Falcons...22 Chargers...16

Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and the rest of the Atlanta Falcons are very much alive in the playoff picture.

The San Diego Chargers, once thought to be Super Bowl worthy, are on life support.

Ryan, the rookie from Boston College, threw two touchdown passes and Turner, LaDainian Tomlinson’s former understudy, ran for 120 yards against his former team to lead the Falcons to a 22-16 win over the reeling Chargers.

The Falcons (8-4) remained a game behind Tampa Bay and Carolina in the NFC South. San Diego (4-8) lost for the fifth time in six games.

Ryan completed 17 of 23 passes for 207 yards. Turner carried 31 times in his sixth 100-yard game of the season.

Tomlinson was limited to 24 yards in 14 carries.

Quoteworthy: “They’re struggling this year -- and now it’s a shock,” Michael Turner, Falcons running back, on his former team, the Chargers