Initial Take From SIRIIUS/Internet
Hurricane Irene prevented me from listening or viewing the actual game; nor did I have the opportunity to view a rebroadcast. We've been without power since 3 am Sunday, so all I got to see or hear was Kolb to Fitz for 80 in the 1Q and a frozen-pixel outline of Petertson's pick-6. I'm holed up in a hotel room with Internet access trying to play "catchup." (My home may be without power past Labor Day. So all I can give you is a short rundown of the game based on the play by play logs.

• Lede Hed should read: "Cards Lose Another Starter" in Narrow Loss to Chargers.

• The Cardinals led 24 - 17 and halftime and 24 - 20 at the end of the 3Q, but SD's backups outscored us 14 -7 in the 4Q to eke out a narrow win. (Oh well, at least they didn't beat us with a late-minute FG).

After Watching on TV
We didn't get to watch TV. We were too busy playing "Stone Age Cave Men" (without electricity, phone contact, TV or Internet access) to catch various rebroadcasts of the game. From the game logs, it looked as though Kolb and Fitz were struggling a bit early in the game, but the 60-yard TD home-run play quickly changed that impression.

Game Recap

• 1st Quarter

  • Cards started off with a completion to Fitz and a 10-yard run by Beanie, but the drive fizzled and the Cards punted from their own 44 to the SD 16. Rivers completed a couple of short passes on SD's first possession, but they had to punt after 5 plays. Kolb only completed 2 of 6 passes on the next Cardinal drive which started from our own 34. But he was able to parlay a defensive pass interference call drawn by Fitz and a medium completion to Todd Heap to where Jay Feely was able to boot home a 36-yard FG. Cards 3 - Chargers 0.

  • Nice return to the SD 39. From there it took a few dinks, dunks and a defensive  flag on Haggansto put SD in position for Kaeding to tie it up from 52. Chargers 3 - Cardinals 3.

  • Cards took over on their own 20. On the second play of the series, Kolb led Fitz perfectly on an 80-yard TD completion. Spectacular play and hopefully a glimpse into the future. Cards 10 - Chargers 3.

  • On the very next series - 3rd & 6 on the Charger 23, Rivers' pass short pass intended for Antonio Gates was picked off by Patrick Peterson at the SD 34, and PP21 showed everyone how dangerous he can be, by taking it back 34 yards for the score. Wow! Cards 17 - (the vaunted) Chargers 3.

  • San Diego moved from their own 20 in 4 plays (picking up 2 firsts down en route to the Cardinal 48 as the quarter ended.

• 2nd Quarter

  • A 31-yard Rivers to V Jackson completion helped set up a 13-yard TD completion to Gates. Cards 17 - Chargers 10.

  • Cards started from their 20. Completions of 19 yards (to Doucet) and 12 yards (to heap) helped set up a pretty 34 yard end-around TD run by Roberts. Cards 24 - Chargers 10.

  • SD's short pass offense only netted them 20 yards on the next drive, and they punted from their own 40. Kolb mounted a similar (& equally unsuccessful)  short pass drive (undermined by a false start flag on Keith) and we punted to the SD 30. Rivers then engineered a short -pass marked drive that picked up 70 yards in ten plays and 4½-minutes of clock to score on a 3-yard completion to Floyd with less than 0:30 on the clock. There's a lot to be said about hanging on within close striking distance of the lead in order to make your move later on. Cards 24 - Chargers 17.

  • Nada in 2 plays before the half ended. First Half Score: Cards 24 - Chargers 17.

• 3rd Quarter

  • Second half was penalty-marred (& mostly by Cards). SD received and went 3 & out. Two sacks and 2 Cardinal flags (Roberts and Keith) bogged down the Cardinal drive at the SD 42. On the next play from scrimmage, Matthews motored up the middle for 48 yards (plus 15 for a horse-collar by Jefferson). But we stalled 'em at the 18, and they had to settle for a 36-yard Kaeding FG.  Cards 24 - Chargers 20.

  • Bartel in there with LSH in there.  Nice 17-yard pickup by the Howler, Drive started on the Card 20 and extended into the 4Q with the Cards moving to the SD 26.

• 4th Quarter

  • Bartel continued to move the ball (mostly on short passes and 5 - 10 yard gains by LSH). On the12th play of the possession, he hit the Howler for a 6 yard TD. (Note - Any time a QB can engineer a 12-play dink & dunk drive ,marching his team from his own 20 and in for a score, you have to be impressed. Cards 31 - Chargers 20.

  • Plenty of time (12:33)Volek now in for SD. Moves team from their own 20 to the Card 39 where they had to punt. Two plays later, Bartelon the Cardinal. It was recovered by SD (Gamble) at the Cardinal one-yard line and Gamble took it in for a TD. As it turned out, there's your football game. Cards 31 - Chargers 27.

  • Bartel still in game. Powell receiving most of the carries. Cards started from their own 20 but couldn't get past tthe SD 49. They punted to the SD 10 with 3:11 left to play.  Card scrubs couldn't stop Volek's short passing attack. They used up 12 plays and 3:05 to engineer the winning score on a 14-yard Volek to Walters completion. Chargers 34 - Cards 31.

  • Three seconds left. Bartel hit Powell for 19 yards on the final play. Final Score: Chargers 34 - Cardinals 21

The Bright Side

• Kolb appears to be settling in nicely.

• PP21 is beginning to show a few glimmers of stardom.

• Kolb-to-Fitzgerald continues to click.

• Roberts showed speed on the end around.

• 150+ yards on the ground (103 by Beanie and LSH).

• DWash led the team in tackles. Calais Campbell (2nd in tackles) had a forced fumble.

• Doesn't it seem like we're making more big plays (on both sides of the ball) this year so far?

• Bartel shows he can engineer long drives (& he did go 8 for 10) but...

The Dark Side

• ...But unfortunately, Bartels hasn't establish the kind of consistency that will eep him out of the bad habit of  doing something dumb and dangerous at least once per game.

• Toler's injury.

• Penalties (8 penalties for 56 yards).

• No sacks.

• Our QB's were sacked twice.

• I didn't see the play, but Jefferson's horse collar of Matthews from behind could either be considered a good thing or a bad thing.  I dunno.

Last Word
I don't care if we were playing rooks; I hate when the other team can take it down the field on the last long drive of the game, and we can't stop 'em.

80 Isaiah Williams

13 Aaron Nichols