Breaking News: Patriots to host Chargers in AFC Championship

by tommasse on Jan 13, 2008 4:27 PM EST in New England Patriots News

The San Diego Chargers, short-handed and with the deck stacked against them, beat the Indianapolis Colts, 28-24, in the AFC Division Playoff at the RCA Dome this afternoon. That means the New England Patriots will host the Chargers in the AFC Championship game next Sunday afternoon.

The game will be a rematch of the Week 2 contest, which New England won 38-14.

Update [2008-1-13 19:5:21 by tommasse]:

The AFC Championship game is scheduled for next Sunday at 3 p.m.

The Patriots return to practice Wednesday.

Bill Belichick quotes and more after the break ..

During a conference call this afternoon, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said the following:

"As I said last night, we’re privileged as a football team to be in the AFC Championship game. That was a tremendous win today by San Diego, in Indianapolis. They beat them twice this year, of course. They’re a good football team, strong in every phase of the game – offense, defense, special teams. They make a lot of big plays in all three areas of the game as we watched them through the season, as I know all of you have. They’re tough, they’re physical. Going out on the road and winning today in Indianapolis today shows what kind of mental toughness they have. We know we’re going to have to play our best game of the year.

"On the same note, we’re excited to play, and we’re excited to be in the game. It’s a privilege to be in it. Hopefully we’ll be able to go out there and do our best Sunday against the Chargers.

"A lot has happened since then [Week 2]. We’ll definitely start all over on the preparations with them, almost like it’s a new team, and then look back at some of the things we had from September. That’s a long time ago. I think the most important thing for us to focus on is what the Chargers have done the last couple months. They have a long winning streak."

Belichick said the Patriots will prepare as though all Chargers starters will play Sunday.

Over-Rated (Clap, Clap, Clap-Clap-Clap)

As for the talk that the Colts were the "most overlooked defending Super Bowl champion ever," there was a good reason for it: They weren't worthy of anything more.

The Colts had every advantage today. They were home. They were the beneficiaries of several terrible calls (most glaring: pass interference on Clinton Hart at the start of the 4th quarter -- no one touched Reggie Wayne -- and holding on Antonio Cromartie's interception return that should have been a touchdown). They had all their available injured players back, including Marvin Harrison who caught two passes and fumbled one. San Diego was short-handed entering the game and lost their MVP and starting quarterback during the game.

According to the Dictionary

Main Entry:
- Pronunciation:
- - \'chōk\
Function:
- verb
Etymology:

- Middle English, alteration of achoken, from Old English ācēocian, from ā-, perfective prefix + cēoce, cēace jaw, cheek — more at abide, cheek
Date:
- 14th century

transitive verb

4: to lose one's composure and fail to perform effectively in a critical situation {had a chance to win the game but he choked}

Peyton Manning is now 7-7 in the playoffs and earned another loss with big interceptions. When the game was on the line -- twice -- Manning wilted. Much like David Garrard last night, Manning wasn't sharp when it really counted, when there was pressure.

Manning overthrew several receivers in the waning minutes, including reliable tight end Dallas Clark on the last Colts play ever in the RCA Dome which will be demolished this spring. On the Colts penultimate drive, from the Chargers 7-yard line, Manning threw three straight incompletions to running back Joseph Addai, who led Indy with 9 receptions on the day.

I guess he was forcing it into him.

Fighting over Who's More Classless

Colts fans jeered Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and we walked injured to the San Diego locker room. Those same fans were outraged that Rivers gave it back to them after Manning failed again to bring back Indy.

Still. Rivers, c'mon. Be a pro.

Even worse were the Colts fans (again) when the league presented the winners in the annual Punt, Pass and Kick competition for children. The fans booed a 14-year-old girl because she represented the Patriots. But, really. What do you expect from people who admit that their community leaders are a bunch of classless, uneducated, uncivilized, uncouth swill-slingers?

Watching Peyton Manning choke again: Priceless

60,000 Colts fans booing a little girl: Classless

A Couple More Notes

Colts fans cheered when Stephen Gostkowski missed a field goal last night. Mulit-million dollar Benedict Vinatieri was a non-factor today.

By the way, Ryan Diem is a dirty player and should have been ejected for throwing a punch.

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Comments

RE:

Congrats to the Chargers. They played a helluva game. This is going to be a great match-up next week.

Think LT's words after SpyGate are going to be brought up at least once in the next week? I think so...

Over The Monster A Member of the SportsBlogs Nation Family.

by RBooth @ Pats Pulpit on Jan 13, 2008 4:32 PM EST reply actions

Yes, and also...

...what a "classy" guy he is.

by RSNexile on Jan 13, 2008 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

LT remids me..

of Steve Spurrier always pouting on the sidelines.

Andre Tippet should be a Hall of Famer

by The Patriots Way on Jan 13, 2008 5:15 PM EST reply actions

How about...

...Rivers mouthing off to a Colts fan when they practically had the game in the bag? Class guy...

by MaPatsFan on Jan 13, 2008 5:19 PM EST reply actions

dont forget...

...the whole stadium booing the 14yo girl with the pats jersey.

by Tippecanoe on Jan 13, 2008 5:44 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah.

I am a Colts fan, and I was kind of upset about this. I mean, yeah, there's a rivalry and all, but don't boo a little girl, come on! She's just a girl.

by Picky on Jan 13, 2008 10:07 PM EST up reply actions

If the Giants lose

There's going to be a lot of crying in the Manning family tonight. In all seriousness though, what a shocker. The Colts lost to a backup QB, RB, and several others with an injury (not the least of which was Antonio Gates' gimpy foot.) Kudos to the Chargers for really gutting it out.
I don't know the status of Tomlinson yet, but I expect Rivers to play next week. He may not have been able to play, but he was feeling well enough to jog over to the stands and berate some Colts fans.

by 6thround on Jan 13, 2008 6:04 PM EST reply actions

Horrible officiating.

I don't like the Colts or the Chargers so I was impartial watching the game. The number of calls in favor of the Colts was pathetic. Most ridiculous was the 25 yard pass interference call on the Chargers at the beginning of the 4th quarter -- or maybe the phantom holding called on Weddle during Cromartie's nullified return of an interception for a TD. At least this has eliminated the biggest threat to the Pats -- the Colts and their pack of referees.

Amazing how Gates played with a dislocated toe while Tomlinson didn't play and seemed in decent shape to me (riding the bike and jogging in place). Some people want to win more than others.

by scsatr on Jan 13, 2008 6:15 PM EST reply actions

Kinda reminded me

of the game between the Colts and Steelers 3 years ago. The refs did everything but score for Indy and they still lost the game.

by Ironman63 on Jan 13, 2008 7:30 PM EST up reply actions

We'll Find Out

Who's actually injured pretty soon. Let's hope Hobbs can pull it together. Otherwise, NE is in pretty good shape. It was so nice to see Kyle Brady contributing last night!

Just MOVE THE CHAINS, Baby!

by Ref on Jan 13, 2008 7:27 PM EST reply actions

I agree on Tomlinson...

a bruised knee? That cannot be further injured by playing. I know that because I bruised a knee and finished a playoff hockey game. I played the rest of them through the recovery too. It hurts, but you've gotta tough your way through it. Tomlinson is a sissy. He always has been. He should have been back in that game and running. Of course, a larger, more powerful back may actually have been better against Indy's undersized and very fast defense anyways.

by PaulRevere on Jan 14, 2008 12:00 AM EST reply actions

I think it

is more serious than they are saying. If it were just a bruise, I think L.T. would have come back in the game. Same with Rivers. ESPN said Rivers is going to have an MRI tomorrow. But you are right about L.T.; the harder he gets hit, the less he wants to play.

by Ironman63 on Jan 14, 2008 12:46 AM EST up reply actions

wasn't that

the same injury that Marvin Harrison was listed with? Can't put much stock in any of those team reports.

Keep the faith!

by Marima on Jan 14, 2008 9:34 AM EST up reply actions

You're not insinuating ..

.. that the Colts injury report wasn't on the up-and-up, are you? Oh, for shame! Tony Dungy would never do such a thing! Oh, that poor, poor sainted man.

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by tommasse on Jan 14, 2008 9:43 AM EST up reply actions

irony

Over-Rated (Clap, Clap, Clap-Clap-Clap) - Ha ha! I've heard that somewhere. ;-)

Hey doesn't that 'Inside Manning's Head' commmercial that we've been forced to watch a gazzilion times end with him throwing to Clark? I wonder how many more times we'll see that ad. Ironic.

by mrbandw on Jan 14, 2008 10:10 AM EST reply actions

Ironic, Indeed

I keep looking for Ty Law, the Patriots and the Chargers in there, but I never see them. You can't believe anything you see in TV ads anyway -- which is probably why Manning is in so many.

He should have plenty of time for taping more now.

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by tommasse on Jan 14, 2008 12:11 PM EST up reply actions

TV ads

Speaking of Manning ads... after watching the new 'double-stuff' commercial (there is a disgusting joke in there, I just know it)with his even dorkier brother, I found myself asking this question: Does Peyton say no to ANYTHING?

It's embarrassing, it really is.

by tmcn33 on Jan 14, 2008 3:46 PM EST reply actions

That commercial...

...was somewhat pathetic and prophetic at the same time. Pathetic in that it was just plain stupid and prophetic in the empty stadium surrounding the Manning boys. Noone cheering for the Colts until next year.

by MaPatsFan on Jan 14, 2008 4:05 PM EST up reply actions

What I would LOVE to know ..

.. is when that ad was taped. It seems that the sponsor planned it for post-season. Did they know or assume that both the Colts and Giants would both be represented. Or did they care? Was it taped after the Wild Card when the Giants made it through? Or months ago, regardless, and they just got lucky both were still playing?

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by tommasse on Jan 15, 2008 12:53 AM EST up reply actions