Chargers suffer first shutout since 1999, Tom tops Peyton (NFL in :90)

The San Diego Chargers headed to South Florida on Sunday expecting to get a tough test from a Miami Dolphins team that’s competing for one of the spots in the tight AFC playoff race. 

They left town having completely and utterly failed at their task. 

Not only did the Chargers losing streak reach three games after losing 37-0 to Miami, it also ended San Diego’s 15-year run of never being shutout, a streak that ranked as the third-longest active scoring streak in the NFL. The last time the Chargers were shut out before Sunday was October 31, 1999, when a Jim Harbaugh-quarterbacked team fell 34-0 at Arrowhead Stadium. 

By the way, the longest active scoring streak in the NFL belongs to the Denver Broncos, who have put points on the board in every game since losing 24-0 to the Oakland Raiders on November 22, 1992. 

The Colts own the second-longest streak (New England Patriots, 38-0, December 26, 1993), proving it’s always good to have Peyton Manning around for a good portion of the run. 

Here are some other Yahoo Sports stories from a busy day of Week Nine action … 

• An official caught a Gatorade bath meant for Dolphins coach Joe Philbin. Well, at least he was in Miami …

• Mark Sanchez — yes, that Mark Sanchez — looked good in relief of Nick Foles. Frank Schwab wonders if the Eagles can benefit from a midseason quarterback change for the second straight year. 

• Marshawn Lynch’s #BeastMode touchdown run topped the week’s five best plays. 

• Five weeks after being embarrassed by the Chiefs, the Patriots are now the NFL’s team to beat. 

• The 49ers fell to .500 after losing to the Rams in the most frustrating way imaginable. 

• Washington went to Minnesota and was greeted by the biggest anti-team name protest yet. 

• Dez Bryant showed his frustrations against Brandon Weeden in a home loss to the Cardinals.