Putting a wrap on today's media access with five obsverations from Gillette Stadium:
1) Talking turnovers. The Chargers totaled an NFL-high 48 take-aways during the regular season. The Patriots had a league-low 15 give-aways during the regular season. Force meets force in the AFC title game. "I wish you were in the meeting this morning with Coach," running back Kevin Faulk said. "It was the emphasis. Protecting the ball."
2) Receivers razz Stallworth. WR Donte' Stallworth is one of the fastest players on the team, but his fellow receivers let him have it for being caught from behind by Jaguars CB Rashean Mathis in Saturday's win. "I tried to get out of there while we were watching that as a whole offense and the receivers wouldn't let me leave. They kind of grabbed me and made me stay," Stallworth said. "I didn't realize I was looking at the Jumbotron the whole way. I should have just peeked up there and ran."
3) Chargers injuries. One of the obvious storylines in the game is the health of Chargers QB Philip Rivers, RB LaDainian Tomlinson and TE Antonio Gates, but Patriots DE Richard Seymour stiff-armed any talk of injuries. "I don’t know who’s hurt. I don’t know who’s injured. I don’t know anything about that," he said. "I think who’s hurt are the teams they’re playing against. We understand what we’re facing. We’re not looking at this team and saying are they hurt and this and that. We’re not buying into that."
4) Don't believe the hype. That was the message players said they heard from coach Bill Belichick. "Bill mentioned it in the meetings -- don’t get sucked in by what everybody’s telling you," relayed WR Donte' Stallworth. "[The Chargers] won more games than anyone -- including us -- since Thanksgiving. They have the most turnovers of any team since the Baltimore team did in 2000 and we all know what that team ended up doing. Their offense is scoring more points, they’re playing really well. We played Jacksonville last week and they were playing probably the best football and same with the Chargers. They’re playing the best football of anybody else in the league regardless of anything you guys say. It’s going to be a challenge. I don’t know the spread -- It doesn’t matter, I don’t keep up with any of that stuff. We know we have a real fight on our hands."
5) Joe Paterno gets a mention. One of the legends in the college game, Joe Paterno, came up in discussion today. TE Kyle Brady was answering questions about the differences between the Patriots and Chargers from their Sept. 16 meeting and said: "My old college coach Joe Paterno used to say ‘You never stay the same. You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse.’ I think that’s true. Hopefully we’ve managed to find ways to get better in spite of all the various adversities that come to you in the course of the season. Hopefully we’ve done some growing ourselves."
Once again, excellent information. Thanks for your efforts in helping fans like me real news about the teams.
Sorry for the late post...I've been out shoveling sunshine all afternoon but it just keeps coming down The driveway is still full of the stuff and it doesn't look like it's letting up for the next....well, never.
The Patriots are the John Kerry of football...believing that winning the run-up means something. In 60 minutes the Chargers will erase an entire season--five years from now the only thing people will remember is that the Pats got upset by the lowly Bolts...they won't even mention the "perfect" season. The Patriots have been crowned the best team ever, but they hit their high water mark in week four and have been on the decline ever since.
The fact that you classless fools choose to live in a place that is gloomy, wet, and cold negates any comments you make. You are a pathetic lot, endlessly talking up your sports teams to keep from having to focus on your fat wives and ugly red-headed children.
The Chargers have heart and character, and they play the game with the same vigor and enthusiasm that the greats played it. Read Lombardi's comments about what it takes to be a winner--or maybe you'd complain that Lombardi was just another "trash talker." Enjoy the week, you northeast retards--it all ends on Sunday. The Pats are going to drown faster than one of Teddy Kennedy's hookers.
CHARGERS 31, PATRIOTS 27. GUARANTEED.
OK, Daniel (Danielle?) Adams. I like your comments about Kerry and Kennedy--I can't stand either one of them--but your comments about those of us living in NE are nonsensical. Nice try, I guess.
So you've guaranteed a SD victory by a score of 31-27. What do NE fans get when you're wrong on both counts? Guarantees usually come with something. Tell you what. When the Chargers lose on Sunday (and score nowhere near 31 points), you come back to this blog and post a YouTube video of yourself walking around sunny SD all dressed in Patriots gear with "I Love New England" shaved into the hair on your head. Deal?
I am wondering if Adams read the blog. The Patriots coaches and players are singing the Chargers' praises and showing nothing but respect for their opponents. Keep in mind that all that respect was given in spite of LT calling them classless.
I don't get the venom against the Pats.
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