So being a 3rd seed is now meaningless?

[Brady_12]

While of course I hope the Pats get to and win the divisional game, I think SD is the AFC representative. And unless NO gets out of its recent funk I'd say that makes them SB champs.

 

[lightningbolt]

We shall see. I, personally, really hope we meet you guys and BB does something that makes Norv "rock the boat".

Normally I would be worried about playing the Pats in the playoffs, but I'm confident that we'll beat you guys if we meet in the divisional round, since your team is looking very weak right now and the Chargers look red hot. Even before the injuries, your team looked inconsistent this season and nowhere near as strong as the 2007 Pats team, but now with Wes Welker out and Brady with a broken finger and three broken ribs, I'm not worried at all. All we'll have to do is double team Moss and force your other receivers to beat us, which will be unlikely.

On the other side, your defense has looked weak all season and the Chargers offense is lethal; no way your defense shuts down Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, and Darren Sproles; we have way too many weapons for your team to handle. I'm not guaranteeing a victory, since anything can happen, but I'm 90% sure that the Chargers will win, since unlike the 2006 season we have playoff experience now so we won't choke away a victory like we did then.

 

[lightningbolt]

While of course I hope the Pats get to and win the divisional game, I think SD is the AFC representative. And unless NO gets out of its recent funk I'd say that makes them SB champs.

Yea. I think the Super bowl will be Chargers vs. Cowboys. Troy Aikman predicted it before the season started and I think it will happen since the Cowboys are flying under the radar this year even though they've looked strong these past couple of weeks heading into the playoffs, whereas the Saints and Vikings have been inconsistent. I think the Saints will lose in the divisional round and Favre will do a classic choke job and throw a bunch of interceptions, causing the Vikings to lose in the playoffs, while the Cowboys finally get their act together and make it to the super bowl, thereafter losing to the Chargers.

 

[Kontradiction]

Normally I would be worried about playing the Pats in the playoffs, but I'm confident that we'll beat you guys if we meet in the divisional round, since your team is looking very weak right now and the Chargers look red hot. Even before the injuries, your team looked inconsistent this season and nowhere near as strong as the 2007 Pats team, but now with Wes Welker out and Brady with a broken finger and three broken ribs, I'm not worried at all. All we'll have to do is double team Moss and force your other receivers to beat us, which will be unlikely.

On the other side, your defense has looked weak all season and the Chargers offense is lethal; no way your defense shuts down Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, and Darren Sproles; we have way too many weapons for your team to handle. I'm not guaranteeing a victory, since anything can happen, but I'm 90% sure that the Chargers will win, since unlike the 2006 season we have playoff experience now so we won't choke away a victory like we did then.

That's why they play the games.

 

[redsx8827]

Normally I would be worried about playing the Pats in the playoffs, but I'm confident that we'll beat you guys if we meet in the divisional round, since your team is looking very weak right now and the Chargers look red hot. Even before the injuries, your team looked inconsistent this season and nowhere near as strong as the 2007 Pats team, but now with Wes Welker out and Brady with a broken finger and three broken ribs, I'm not worried at all. All we'll have to do is double team Moss and force your other receivers to beat us, which will be unlikely.

On the other side, your defense has looked weak all season and the Chargers offense is lethal; no way your defense shuts down Vincent Jackson, Antonio Gates, and Darren Sproles; we have way too many weapons for your team to handle. I'm not guaranteeing a victory, since anything can happen, but I'm 90% sure that the Chargers will win, since unlike the 2006 season we have playoff experience now so we won't choke away a victory like we did then.

Wow who is this guy? the chargers give up more yards and points than the patriots do. And the chargers get to face the pitiful offenses of Oakland and KC twice a year.

The Patriots offense, on the other hand, averages more yards than the Chargers'..despite New england facing formidable defenses all year long -- including thrashing the Jets' in the second game.

San Diego has only faced 2 top 10 offenses all year (and one of them is the NYG). The Pats have faced 4 of the top 10 offenses, including the #1. What else do you want? The Patriots have more takeaways than SD.

They barely beat NYG, Dal, and Cincy this year (Combined 7pts)...all teams that i think NE is better than.

The Chargers cannot run the ball. Period. -- Not good when you face BB. Vincent Jackson isn't 100%. The Chargers defense is nothing special this season. Merriman hasn't done anything all year. You don't have any legit Dlineman. Your safeties are slow.

Let's look at some stats. During your great winning streak, you faced 4 good QBs -- Eli, McNabb, Palmer, and Romo. All 4 had QB Ratings of Over 90. 2 had Ratings of over 110. Palmer had his second best game of the season. Eli had his 4th best game of the year (well, 2nd if you discount his efforts vs oak and Wash).

Brady still has more targets without welker than NYG, Dal, Cincy.

I don't care if you're not afraid of NE. And in fact, I dislike many aspects of this Patriot's team right now. But you know what? that's probably because i've become used to them being great. You, on the other hand, haven't been used SD doing anything but choking or coming up short. Your team this year is not as talented as it was in 2006...nor 2007..nor 2008.

Vince Wilfork, Warren haven't played together in a few weeks -- and they will be healthy come Sunday.

I'm not even saying the Patriots will beat Balt, let alone SD...but you are off-line with your comments.

 

[redsx8827]

And just so you know, I do think Rivers should win an MVP before Manning does this year. But i also don't think there is much of a difference between NE, SD, Indy, Dal, Phil, NO, Minnesota, GB. All these teams are very similar.

And if not for Brady returning from an injury and struggling early on...and NE testing their young backup secondary mid-season, or having to go on the road to those two Domes, Then i think NE would have ended up 12-4, 13-3...just like SD. I think if not for Houston and NE fumbling their opportunities away vs Indy, then the colts end up 13-3 even without resting their starters. Point is, i think almost all these teams are evenly matched. It just matters who plays well on Sunday.

Although, if these playoffs were to be repeated 100 times, then I think SD and Indy would win it more times than NE would this season.

 

[sanvara]

At this point, I would take my chances against the Colts....Honestly, they are not as good as their record...But I just can't see Phillip Rivers leading any team to the SB.....

You probably haven't been watching Rivers closely the past season or two. He's carried the Chargers during their winning streak.

 

[sanvara]

Ok, at least that makes sense. I'm also not 100% sold on Norv Turner yet; if he leads the Chargers to the super bowl this year and wins it, then I'll give him props; until then he's still an average at best coach. I think the talent that the Chargers have is enough to get us a championship, regardless of who the coach is.

Other than the passing game and their corner play and marginally at the OLB position, I don't find the Chargers to be that talented in their starting 22. But they have good depth. Guys have really stepped up to get the teams wins despite all the injuries. The Chargers do have great special teams play: Scifers, Kaeding, Sproles, Osgood. But I'm quite frankly shocked the Chargers are where they are.

They lost the rock of the D-line in Jamal Williams. Merriman is a shell of his former self. The inside linebackers have been patchwork although Siler has come out of nowhere to play well. Safety play has been lacking. The offensive line has been a mess, has been racked with injuries, and cannot run block. There is no running game. Tomlinson is done as a great running back. He is now pedestrian at best.

It's absolutely amazing to me the Chargers have won 11 in a row. As far as players, Rivers deserves a majority of the credit with the health of Gates and great play of Jackson and the emergence of Floyd also being key. I don't know what to think about Norv. He has been battered and bruised and abused yet he pulls 11 wins in a row out of his ass. If the Chargers win a Super Bowl he will have to get credit for the team ending the season on an incredible 14 game winning streak despite all the injuries and the declining play of two of their former stars in Tomlinson and Merriman. If the Chargers had the Tomlinson and Merriman of two years ago and Williams hadn't gone down this team would have be downright scary.

 

[captain stone]

If the 3rd and 4th seed end up in the AFCCG, the 3rd seed would host that game. Why is that meaningless?

It's less than meaningless; it's fatal.

1) The patsies will not beat the Baltimore ("F the Patriots!") Murderers; and even if they somehow did...

2) They will never, ever beat the SD Classless, in SD, one week later.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Other than the passing game and their corner play and marginally at the OLB position, I don't find the Chargers to be that talented in their starting 22. But they have good depth. Guys have really stepped up to get the teams wins despite all the injuries. The Chargers do have great special teams play: Scifers, Kaeding, Sproles, Osgood. But I'm quite frankly shocked the Chargers are where they are.

They lost the rock of the D-line in Jamal Williams. Merriman is a shell of his former self. The inside linebackers have been patchwork although Siler has come out of nowhere to play well. Safety play has been lacking. The offensive line has been a mess, has been racked with injuries, and cannot run block. There is no running game. Tomlinson is done as a great running back. He is now pedestrian at best.

It's absolutely amazing to me the Chargers have won 11 in a row. As far as players, Rivers deserves a majority of the credit with the health of Gates and great play of Jackson and the emergence of Floyd also being key. I don't know what to think about Norv. He has been battered and bruised and abused yet he pulls 11 wins in a row out of his ass. If the Chargers win a Super Bowl he will have to get credit for the team ending the season on an incredible 14 game winning streak despite all the injuries and the declining play of two of their former stars in Tomlinson and Merriman. If the Chargers had the Tomlinson and Merriman of two years ago and Williams hadn't gone down this team would have be downright scary.

You can't give Rivers enough credit for his play. The 2009 non passing game Chargers are not comparable to the 2006 non passing game Chargers.

However, Rivers and his crew are lights out.

The Baltimore game should actually tell us much. If the "old Brady" reappears then all bets are off. Even without Welker, the 2009 Pats offense is much better than the 2006 Pats offense.