SAN DIEGO — Darren Sproles ran off the field clutching the game ball, leaving Peyton Manning to hang his head in frustration.

The San Diego Chargers outdid Manning for the second straight January, again turning to surprise stars to spark them along in the playoffs.

Given more playing time because of LaDainian Tomlinson's groin injury, the speedy little Sproles scooted 22 yards for the winning score 6:20 into overtime and the Chargers beat the Colts, 23-17, in an AFC wild-card game last night.

Just like that, a Chargers team that sneaked into the playoffs at 8-8 eliminated the NFL's hottest team a day after Manning won his third Associated Press NFL MVP award.

Also keeping the Chargers in the game was Mike Scifres, whose booming punts continually pinned the Colts deep in their territory. Scifres punted six times for an average of 52.7 yards, including a 67-yarder.

"I don't know if you can dream a game like this," Scifres said after the Chargers ended the Colts' nine-game winning streak.

Sproles came up big on a night when the Chargers played the final 2 1/2 quarters without Tomlinson, who stood on the sideline in obvious discomfort from what appears to be a serious groin injury.

Sproles filled in admirably, rushing 23 times for 105 yards, catching five passes for 45 yards, and contributing 106 yards on four kickoff returns and 72 on three punt runbacks.

"It's disappointing to lose a playoff game," said Manning, who two years ago led the Colts to a Super Bowl victory over the Chicago Bears. "We certainly had some chances to win, but give them credit. We had chances to put the game away, but we just didn't do it."

The Chargers (9-8) won the overtime toss. Indy's Darrell Reid called heads, but referee Ron Winter's flip came up tails. Sproles sent the Chargers into the second round of the playoffs, either at Tennessee or Pittsburgh, by finishing off the only series of overtime with his TD run around left end against an exhausted defense for the Colts (12-5).

San Diego's winning drive was aided by two defensive holding calls, the second against Tim Jennings on third-and-8. On the next play, Colts linebacker Clint Session was whistled for grabbing Sproles' facemask. Sproles scored on the next play, shedding a defender at the 5-yard line.

"You know, when your number is called, you have to be ready," said Sproles, who earlier in the game fumbled into the end zone, with the Colts recovering.

"Right after that fumble, it was still kind of in my mind," Sproles said. "I wanted that TD back to make up for the fumble."

Sproles' TD run sent Qualcomm Stadium into bedlam, and he ran off the field with the game ball. Manning hung his head in disappointment.

"We played hard till the end, but those guys played even harder all the way through the game," Colts safety Bob Sanders said.

San Diego got its only sack at a key time, when Tim Dobbins dropped Manning at the Colts 1 on third down with 2 minutes left, forcing a punt and giving the Chargers the ball at the Indy 38.

Nate Kaeding kicked a 26-yard field goal with 31 seconds left to force overtime.

Scifres had punts of 51 yards to the 10, 58 yards to the 15, 50 yards to the 3, 67 to the 5, 38 to the 9 and the 52 to the 1 with 2:41 to play.

"I think that their punter is the MVP of the game," Colts running back Dominic Rhodes said. "He did a real good job of putting us deep in our territory."