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DOLPHINS 17, CHARGERS 10
Miami vise
Recent history repeats itself as Bolts stumble out of the gate and draw close in second half before failing to overtake foe
By Kevin Acee
STAFF WRITER
October 6, 2008
MIAMI – Almost, again.
The Chargers lost their first two games by a combined three points. Their third loss, 17-10 to the Dolphins yesterday, was by a touchdown, but also by a yard.
And a half.
As in another horrific first half.
The Chargers have trailed at halftime in all but one game and in all three of their losses.
“We can do it,” Philip Rivers said. “But we're making it tough.”
The offense was stifled for the second straight game. The defense was excellent except when it mattered most.
SEAN M. HAFFEY / Union-Tribune
Akin Ayodele hauls LaDainian Tomlinson down by the ankle on a gain of 11 yards, the running back's largest gain of the day.
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SEAN M. HAFFEY / Union-Tribune
Second-year coach Norv Turner does not like what he sees as the Chargers suffer through another lackluster first half before falling to the upstart Miami Dolphins.
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So instead of continuing a winning streak, the Chargers drag a 2-3 record back across the country, their same five-game mark as last season.
This week, they play their nemesis, the New England Patriots, their only game at Qualcomm Stadium this month before a two-game trip to Buffalo and London, where they play the New Orleans Saints.
“We (fought) our way out of it,” LaDainian Tomlinson said of 2007. “Hopefully we can do the same thing this year. We've got a tough road. It's not last year.”
Down 17-3 at halftime, the Chargers got to 17-10 on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Chris Chambers. On the ensuing kickoff, Jacob Hester forced a fumble and recovered it. The Chargers drove to the 1-yard line in five plays, but on the first play of the fourth quarter, Tomlinson was stopped on fourth down.
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Chargers' next opponent
New England, at Qualcomm Stadium, Sunday, 5:15 P.M., TV: 7/39
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The Dolphins converted five crucial third downs in the final quarter, including four as they ran out the final 5:55 of the game.
“We just got flat-out beat early,” cornerback Quentin Jammer said. “And then we couldn't get off the field at the end.”
 Kevin Acee: (619) 293-1857; kevin.acee@uniontrib.com
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