So what if the Chiefs have now lost 17 of their past 18 games. Who cares if San Diego had to turn back a two-point-conversion attempt in the final 23 seconds.

And if Tyler Thigpen looked more like Len Dawson than he should have, so be it.

The Chargers are alive, and that's what really matters.

But a closer look reveals that San Diego continues to live on the edge.

Coming off a bye, playing under a new defensive coordinator and playing at home with a playoff spot potentially slipping away, the Chargers barely managed to hold off the last-place Chiefs.

"The most important thing for us was to find a way to win a football game," coach Norv Turner said. "And we were able to do that."

He even threw a bone to the defense, which nearly let the game slip away late but held Kansas City to six points in the final two quarters.

"In the second half, I like the way our defense responded," Turner said, eluding all but the final Chiefs possession. "We came out and were aggressive and covered better.

"In the first half we had some of the same issues we've had; we busted a coverage which gave them a big play."

But he sees improvement, and the Chargers will need to build on that if they hope to spring an upset Sunday at Pittsburgh.

Before looking ahead, the Chargers can look back one last time and embrace a win that came after an unlikely struggle.

"I would prefer the game didn't come down to the last play," Turner said, "but it did."