Patriots vs. Chargers: TV Info, Spread, Injury Updates, Game Time and More

The New England Patriots fell victim to the Green Bay Packers in what turned out to be the best game of Week 13, and they'll be in the spotlight yet again on Sunday night of Week 14.

Tom Brady and the Pats will travel to Qualcomm Stadium to take on the San Diego Chargers in a battle of AFC powerhouses. There's plenty on the line for both teams. The Patriots (9-3) are still competing for the top seed in the conference. The Chargers (8-4) are just one game behind the Denver Broncos in the AFC West.

All eyes will be on Brady as the contest's best player, but he won't be the only one who influences the outcome of this AFC clash. To find out more about the ins and outs of the matchup, continue reading on. You'll find the necessary viewing info and some analysis for this week's edition of Sunday Night Football.

When: Sunday, Dec. 7, 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

Watch: NBC

Betting Info (via Odds Shark on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. ET)

• Over/Under: 50.5
• Spread: New England (-3)

Team Injury Reports

Team injury reports are courtesy of ESPN.com and are subject to change in the days leading up to the game.

Player	Position	Status	Injury
Aaron Dobson	WR	Doubtful	Hamstring
Chandler Jones	DE	Questionable	Hip
Brandon LaFell	WR	Questionable	Shoulder
Julian Edelman	WR	Questionable	Thigh
Tom Brady	QB	Probable	Undisclosed
Shane Vereen	RB	Probable	Ankle

Player	Position	Status	Injury
Philip Rivers	QB	Probable	Chest
Ryan Mathews	RB	Probable	Shoulder
Eddie Royal	WR	Probable	Toe

Analysis

Steven Senne/Associated Press

No conversation about this game can begin without addressing the overwhelming success that both Brady and Philip Rivers have enjoyed in the month of December. NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano tweeted about their dominance in the final month on the calendar:

Just in case you were curious about the exact breakdown, Brady is 45-7 while Rivers is 30-6.

The Patriots, who haven't lost two games in a row since 2012, are relying on Brady to have a strong game against a defense that is the seventh-best against the pass this season. The 37-year-old spoke to The Boston Globe about the Chargers defense:

"

They’ve got a real good pass rush. I mean [Dwight] Freeney has been a pain in our butt for a long time. He continues to be. They have a good, athletic group of linebackers. They rotate a lot of guys. The secondary is really solid. Eric Weddle is one of the best safeties in the league. He’s just free all the time, finds the ball. He’s a really smart player. They have a lot of good players. They’re 8-4. They’ve had a great season.

"

Brady shouldn't have a problem handling this defense, even if it ranks highly against the pass. He has stepped his game up immensely since losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4, racking up at least 245 yards and two touchdowns in each game.

The key for the passing attack is establishing the run early. Any number of running backs could see carries, but you can bet on LeGarrette Blount getting plenty of touches. He's averaging 6.2 yards per carry in two games with New England.

The reason is YPC is so high? Runs like this one:

"

LeGarrette Blount just wrecked Morgan Burnett https://t.co/GLgluRokzg

— The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) December 1, 2014"

San Diego's run game has been far less productive in 2014 than New England's, ranking 28th in the NFL. Branden Oliver was solid for a few weeks, but he, Ryan Mathews and Donald Brown simply haven't gotten the job done. That has put a ton of pressure on Rivers and his corps of wideouts.

Their 11th-ranked passing game is certainly respectable. Receivers Keenan Allen and Eddie Royal have been reliable. Rivers has even connected with Royal on 17 pass attempts in a row, as ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss points out.

Allen and Royal won't have an easy go of things against the Patriots, however. Even though the defense ranks 23rd against the pass, the likes of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner smother opposing receivers. Revis will more than likely line up opposite Allen. That doesn't bode well for the second-year receiver.

He has faced top corners this year, however. Check out his game stats during the contests when he primarily lined up opposite a few of the game's best:

Team	Corner(s)	Results
Arizona Cardinals	Patrick Peterson	9 Tgt, 5 Rec, 37 Yds
Seattle Seahawks	Richard Sherman	6 Tgt, 5 Rec, 55 Yds
Denver Broncos	Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr.	13 Tgt, 9 Rec, 73 Yds, 1 TD
Miami Dolphins	Brent Grimes	9 Tgt, 4 Rec, 47 Yds

If Allen and Royal are shut down, Rivers will rely heavily on Antonio Gates. The Patriots play poorly against tight ends (at least from a fantasy standpoint), having allowed 786 yards and five touchdowns to the position this season, per ESPN.

Stopping Gates will be imperative, especially if they do a good job containing Rivers' other options.

The outcome of this game may be far less competitive than it seems. The deck is stacked against the Chargers given the Patriots' success coming off a loss and their top-notch defensive backs. Rivers will be forced to pass a ton without a running game to lean on, so it could be a long night at Qualcomm.

Anything can happen in a game with so much on the line, but Brady and the Pats have a track record in these types of situations.

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @kennydejohn