jr. and 10-month old DeMarcus.

The last time Henry was seen in a game wearing his Bengals jersey was on Nov. 8, when the Bengals were playing against the Baltimore Ravens. Henry broke his left forearm during the game and was placed on injured reserve shortly after the injury.