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Dontrelle Inman makes a timely first impression on offense

at Levi's Stadium on December 20, 2014 in Santa Clara, California.

San Diego Chargers v San Francisco 49ers

Ezra Shaw

There’s an old saying that NFL players should “act like you’ve been there before” when they make a big play during a game.

Sometimes that’s easier than others, though. Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman caught his first NFL pass on Saturday night against the 49ers, for example, so it was hard for him to know exactly how one would respond later in the game to hauling in a fourth-down catch to move the chains with little time left on the clock in an attempt to come back from being down 21 points with playoff chances on the line.

Inman’s 17-yard gain helped set up Malcom Floyd’s game-tying touchdown and the Chargers’ eventual win in overtime. After the game, Inman said his secret was to not think about the size of the moment.

“I never once thought about that it was fourth down,” Inman said, via the team’s website. “Antonio [Gates] and I talked about that on the field and we were so in the zone, so ready to win the game that nothing mattered.”

Inman had seven catches for 79 yards overall, production that the Chargers needed with Keenan Allen out of the lineup with a broken collarbone. The team hasn’t ruled Allen out of the regular season finale against the Chiefs, but that seems the likeliest option. Inman will again be one of the choices to step up as the Chargers try to secure a postseason bid and this time he’ll be able to act like he’s been there before.