Chargers vs. Bills final score: San Diego hands Buffalo 1st loss, 22-10

Philip Rivers and Eddie Royal connected for two touchdown passes and the San Diego Chargers (2-1) handed the Buffalo Bills (2-1) their first loss of the season Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium, 22-10.

San Diego never trailed, taking a 7-0 lead on a 3-yard pass from Rivers to Royal with 9:45 left in the first quarter.

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San Diego took a 13-3 halftime lead, capping a 17-play, 89-yard march with a 19-yard field goal from Nick Novak. Novak later booted a 37-yarder with 21 seconds to go before halftime.

Buffalo’s only first half points came on a 45-yard field goal by Dan Carpenter.

It was a turnover-free game, but Buffalo kept shooting itself in the foot with flags—they were penalized 11 times for 101 yards on the day and handed the Chargers five first downs via infraction.

The second Rivers-to-Royal hookup midway through the third quarter capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive that ate up 7:29 from the second-half kickoff all the way to the 7:31 mark and put the Chargers up 20-3.

The Bills finally got into the end zone with 1:16 left in the third on an 11-yard pass from E.J. Manuel to Fred Jackson to cap an 11-play, 67-yard drive.

San Diego’s final points came with 3:28 left in the game when Manuel was called for intentional grounding in the end zone.

Buffalo did get the ball back one more time and got to the Chargers’ 11, but Manuel’s pass on fourth-and-10 fell incomplete.

Rivers was 18-for-25 for 256 yards and two scores for San Diego, with two 49-yard completions to Michael Floyd—his only two grabs of the day. Royal caught four balls for 42 yards and the two touchdowns.

Donald Brown, starting in place of injured Ryan Mathews, carried 31 times for 62 yards for the Chargers.

Manuel was 23-for-39 for 238 yards and a score for Buffalo, but 16 of his completions were to running backs and tight ends—Jackson was the leading pass-catcher with eight receptions for 78 yards.

C.J. Spiller was held to 25 yards on 10 carries on the ground, while Jackson had 34 yards on six attempts and Manuel scrambled for 24 on five totes.

Buffalo visits Houston next Sunday while the Chargers play host to the Jaguars.

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