NFL Thoughts, Divisional Round

I had the Chargers winning this week, because other than “Quarterback” and “Coach,” I felt San Diego had the edge in most categories. The problem is I left out one: “Mastery of the Dark Side of the Force.”

The Patriots had the clear upper hand on that one, and though I can’t prove this, I also have no other explanation for:

1) Marty Schottenheimer electing to go for it on 4th-and-11 rather than kicking a 49-yard field goal
2) Marlon McCree’s interception-and-fumble to give the Patriots a first down
3) Schottenheimer blowing a timeout to ask for a review of McCree’s interception-and-fumble—what was he disputing? This has got to be the first time a coach ever asked for a review of a play simply because he can’t believe his own bad luck
4) Drayton Florence’s inexplicable head-butt to—you guessed it—give the Patriots a first down

So in a way I feel sorry for the Chargers, who appeared to be competing against an unstoppable evil force rather than a football team with one Pro-Bowler. On the other hand, no I don’t, because San Diego isn’t a very sympathetic team. Shawne Merriman complained afterward about the Patriots “disrespecting” the Chargers by celebrating the win on their home field. "It was upsetting to see because they won three Super Bowls," Merriman said, according to the Boston Herald. "It's like a guy on a fast break in basketball and dunking the ball and getting excited. You've won three Super Bowls. You don't do that." This was funny because a) it doesn’t make any sense, b) after failing a drug test for using performance enhancers, Merriman is the last guy who should be complaining about poor sportsmanship, and c) after mailing Jason Taylor a “Lights Out” hat and telling him to enjoy watching the playoffs from home, Merriman is really, REALLY the last guy who should be complaining about poor sportsmanship.

This leaves Peyton Manning as the only one left who can stop the Patriots Empire. Even though the Colts are at home, Peyton might as well be Luke Skywalker in Cloud City, and all those unknown Patriots receivers might as well be wearing Storm Trooper outfits. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if midway through Bill Belichick tells Peyton he’s his father.