CHARGERS: Matchups vs. Colts

By MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | Saturday, November 22, 2008 8:07 PM PST ∞

Chargers on offense

That fine season QB Philip Rivers was having has hit some speed bumps lately. Rivers still leads the NFL with 21 touchdown passes, but his recent issues with interceptions (six in the last four games) is a prime reason why the Chargers have won just one of their last four games. Suddenly, only six NFL quarterbacks have thrown more interceptions than Rivers, who has been picked off 10 times. Though the Chargers rank seventh in the NFL in passing, it is the 27th-ranked running game that might need to come up big against Indianapolis. The Colts are just 25th against the run (allowing 138.5 yards per game), and six different backs have topped 100 yards against them. Houston rookie Steve Slaton had 156 yards against the Colts last Sunday on just 14 carries. RB LaDainian Tomlinson (686 rushing yards) has just two 100-yard games this season and needs better holes to run through. SS Bob Sanders (knee) will miss the game, and the Colts are a different team without last season's NFL defensive player of the year. TE Antonio Gates (40 receptions, six touchdowns) may find more room to operate with Sanders missing. Gates had just two catches last Sunday against Pittsburgh. However, Melvin Bullitt, who will replace Sanders, has taken advantage of the opportunity to play ---- Sanders has missed six games this season ---- to intercept a career-best four passes. The Chargers may be able to use the height advantages of 6-foot-5 WRs Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd to their advantage against Colts CBs Nick Hayden (6-0) and Tim Jennings (5-8). DE Dwight Freeney (seven sacks) had two sacks in each of the last two games, and he'll return to the scene of where he suffered a season-ending foot injury last season. MLB Gary Brackett has a team-high 101 tackles, and SLB Clint Session can't be overlooked, not after intercepting Rivers twice in last year's meeting at Qualcomm Stadium.

Edge: Chargers

Chargers on defense

QB Peyton Manning usually throws for a lot of yards against the Chargers, and that has been when the Chargers weren't ranked as the NFL's worst pass defense. In his last five meetings against the Chargers, counting last season's playoff game, Manning has thrown for at least 328 yards each time and has twice topped 400 yards. Of course, he was intercepted a career-worst six times in last year's regular-season meeting. Manning has passed for 2,568 yards and 17 TDs this season against nine interceptions. WR Reggie Wayne (56 receptions, 790 yards) has supplanted Marvin Harrison (39 catches, 434 yards) as Indy's go-to receiver. The Chargers have had trouble covering tight ends all season, so expect Manning to be looking for TE Dallas Clark (39 receptions, 459 yards) to get open against SS Clinton Hart and FS Eric Weddle. CB Antonio Cromartie had more interceptions (three) in one game against Manning last season than he has all this season, but Cromartie (two picks) said his hip is feeling the best it has since he hurt it in September. The Chargers haven't forced a single turnover over the last four games, and the secondary would be helped in coverage if OLBs Shaun Phillips and Jyles Tucker (four sacks apiece) can consistently pressure Manning, who hasn't been sacked in four of the last five games. RB Joseph Addai (387 rushing yards) is coming off his first 100-yard game of the season (105 yards vs. Houston), as the Colts (last in the league in rushing at 77.7 yards per game) finally got their ground game moving. The Chargers would benefit greatly if free-agent-to-be DE Igor Olshansky (40 tackles) improves his play in hopes of landing a big-money deal this offseason.

Edge: Colts

Special teams

Last year's regular-season meeting was decided in this area: Darren Sproles returned both a kickoff and punt for a touchdown, while Indianapolis K Adam Vinatieri missed a 29-yard field goal that would've won the game for the Colts. Sproles would like to create some more nightmares for Indy's special teamers, who probably are just now getting over the memory of the little guy running wild. Sproles is averaging 26.7 yards on kickoff returns and 11.4 on punt returns this season. Vinatieri's miss was a stunner since he has the well-deserved reputation of being one of the top clutch kickers in NFL history. He has hit 11-of-14 field goals this season. Chargers K Nate Kaeding is 18-of-22 but dropped to just 2-of-6 from 40 or more yards with his costly 42-yard miss against Pittsburgh last Sunday. P Mike Scifres (48.0 average with a 42.9 net) might be the Chargers' MVP. His 75-yard free kick in cold conditions in Pittsburgh was amazing. The Colts' Hunter Smith averages 45.1 yards.

Edge: Chargers

What to expect

Looking for a shiny silver lining in the Chargers' season? Here it is: They are 2-0 in home night games, having won them by a combined 78-39. They might need to be equally dominant under the home lights Sunday to keep their playoff hopes alive. Denver plays earlier in the day, so the Chargers will know whether they have a chance to cut into the Broncos' two-game lead before the game even kicks off. The timing of the Colts matchup couldn't be worse, though. Indianapolis is playing its best football of the year, having won three consecutive games. The Chargers also can ill afford getting into a shootout; they are 0-2 in games (Denver and New Orleans) in which both teams score in the 30s. The likely deciding factor will be turnovers. The Chargers got them last November when they beat the Colts despite gaining only 177 yards. But they have just 10 takeaways this season (only Houston has fewer) and have seldom displayed the opportunistic nature that saw them lead the NFL in takeaways last season. Desperation time is here for the Chargers, and falling three games below .500 with five games to play could prove to be a death knell.

Pick: Colts 31, Chargers 23

---- Mike Sullivan

Another view

Tom James, Terre Haute Tribune-Star

Colts 34, Chargers 21

Peyton Manning has been on a roll of late and his receivers are healthy, which could prove troublesome for the San Diego pass defense.