CHARGERS GET BOOTED IN OT KICK ATONES FOR BARTON'S BLUNDER N.Y. JETS 20, SAN DIEGO 17.Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer SAN DIEGO San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. - As Doug Brien Douglas Robert Zachariah Brien (born November 24, 1970) was an American football placekicker. He played for the New York Jets, the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, the Indianapolis Colts, the New Orleans Saints, and the San Francisco 49ers. stepped in to the football and sent it and the Jets flying toward the next round of the playoffs, linebacker Eric Barton Eric Barton (born September 29, 1977 in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the New York Jets. He previously played for the Oakland Raiders and played NCAA football at the University of Maryland. was in no rush to join his celebrating teammates. Barton, his helmet off and a white towel around his neck, stood his ground on the sidelines On the sidelines An investor who decides not to invest due to market uncertainty. on the sidelines Of or relating to investors who, having assessed the market, have decided to avoid committing their funds. and looked straight to the sky. After a moment, he took a few steps onto the field, then fell to a knee and pointed to the heavens. There are more than eight million people in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. and none of them feels luckier today than Barton. When Brien booted his 28-yard field goal with five seconds left in overtime, it propelled New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of to a 20-17 wild-card playoff victory over San Diego and saved Barton from a play that would have lived in infamy Notoriety; condition of being known as possessing a shameful or disgraceful reputation; loss of character or good reputation. At Common Law, infamy was an individual's legal status that resulted from having been convicted of a particularly reprehensible crime, rendering him . Chargers quarterback Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (born January 15, 1979 in Austin, Texas) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. The San Diego Chargers originally selected him as the first pick of the 2001 NFL Draft's second round. , his team trailing by a touchdown, launched a desperate fourth-down heave that fell incomplete in the end zone, but Barton clubbed him in the helmet with his right forearm, drawing a personal foul. It gave San Diego a first down at the 1-yard line with 16 seconds left in regulation. Brees threw a touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates Antonio Gates (born June 18, 1980 in Detroit, Michigan) is a football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the NFL. College career Before his rookie season of 2003 Gates had not played organized football since his senior year at Central High School in Detroit. on the next play to send the game into overtime. The Chargers had a chance to win it, but Nate Kaeding's 40-yard field goal was wide right. The Jets then drove 60 yards in seven plays to set up Brien's kick. ``You have no idea how I feel right now,'' Barton said. ``I had a sick feeling. I could see the headlines - Barton blows it.'' Instead, that sentiment fits San Diego. The Chargers were the NFL's biggest surprise, going from 4-12 to 12-4, but they looked little like that team Saturday night. If not for Barton's penalty, they would have been held to a season-low point total. Although Brees played well, completing 31 of 42 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns, the Chargers' offense hardly looked like the wide-open unit that was second in the NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga in scoring. Other than a 26-yard scoring pass to Keenan McCardell Keenan Wayne McCardell (born January 6, 1970 in Houston, Texas) is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. , the Chargers took few shots down field and struggled to spring LaDainian Tomlinson LaDainian Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is an American football player who currently plays running back for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. Tomlinson, frequently called "LT",[1] , who had 26 carries for 80 yards against a team without injured Pro Bowl defensive end John Abraham. The Chargers' defense, which intercepted 23 passes this season, failed to get one. For the second time this season, it was shredded by Jets quarterback Chad Pennington, who was 23 for 33 for 279 yards, including a beautifully thrown 47-yard scoring pass to Santana Moss that split two defenders. The Chargers also played with little poise - three offensive linemen picked up penalties and the punt team was flagged for having 12 men on the field. Even Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for arguing a call. ``You have to make plays when you have to make them in this league,'' Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards said. ``Unfortunately, when you don't make the plays when you have to you're going to end up on the short end of the stick.'' Playoff heartbreak is nothing new for Schottenheimer. In Cleveland, he was done in by John Elway's drive and Earnest Byner's fumble. In Kansas City, he twice took a 13-3 team into the playoffs and couldn't win a game. ``I have been through this before, as we all well know,'' Schottenheimer said. ``My disappointment, quite frankly, is for the players in that locker room and for this community.'' Yet all of that might have been washed away if Kaeding had converted. The rookie from Iowa had made 21 of 26 field goals this season, including a 35-yarder in the fourth quarter. But he pushed this attempt wide right, giving the Jets another life. ``The hardest thing is not being able to come in here and look people in the eye,'' Kaeding said. ``I work for it and that's the nature of my business. There is no gray area. It's all black and white. At the end there, it got pretty black.'' On the other side, there was a reprieve. ``I was praying to God that he'd miss it,'' Barton said. After Kaeding's miss, the Jets went right to work. Moss scooped a pass from Pennington off the turf for an 18-yard gain. One play later, Pennington hit Justin McCareins for 11 yards that brought New York to the brink of Brien's range at the 34. Backup tailback Lamont Jordan made sure he was plenty close by running around the left end for 19 yards to the Chargers 15. Two plays later, Brien booted his kick through the uprights, leaving the Chargers crushed and the Jets exultant - save for one, who was just plain relieved. ``Talk about a guy cut down from the gallows GALLOWS. An erection on which to bang criminals condemned to death. ,'' Jets guard Pete Kendall said. ``I'm just glad he got another chance.'' Billy Witz, (818) 713-3621 billy.witz(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Jets kicker Doug Brien is congratulated by teammates Toby Gowin, right, and Anthony Becht after Brien's overtime field goal. Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press |
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