Colts 3, Chargers 0

Key play: The Colts are the best team in the NFL at third-down conversions, mostly because of the guile they've got at quarterback, and it was a third-and-1 at the Indy 42 that Peyton Manning turned into a first down at the Chargers 32. Faking into the line, Manning hit Reggie Wayne with a 26-yard pass, leading eventually to Adam Vinatieri's 23-yard field goal and the game's first lead.

Key stat: The Chargers didn't get their first first down of the game until the final play of the quarter, a third-and-2 pass of 19 yards from Philip Rivers to Malcom Floyd.

Not in the box score: The natives aren't just restless, but ready to rain down their derision on the home team. The first boos were aimed at either LaDainian Tomlinson or the offensive line that wasn't creating holes for him as he headed left and was dropped for zero yardage on a couple of key carries.

SECOND QUARTER

Chargers 10, Colts 10

Key play: With 9:32 left in the period and the game just tied by Nate Kaeding, Manning dropped back on first down and went straight upfield for Marvin Harrison, who was behind the Chargers defense and ready to haul in the pass for a possible touchdown. Instead, cornerback Quentin Jammer made a lunging dive and clean catch for a long-awaited Chargers interception.

Key stat: On the ensuing 89-yard drive to a go-ahead touchdown, Rivers scrambled for a first down and completed three straight passes. The capper was a 39-yarder on which Vincent Jackson caught the ball between two Colts at the 5, spun and dove for the end zone and the TD.

Not in the box score: 185. That's the number of consecutive passes that had been thrown against the Chargers without an interception, a span of four games and two quarters, when Jammer picked off Manning. At the same time, Manning had released 140 straight passes without an interception before that play.

THIRD QUARTER

Colts 17, Chargers 10

Key play: When three straight tries from 2 yards out or closer were thwarted by the Chargers, still leaving Indy less than a yard short of the goal line, the Colts went for it on fourth down. Setting up in shotgun formation and immediately spotting running back Dominic Rhodes covered by linebacker Stephen Cooper on the far left side, Manning hurriedly called for the snap, then quickly flicked a pass to Rhodes for the go-ahead touchdown.

Key stat: He hasn't thrown an interception to this point, but Rivers did commit a turnover for the fifth straight game, a fumble caused by a sack for the second straight game. The Chargers' promising first drive of the second half ended when Rivers was hit while being chased out of the pocket by defensive end Robert Mathis, a turnover that led to a long Colts march to a TD.

Not in the box score: There are teams, many of them, whose quarterbacks call last-second timeouts simply because of the disorganization they see in their own offense. Seemingly every time Manning calls for one, though, it leads to something bad happening to the other team. A timeout immediately preceded Indy's second-quarter TD, and this time, the Colts came out of the timeout and immediately converted a third-and-1 at the Chargers 8.

FOURTH QUARTER

Chargers 23, Colts 20

Key play: Manning had been eating up the Chargers on third downs, almost to the point where you thought the Colts were merely using the first two downs to set up the third, but linebackers Shaun Phillips and Jyles Tucker put a stop to it with their 1-2 hit on running back Joseph Addai for a 2-yard loss on third-and-1 at the 40. Thus, the Colts were forced to punt the ball over to San Diego with 3:44 remaining in the game, more than sufficient time for the Chargers to forge a tie. Albeit temporary.

Key stat: One inch. That's all the difference it came down to between the Colts and the Chargers, really. The Colts needed that one inch on fourth down to keep their last-ditch drive alive, but instead of a dive, Manning dropped back and hit wide-open Harrison for a 14-yard gain that got Indianapolis in range for Vinatieri's game-winning field goal of 51 yards.

Not in the box score: Strictly from the Chargers' perspective, vital was an apparent fumble by Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez after a catch that was negated. The ball was stripped by Chargers nickel back Antoine Cason and recovered by cornerback Antonio Cromartie. However, the officials ruled the play an incomplete pass and since it was not reviewable, Indianapolis pressed on for the field goal that made it 20-10.