San Diego at New England: The Prediction
There’s motivation to spare here. As part of his penalty for videogate Roger Godell should force the Patriots to let every slacker in New England onto the Patriots sideline so they can soak in the inspiration oozing from both teams.
Better yet, Godell should make Robert Kraft supply all the slackers with video cameras so they can bust out the tape the next time they’re glued to their couch with a bag of Doritos propped on their lap, an Xbox remote wedged into their cheese-stained hands and a (fill in your intoxicant of choice here) spread across the coffee table. And each slacker would get to ask Belichick one question for his own film. Or maybe even call a play.
Sorry about that. Got carried away there. Back to the prediction.
Motivation. Drive. Enthusiasm. I’m expecting at least one broken chinstrap on the opening kickoff and it should get more bruising from there.
The Bolts are still angry about Ellis Hobbs dancing on their bolt. The Pats are undoubtedly pissed about the videogate fiasco and all the whining the Chargers have done. San Diego wants revenge. New England wants to prove it doesn’t need no stinkin’ cameras.
Emotional edge – even, except the Pats get home field here, so edge Patriots.
So, to the actual like, ahh, football matchups.
In last year’s playoff game, the Chargers had the matchup advantages. Their average corners only had to cover New England’s average receivers, which they did for most of the game until Reche Caldwell, the Patriots former No. 1 receiver, torched them for the game-turning bomb down the sideline on third down. Now, San Diego still has the same average corners and the Patriots have loaded up on so many top-flight receivers that Caldwell couldn’t even make the team. Edge, Patriots.
The Chargers also seemed to have the edge last year when it came to matching up LaDainian and Gates against a slowing Patriots linebacker group. Now, the Pats have added a speedy Adalius Thomas, moved Mike Vrabel back to his natural outside position, Tedy Bruschi is healthy and Roosevelt Colvin…well, he was fast last year and he still is. The edge here still goes to Chargers, but it’s so much closer.
Last but maybe most importantly, the Pats offensive line was gimpy last year going into the playoff game and it looked like Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips would have a field day. But the New England o-line held up and allowed just two sacks. The Pats hogs are healthy now and looked fantastic against the Jets (go ahead Patriot haters, throw in your video comment here). Again, the Chargers still get the edge, but the gap is very narrow.
So how did the Patriots win last year? San Diego choked that’s how. Marty Schottenheimer was doing his usual playoff tank job – mismanaging timeouts, going for it on fourth-and-11 early in the game (it’s not Madden, Marty!) challenging obvious calls, inexplicably not force feeding LaDainian the ball (by the way, I hate calling him LT. I’ll give him one-name status, but man, there is only one LT). After LaDainian gained 143 total yards on 16 yards in the first half he only got the ball nine times in the second half.
Plus, the Chargers made so many stupid mistakes. Two killer unsportsmanlike penalties – one on a head butt and the other on an extra point – that led to points for New England. Four turnovers. A holding penalty on Mike Goff, who hadn’t been flagged for a holding penalty all year.
Now, will San Diego make all those mistakes again this year? Probably not. Will they get outcoached? Absolutely. Norv Turner’s act didn’t impress last week against Chicago, just like it hasn’t impressed in his other two head coaching stops. Plus he had to assemble his coaching staff from the scrap heap because the San Diego organization so mishandled the Schottenheimer firing. Big BIG edge to New England, which also gets the critical quarterback edge.
Final score: New England 24 – San Diego 17.
