Chargers rout Broncos, move atop AFC West

“Those are plays that, um, kind of kill drives. We’ve just got to punch it in next time,” said Marshall, who called this “the most frustrating game I’ve ever played in.”

Although Moreno, who took the blame for trying to reach the ball over the goal line on first down, brushed off the sideline spat as a heat-of-the-moment thing, Marshall said he wasn’t sorry.

“I don’t regret anything. This is a playoff game. There were guys on the sideline that weren’t angry, who didn’t have a lot of emotion, then they need to look themselves in the mirror. This is a game where you’ve got to have it. None of us can make any terrible plays,” he said.

Marshall grew agitated when a reporter pointed out that his own teammate appeared to cause the fumble and asked if he would have berated Moreno had he known that.

“I’m not sure, I didn’t see the play. That single play didn’t beat us. I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish here, but it’s not Knowshon’s fault, not one guy’s fault,” Marshall said. “We lost as a team. If I drop a ball, if I make a huge mistake, I expect guys to get on me. But you’ve got to know how to approach every guy. It’s different for every guy. Maybe I handled it wrong, but we’ll see.”

Slideshow   Week 17 action Take a look at shots from the NFL's 17th week of play in 2009. NBCSports.com

Orton, who finished 15 of 29 for 171 yards and an interception, while playing almost exclusively out of the shotgun, was called upon when the Broncos decided to ditch their game plan down 13-0 and go to the air. Orton said he had no setbacks despite a scary hit on his injured leg from Merriman, and would be able to practice this week and start Thursday night against the New York Giants.

Simms last started on Sept. 24, 2006, when he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was battered so badly by the Carolina Panthers that he needed emergency surgery to remove his spleen.

This one was painful in its own way. The biggest blind-side hit came not from the Chargers but his own coach. Simms never saw the quick hook coming.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Simms said. “Yeah, I guess I was a little surprised.”

Notes: Broncos S Brian Dawkins (neck) missed the second half. The Broncos didn’t know the extent of his injury. ... Chargers RT Jeromey Clary was carted off the field in the fourth quarter with a left leg injury.

NFL game stories Quick look at Week 3 games JETS 31, DOLPHINS 23: Edwards returns to makes key TD catch  |    Highlights COWBOYS 27, TEXANS 13: Dallas avoids rare 0-3 start  |    Romo excited FALCONS 27, SAINTS 24, OT: Champs miss short FG in OT  |    Saints explain loss TITANS 29, GIANTS 10: Johnson scores 2 TDs  |    Coughlin takes blame EAGLES 28, JAGUARS 3: Vick makes Reid's decision look great  |    QB thrilled COLTS 27, BRONCOS 13: Manning throws 3 TD passes VIKINGS 24, LIONS 10: Peterson's career-long 80-yard TD keys win PATRIOTS 38, BILLS 30: 14th straight win in series for New England SEAHAWKS 27, CHARGERS 20: Washington has two kickoff returns for TDs CHIEFS 31, 49ERS 10: K.C. 3-0 for first time since '03  |    Chiefs confident STEELERS 38, BUCCANEERS 13: Batch shines in first start in 3 years RAMS 30, REDSKINS 16: Only second win in last 29 games for St. Louis RAVENS 24, BROWNS 17: Flacco fires 3 TD passes BENGALS 20, PANTHERS 7: Clausen struggles in first NFL start CARDINALS 24, RAIDERS 23: Janikowski misses 32-yard FG on final play