SAN DIEGO (AP) – LaDainian Tomlinson saved the day for the San Diego Chargers – again.

With both Tomlinson and the Chargers looking all too human against the Oakland Raiders, the star running back keyed yet another second-half rally to give the AFC West-leading Chargers a 21-14 win against over their biggest rival Sunday, their fifth straight win.

Tomlinson, in the midst of an MVP season, rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another. He has 24 touchdowns this season, needing five in the last five games to break the NFL record of 28 set by Shaun Alexander during his MVP season of 2005.

Tomlinson threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates to tie the game at 14. It came four plays after a celebratory spike by Vincent Jackson following a fourth-down catch set off 10 minutes of confusion.

With the Chargers (9-2) trailing 14-7 and facing fourth-and-two from the Raiders’ 40, Jackson caught a 13-yard pass from Philip Rivers, rolled to the ground untouched, then stood up and spun the ball forward. Oakland’s Fabian Washington jumped on the ball.

Referee Mike Carey originally signaled Oakland’s possession, but then the Chargers were flagged for illegal forward pass. Even with the five-yard penalty, the Chargers still had a first down, at the 32.

While Gates got wide open, quarterback Philip Rivers tossed the ball to Tomlinson, who threw his second TD pass of the season and the sixth of his career.

After the Chargers forced the Raiders to punt, Tomlinson broke a 44-yard run on first down, starting up the middle before bouncing outside. He capped the drive with a 10-yard scoring run, easing up as he crossed the goal line untouched.

It was his 21st touchdown in seven games.

Aaron Brooks, who had led the Raiders (2-9) to a 14-7 lead midway through the third quarter, was intercepted deep in Chargers territory by Drayton Florence with 1:48 left in the game. Brooks was sacked five times.


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