I think Rivers is way more important than the "thug" known as LT. Not sure how one of the classiest guys in the league is called a thug....
Turner and Sproles are very good backups but not quite the stud LT is. Volek is capable but theres usually a huge difference when a backup QB has to start.
Chargers won at Indy and if refs call a fair game, its not even close. Chargers D could affect NE and they have to be pissed at what happened last year. Then again, the Pats will rally around LT's comments from last year's game.
I can't see Chargers winning, but I think they can keep it close enough early to give them a good chance to cover. Make the Pats play a little safer late in the game and either have a chance to backdoor or have Pats run out the clock up by 10-13, similar to Jags game.
I'll probably be on SD but not too big.
td, i agree to an extent. originally i really liked sd, but i am wavering a bit. the jags had garrad at full strength. rivers will not be able to plant and throw. imo volek is a rudderless ship, and he will prove that this weekend if he plays. the pats blitzed garrad a lot and they were very close to a sack on his 1st td pass. he has mobility and rivers/volek really do not. the running game of the chargers could work as the ne defense is pourous. however, it would take considerable effort for the pats d to play as poorly as the colts last week did. the lack of depth for the colts on their dline was so obvious last week it was painful to watch. the pats do have wilfork and seymour. the weakness for the pats is seau and bruschi. they are both slow. the rec for the chargers are dangerous, but are worthless if th qb cannot get the ball there. i look for the pats to sell out against the run (like they did against jags) and take their chances on 3rd in pass coverage. the chargers have a pretty good line, but i cannot see rivers or volek playing that well. rivers is one hit away from not even playing.
the chargers defense is extremely fast at lb and comartie is the best corner in the nfl right now. however, this crew was torched by manning and his lesser group of receivers, yet they failed to score points.
the pats would have covered that spread if wwelker doesn't drop that last pass. i do not see the chargers being able to keep up. i like the pats at -14 even though that is a lot of points. anything more than 14 i would pass.
jmho
