San Diego: No Real Threat

[NEfan32]

Look, San Diego is a talented team. Merriman, Cromartie, Phillips, Castillo, LT, Chambers, Gates, the O-Line, and so on are good players. Rivers is inconsistant, which is why they aren't an elite team like the Pats, but they really can't hurt us unless we play a stinker.

Injuries! Gates is not 100%, and could not make any big plays last week, so I don't expect him to cause many matchup problems with our LB's.

LT will be a no go. I am sorry, I saw the play, his knee was twisted, and I am going to bet money that he suffered a torn ligament. If it was just a sore knee, he would have been playing against Indy.

Rivers injury is more serious than I thought. I am not worried about him or Volek, but I'd rather play against Volek because he is worse than Rivers.

So if those 3 are not 100%, no chance in hell they beat us.

Cromartie vs. Moss will be a tough matchup, but I don't see him beating Moss on one on one coverage. And, I don't see Brady throwing to Moss unless he is open or a jump ball only he can get.

With all these injuries, I don't see them having a legit shot. If they were ALL healthy, I'd be a little worried, but not to the point I'd think they would lose.

The first game of the season you can't take much from. The Chargers got better, but like every team, so did we.

Pats-42 Chargers-17

 

[cblesz]

Chargers also played a weak schedule the second half of the season. We got every team's best game and still won. I am sick of hearing how the Chargers were 8-0 down the stretch...blah, blah, blah. They played nobody...Raiders, KC, Tennessee, Denver...please.

 

[weswelker#83]

They have a strong team , i believe they are not here at this level by accident .

 

[BelichickFan]

Chargers also played a weak schedule the second half of the season. We got every team's best game and still won. I am sick of hearing how the Chargers were 8-0 down the stretch...blah, blah, blah. They played nobody...Raiders, KC, Tennessee, Denver...please.

And before that they were very up and down. The only thing that concerns me is their nutty 30 INT (of course, that's skewed by 6 against Manning in one game) but we match up well against teams that live on INT because our guy doesn't throw many

 

[Hollywood_Brady]

lets not get ahead of ourselves, its any given sunday... but im confident with our team that we will pull through...

 

[SVN]

chargers defense is much better than we played and given our performance against backups like feely , even volek cant be counted out. i expect the pats to matchup well..but anyone is a real threat.
remember ..until last week everyone thought the colts was best team to beat the pats and the colts and pats were a cut above everyone. guess where the colts are now . SD deserves the respect of being in this game.

 

[csfoster]

Even though I already know the answer, which one of you guys is playing the role of Bob Kravitz this week?

 

[i support BB]

We just can't over look this team, they made it this far not by accident, week 2 was a long time ago. I know BB and the staff will constantly be on the players as always, esspecially the younger players from looking ahead to making Superbowl plans.

 

[PatriotsReign]

If the Patriots beat the Chargers convincingly, it will bring an interesting question into light...."why do the Colts have such a difficult time against them?"

If it's a close game or we get beaten, the question is moot.

 

[marcus]

If predicted windy conditions materialize

THis game will be EXTREMELY close, maybe a 3 point margin.

Have to hope home field and Maroney give the Pats the edge.

But if it is windy...

The BIG Pats advantage of unstoppable passing game will be minimized.

the 14 point margin is ridiculous.

 

[Grogan's neck roll]

With a snow day and working from home today, I spent a good deal of the day on BoltTalk, I must say, I'm very happy the message boards are back up here.

 

[rhodeislandpatsfan]

Re: If predicted windy conditions materialize

THis game will be EXTREMELY close, maybe a 3 point margin.Have to hope home field and Maroney give the Pats the edge.But if it is windy...The BIG Pats advantage of unstoppable passing game will be minimized.the 14 point margin is ridiculous.

Why ridiculous? Charger did beat Indy yesterday* but the Colts did ring up 450 yd against them but left alot of points on the field. I don't see the Pats making that many errors and keeping San Diego in the game.

 

[Metaphors]

chargers defense is much better than we played

What leads you to this conclusion? Couldn't be their 14th ranking (14th pass, 16th run).

They do get a boatload of interceptions (thanks Peyton), but I wouldn't want to count on many from Brady. Sacks are solid (5th) but are behind Giants and Dallas...so not something the Pats haven't dealt with before.

I hope it isn't the fact that they beat the Colts, "holding" them to 24 points. Look at the drive chart:

1) 9 play/76 yds, Touchdown
2) 9/53, Reached SD 22, Fumble
3) 8/44, Reached SD 28, FG
4) 7/41, Reached SD 35, Interception
5) 8/59, Reached SD 4, Interception
6) 5/50, Touchdown
7) 3/21, Reached SD 49, Punt (bunch of accepted penalties)
8) 3/56, Touchdown
9) 11/70, Reached SD 7, Downs
10) 4/5, Downs

Give the Pats 8 quality drives (40+ yards) and they will likely hang half a hundy on the scoreboard. The Colts crossed midfield every drive but the last one.

The Bolts can win, but they will need to show MUCH more on defense than they have to date. Given the travel, weather, injuries...if they can pull together that kind of effort, kudos to them. They certainly haven't shown anything that says that kind of effort should be expected.

 

[swuster]

It will indeed be interesting to see how the best offense matches up against one of the best defenses statistically.

marcus - totally agree with you, Maroney scares the crap out of me, especially since your O-line is so good. Throw Moss and all your other receivers into the mix and you have one potent offense. That'll be the "key" matchup, I think - Chargers D against Pats O. We will definitely need to perform better than against the Colts (400+ passing yards is pretty depressing) if we want a chance at a win.

Judging from the press conference earlier, it looks like LT is pretty much a lock to play on Sunday, suffering a hyperextended knee in yesterday's game. Rivers has a sprained MCL and is still questionable. And I've heard no word about Gates other than he ws going to see a specialist because he was worried about his toe.

It'll be certainly be a tought game for the Bolts to win, but I'll be rooting for them all the way. Here's a to a good game next Sunday!

 

[DonBlackmon55]

It will indeed be interesting to see how the best offense matches up against one of the best defenses statistically.

marcus - totally agree with you, Maroney scares the crap out of me, especially since your O-line is so good. Throw Moss and all your other receivers into the mix and you have one potent offense. That'll be the "key" matchup, I think - Chargers D against Pats O. We will definitely need to perform better than against the Colts (400+ passing yards is pretty depressing) if we want a chance at a win.

Judging from the press conference earlier, it looks like LT is pretty much a lock to play on Sunday, suffering a hyperextended knee in yesterday's game. Rivers has a sprained MCL and is still questionable. And I've heard no word about Gates other than he ws going to see a specialist because he was worried about his toe.

It'll be certainly be a tought game for the Bolts to win, but I'll be rooting for them all the way. Here's a to a good game next Sunday!

yea and the class your team oozes, the latest from Mr. Meathead Igo "I've done nothing in NFL todate" but want to shoot my mouth about Belichick on how we should all be worried about the Chargers. Well here's to
Anthony Smith version 2.0

Pats 41-13

 

[swuster]

And you, sir, are a goon. Drop the macho act already. Your post doesn't even have a single thing to do with mine.