AFC Wildcard Showdown

San Diego, CA

Primetime Saturday night belongs to the Chargers. San Diego will host the red hot Indianapolis Colts in the AFC wild-card round. The streaking Colts are marching into town on the heels of nine consecutive wins. Peyton Manning, is playing at an MVP pace after a slow start. Hampered with a nagging knee injury that held the former Super Bowl MVP from much of spring training, he seems as good as fixed going forward. Manning finished the year going over 4,000 yards for the third straight season. It is the ninth time in his 11 year career he has accomplished the feat. The Colts (12-4) have made the playoffs each of the past seven seasons since hiring head coach Tony Dungy in 2002. Before being over taken by this years Tennessee Titans, the Colts had been AFC South champs five years in a row, including a Super Bowl XLI victory.

"How you got here, what you've done in the past- we all know it's pretty irrelevant," QB Manning told the Colts' official web site. "It's kind of who plays better on that day, but it's nice to know we found ourselves in a hole and kind of answered the question, 'Could we dig ourselves out?'"

On Friday, Peyton Manning joined Brett Favre as the only three-time Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award winner.

Philip Rivers might be called upon heavily if L.T. is not going to be 100% for Saturday's contest. Just fine for the NFL's top rated passer, (105.5) but will face off with a very stingy Colts defense. Indy has allowed just six touchdown passes this season, the fewest ever in an NFL regular 16 game season. LaDainian Tomlinson sat out practice again Thursday citing last years AFC Championship game as a reason why. In last years 21-12 loss to the Patriots, L.T. practiced hard on Thursday and was sore Friday. He hopes the extra time off will allow him to further heal and doesn't mind playing through pain for his team as long as it happens on the field in live game action. San Diego's 10th rated offense will need to put up points in what should be a close contest between these two teams. The last five between theses two opponents, have been decided by a mere 9 points. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, ended the season tied with Drew Brees (34) for most TD passes and 5th in yards (4,009), just seven more than league MVP Peyton manning in both statistics. Philip Rivers received two MVP votes, Manning (32) won in a landslide. 

Holding the same position with the Chicago Bears two years ago, Ron Rivera watched as Peyton manning led his team down the field to a Super Bowl victory, ending the Bears season. Now he must put together some defensive schemes that will help slow down Manning for the Chargers to have a different fate. Rivera has noticed how Peyton has continued to improve as the season labored on.

"Now you see the timing, you see the ball being put where it needs to be put, and you see the receivers in sync with him," said Rivera. "That's what we as a group have got to be able to handle. He's going to put the ball where it needs to be. We've just got to make sure we're in proper position."

Chargers linebacker Stephen Cooper, who leads the team in interceptions with four, talked about how the defense needs to step up.

"As long as we can get pressure in his face, that's what's going to dictate the game," Cooper said. "If you don't have guys in his face and he has an open window to see receivers, he's going to get the ball to them. We can always do a better job, I think everybody (here) knows Peyton, when he's comfortable in the pocket, that's when he has his best games. Whenever you have him moving outside, running around with guys at his feet, that's when he gets erratic and throws the ball up in the air like you seen last year, when Antonio had three picks."

 Cooper was referencing a 2007 matchup between the two clubs when Manning threw his career worst 6 picks, including three to Antonio Cromartie. 

Also related, the Chargers will wear their powder-blues alternate uniform for the game this Saturday. The 'power blues' as many fans call them, due in part to the teams success while wearing them, the team has won seven straight, and 8 of 9 in the light blue uniform. The jerseys were sent to the league office after the Bolts Dec. 4 victory over the Raiders, to be auctioned off for charity. However, team official A.G. Spanos said the team was able to get the jerseys back just before they hit the auction site. The NFL allows teams to use an alternate uniform once during the playoffs. L.T. thinks it's going to be great adding, "It's what everybody wants and we're going to look sweet on Saturday night." The team will return the uniforms to the league office to be auctioned off after the game.