The San Diego Chargers are back in the playoffs with Philip Rivers at the helm for the first time since 2009. They will face off against AFC North Champion Cincinnati Bengals at 1:05PM EST today. The last and only time these two teams faced each other was in 1982 and the Bengals won 27-7. However, Rivers and the Chargers are hoping to get their first playoff win since 2008 in Mike McCoy’s first ever playoff game as the head coach. The Chargers will be facing some adverse conditions and that is the weather with the temperatures dipping below freezing sometime during the game.
That shouldn’t stop the Chargers since they’ve faced adversity all year. They won their final four games including an overtime victory against the Kansas City Chiefs to clinch a Wild Card spot on the last weekend of the season. Philip Rivers has had a very good season completing almost 70% of his passes for 4,478 yards and a very good 32/11 TD/INT ratio. Ryan Mathews has shared time with Danny Woodhead in the backfield with Woodhead coming in for almost every passing down while showing effectiveness in that position. Woodhead has caught 76 balls for 605 yards and 6 touchdowns as a running back while posing numerous miss matches against linebackers throughout the season. Mathews has held his own, leading the Chargers in rushing with 1,255 yards and 6 touchdowns, while averaging a pedestrian 4.4 yards per carry. The biggest surprise for the Chargers has been the third round pick out of University of California, wide receiver Keenan Allen. The rookie has come on strong for Rivers and the Chargers offense with 1,046 yards on 76 receptions and 8 touchdowns. Expect to see a big dose of Keenan Allen today despite the Bengals trying to take him out of the game plan.
The Chargers are no stranger to tough situations. Their whole season has been a fight so the weather and circumstances should not have a huge effect on their team as a whole. However, the Chargers (4-4 on the road) will be taking on a team who has been perfect at home and obviously enjoys that advantage in the Cincinnati Bengals (8-0 at home). In order for the Chargers to win, they must win the turnover battle. On the season, they rank 20th in the National Football League in the takeaway difference department with -4. They cannot give the Bengals any extra chances especially playing them at home. They need to have a steady diet of Ryan Mathews pounding the Bengals defense between the tackles as well as Danny Woodhead motioning out of the backfield in order to create mismatches in the secondary. Teams tend to shy away from their strengths in the playoffs because they think the opposing defense is focusing on that player. It’s true but if the Chargers shy away from Woodhead or Mathews the Bengals will be 9-0 at home for the 2013 season.
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