Sep 7th 2008 10:15PM by Will Brinson (author feed)
Filed under: Chargers, Panthers, AFC West, NFC SouthThe important thing to remember about Sunday for the Carolina Panthers is that the the San Diego Chargers played a very good game. Why is that important? Because the Cats won, that’s why.

Jake Delhomme, after completing a highly improbable walk-off touchdown pass to Dante Rosario (see right) was by all accounts pretty emotional, “Oh man, I don’t know how to put in words. Let’s be honest … Games like this, they don’t happen often. This ranks for me, I promise you, and with good reason.”

Delhomme missed all of last season, and believe me when I say that having to watch Mittens mangle your team for an entire season is good enough reason to cry.

The comeback was especially impressive because it came amid an efficient three touchdown performance by Philip Rivers and a near 100 yard game for LaDanian Tomlinson. Of course, it was never a blowout: Carolina showed offensive balance and defensive toughness and in the end, and more importantly, they flashed some of Delhomme’s trademark last second luck.

And luck matters a whole hell of a lot more in a short football season than it does in other sports — a few good bounces and a few close wins turns a decent team into a playoff and Super Bowl contender.

Which is what both of these teams are going to be in 2008, and for likely the same reason: the return of their quarterbacks. It’s an encouraging sign for San Diego that Rivers played like he did against a tough and underrated defense, considering he was Captain Strugglesworth last year.
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