By ROY CUMMINGS

rcummings@tampatrib.com

TAMPA - When the clock ran down on the final NFL game of the day Sunday, the Bucs were still alive in the NFC playoff race. They were barely alive, but alive nonetheless.

After Tampa Bay dropped a 41-24 decision to the San Diego Chargers at Raymond James Stadium, however, you have to wonder just what kind of a playoff team the Bucs would be.

With their defense stuck in a seemingly irreversible state of retreat and their offense diminished to a two-man show, it seems quite possible that another one-and-done tournament run lies ahead.

But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. After all, with only one wild-card berth left undecided, the Bucs will need to beat the Raiders at home next week and have Dallas lose or tie at Philadelphia to claim the NFC's sixth and final playoff spot.

It's no wonder then that at a time when everything they are doing is geared toward getting them into the playoffs, some Bucs barely could find it within themselves to mention the word playoffs.

"I have to harness my inner Jim Mora here," cornerback Ronde Barber said. "I mean, to heck with the playoffs. Right now we just have to find a way to win a game, period."

For 12 weeks the Bucs found all kinds of ways to win games. The magic has suddenly disappeared, though, as their losing streak now stands at three, including their first loss at home this season.

"There are a lot of guys in this locker room right now who are in disbelief over this situation," said receiver Antonio Bryant, who is one half of the offense's two-man attack.

The other half is quarterback Jeff Garcia. One week after missing a game with a sore right calf, he ran for a team-best 45 yards and a touchdown and threw for 232 yards and a 71-yard touchdown to Bryant.

As it has been since the losing streak started, though, it was the defense that let the Bucs down, this time by allowing quarterback Philip Rivers to complete 21 of his 31 throws for 287 yards and four touchdowns.

A team that was 9-3 just three weeks ago is suddenly on the brink of one of the worst collapses in franchise history.

"That wasn't our best Football today," Bucs coach Jon Gruden said. "The simple fact is, we haven't played our best Football [these last three weeks]. We had chances to win all three of these games; we just didn't get it done."

STATISTICS

San Diego 7 13 0 21 - 41

Tampa Bay 7 3 14 0 - 24

First Quarter

SD-Manumaleuna 11 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick), 5:04. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 3:56. Key Plays: Hart fumble recovery (A.Bryant); Rivers 15 pass to Gates; Tomlinson 4 run on 3rd-and-1; Rivers 15 pass to Jackson on 3rd-and-5. San Diego 7, Tampa Bay 0.

TB-Askew 1 run (M.Bryant kick), 2:39. Drive: 4 plays, 11 yards, 2:25. Key Plays: C.Smith 72 kickoff return to San Diego 11; Williams 1 run on 3rd-and-1. San Diego 7, Tampa Bay 7.

Second Quarter

SD-Gates 15 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick), 13:26. Drive: 7 plays, 69 yards, 4:13. Key Plays: Tomlinson 13 run; Rivers 18 pass to Jackson; Rivers 22 pass to Tomlinson. San Diego 14, Tampa Bay 7.

SD-FG Kaeding 28, 5:32. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 6:13. Key Plays: Rivers 18 pass to Naanee on 3rd-and-4; Rivers 17 pass to Chambers; Rivers 22 pass to Jackson; Rivers 11 pass to Naanee on 3rd-and-8. San Diego 17, Tampa Bay 7.

TB-FG M.Bryant 49, :17. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 1:39. Key Plays: Garcia 14 pass to A.Bryant; Garcia 16 pass to A.Bryant. San Diego 17, Tampa Bay 10.

SD-FG Kaeding 57, :00. Drive: 2 plays, 25 yards, 0:17. Key Play: Rivers 25 pass to Jackson. San Diego 20, Tampa Bay 10.

Third Quarter

TB-Garcia 7 run (M.Bryant kick), 7:41. Drive: 13 plays, 78 yards, 7:19. Key Plays: Garcia 17 pass to Clayton; Williams 1 run on 3rd-and-1; Garcia 17 pass to A.Bryant on 3rd-and-5; Garcia 11 run. San Diego 20, Tampa Bay 17.

TB-A.Bryant 71 pass from Garcia (M.Bryant kick), 5:05. Drive: 3 plays, 82 yards, 1:15. Tampa Bay 24, San Diego 20.

Fourth Quarter

SD-Gates 5 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick), 14:53. Drive: 11 plays, 63 yards, 5:12. Key Plays: Rivers 16 pass to Jackson; Rivers 10 pass to Jackson on 3rd-and-4. San Diego 27, Tampa Bay 24.

SD-Sproles 32 pass from Rivers (Kaeding kick), 7:18. Drive: 4 plays, 46 yards, 2:06. Key Play: Sproles 43 punt return to Tampa Bay 46. San Diego 34, Tampa Bay 24.

SD-Cason 59 interception return (Kaeding kick), 3:00. San Diego 41, Tampa Bay 24.

A-64,778.

TIME-2:48.

Reporter Roy Cummings can be reached at (813) 259-7979.

Photo credit: Tribune photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Photo: A bloody Jeff Garcia hits the turf after being tackled by San Diego's Shaun Phillips on Sunday. Garcia, hit hard several plays earlier after a scramble, was the Bucs' leading rusher against the Chargers.

Photo credit: Tribune photo by JAY CONNER

Photo: A Garcia pass sails past the outstretched hands of Bucs wide receiver Antonio Bryant in the fourth quarter. The Bucs lost at home for the first time this year.

Photo: Antonio Bryant

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