San Diego Chargers Bolbits: Team Makes Statement in Potential Trap Game

While not a dangerous game as far as impact on the season, it was another great test of a game that the Chargers could easily have taken for granted. Tennessee was a 7-7 team desperate to preserve its playoff life. They were also a red-hot 7-1 following a disappointing 0-6 start, with the lone loss coming against the undefeated Colts.

The question was not if San Diego could beat the Titans; wins against several playoff-caliber teams across their now 10-game winning streak proved they can face off against anyone.  The question instead would be their motivation having guaranteed themselves the AFC West crown while holding a two-game lead for the second seed in the AFC with two games remaining.

Paired with the notion of San Diego possibly letting off the gas was a tough matchup in Tennessee. San Diego’s defense, especially the run defense, had been a concern all year.

With (by far) the NFL’s best rusher in Chris Johnson, the Titans also feature a great running quarterback in Vince Young (over two-hundred yards without playing until week seven). There was the threat of Tennessee running over the heart of the San Diego line and dictate the game.

The team answered those predicting a letdown early on in the game. Three minutes before halftime the Chargers held a 21-3 advantage. They had scored through the air (twice) and on the ground (a one-yard Tomlinson run).

Tennessee kept the game from becoming a halftime runaway with a Vince Young touchdown just before the half. The halftime score of 21-10 was the closest Tennessee ever came to coming back.

The Chargers started the second half just as effectively as they ended the first, putting another 21 on the board before Tennessee could manage a lone garbage-time answer.  The final score of 42-17 sent forth a statement to the rest of the AFC—San Diego is overlooking no one.

Philip Rivers had another near-perfect day going 21-for-27 with 264 yards and two touchdowns. The only thing preventing another three-hundred yard day was the team’s own tremendous lead, negating any need to throw the ball in the later stages of the game.

On the ground, San Diego running backs (the term used broadly to include fullbacks Hester and Tolbert) combined for 170 yards, led by Mike Tolbert’s 60 on eleven carries.  With limited carries (25) Tolbert is now averaging 5.9 yards per carry this year, by far tops among Chargers ballcarriers.

Tennessee was as effective as expected on the ground (182 yards for Johnson and Young) but Tennessee was reduced to being one-dimensional. Young’s legs fared well (forty yards on six carries including a touchdown), but his arm did nothing for the team, going 8-of-29 for 89 yards with two interceptions. It was easily his worst performance since returning to the starting lineup.

Of all San Diego’s positives, they still had one point of concern. In the last seven games they have only two sacks from powerhouse duo Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips.  They have been moderately effective getting sacks from alternative sources (safeties and middle linebackers), but after a brief midseason flurry have once again cooled on their overall pass-rushing effectiveness.

However, that one caveat does not detract from the team guaranteeing its best record in the Norv Turner era. At 12-3, the team secured a first-round bye with the second overall seed, and its accompanying home field advantage against every team but Indianapolis. 

The extra week off should help considerably with the overall health of the team. Shawne Merriman (plantar fasciitis), Eric Weddle (knee), Shaun Phillips (ankle), Legedu Naanee (foot), and Quentin Jammer (knee) all played but were nursing injuries. Jacques Cesaire and Kevin Burnett both missed the game against Tennessee.

Now that the regular season is effectively over, with that second seed wrapped up going into the finale against a deflated Washington Redskins team, San Diego will look to return to the championship game for the first time in fifteen years. Good luck and go Chargers!