Chargers Beat Colts, 28-24,

Great game by the Chargers. That said, I am sad that we won't get to see a AFC rematch between the Colts and the Patriots. The Chargers earned this though. They've been overshadowed by some of the other big football stories this year (I'm looking at you Green Bay, New England and Dallas), but considering how their season started, it is inspiring to see them win today.

posted by Joey Michaels at 03:29 PM - reply - flag:

Philip! Philip! Philip! oh, and Volek too. I was getting scared that the Chargers defense wouldn't ever be able to stop Indy's passing game.

posted by NoMich at 03:33 PM - reply - flag:

Holy mackerel. Billy Volek outgunned Peyton Manning in the fourth quarter without L.T.? You gotta be kidding me! According to Volek's Wikipedia entry, which already has been updated with the news of this game, he's only in San Diego because of Jeff Fisher signing Kerry Collins to compete with him in Tennessee. He thought it was an insult and asked for a trade. I expect the Boston media to report that Belichick began gameplanning for Volek last week, just in case.

posted by rcade at 03:34 PM - reply - flag:

I expect the Boston media to report that Belichick began gameplanning for Volek last week, just in case. posted by rcade at 3:34 PM CST on January 13 That was weak :-) Should be a good AFC contest next week. San Diego is going to show up, they showed today that they have players that can step in for stars and do well.

posted by Cave_Man at 04:57 PM - reply - flag:

Yes, but they have some serious injuries. Rivers, LT, Gates...

posted by Goyoucolts at 05:34 PM - reply - flag:

LT is awesome but the O Line does well and Turner would start for 20 other teams, so his loss really isn't as big a deal as losing someone of his talent would ordinarily be. And if they keep blocking their screens the way they did in the 2nd half, they could put a backup lineman back there and still do well. Man, that Sproles TD was impressive. (I hated it, of course, but credit where credit is due.)

posted by Bernreuther at 06:25 PM - reply - flag:

I'm actually glad Indy is out of it. As soon as their jackass fans booed the 15 year old girl who won the Punt, Pass & Kick competition just because she had a Patriots jersey on, I was hoping they'd go down hard. No class. No matter how much talent the Colts have, more often than not they seem to come across as soft in a lot of ways. Everything was going their way in this game, but they couldn't get it done. Good for San Diego. One player that seems to be a star-in-the-making is Vincent Jackson. The guy is BIG!

posted by dyams at 07:01 PM - reply - flag:

Congratulations to the Chargers, they showed up and got it done.

posted by Familyman at 07:08 PM - reply - flag:

As soon as their jackass fans booed the 15 year old girl who won the Punt, Pass & Kick competition just because she had a Patriots jersey on, I was hoping they'd go down hard. That was pretty lame. But Belichick prepared her for that possibility, so she handled it with poise.

posted by rcade at 07:33 PM - reply - flag:

wow, what a no-show game for the colts. I know it's not right, but I have nothing to root for except injuries in the AFC championship game featuring the two most classless teams in the NFL. I almost always root for the AFC in the SB, but this year it's Go NFC, hopefully Favre and the Pack.

posted by tnip23 at 07:36 PM - reply - flag:

As soon as their jackass fans booed the 15 year old girl who won the Punt, Pass & Kick competition just because she had a Patriots jersey on, I was hoping they'd go down hard. Were a girl in a Colts uniform to do the same at the Patriots game, I'm sure the same would have happened. It maybe wasn't the nicest thing in the world, but what do you expect going into a stadium wearing your rival's jersey?

posted by jmd82 at 07:41 PM - reply - flag:

tnip23: I have nothing to root for except injuries in the AFC championship game featuring the two most classless teams in the NFL. Someone who would ever, under any circumstances, root for injuries...calling someone else "classless". Right. jmd82: Were a girl in a Colts uniform to do the same at the Patriots game, I'm sure the same would have happened. It maybe wasn't the nicest thing in the world, but what do you expect going into a stadium wearing your rival's jersey? The competitors in the PPK competition all represent a different NFL team. Whatever stadium the awards were presented in, the likelihood of some kid wearing a rival's jersey seems pretty high. An older kid, like the kid who got booed today, no doubt would expect it, but some of these kids are as young as 8 and may not be so wise in the ways of shithead homer morons.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:55 PM - reply - flag:

lbb, tnip is demonstrating one of my favorite things: irony. as for the fans that booed the ppk kid today, well they are a perfect example of why i hate living in indiana, and dont root for any sports team from this state. they should consider that until a few years ago, they were almost all cowboys, packers, 49ers, raiders, and bears fans. its very convenient that they are now colt fans, and we all know why.

posted by elijahin at 09:15 PM - reply - flag:

My dream is almost reality......Ely Manning vs Chargers in Super Bowl with the Chargers kicking little Ely's tail between his legs. I can't wait to see Archie's tears running down his rosy cheeks. Only draw back to this dream is that it requires #4 to lose next week, the dream is almost not worth that!

posted by bigsky1949 at 09:37 PM - reply - flag:

ps....booing the PPK girl showed NO CLASS, for any reason!

posted by bigsky1949 at 09:39 PM - reply - flag:

P.S- For that to happen San Diego has to beat the unbeaten New England without LT or Gates. And who knows if Rivers will even play? Kinda doubt that would happen, but if it did I think that the Giants would win. Eli has looked impressive throughout the last few weeks.

posted by Kendall at 11:15 PM - reply - flag:

booing the PPK girl showed NO CLASS, for any reason! Kind of like Phillip Rivers almost jumping in the stands to taunt a fan after the game. While I would have preferred the Colts for the Red Sox/ Yankees rivalry the Pats have, if the Patriots can beat the Bolts, that might be more satisfying. They're a set of All-World mouths.

posted by yerfatma at 06:19 AM - reply - flag:

Everybody picked the Colts also....but they still have to play the game and anything can happen. TB could go down on the first play (I hope not), when was the last time his backup won a game for the team, when was the last time he played? 17-0, trying for 18, odds are in our favor, NE is due for a bad game and it had better not be against the Chargers. This is not the same team NE beat earlier in the year, results may be different this time around. LT, AG and PR will play, if they don't the second stringers beat the Colts, maybe they can beat NE. Charger second stringers would be starters on most other teams. I agree they will not be favored to win (again), and they probably will not, but I still want them to play the game just the same. Charger fans have already had a great season, from here on in, it is all gravy.

posted by bigsky1949 at 06:33 AM - reply - flag:

booing the PPK girl showed NO CLASS, for any reason! Kind of like Phillip Rivers almost jumping in the stands to taunt a fan after the game. While I would have preferred the Colts for the Red Sox/ Yankees rivalry the Pats have, if the Patriots can beat the Bolts, that might be more satisfying. They're a set of All-World mouths. Comment icon posted by yerfatma at 6:19 AM CST on January 14 This comparison has as much class as the Colts fans.....none! PR gives back what he receives from the stands, I agree that he is mouthy, so what. What chance did the little girl have?

posted by bigsky1949 at 06:40 AM - reply - flag:

Rivers going over to yell at fans was a chump move that makes the guy look immature. Why should he care what they think? The scoreboard said everything he needed to say.

posted by rcade at 07:27 AM - reply - flag:

What did Rivers say to the Colts fans anyway? Anybody know? I didn't realize he was such a shit talker. I don't think he was this way when playing for State. As far as I know anyway. I'll have to ask around.

posted by NoMich at 07:32 AM - reply - flag:

rcade has it right about Rivers. As far as Manning is concerned, he now has time to find a few more products to hawk. The guy is a pitchman for everything.

posted by pbel at 07:45 AM - reply - flag:

The fans in Indy are known for being pretty harsh, so I wasn't surprised to see Rivers get into it. He's still a kid, and he'll learn to point to the scoreboard instead of blowing his top eventually. I don't really have a problem with how he reacted. It was just immature. No one was innocent in the exchange, but I suspect no one suffered lasting damage either. The Chargers were going to have a hard time next week if they were healthy, but if Rivers and Tomlinson are both out (or even just not 100%) for next week's game, the point spread is going to be huge. It'll be like New England is playing the Dolphins, or a YMCA pickup team or something. (Kidding, I'm kidding. But it's not going to be a close game.)

posted by chicobangs at 08:23 AM - reply - flag:

I do think Tony Dunge will resign as Colts coach very soon. If he does leave, it seems like the big-name coaches (Cowher, Carroll, etc.) will be going nuts to grab that gig.

posted by dyams at 09:02 AM - reply - flag:

Of course I mean Tony Dungy.

posted by dyams at 09:15 AM - reply - flag:

If Tony Dungeonmaster decides to walk off into the sunset and Do Good Deeds for the rest of his life, a tent city will spring up overnight on Bill Cowher's front lawn.

posted by chicobangs at 09:33 AM - reply - flag:

Why do people think Dungy's gone?

posted by rcade at 09:40 AM - reply - flag:

Dungy isn't done yet, he will stay for the last year of his contract

posted by Goyoucolts at 09:50 AM - reply - flag:

People are looking at the fact Dungy's son has enrolled in school in Tampa as a sign he will leave to spend more time in Florida with his family. After the tragedy of his older sons death, I fully believe he's seeing the need to be closer and more involved in family issues than he's been able to do in the past as a NFL head coach.

posted by dyams at 09:58 AM - reply - flag:

I didn't realize he was such a shit talker. I don't think he was this way when playing for State. He's been that way for the two years he's been starting, like when he declared Ellis Hobbs the "sorriest corner in the league" after losing to the Pats. He seems to have a whole host of excuses ready whenever things go pear-shaped. Why do people think Dungy's gone? For the reasons dyams mentioned and the fact Dungy have been . . . coy with everyone who's asked him if he'll be back. There's some suggesting he wants to start a ministry, possibly one concentrating on prison inmates. Might be a tough place to sell the anti-homosexual sex bit, though.

posted by yerfatma at 10:10 AM - reply - flag:

question for football nation: what is the point of taking a knee at the end of the half? if you have a few seconds left, why not wing one? i see this all the time. i saw norv turner call for it yesterday when his team was even within hail mary range. i dont understand this. the odds of throwing a pick-6 are slim to none, if you throw it deep enough. what is it that coaches are afraid of?

posted by elijahin at 10:14 AM - reply - flag:

The fans in Indy are known for being pretty harsh, so I wasn't surprised to see Rivers get into it. He's still a kid, and he'll learn to point to the scoreboard instead of blowing his top eventually. Irony. When he played for State, all everybody could talk about was how "mature" he was. They used the fact that he married young and they had children right away was proof that he was "mature." Go figure. If Tony Dungeonmaster decides to walk off into the sunset and Do Good Deeds for the rest of his life, a tent city will spring up overnight on Bill Cowher's front lawn. Irony again. The very reason that Cowher resigned in Pittsburgh is because his kids are enrolled in school down here in Raleigh. My theory is that he's waiting for John Fox to have yet another underachieving year with the Panthers and then Cowher will get offered that job. Which is odd 'cause he'll still be away from home every week during the season. He should've put his hat in for the Duke job.

posted by NoMich at 10:21 AM - reply - flag:

what is the point of taking a knee at the end of the half? Throwing a pick is just one of the possible turnover scenarios. The quarterback could be sacked, could fumble, the ball could be tipped then ran back, there could be a penalty on that could change things, etc. The chance of a turnover leading to points may be low, but the chances of a big play happening are just as slim. That being said, there are certain situations when a knee is taken where the odds may be a bit better to try and get the ball downfield. I guess it's just the team with the ball not wanting to wind up with something disastrous happening and ruining the focus of the second half.

posted by dyams at 10:26 AM - reply - flag:

i get that dyams, but if there is a 90% chance that the ball hits the turf, a 5% chance that it gets picked, and 5% that its a td, and on even if it does get picked there is about a 1.5% chance that a pic gets returned for a td, all im saying is show some cojones. especially if you are an underdog trailing as the chargers were.

posted by elijahin at 10:34 AM - reply - flag:

A lot of it, obviously, depends on the score. If the game is getting out of hand in a negative way for the team with the ball at the end of the game, then I think they need to take every chance they can with the ball. A team that has played a great half of football, overall, and is either leading by a slim margin, tied, or may be trailing by a couple points, probably doesn't want to do anything to mess that half up, no matter how remote the chances may be one way or the other. As a fan, though, I hate when teams take a knee. Of course I'd love to see the fantastic play. Another thought on the Chargers: Hopefully Tomlinson's "bruised" knee isn't like Marvin Harrison's. If that's the case, we may not see him again until training camp.

posted by dyams at 10:54 AM - reply - flag:

Irony. When he played for State, all everybody could talk about was how "mature" he was. Honestly, that may be completely true. I'm a biased observer and, even if I wasn't a Pats fan, when the veins in Rivers' neck start bulging, he looks to me like he belongs South of the Mason-Dixon line circa 1959, swinging an ax handle.

posted by yerfatma at 11:05 AM - reply - flag:

Rivers is a little immature.He's always getting into it with the fans on the road.Yesterday wasn't the first time he's done it.He's got to learn to suck it up and be professional about it. Letting the fans know that they are getting under his skin just makes them get louder and gets more people into it.Rivers has got to learn to let that trash talk go and just play football,what he's being payed to do.He's going to hear alot of it this coming weekend here in Foxboro.The fans at Gillette Stadium will have him eating right out of their hands.

posted by Ghastly1 at 11:11 AM - reply - flag:

The fans at Gillette Stadium will have him eating right out of their hands. I think the fans will be the least of Rivers' problems against the Pats.

posted by dyams at 11:23 AM - reply - flag:

I think the fans will be the least of Rivers' problems against the Pats. I think the Ghastly One has a point, though. The fans should be the least of Rivers' problems, or of any quarterback's...but if he lets them become a bigger problem, then they aren't the least of his problems. I wonder if the coaches have spoken to him about this.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:41 AM - reply - flag:

Y'all make it sound as if the Pats defense is going to give San Diego problems. I think the real problem for an offense going against New England is the pressure to score touchdowns all the time or fall behind.

posted by rcade at 11:56 AM - reply - flag:

That's true, rcade. I believe both New England's offense AND defense will be huge problems for Philip Rivers. The Chargers' offense can't put up the points offensively to keep up with the Pats, and the Pats defense is a tough, veteran group with vast experience playing in games of this magnitude.

posted by dyams at 12:15 PM - reply - flag:

elijahin: i get that dyams, but if there is a 90% chance that the ball hits the turf, a 5% chance that it gets picked, and 5% that its a td, and on even if it does get picked there is about a 1.5% chance that a pic gets returned for a td, all im saying is show some cojones. especially if you are an underdog trailing as the chargers were.

I'm with elijahin, although maybe not in the particular case of the Chargers. As a watcher of games for entertainment, the "knee with 10 seconds left" always pisses me off. Yeah, there's a slim chance of a positive outcome, a slim chance of a negative outcome, and mostly a wash. But if you're down already, and aren't getting the ball to lead off the second half... go for it! Even if it's just a running play that might break free... getting a TD just before time ends is a great way to go into the locker room, and if you're already behind you don't have much to lose. A lot can happen in a short period of time, even just one play. For example, how many people thought the Cowboys had likely won with 49 seconds left, but Eli Manning marched down field with some good passes and a timely penalty to get the game-winning TD. The best part about taking a chance just before the end of the first half is taht you have 30 minutes of football to rectify any mistakes.

rcade: Y'all make it sound as if the Pats defense is going to give San Diego problems. I think the real problem for an offense going against New England is the pressure to score touchdowns all the time or fall behind.

So true- those steady TDs and field goals make the opposing team force themselves into riskier plays, or changing up what works- which is when you start to see turnovers in the form of interceptions, or the other team making bad choices and not getting yardage.

posted by Hal Incandenza at 12:17 PM - reply - flag:

posted by yerfatma at 12:19 PM - reply - flag:

Brady vs. Volek I have been waiting for this matchup all year

posted by Debo270 at 12:20 PM - reply - flag:

But with an aging linebacking corps whose ability to stop the run is constantly questioned. It'll be interesting to see if SD takes a page from Jacksonville and comes out throwing given the Pats will probably put 8 men in the box again to stop the running attack. Especially so with a team that has decent receivers as running backs (even if Tomlinson is sidelined); I bet the Chargers start dumping it off underneath to running backs (or Gates if he's healthy) and get Bruschi and Seau tired of chasing them. Wouldn't be too risky of a strategy, especially if Volek ends up being the quarterback, although they probably won't be able to keep pace with Pats offense doing that. But, a play like that is what sprung Sproles against the Colts.

posted by LionIndex at 12:47 PM - reply - flag:

Brady vs. Volek I have been waiting for this matchup all year You and the entire Volek family, Debo.

posted by chicobangs at 12:48 PM - reply - flag:

Rivers is a little immature.He's always getting into it with the fans on the road. Forget about the fans. Just watch him when he's on the field. After every incomplete pass (and I mean EVERY incomplete pass), the camera cuts to Rivers and he's yelling about something. At his players, at the ref, at himself, who knows? But he looks like he's cursing someone out.

posted by cjets at 02:43 PM - reply - flag:

question for football nation: what is the point of taking a knee at the end of the half? Because NFL coaches, by and large, are some of the most cautious creatures you'll ever find. Oh, and this might have something to do with it, too. You play to win the game!

posted by The_Black_Hand at 03:12 PM - reply - flag:

You play to win the game! Great quote. Too bad it comes from a coach whose every move as a head coach was to play not to lose.

posted by cjets at 03:37 PM - reply - flag:

Oh, and this might have something to do with it, too. What a terrible way to lose. Must have been horribly painful if one was a Giants fan at the time.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 08:45 PM - reply - flag:

Oh, and this might have something to do with it, too. i get that, but thats at the end of the game when they should absolutely be taking a knee. and the reason that they call that the "miracle at the medowlands" is because its such an annomole.

posted by elijahin at 09:15 PM - reply - flag:

Only a small percentage of people booed the girl, and those around me that were doing it were doing it with smiles on their faces, as a joke. Some were clapping at the same time. And please, tell me that Gilette wouldn't have a 90% boo rate if the situation was reversed. These are fans that start Yankees suck chants at FOOTBALL GAMES. If it was the baseball equivalent of that and a kid wore pinstripes in Fenway he'd probably get hit by a battery. Any of the major rivalries would have a reaction like that. To be honest, I was surprised the booing wasn't louder.

posted by Bernreuther at 02:06 AM - reply - flag:

And please, tell me that Gilette wouldn't have a 90% boo rate if the situation was reversed. Only if they sold a lot more luxury boxes.

posted by yerfatma at 06:05 AM - reply - flag:

Any "adult," and I use that term VERY loosely, who would boo a kid, whether they're 8 or 15, just because of the jersey they're wearing, whether it be serious or as a joke, is a complete asshole, and I hope they know it. If anyone out there condones this stupid mentality, I ask that you imagine your own child out there, on an NFL football field, on national TV, in one of the biggest moments of her life, and you have to watch and listen as cascades of "boo"s reign down upon her. It's just not funny. I'm glad the girl involved seemed to take it well, probably because her parents (or the organizers) prepared her for the fact the stands are peppered with far too many dipshits that can't tell the difference between her and, for instance, Randy Moss or Tom Brady.

posted by dyams at 07:16 AM - reply - flag:

Only a small percentage of people booed the girl, and those around me that were doing it were doing it with smiles on their faces, as a joke. It was a pretty loud small percentage. I don't think there's a venue in the NFL where the home fans wouldn't boo PPK kids in rival jerseys. It's not nice, and I wouldn't do it myself, but I don't believe it's traumatizing the kids. In all the years they've done this event, I can't recall seeing any of the kids express dismay when they're greeted by a chorus of boobirds, presumably because they've been warned to expect it. The older ones usually look amused.

posted by rcade at 08:06 AM - reply - flag:

If it was the baseball equivalent of that and a kid wore pinstripes in Fenway he'd probably get hit by a battery. Which, of course, is why you constantly hear about unconcious people being carted out of Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium with D cell-sized dents in their heads. Must happen all the time, right? Trying to rationalize adults (well, adult-like humanoids, anyway) booing children publicly is folly. It's asshattery to the highest degree. If you absolutely must make an ass out of yourself in public, do it in the general direction of an actual adult, not a child. Go find Philip Rivers. He seems to live for that shit.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:38 PM - reply - flag:

Go find Philip Rivers. He seems to live for that shit. I know. What the hell is with that guy? Put a freakin' headband on him and a pair of shades and he'll look like Jim McMahon. Oh, yeah, and of course I agree with what you said, TBH. There is no justifying or explaining the booing of a kid, even if the kid is mature enough to understand the loser adults in the stands. In future years the same buffoons will now have to boo children wearing Chargers jerseys.

posted by dyams at 06:44 PM - reply - flag:

Update on boo-gate for those of you following. I think the youngster is going to be fine, especially after getting tickets to the AFC championship game for the entire family.

posted by curlyelk at 09:33 AM - reply - flag:

Sunday, January 13, 2008

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