Redskins Rally Stings Chargers

Needing a touchdown against the NFL's top-ranked defense to win the game, Trent Green implored his offensive line to block. Norv Turner, out of receivers, made a deal with his coaches to send a player with a fractured collar bone on the field as a decoy.

Then, improbably, the Washington Redskins pulled off their first fourth-quarter winning drive since Turner became coach in 1994. With 1:54 remaining, Green found Leslie Shepherd wide open in the right corner of the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown in Sunday's 24-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

"It's nice to win a game late in the fourth quarter," said Turner, whose 30-46-1 record includes two overtime victories but no fourth-quarter winning rallies before Sunday.

The winning catch was set up by a 17-yard punt return by Brian Mitchell, who also ran back a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown in the first half. After Mitchell got the ball to San Diego's 44 with 2:34 to play, Green had a message for a line that earlier had allowed a franchise-record 54th sack.

"He got in there and really laid the law down," guard Joe Patton said. "He told us he needed time to get the ball completed, and the offensive line stepped up and give him time."

On the field was James Thrash, who had played decoy the entire second half since breaking his clavicle in the second quarter. Turner needed him because Michael Westbrook had left with a jammed neck in the first quarter and Albert Connell was inactive with a knee injury, leaving just two healthy receivers.

"He couldn't raise his arm," Turner said. "The coaches kept saying, `You can't put him in.' I was stubborn and said, `Put him in and I promise I won't throw him the ball.'"

Washington's Trent Green didn't back down against San Diego's No. 1 ranked defense. (AP)

So, on the final drive, Green threw for 18 yards to Chris Thomas, then hit Shepherd on a play installed just last week. The cornerback, biting on the pump fake to Thomas, let Shepherd stroll alone in the end zone.

"Communication lines broke down," San Diego linebacker Junior Seau said. "If you're asking who's right, we're all wrong. That guy was clear by a mile. That doesn't happen. It shouldn't happen."

The Redskins (4-9), winning back-to-back games for the first time this season, are 4-2 since starting 0-7 and have never lost to the Chargers (5-8) in six meetings.

The Chargers were hurt by two plays in which they let a receiver run into the end zone uncovered, and by their inability to convert promising drives into touchdowns. John Carney kicked four field goals, including a 25-yarder with 4:31 left to give San Diego a 20-17 lead. He missed a fifth attempt, a 20-yard chip shot with 7:30 remaining.

"This hurts real bad," quarterback Craig Whelihan said. "You get so close. Offensively, we were moving the ball. We got down there in the red zone and we're trading 7s for 3s, and we can't do that."

Terrell Fletcher ran for 122 yards, the first 100-yard game of his career, and threw an awkward touchdown pass - his first NFL pass attempt - on a halfback option for the Chargers.

Three of the game's four touchdowns came in the first half, and all three were high on entertainment value.

The Redskins got a free-play score when the Chargers jumped well offsides trying to show blitz. The secondary, thinking the play wouldn't count, let Thrash run alone into the end zone to make an easy 25-yard catch that gave Washington a 7-3 lead.

After Carney's second field goal made it 7-6, Mitchell ran the ensuing kickoff 101 yards down the right sideline, finishing with a flourish when he stiff-armed Jimmy Spencer the final 13 yards.

Then the Chargers went for the highlight-reel. On third-and-1 at the Redskins 23 and with a tight run formation in the game, Fletcher took the handoff and launched a shot-put of an underthrow to wide open tight end Freddie Jones, who broke a tackle rumbling into the end zone.

Green, who completed 18 of 37 passes for 235 yards with two TDs and one interception, has 12 touchdowns and just two interceptions in his last six games.

"This is exciting," Green said. "This is what we anticipated at the beginning of the year."

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