SAN DIEGO --- It's all but over for the star-studded San Diego Chargers, who were done in Sunday by a rookie quarterback, a rookie head coach and a former teammate.

Yes, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and the surprising Atlanta Falcons are very much alive in the NFC playoff picture, thanks to their 22-16 win over the collapsing Chargers.

Ryan, the rookie from Boston College, threw two touchdown passes and Turner, the former understudy to LaDainian Tomlinson, ran for 120 yards against his former team.

The Chargers? A popular preseason pick to make it to the Super Bowl, they're on the precipice of a super collapse.

"We got our butts kicked -- plain and simple," said Tomlinson, the two-time defending NFL rushing champion who was held to a season-low 24 yards on 14 carries.

The Chargers (4-8) are three games behind the Denver Broncos with four to play in the anemic AFC West. The Broncos got their third consecutive road win, 34-17 over the New York Jets.

The Falcons (8-4) continued their big turnaround from a 4-12 season, winning for the fourth time in five games under rookie head coach Mike Smith. They remain one game behind Tampa Bay and Carolina in the NFC South.

"We tried hard not to win this game," said tight end Justin Peelle, a former Charger who caught an 18-yard TD pass from Ryan. "Our defense played unbelievable. A lot of the win really goes to them. To hold that explosive offense to what we did today was unbelievable."

Atlanta won despite losing three fumbles, which led to all of San Diego's points.

"They fought through it the entire game," Smith said of his team.

Ryan completed 17 of 23 passes for 207 yards. Turner carried 31 times in his sixth 100-yard game of the season. He was allowed to leave San Diego as an unrestricted free agent after last season.

The Chargers may have stuffed Turner on fourth-and-goal from the 1 right before halftime, but the bruising back got the victory he was seeking.

"They were in my face," Turner said. "They were laughing, but it was cool. It was a physical game. I expect that every week, especially from those guys. I practiced with them and I know what they do, and they know what I can do."