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New England Patriots at San Diego
Chargers
Qualcomm Stadium
Sunday, January 14, 2007
4:30 EST
CLICK HERE FOR CHARGERS/PATRIOTS PLAYOFF TICKETS
Game Preview
After one of the greatest individual seasons in NFL
history, LaDainian Tomlinson was a near-unanimous choice as The
Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player. "It couldn't happen to a
better person, a man who is the face and the perfect representative of
the National Football League," Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal said.
"He represents what every player should be." Tomlinson set NFL
single-season records with 31 touchdowns and 186 points. He also set
NFL records with nine consecutive multi-touchdown games and 19
touchdowns in a six-game span. He also became the first NFl player to
score three touchdowns in three consecutive games, and the first to
have three games of four or more touchdowns in one season. He also led
the league in rushing (1,815 yards), caught 56 passes for 508 yards
and threw two touchdown passes. Tomlinson's feats helped the Chargers
end the season with a 10-game winning streak and the NFL's best record
(14-2). "I would feel so much better about winning if we win the Super
Bowl. It would feel like it would be everything," Tomlinson said. The
Chargers will play the Patriots, Jets or Chiefs in the divisional
playoffs Jan. 13 or 14.
The last time the Jets and Patriots met at Gillette
Stadium back in November, New York came away victorious. New England
made sure there was no repeat this time around by knocking off the
Jets 37-16 Sunday in the AFC Wild Card Game. When it comes to the
playoffs, it's hard to beat Tom Brady and the Patriots and the Jets
certainly weren't able to do just that. New England looked in control
from the start, using a no-huddle offense to go 65 yards on 10 plays
on the opening drive that finished with Corey Dillon's 11-yard
touchdown run. Both teams were tied at 10 in the second quarter before
Brady led his team on another long drive (15 plays, 80 yards) that
finished with a 1-yard touchdown pass to TE Daniel Graham with 11
seconds left before halftime. The Patriots never looked back from
then, limiting the Jets to just two field goals in the second half.
Brady finished 22 of 34 for 212 yards and two TDs and is now 6-0
lifetime at home in the playoffs. "I think we had a great plan," Brady
said. "This is a pressure defense, and I think we were prepared much
more for the pressure this time around."
So what do the Chargers get as a reward for winning
their final 10 games of the season and earning the AFC's No. 1 seed? A
date with the Patriots, who boast a coach (Bill Belichick) and
quarterback (Tom Brady) that together are 11-1 in the playoffs. San
Diego doesn't have nearly as much experience at quarterback, where
Philip Rivers will be making his first postseason start. But the
Chargers do have LaDainian Tomlinson, the league's MVP who set an NFL
record with 31 touchdowns.
New England is in the divisional playoffs for the fourth straight year
after putting away the Jets in a wild-card game.
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