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Chargers End 3-Game Skid, Crush Jaguars 45-10

JACKSONVILLE (CBSLA/AP) — Philip Rivers threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns, including an 84-yarder to Austin Ekeler that was the longest completion of the quarterback's 16-year NFL career, and the Los Angeles Chargers handled the Jaguars 45-10 Sunday to end a three-game skid.

It was Jacksonville's fifth consecutive lopsided loss, all by at least 17 points. The 1986 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the last NFL team to drop five straight by at least 17.

Jacksonville's last two have been embarrassments at home — both essentially settled before halftime.

The Chargers (5-8) scored on four of five possessions in the first half, picking apart Jacksonville's beleaguered defense and taking a 24-3 into the locker room. It was a welcome cushion for a team whose eight losses each came by seven points or fewer.

It was more of the same for the Jaguars (4-9), who trailed by as many as 25, 32, 24 and 23 in their previous four blowouts.

It's hard to imagine owner Shad Khan keeping Doug Marrone any longer, not following another lackluster effort against another sub-.500 team. The Jaguars have now lost 19 of their last 25 games — 11 of those by double digits.

The latest one officially ended Jacksonville's ultra-slim playoff hopes.

Now it could also be the end of Marrone's tenure with the Jags.

Marrone benched veteran quarterback Nick Foles in favor of rookie Gardner Minshew, hoping to spark his team. But Minshew looked mostly ordinary, completing 24 of 37 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown. He also missed DJ Chark running wide open down the left side in the second quarter.

Leonard Fournette ran for 49 yards.

Rivers got the fourth quarter off — a nice way to spend his 38th birthday.

 

Los Angeles Chargers v Jacksonville Jaguars
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 08: Hunter Henry #86 of the Los Angeles Chargers catches a pass for a touchdown during the second quarter of a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field on December 08, 2019 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

He completed 16 of 22 passes, including a 30-yard TD pass to wide-open Hunter Henry, a screen pass to Austin Ekeler that beat an all-out blitz and was the longest of his pro career, and a 44-yarder to Mike Williams.

Williams extended his streak to five games with at least one catch gaining more than 40 yards and found the end zone for the first time this season. It was an odd drought considering Williams had 11 touchdowns (10 receiving, one rushing) last year.

He celebrated by trying to dunk the ball over the crossbar. He came up short and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Rivers has now thrown for 2,668 yards and 24 touchdowns in nine career starts against the Jaguars. He has 17 TD passes and an interception in his last five against Jacksonville.

Ekeler finished with 213 total yards, including 101 rushing and 112 receiving. Melvin Gordon added 55 and a touchdown on the ground.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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