Hello San Diego...

[Born_a_Patriot]

Listen you take your MVP and add all those prowbowlers and what does that get you? Nothing but a heartbreaking loss to the Patriots.

You can come here and talk crap all you want, but you cant change history you are just doomed to repeat it.

With less than five minutes to play in the AFC divisional playoff yesterday, the Chargers led the New England Patriots by eight points.

But the game unraveled quickly for the home team as the sun sank slowly behind Qualcomm Stadium. Fans shook their heads in disgust and denial as the final score made its way to the record book: New England 24, San Diego 21.

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

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[Born_a_Patriot]

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[Born_a_Patriot]

Bolts are left beaten, angry

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[richpats]

IMO the most improbable playoff victory of the Belichick era.

 

[sebman2112]

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If he hadn't been wearing the cast I truelly believe that would have been an INT, and with his return skills who knows what else.

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

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[Born_a_Patriot]

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[Born_a_Patriot]

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[miDeuce]

I was at this game but didn't get to see the TV broadcast until this past weekend. Having watched it again we were very lucky in this one. Brady did not play well. Tomlinson was pretty much unstoppable. The only thing that saved us was that for every dumb play we made the Chargers made one more. They bailed us out on a few occasions - the Troy Brown strip after Brady INT, the unnecessary roughness that gave us a first down. Their receivers couldn't hold on to the ball and Rivers played just okay. NE stars for the game - Caldwell (the 49 yard catch that sealed it), Gaffney - (number of tough catches), Matt Light - (handled Meriman), Samuel - (key 3rd down pass breakup in the 4th quarter), Hobbs - (prevented at least one touchdown, got burned once, but played solid), Gostkowski (made em all), Colvin (all over the place, INT).

All in all a classic Pats win... didn't play that great but made the palys when they had to and made just a few less mental mistakes. I think it's clear that the Chargers will see a MUCH better team in Sept than the one the faced in January.

 

[zippo59]

IMO the most improbable playoff victory of the Belichick era.

Now way. It had to be Superbowl 36. That was a team of a bunch of scrubs and nobodies beating one of the greatest offenses in NFL history.

The San Diego game was an amazing win but the Patriots were just doing what they have been doing for the past few years--finding ways to win big games. It was a suprise to big headed Chargers fans but if you know anything about recent football history you would know that that was just the Patriots being the Patriots.

 

[Born_a_Patriot]

I was at this game but didn't get to see the TV broadcast until this past weekend. Having watched it again we were very lucky in this one. Brady did not play well. Tomlinson was pretty much unstoppable. The only thing that saved us was that for every dumb play we made the Chargers made one more. They bailed us out on a few occasions - the Troy Brown strip after Brady INT, the unnecessary roughness that gave us a first down. Their receivers couldn't hold on to the ball and Rivers played just okay. NE stars for the game - Caldwell (the 49 yard catch that sealed it), Gaffney - (number of tough catches), Matt Light - (handled Meriman), Samuel - (key 3rd down pass breakup in the 4th quarter), Hobbs - (prevented at least one touchdown, got burned once, but played solid), Gostkowski (made em all), Colvin (all over the place, INT).

All in all a classic Pats win... didn't play that great but made the palys when they had to and made just a few less mental mistakes. I think it's clear that the Chargers will see a MUCH better team in Sept than the one the faced in January.

But the same could be said for San Diego. Look at how many times they started their drives at or near midfield only to come up empty handed.
That is not luck that is very good Patriots defense.

 

[miDeuce]

But the same could be said for San Diego. Look at how many times they started their drives at or near midfield only to come up empty handed.
That is not luck that is very good Patriots defense.

Very true. The defense held them off when they had to. Which was especially impressive with the horrible field position the Pats had for much of the game. They kept it close and as we know with Brady that's all you have to do. I still think if San Diego made ONE less mistake they would've won the game.

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

From the good folks at PFT...

L.T. reacts to Patriots players celebrating on his home field.

With their performance on Sunday, the Chargers gave their coach a different kind of Gatorade shower.

L.T. is happy that the "classless" Pats lost; he's even happier that he's been adopted.

 

[sebman2112]

Very true. The defense held them off when they had to. Which was especially impressive with the horrible field position the Pats had for much of the game. They kept it close and as we know with Brady that's all you have to do. I still think if San Diego made ONE less mistake they would've won the game.

Likely, but that doesn't matter. I mean would NE have won by even more if they had made one less mistake? It goes both ways, and what happened, happened.

 

[1BoltFan Here4Fun]

With their performance on Sunday, the Chargers gave their coach a different kind of Gatorade shower.
good one! I missed that, but it described my feelings entirely. Schottenhiemer deserves his rap as a playoff choke artist.

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

What's sad was that the Chargers would have destroyed the Colts.

I'd rather see SD win the SB than the Colts.

 

[richpats]

Now way. It had to be Superbowl 36. That was a team of a bunch of scrubs and nobodies beating one of the greatest offenses in NFL history.

The San Diego game was an amazing win but the Patriots were just doing what they have been doing for the past few years--finding ways to win big games. It was a suprise to big headed Chargers fans but if you know anything about recent football history you would know that that was just the Patriots being the Patriots.

Key word is 'improbable'. I'm not trying to compare point spreads. SB36 was overhyped as a blowout. The Pats beat up the Rams in the Sunday-nighter that season and if not for a key turnover, could have won the game. Game was played at a neutral site. The Pats controlled SB36 for over 3 quarters. Victory in SB36 was more 'probable' than people care to remember.

San Diego was clearly a more talented team than NE with one of the greatest rushers in NFL history, a player Belichick had yet to even neutralize. Their 9-7 squad came into Foxboro and killed the Pats in '05 and NE was playing a 14-2 Chargers squad IN SAN DIEGO. The Pats have a bad history against the AFC West, especially on the road. 9 Pro Bowlers on the roster. Shoddy had rid himself of "Martyball" and came within 6 points of an undefeated regular season.

Now let's get to the game. Our offense S-U-C-K-E-D for a large portion of the day. Brady was off on his throws, threw a few picks and we had no running game to lean on. The Pats lost the field position battle, with SD starting around midfield most of the day. If not for some bonehead moves by the Chargers, this game would have been a blowout. Somehow SD forgot it had LT on their team. IMO the Pats victory was way more 'improbable' looking back.

 

[richpats]

What's sad was that the Chargers would have destroyed the Colts.

I'd rather see SD win the SB than the Colts.

Agreed. I would have much rather lost to the Chargers with that effort than blow the AFC title game to the Colts. Though I wanted to beat SD BADLY after listening to all of their ****iness.

 

[zoostation]

If he hadn't been wearing the cast I truelly believe that would have been an INT, and with his return skills who knows what else.

Didn't matter as the Chargers went for it on 4th and 11 on the very next play. Sack Mike Vrabel! Pats take over.