SAN DIEGO -- Philip Rivers wants to set the record straight.
Television cameras caught the quarterback saying what appeared to be, "This is the worst day ever," moments after he fumbled away the snap during the final minutes of regulation Monday night as the San Diego Chargers were driving to what appeared to be certain victory at Kansas City.
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The Chiefs recovered the loose ball and went on to win 23-20 in overtime.
But Rivers said Wednesday that all the lip readers out there are wrong.
"I didn't say that. I don't know if I ever said that," Rivers said as the Chargers began preparing to face the undefeated Green Bay Packers on Sunday. "It wasn't the worst day ever. It may have been the worst play I've ever been a part of, but it wasn't the worst day."
Regardless of what he said, Rivers said it was a miserable way to lose.
Rivers said he hasn't watched a replay of the play, when he closed his left hand too early, causing the ball to squirt away from him.
"I could talk until I'm blue in the face and still we're going to 4-3 at the end of the day," he said. "We get nine more tries to give ourselves a chance, and it starts Sunday."
Chargers coach Norv Turnersaid Monday that he believes Rivers is pressing at times.
Rivers' reaction?
"I'm trying to do the best I can," he said. "Again, it's hard to feel your own self, exactly what you're doing. If you knew what you were doing, that it would hinder you, you wouldn't do it. I haven't been on my best stretch lately, obviously. But not by any means is it going to make me slow down or quit trying or lose any confidence. I'm going to keep fighting. We've still got a long way to go."
Has Turner said anything to him about pressing?
"Nah," Rivers said.
Notes: Nine Chargers missed practice Wednesday, including LG Kris Dielman and RB Curtis Brinkley, who have concussions and haven't been cleared to practice. ... WRs Malcom Floyd (hip) and Vincent Jackson (hamstring), RB Ryan Mathews (groin) and LB Shaun Phillips (foot) also didn't practice. ... RB Mike Tolbert, who missed the Kansas City game with a hamstring injury, did practice.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
