A Rivalry (Sort of) Renewed

The midseason matchup that wasn’t

At the beginning of the season, the Sunday night Week 6 matchup between the Patriots and Chargers was circled on everyone’s calendar. Players, coaches, fans, NBC executives and advertisers — hell, anyone with a pulse — were all salivating at the thought of the AFC Championship Game rematch. The game had everything: a bitter rivalry, superstar players, playoff implications.

But with the way things have gone this season, Patriots-Chargers is seemingly just another game on the schedule for two teams that desperately need a confidence-building win. For the Patriots, their season essentially changed eight minutes into the first game, when Tom Brady tore every ligament in his left knee. They’ve weathered the storm, and enter the game at 3-1. San Diego’s plight has been similar. Shawne Merriman’s absence on defense has left a gaping hole. The lights have gone out on the pressure, intensity, focus and game-changing ability that the unit possessed the past two seasons.

Offensively, LT’s well-documented toe injury and his subsequent underachieving season have stolen all the headlines.

This game definitely isn’t the overhyped, national story it was supposed to be, but it’s still a great matchup for these reasons:

1) There are still playoff implications. Each team is now in a dogfight for a division title. And with Indianapolis (2-2, should be 1-3) and Jacksonville (2-3) both struggling, these four teams could be fighting for the two Wild Card spots all season. A heads-up win against either would go a long way.

2) Payback factor. The Pats danced at midfield after the 2006 playoff win, embarrassed San Diego last year in the regular season drubbing, and pulled out a gutsy win in the AFC title game against a banged up Bolts side. Yes, the Chargers just need to win, no matter who the opponent is. And though the players might not admit it, this shouldn’t be “just another regular season game” to them. This is New England. We don’t like them. Please beat them senselessly.

3) Stars. The marquee players will have to play big on both sides. The Pats’ WR duo of Randy Moss and Wes Welker will have to exploit the soft-as-cotton pass defense that San Diego has shown so far this year. For the Bolts, LT and River have to play like champions. The X-factor might be Vincent Jackson, who will get more opportunities to shine with Chris Chambers out with a bum ankle. On defense, if Antonio Cromartie can make one big play, it might swing the game in San Diego’s favor.

Both teams will come out with a lot of intensity, and the result should be a great game. The Patriots are still a little healthier than the Chargers, so they could have the advantage. But San Diego needs this win more. They are a proud team. They are an embarrassed team. And they’ll take care of business. If not, 2-4 might be too much of a hole to dig out of.

Prediction: San Diego 27, New England 24

Eric Yates, much like the rest of the city, isn’t a native San Diegan. He’s been here for the past eight years and has adopted the Padres and Chargers as his own. Serving as a full-time and freelance sportswriter while in San Diego, he’s covered the beat for both the Padres and Chargers. A sports fanatic, his crowning achievement as a fan was appearing on the ESPN game show Stump the Schwab and coming within one question of toppling the big guy.

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