LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers can no longer be overlooked Gardner Minshew II Jersey , whether it is on the list of Super Bowl contenders or as a headline attraction in their own town.Thursday night’s 29-28 come-from-behind victory over the Kansas City Chiefs moved the 11-3 Chargers into a tie atop the AFC West with two games remaining and clinched them their first postseason berth since 2013. The Chiefs hold the tiebreaker due to a better division record, but the Chargers have a viable chance of not only winning the division for the first time since 2009, but also getting home field throughout the playoffs.“This isn’t the same old Chargers,” safety Derwin James said after their third comeback win in the past four weeks. “We’re here to compete with anybody in this league and we showed it tonight.”While the Rams and Chiefs have garnered most of the attention, the Chargers have been one of the hottest teams since last season. Their 20-6 mark since an 0-4 start last season is tied with New England and New Orleans for most wins going into Sunday’s games. The Saints and Patriots have a better winning percentage.That also might start propelling the Chargers toward equal billing with the Rams, who are 19-6 in that same span going into Sunday’s game against Philadelphia. With most of the focus in recent months on the Dodgers making the World Series, LeBron James’ debut season with the Lakers and the Rams, the Chargers have been lost in the shuffle.“We’ll fly underneath the radar. We just go out there and play the best that we can,” center Mike Pouncey said, “It is nice to get the recognition but at the end of the day we are looking to put ourselves in position.”Philip Rivers is putting together one of the finest seasons of his 15-year career, and Los Angeles went into the week as one of two teams that are ranked in the top 10 in offense and defense. Pittsburgh is the other.The offense showed that it has plenty of depth against the Chiefs. Rookies Justin Jackson and Detrez Newsome averaged 4.2 yards per carry with Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler inactive due to injuries. Mike Williams Christian Wilkins Jersey , who was a first-round pick last year, stepped up after Kennan Allen’s injury in the first half with three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) and the game-winning, two-point conversion.“It was just a heck of an effort. We ran the ball like we did and the time of possession was good, third downs were good,” Rivers said. “We really went how we wanted to go. Keep those guys on the sideline and convert third downs and score. The receivers also all stepped up with Keenan Allen out.”It also marked the second consecutive road game that Rivers has rallied the Chargers from a deficit of 14 points or more. Both have defied the odds. Los Angeles’ 33-30 win on Dec. 2 at Pittsburgh marked the first time a team had rallied from a deficit of 16 or more against the Steelers at home.Thursday night’s game was only the eighth time out of 2,059 games since 2000 that a team won after trailing by 14 points with five minutes remaining.For the Chargers, late-game dramatics are becoming the norm. Besides the recent road rallies, they beat the Titans in London with a stop on a two-point conversion, held off Seattle with a pass deflection in the end zone and lost to Denver on a field goal on the final play.“We have been in these situations so many times, we believe we are going to win now Michael Deiter Jersey ,” coach Anthony Lynn said. “I think the guys are really comfortable when we are in these situations. They do not panic. There is no anxiety.”Rivers is third in the league with a 112.4 passer rating and is averaging 9.1 yards per completion, which is tied for second. His 69.4 completion percentage is the second-highest of his career after 14 games (he was at 69.9 in 2013).The defense, which has hit its stride with defensive end Joey Bosa’s return from a foot injury, was the first to hold the Chiefs under 300 yards.The Chargers still have tough tests against Baltimore and at Denver to close the year. The Chiefs are at Seattle next week before hosting Oakland. The AFC West winner is in the driver’s seat for the top seed in the conference and home field throughout, which has been important in past seasons. The AFC’s top seed the last five years has ended up advancing to the Super Bowl.“I don’t know what more we can face to be ready for January football. I’m not jumping ahead, we’ve got work to do still. All this did was give us a spot and we still need help from Kansas City and win our next two to win the division,” Rivers said. “But, I don’t know what more from a battle-testing standpoint, I don’t know what else we can deal with.“We’ve won it with different guys in and out of the lineup. So, I don’t think there’s any situation we can get in that we haven’t seen, and that means you feel equipped and ready and then you see what happens when it gets here.” Pittsburgh Pirates manager Clint Hurdle insists he hasn’t been keeping close tabs of his team’s slide following a hot start. He wasn’t aware the Pirates had dropped eight straight series until someone mentioned it to him earlier in the week.

”If somebody would have told me you’re going to lose eight series Daniel Jones Jersey , you’d think you’re going to be horrible,” Hurdle said. ”We’re not horrible. We’re fighting. And we believe that our best baseball is in front of us.”

It is, at least when the Pirates play the struggling Cincinnati Reds. Josh Harrison hit a two-run homer, Colin Moran and Elias Diaz added solo shots and the Pirates pulled away for a 6-2 victory on Saturday to push their modest winning streak to three and assuring themselves of their first positive series since taking a two-game set from the Chicago White Sox a month ago.

”We know what’s happened here the past couple weeks,” Harrison said. ”Guys are still plugging away and coming ready to show up every day and we’ve had three in a row. We know that doesn’t speak for what’s happened or what will happen. We’ve just got to continue to keep bringing it every day.”

Moran and Diaz both went deep off Luis Castillo (4-8) to give Pittsburgh the lead. Harrison hit his fourth of the season off reliever Austin Brice in the sixth. The Cincinnati native finished 2 for 4 is hitting .368 (14 for 38) against the Reds.

”Any time you can have a total offensive effort like that, it shows that we’re doing what we’re supposed to, taking advantage of mistake pitches and when presented with an opportunity to move a runner, get it done,” Harrison said.

Ivan Nova (4-5) worked through heavy traffic on a day his breaking ball abandoned him to last six innings and pick up his second victory in as many starts since returning from the 10-day disabled list with a sprained right ring finger. Nova allowed only Eugenio Suarez’s 13th home run in the second, striking out three while giving up three walks.

”I didn’t have the curveball today, but we grinded out there Dexter Lawrence Jersey ,” Nova said.

Castillo struggled keeping the ball on the right side of the fence at PNC Park, a problem that’s plagued the 25-year-old all season. He’s now allowed at least one home run in 15 of his 18 starts.

”It’s surprising because I’m trying to do my best and every time I get out there, I give up one or two home runs,” Castillo said after dropping his fourth straight decision. ”I really don’t know what’s happening right now. I’m just going to keep working in the bullpen and keep doing my best trying to help.”

Rookie Brandon Dixon hit his first major league home run off Pittsburgh reliever Michael Feliz in the ninth and Jesse Winker had two of Cincinnati’s seven hits to snap out of an 0-for-13 skid, but the Reds had issues taking advantage against Nova.

Cincinnati went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and is now 0 for 19 with runners in scoring position in the series.

”We’ve just got to get it going,” Reds manager Jim Riggleman said. ”You go through these things. We’ve got a good offensive ball club. We’ve shown it many times. We’re just in a little funk here where we’re not getting some timely hits.”

Moran broke a tie with his fourth home run of the season and first since June 2 when he sent Castillo’s pitch into the bullpen beyond the centerfield fence leading off the second. Diaz made it 3-1 when his fifth home run led off the third.

The Reds had their opportunities against Nova. They loaded the bases in the fourth only to have Billy Hamilton ground out to first to end the threat. Scott Schebler led off the fifth with a double but couldn’t get home and Hamilton came to the plate in the sixth with two runners on only to fly out to left field.

Hamilton finished 0 for 4 as his averaged dipped to .187.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Reliever Richard Rodriguez (right shoulder inflammation) threw 20 pitches in a simulated game and is nearing a return from the 10-day disabled list. Rodriguez, who is eligible to come off the DL on Monday, said ”things feel really good right now.”

UP NEXT

Reds: Anthony DeSclafani (1-1, 5.40 ERA) starts the series finale on Sunday. The 28-year-old picked up his first victory since 2016 in his previous start against St. Louis.

Pirates: Joe Musgrove (2-1, 2.16) makes his first career start against the Reds. Musgrove gave up two earned runs in five innings of a no decision on Monday against Arizona.

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