DEFENSE AGAIN RESCUES CHARGERS SAN DIEGO 31, TAMPA BAY 24.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff writer

SAN DIEGO - On a day when they were far from perfect, the San Diego Chargers had another perfect ending.

Linebacker Donnie Edwards' 30-yard interception return for a touchdown broke a tie late in the fourth quarter and fellow linebacker Steve Foley forced a fumble moments later as the Chargers defeated Tampa Bay 31-24 before 65,858 at Qualcomm Stadium.

It was the seventh consecutive victory for San Diego (10-3), which is in position to clinch the AFC West or a wild-card berth next week with a win at Cleveland and a loss by either Baltimore or Denver.

It was the third successive Sunday that the Chargers' defense came to the rescue. Safety Jerry Wilson's interception last week, after cornerback Drayton Florence knocked the ball out of Rod Smith's hands, secured a 20-17 win over Denver; Edwards' interception the week before set up the winning field goal in a 34-31 victory at Kansas City.

``When it comes to crunch time, you have to step up,'' Foley said. ``There's no time for us to sit back and try and depend on someone else to get the job done. We have to look in the mirror and depend on ourselves.''

It didn't look promising for the Chargers. After LaDainian Tomlinson, who rushed for 131 yards on 25 carries, fumbled at the Chargers 37, Bucs quarterback Brian Griese threw a 20-yard scoring pass to rookie Michael Clayton, tying the score at 21 with 6:53 to play.

Tampa Bay (5-8) quickly forced a punt, and Griese completed two short passes before he looked for Clayton over the middle. Edwards, reading Griese's eyes, slid to his right, stepped in front of Clayton and had only Griese to beat, which he did with a block from Foley, high-stepping into the end zone with 4:08 left.

``It was just a little slant play,'' said Edwards, a UCLA product who also intercepted Griese in the first quarter. ``I don't think he ever saw me.''

Griese said he didn't. And neither did he see Foley three plays later, when the linebacker ripped the ball loose, and rookie Shaun Phillips recovered at the Bucs' 28. That led to Nate Kaeding's win-clinching 40-yard field goal.

Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer praised his team's ability to play through its bad plays, of which there were several: Tomlinson's fumble, Drew Brees' two interceptions - including his first in the red zone this season - and a personal foul on Wilson before Clayton's touchdown catch.

And the Bucs rolled up 436 yards in total offense, the most the Chargers have allowed all season.

``Every little mistake, heads were falling last year,'' said tight end Antonio Gates, who was held to a season-low one catch. ``It's not like that (now). Everybody believes in each other.''

That belief has been strengthened the past four weeks. Since their Nov. 21 bye, the Chargers have won four games by a total of 19 points.

``That's the nature of the NFL in December,'' Wilson said. ``Everybody's giving it to us. We used to be the laughingstock of the NFL, but now everybody gives us their best shot. Teams aren't making it easy on us. We're the ones with the bull's-eye.''

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Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards, trailed by Drayton Florence, returns the first of his two interceptions Sunday.

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press