COSTA MESA, Calif. _ His dependability is such that, over the last 13-plus seasons, the only thing as guaranteed to start a Chargers game has been the coin toss.
On Sunday, Philip Rivers will make his 211th consecutive regular-season start and 222nd in a row counting the playoffs.
The perspective on those numbers _ topped in NFL history only by Brett Favre _ swelled even larger this week in light of the injuries to Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees, and the demotion of Eli Manning.
Among the NFL's old-school quarterbacks, Rivers just keeps winding.
"I don't think you ever take it for granted," he said Wednesday. "You just realize it doesn't last forever. Not that I needed a reminder of how fleeting it is and how, on any given play, you can be out. But seeing that this weekend will remind you in a hurry."
Roethlisberger will sit out the rest of the season because of an elbow injury and Brees will be out at least a month after having surgery on his thumb. Manning, who started 210 consecutive regular-season games in a streak that ended last year, has been benched by the New York Giants in favor of rookie Daniel Jones.
Manning and Rivers were selected first and fourth overall, respectively, in 2004 and then traded for each other.
"I've been blessed to be healthy enough to be out there every week," said Rivers, who also credited his offensive linemen over the years. "So, thankful for that. There's probably a little element of toughness in there somewhere.
"That's one thing I've always ... sometimes you can't help it. But, thankfully, I've been able to be healthy enough, and (it's) always been important to me to be ready to go every week."
Anthony Lynn said that when he accepted the job as Chargers coach in 2017, he was encouraged to be inheriting a durable quarterback. He called Rivers' consistent availability "one of Phil's biggest skill sets." He also wanted to move on to another topic as soon as possible.
"I hope not," Lynn said when asked whether he feared jinxing Rivers and the Chargers by talking about this. "I didn't want to answer, to be honest with you."
Rivers, 37, is coming off a game in which he had one of the longest runs of his career, a 12-yard scramble to convert third and 10 against Detroit. He acknowledged feeling "uncomfortable" when he has to run because defenders are closing from all angles.
On that play, Next Gen Stats clocked Rivers' top speed at 15.85 mph. By comparison, Cleveland wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. reached 21.7 mph on an 89-yard touchdown reception Monday.
"Naturally, right, they say you move faster when something's chasing you," Rivers said. "I knew they were close. I'm already uncomfortable out there in space and they feel a heck of a lot closer even than they are."
