How can it not be Chargers running back Darren Sproles? Sproles, who is soon to be a free agent, replaced franchise running back LaDainian Tomlinson -- who was limited by a groin injury -- and made himself some big money with his performance. Sproles ran 23 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns, caught five passes for 45 yards, returned three punts for 72 yards and four kickoffs for 106 yards.

The duds

Colts cornerback Tim Jennings and linebacker Clint Session helped out the Chargers with a couple of penalties in overtime. On third and 8 at the Indianapolis 40, Jennings was called for holding, giving San Diego a first down at the 35. On the next play, Session was flagged for grabbing Sproles' face mask, and the Chargers had the ball on the 20. San Diego scored two plays later.

The number

51.7 That was the net average for Chargers punter Mike Scifres. He put all six of his punts inside the Colts' 20, including one at the 2 and one at the 7 that dictated field position in the first half. Both of the Chargers' first-half touchdowns came on short fields as a result of Scifres pinning the Colts inside their 10, and he also put Indianapolis at the 1 in the fourth quarter. The Colts had to punt, and the Chargers tied the game with a field goal on their next drive.

Key play

San Diego kicker Nate Kaeding's 26-yard field goal with 31 seconds left ended up putting the game into overtime. It was a bit of redemption for Kaeding, who missed field-goal attempts at the end of games in the 2004 and 2006 playoffs.

Local guys

Colts backup tight end Gijon Robinson of Missouri Western caught a pass for 3 yards in the second quarter.

Robinson, who spent 2007 on the Indianapolis practice squad after signing as an undrafted free agent, caught 19 passes for 166 yards this season.

No contact with Polian

Colts vice-president of operations Chris Polian, considered a possible candidate for the Chiefs' general manager position, declined to discuss whether he is interested or has been contacted for the job.

"I'm not going to do that," Polian said before Saturday night's game. "I haven't had any (talks), but we're here to play a game. Kansas City Chiefs business is the Kansas City Chiefs' business right now ..."

Final word

"Injuries are something I am going to have to deal with as I get older."

| Tomlinson, who played the first half despite a painful groin injury

| Randy Covitz, rcovitz@kcstar.com

To see more of The Kansas City Star, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.kansascity.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Kansas City Star, Mo. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.