CHARGERS: London lightning

High-scoring NFL teams offer Brits an offensive outburst

By MATTIAS KAREN - Associated Press | Saturday, October 25, 2008 9:07 PM PDT ∞

LONDON ---- Last year's NFL game in London was a sloppy, slippery and forgettable mud bowl.

For this year's encore, the Chargers and New Orleans Saints plan to treat the British audience to something a lot more memorable.

"You have two of the best quarterbacks in the league right now, playing in this game," Saints coach Sean Payton said ahead of Sunday's matchup at Wembley Stadium, the second regular season NFL game played outside North America. "Both teams, I think, have a lot of players that are exciting and would be entertaining to watch."

It will not be hard to exceed the entertainment value of last year's event, when the New York Giants slogged their way to a 13-10 win over the Miami Dolphins in an ugly game best remembered for the persistent rain that turned the Wembley field into a soggy, torn-up patch of goo.

"I don't recall a whole lot (of the game), other than I remember seeing the field and seeing the rain, and the conditions of that game," Payton said.

But there are plenty of reasons for British fans to expect more this time.

New Orleans features the NFL's top-ranked passing offense, while the Chargers have the worst pass defense, meaning the Saints ---- who are without injured running back Reggie Bush ---- are likely to pursue an all-out air attack.

Then there are the quarterbacks. The Chargers' Philip Rivers enters the game with the NFL's highest rating of 108.5, while the Saints' Drew Brees has a score to settle with his old team, which he left in 2006 after a shoulder injury.

Add in that both teams are 3-4 and desperate to enter their bye week at .500, and Wembley could be in for a high-scoring game.

Still, Chargers coach Norv Turner was focusing on the Saints' defense.

"They're very, very impressive with the front seven," Turner said. "Their safeties are outstanding tacklers. I don't know that there is a better pair of ends in the league. The defensive ends play high-tempo and play awfully well. They play the run extremely well and obviously they can rush the passer."

The passer in question is Brees' former backup.

"When you look almost five years later, we're playing against one another on different teams in a different country," Rivers said. "Certainly, he had an impact on me as a player those two years. I'd like to hope that I had (the same impact on him). It was a healthy competition and a healthy relationship. (We) competitively pushed one another."

Another former teammate is hoping to push Brees ---- to the ground.

Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips, who also played with Brees at Purdue, is hoping to finally get his hands on his longtime friend in a game.

"I would never disrespect Drew, but my job is to hit him as much as possible and as hard as possible," Phillips said.

Brees, however, is hoping to have the added support of the Wembley crowd. New Orleans is listed as the home team and the quarterback has been handing out instructions through the British media for how fans should behave at the game.

"Wear black and gold," Brees said. "Cheer really loud when our defense is out there. And when our offense is out there, keep it quiet out there so they can hear."

Both teams have been struggling with jet lag this week, but have had time to adjust after arriving in London on Monday. Last year, the teams didn't fly to Britain until the Thursday before the game.

"We've made good progress in terms of those things, and now we've really gotten into our normal routine," Turner said. "I believe once we get going on Sunday and play the game, they'll all feel it's worth it, and I do believe it's exciting from the standpoint of letting people around the world see our game."

Last year's rain-soaked game didn't appear to have any negative effects on the Giants ---- they went on to beat the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

The forecast for this Sunday also calls for potential light rain, meaning the teams are bracing for the possibility of another romp in the mud.

"We'll expect anything," Brees said. "We will expect the same weather they had last year ---- cold and rainy. We just understand that's the way it is. You put a little more emphasis on ball security and that sort of thing. For the most part, we're going to do what we're going to do."