New England coach Bill Belichick will be the first to acknowledge it: Just because his team pummeled the San Diego Chargers earlier this season doesn?t mean it will do the same on Sunday.
“They?re good, they?re real good,” he said. “They beat the Colts twice. I don?t know what else they need to do or can do. They couldn?t do any more. They?ve done everything they could do since that middle part of the season.”
But has San Diego done enough to win its first American Football Conference title in 13 years?
The Chargers (13-5) will find out Sunday afternoon at 3 when they face New England (17-0) at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., in front of a national television audience on CBS.
The Patriots are favored by 14 points and on pace for the greatest season in league history. But the Chargers also are playing great, outscoring opponents by an average of 15 points during their eight-game winning streak.
Belichick has spent the past week trying to not only prepare his team for the game, but also make sure they aren?t overconfident after dominating the Chargers, 38-14, on Sept. 16.
“If he was a trial lawyer today, he won by a landslide,” Patriots fullback Heath Evans said of his coach?s message. “If fear is ever good, he put fear in us by what they?ve accomplished and what they?ve done consistently for the past twomonths.”
And there are plenty of other storylines. Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, quarterback Philip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates are all listed as day-to-day after suffering injuries during a 28-14 upset over defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis last week.
The Chargers and Patriots also played a memorable divisional playoff game at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego last season. The Chargers were an NFL-best 14-2, but New England stunned the AFC West champs on a late field goal, 24-21.
After the game, several Patriots mocked San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman?s “Lights Out” sack dance at midfield, enraging several Chargers, including Tomlinson.
And that resentment has carried over to this season.
“Who? New England?” Chargers defensive end Igor Olshansky said after his team?s victory over the Colts. “Seriously, I mean, they?re more worried than we are, I promise you. Believe me. They know what?s up. The way that we?re playing now, nothing can stop us.”
But to Belichick, it?s just another game in the Patriots? march toward a perfect season.
“Our whole season?s at stake; so?s theirs,” he said. “I don?t think anything that?s happened in the past has much bearing on it.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
