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SAN DIEGO (AP) -- LaDainian Tomlinson saved the day for the San Diego Chargers -- again.
With both Tomlinson and the Chargers looking all too human against the Oakland Raiders, the star running back keyed yet another second-half rally to give the AFC West-leading Chargers a 21-14 win over their biggest rival Sunday, their fifth straight win.
Tomlinson, in the midst of an MVP season, rushed for two touchdowns and broke out a favorite San Diego trick by throwing for another. He has 24 touchdowns this season, and needs five in the last five games to break the NFL record of 28 set by Shaun Alexander during his MVP season of 2005.
Tomlinson threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates to tie the game at 14. The running back now has thrown for six scores in his career.
The latest came four plays after Vincent Jackson nearly gave the ball away.
With the Chargers (9-2) trailing 14-7 and facing fourth-and-two from the Raiders' 40, Jackson caught a 13-yard pass from Philip Rivers, rolled to the ground untouched, then stood up and spun the ball forward. Oakland's Fabian Washington jumped on the ball.
Referee Mike Carey originally signaled Oakland's possession, but then the Chargers were flagged for illegal forward pass. Even with the five-yard penalty, the Chargers still had a first down, at the 32.
While Gates got wide open, quarterback Philip Rivers tossed the ball to Tomlinson, who threw his second TD pass of the season.
After the Chargers forced the Raiders to punt, Tomlinson broke a 44-yard run on first down, starting up the middle before bouncing outside. He capped the drive with a 10-yard scoring run, easing up as he crossed the goal line untouched.
It was his 21st touchdown in seven games.
Aaron Brooks, who had led the Raiders (2-9) to a 14-7 lead midway through the third quarter, was intercepted deep in Chargers territory by Drayton Florence with 1:48 left in the game. Brooks was sacked five times.
The Chargers have won seven straight against the Raiders, their longest winning streak in a rivalry that dates to the birth of the AFL in 1960.
The home comeback from a 14-7 deficit followed the Chargers' 42-point performance in the second half two weeks ago in a 49-41 win at Cincinnati, and their rally from 17 points down at Denver last week.
Tomlinson recorded his fifth straight 100-yard game, finishing with 109 yards on 19 carries. It was just the second time in six home games against the Raiders that he broke 100 yards.
Rivers had his worst game as a starter, going 14-of-31 for 133 yards, with one interception and no touchdowns, for a rating of 44.2.
The Chargers' offense, the highest-scoring in the NFL, was a no-show in the first half.
San Diego likely would have trailed at halftime if not for a 91-yard kickoff return by rookie Antonio Cromartie. That set up a 4-yard scoring run early in the second quarter by Tomlinson, who got a nice block by fullback Lorenzo Neal to tie the game at 7.
Cromartie's long return came after Raiders fullback ReShard Lee scored from a yard out to cap a 70-yard drive. The big gain was a pass interference call against Quentin Jammer, who knocked down Madsen before the ball arrived.
Brooks threw a 2-yard TD pass to wide-open tight end John Madsen midway through the third quarter to put the Raiders up 14-7. It came one play after Madsen stepped out of bounds after a 56-yard reception.
Brooks was 17-of-30 for 187 yards and one TD, with two interceptions.
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