AFC Wild Card Playoff: Chargers 17, Titans 6

I'll start by admitting no team pissed me off more this year than the San Diego Chargers. Not even the Rams, though that became more of a shell-shock thing. Philip Rivers single-handedly KILLED my FFL team. I took Clinton Portis, a nice player this year, but I took him over Tom Brady because my genius plan was to take Rivers 3-4 rounds later. Rivers SUCKED ASS almost every week, and I kept starting him instead of picking up David Garrard, who finally got me the consolation championship, because I kept telling myself Rivers was due for a big week. Like the week he threw for like 100 yards at Minnesota, the league's WORST pass defense, while the Charger D gave up a billion yards to Adrian Peterson and got me knocked out of the survivor pool the week I was afraid to go with Tampa at home over the Big Dead.

I. Hate. The. F@cking. Chargers. Nothing would make me superficially happier than to see them go down in flames in the playoffs yet again. Scratch that. The Patriots losing would make me happier, but not actually by that much more.

Let's see how it goes; Tennessee's always been well-coached under Jeff Fisher (who's outlasted Dick Vermeil, Mike Martz and will probably outlast Scott Linehan), but their work's cut out for them today.

CBS is showing all these great games Rivers had? When the hell were they? The guy sucked eggs for 13 weeks; he's going to take them anywhere now?

It is raining in San Diego - I wonder if that's any kind of sign. Chris Henry returns the kick for Tennessee out to the 27. Tennessee opens the game with a quick WR screen behind a bizarre line overshift, but the WR drops the pass. Another drop by Gage on 2nd down, or broken up by Antonio Cromartie. The fullback then gains 16 on a screen. Lendale White gains 3 or 4. San Diego hasn't liked taking on very physical backs in the past. Titans could exploit that today. They are so far. Big hole for White for 5. 3rd-and-1 near midfield, Vince Young has to call Tennessee's first TO. The Titans then huddle up with 12 and get a penalty for 3rd-and-6. Young wheels left and scrambles for 8 and the first down anyway. Young rolls right this time and hits Gage for 20. San Diego's leaving receivers wide open on the sideline, which gets Tennessee inside the Charger 20, but they've now got 3rd-and-7. Titans can't get anyone open, and Vince has to ditch it to avoid the sack. Bironas chips it in from 30 to give Tennessee the early lead. A 6:00 FG drive isn't a terrible way to start.

Quick word on Antonio Cromartie. With 50-50 hindsight, he's the DB the Rams should have picked in the first round of the 2006 draft. He's the big, physical, playmaking CB the Rams clearly lack against teams with huge WRs like Arizona.

But that's not to say Tye Hill was a poor pick, which is what a lot of people are saying. Hill has done a fine job and is the Rams' best cover back at times. As Bernie Miklasz points out today, the percentage of the time he does get beat is actually quite good, expecially for a young back. And the Ram defense was so awful going into 2006 they could hardly afford to take a chance on Cromartie's recovery from a torn ACL, though I imagine between him and Willis McGahee, the league's collective attitude toward drafting some injured players is going to change.

Hill was a good pick; Cromartie just would have been better, and would have solved an area the Rams are pathetically weak at now.

Anyway, 3-0, Titans. Sproles returns to the 27. LT for 1 or 2. Titans blitz Rivers, who fumbles the ball but it's recovered by LT. Good rush by TN again forces a useless 5-yard dumpoff.

Bwa-ha-ha, go, Titans! TN will take over at their 35. Chris Brown up the middle for 3. Young gets plenty of time to throw but gets taken down by Cesaire on 2nd down. 3rd-9, big blitz on Vince forces a throwaway. Young is down and looks like he's been in a car wreck. Sproles fair catches the punt at the 23.

Quick hitch to Chambers for 5. Comes back due to a chop block, though; SD will have 1st-and-21. LT for 3. This is awesome for Tennessee; make Rivers beat you. 2nd-18, overthrown for Gates at the sidelines. Dumpoff to MANU for 9. I think this game is going exactly how Tennessee wants. Punt's returned to the 30.

Powerful run by White for 8. They only give him 1 on 2nd down. White bounces off his own blocker and stumbles up the middle for 4. Vince hits Troupe off play-action for 13. They're at the SD 45. 2 more for White. Tennessee has had the ball almost the whole first quarter. 1:00 left. White up the middle and WOW, he drives a whole pile for almost 8. Third and very short again. Fullback Hall takes the carry for 3 as the first quarter ends.

Wow, Brady Quinn's got more commercials than career pass attempts. How stupid is that?

From the Charger 34, Brown ignores a big hole and bangs down to the 30. 5 more for Brown. On 3rd-and-1, White busts out for 13 down to the 12. Titan o-line is dominating the LOS. Short gain for White this time. See, San Diego loves to come after your QB, but hit them in the mouth in the running game and they shrink up like George Costanza. Aw, crap. Super play by Merriman to pop the ball out of Brown's hand and force a fumble I believe is recovered by Shawn Philips. HUGE play for San Diego.

Chargers from their 9. They try to sweep LT left, but the Titans string it out for a 3-yard loss. Off a short drop, Rivers hits Chambers for 7. 3rd-6. Square out to Gates, and he takes it up the sideline for 16. LT gains 2. Play-action and a nice pass over the middle to Chambers for 30. Great run support by Michael Griffin again stuffs an attempted LT sweep for a loss. 2nd-13, Rivers throws it away with nobody open. They try a sideline bomb to Vincent Jackson but he can't bring it down. Another punt for San Diego; Titans will take over at their 12.

Funny thing about the Charger offense here; Rivers is actually doing a decent job - it's LT and the running game that have been all but complete crap. I don't think LT even has positive yardage at this point.

Today's referee is Ed Hochuli, who's average enough that he probably looks great in the NFL's eyes.

White gains a couple. They screen to him on 2nd down, but he falls down and takes a big loss. 3rd-12. Davis can't handle a tough sideline pass and Tennessee will punt. Sproles catches the punt over his shoulder at the 48 and brings it to the TN 43.

Though they've just picked up a big advantage in the field position game, the Chargers stupidly go for the whole enchilada on 1st down, and early POTG candidate Cortland Finnegan picks it off in the end zone, covering Chambers 1-on-1. Nice call, NORV.

What's Rivers pissed off about? That he sucks?

Tennessee starts from their 20 with an incomplete and a 2-yard White run. Vince wings it long on 3rd down but it goes off the hands of a falling Gage, who was shoved to the ground by Cromartie without a call. That was NOT incidental contact. But Tennessee's punting. Hentrich only gets it to the SD 45.

Again, proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy in the form of the Charger cheerleaders.

LT gets a hole this time but still only gains 3. Another false start for the Chargers, who I'll remind everyone is the HOME team. 2nd-long, Rivers barely avoids a sack and almost gets his dump pass picked off. 3rd-12, Jackson's WIDE open and gets the Chargers down to the 36. HUGE hole in the Titan zone that time. But they shut down LT for no gain. 7 carries, 6 yards. Dumb short rollout pass to Gates not only loses yardage, Gates gets hurt. His left foot got bent back and is apparently broken; they're bringing out the cart. Lord help the Chargers if MANU has to carry their passing offense. Gates rides out on the cart, and I hate to be crass, but Tennessee couldn't have dreamed the game would be going this well for them 3:00 before halftime. Griffin saves a TD by knocking down an end zone pass for Chambers, and Nate Kaeding's 45-yard FG attempt is MISERABLE and barely even gets off the ground. More playoff non-magic from Kaeding.

Tennessee from their 35. White gains 4, but gets little or nothing on 2nd down. Clock runs down to 2:00. Nice throw by Vince on 3rd-5 to someone named Byron Ely? at the 50. Big hole on the left for Brown, who CRASHES off one of his WRs for 10, but a hold on Troupe drags it back. 1st-20. Vince scrambles for about 3. Both teams let the clock run. This is dumb on San Diego's part; they have Tennessee where they want them right now. 10 to Moulds on the sidelines and the clock stops anyway. Here's Ely again, with a 1st down at the 38. 2 catches today when he had 1 all season. Moulds gets out of bounds after gaining 6. 5 to Troupe for another 1st. Young spikes at 0:15. Titans have been picking up the Charger blitz without much trouble. Handoff to White for 4 sets up Bironas for a 45-yard attempt with :03 left. He strokes it, and Tennessee leads 6-0 at halftime as the Chargers get BOOED off the field by their fans at a home playoff game.

Just about a perfect first half for Tennessee. The Chargers have got to play stronger run defense in the 2nd half and force Young into more predictable passing situations. And it's pathetic that Tomlinson has like six yards rushing in the first half. Tennessee owns this game in the trenches. Hilariously to me as a Charger-hater, they're going to have to rely on Rivers and come out firing after halftime to get things loosened up for LT. It's possible, but lotsa luck with that, Norv.

What have we learned coming out of halftime? Jim Nantz and Phil Simms have the worst hair of any broadcast crew, and San Diego's first half highlights were clearly from their cheerleaders.

Illegal block will start San Diego in a hole. LT gains 4, then nothing, and the Charger crowd is nothing if not restless. 3rd-6 from the 16. Rivers emerges from a collapsed pocket and drills one to Chambers for 19. Huge play by Rivers. After a Titan injury timeout, LT dances around for 1. Rivers is hit as he throws for a 2nd-down incomplete. 3rd-9, Jackson is WIDE OPEN down the sideline for a big gain. Worse yet for Tennessee, Griffin is injured on the tackle. 34-yard gain for Jackson. San Diego's around the Titan 30. Pitch to LT looks good at first but Tennessee is quick to get back and Finnegan shuts it down for no gain. Rivers hits Chambers on the sideline for 19. 1-10 from the T11. 7 to Chambers, but LT is SHUT DOWN AGAIN at the 4. 3rd-and-3. Norv wants a time out, because it looks like a play never came in. Quick pass to Jackson gains only a couple; it looked like LT was all alone in the flat, but the play wasn't designed to go that way. Norv settles for a FG, much to the home crowd's disgust. 6-3, Tennessee.

Henry brings the kick back to the 24. Play-action rollout to Davis at the sideline for 4. White up the middle for 4 more. 3rd-2, Young quickly guns it to Ben Hartsock(!) for 4. Charger rush is just not getting there. White gets about 5 over left tackle. Charger blitz is right on this time, meeting Henry in the hole for a loss on 2nd down. 3rd-and-6. Young and his WR aren't on the same page and a long pass is incomplete. Sproles only gets 2 on the punt return out to the 21.

Boy, the Titans have no answer for Vincent Jackson today, who Rivers hits for 20. From the 41, swing pass to LT, his FIRST reception, gains about 5. That play's long overdue. Big hole left for LT but Tulloch drags him down after 2 yards. 3rd-3. LT gets a quick pass and breaks Griffin's tackle for a first down. Important play. 1-10 at the T48. Michael Turner up the middle for 3. What, LT's tired out after gaining a whole 10 yards? Now Albert Haynesworth makes a FREAKING STUPID PLAY. He jumps offside and knocks Rivers on his ass, a blatant roughing penalty. What a damn idiot. Chargers are now at the Titan 29. LT up the middle for 4. On play action, Rivers gets all day, rolls right and finds the apparently unstoppable Jackson at the 3. He embarrasses the overrunning DB with a quick cut and dives into the end zone.

San Diego leads, 10-6. Rivers is winning the game for them with his arm.

Rest assured I'd be losing a lot of money on a day where Philip Rivers and Eli Manning are the reasons their respective teams are winning playoff games. Days like today are exactly why gambling shouldn't be legal.

Tennesse starts from their 26 with 2:30 left in the 3rd. Troupe makes a pretty catch up the sideline at midfield. Chris Davis gets DRILLED by Jammer on an end around, but not until he gains 11. Tenn at the SD 37. 5 to Hartsock. White plows left and is about a yard short. Crazy run by the fullback Hall. He's extremely tentative with the handoff and looks like he's going to lose 2. Then he spins and bounces off a tackle and stumbles around the right edge for 11. First down, Titans, inside the SD 20 as we start the 4th quarter.

Phillips EATS UP a slow developing run for White for -3. Poor pass by Young on 2nd down should have been picked off by Hart. 3rd-13. Pass is short and behind Hall in the flat, and he never would have gotten a 1st down anyway. On comes Bironas. The best kicker in the league hooks it left, and San Diego holds their 4-point lead.

Chargers from their 28; LT gains 1. Great run D by Tennessee today, but they're getting killed by Jackson. Now finally, LT breaks loose, for 11 off the right side. LT runs right for 5. Long ball for Chambers is nowhere close; Titans had it covered. 3rd-5, a Titan safety gets faked out in the flat by MANU, who gains 7. San Diego's already across midfield. THROWING AGAIN, pass is way high and out of bounds. How 'bout chewing a little clock, Chargers? Three straight passes after LT had run twice for 16 yards. And now here's another pass, incomplete for Jackson in the face of heavy pressure. 3rd-and-10. With ALL DAY to throw, Rivers finds Chambers ALL ALONE for a pass inside the 10. Second HUGE leak the Titan zone has sprung today, and as a result, the Chargers may have this one all but put away. They use a TO to prevent a delay of game. Tennessee's all over the 1st down run. LT can't bounce it outside, and it loses 2. Rivers has to throw away the 2nd down pass. 3rd-and-goal from the 10. Quick slant to Tomlinson, who gets WHACKED at the one. He falls into the end zone but is ruled down before he got there. Great call, his butt hits down before the ball's across the goal line. Look at that mouthpiece bouncing around on the ground. Don't know whose it was, but what a great replay. Norv challenges the call, but I believe he's going to lose it, and his last timeout with it.

Challenge fails as expected. 4th and goal from a foot and a half. I'm stunned they're going for it here when they went for the FG before. A FG gives you a touchdown lead! Tomlinson leaps high and is met in midair by a Titan, but he extends the ball across the line for the TD, with a Bush Push, I believe from Manu. Fisher challenges, but he's not going to get it. Super smart play by LT to extend the ball across the plane, and Manu's push saved the day for San Diego. Super play by Tulloch to meet LT in midair, but it just wasn't enough. 17-6, San Diego.

Titans still have enough time to run, but they go incomplete, Merriman sack, Castillo sack, and the Chargers are sticking a big ol' fork in this one.

Shaun Phillips is having a super game for San Diego. Have I ever mentioned I wanted to pick him a few years ago when the Rams took stupid freaking Anthony Hargrove?

Chargers from their 43, 7:28 left. After a no-gainer, LT bounces outside for 12 and smartly slides in bounds to keep the clock running. Turner gains 11 with a hesitation run. No gain for Turner from the Titan 35. Looks like LT's done for the day? Helmet's not even on with 4:40 left. Turner gets a big hole and slips a tackle in the backfield for 11, but it comes back for a hold. 2nd-16 from the 40. Turner fights mightily for 1. Titans use a timeout at 4:13. They have one left. Turner gains 4 after breaking about half-a-dozen tackles on 3rd down. TN uses its final TO at 4:03. They nearly block the punt, but Scifres finds the COFFIN CORNER at the 5.

Play action, roll left pass to Moulds for 13, but he'd stepped out of bounds first. 1st-12 from the 3. False start, and it's now 1st-14 from the 1. 8 to Hartsock. 2nd down, Young throws a poor pass off his back foot, Florence picks it off, and returns it to the 19. Illegal block will move it back, but this game's over for sure now.

Might as well go for the Daily Double of Metaphysical Unlikeliness and give Philip Rivers and Eli Manning Player of the Game awards on the same day. LT didn't do squat until late in the game. This one was on Rivers' shoulders all the way, and he pulled his team through. Without Gates, Chambers and Jackson were both over 100 yards receiving.

That'll send the Chargers to Indianapolis next week, more than likely without Gates. They have had Indy's number in the past, but that'll be a lot harder without Gates, in Indy's place, against a team that's had a week off. They picked off Manning SIX times earlier this year, but needed Adam Vinatieri to miff from 29 to hang on for the win. Colt Nation is probably concerned about their tackles holding up against the Charger rush, but they'll be smart to do just what the Titans did. Hit San Diego in the mouth early and get Addai going. Indy's passing game is a much better followup to that than Tennessee's, plus I don't expect all the coverage breakdowns in the Colt secondary that the Titans had today.

So I'm going with all the home teams next weekend (if T.O. is healthy), even though that didn't exactly work out too well this weekend.

Good weekend of football & congratulations to everybody who advanced.