Pair of Win Streaks on Line in Colts-Chargers Contest

Football Betting Lines

01/02/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After making history with an unprecedented four-week run to the postseason, the San Diego Chargers will have another chance to carve their names in the record book when they open the playoffs on Saturday night.

Norv Turner's club, which will play host to the Indianapolis Colts in a Wild Card Weekend showdown, can become the first AFC team with a record of .500 or worse to win a postseason contest, and the first 8-8 team to prevail in a playoff game since the Rams and Vikings both did so in 2004.

The Chargers are already treading on unfamiliar ground on several fronts. With last week's 52-21 win over the Broncos, San Diego became the first team to make the postseason after going 4-8 through its first 12 games, became the first 8-8 division winner since the Cleveland Browns in 1985, and became the AFC's first .500 postseason entry since the New York Jets got in as an 8-8 Wild Card in 1991.

In addition, San Diego - the 12th club in league annals to reach the postseason at 8-8 or worse - is the first NFL team with a record of .500 or worse to host a playoff game.

All of that said, the Chargers' mediocre record hardly matches up to their recent play on the field.

San Diego comes into Saturday's game as one of the NFL's hottest teams, one that went 4-0 over their final four contests and won those games by an average margin of 19 points.

After reaching the nadir of their season with a 22-16 home loss to the Falcons that knocked them down to 4-8 on Nov. 23, San Diego routed the Raiders (34-7), mounted a furious late rally to win at the Chiefs (22-21), and outclassed the playoff hopeful Buccaneers (41-24) in Tampa Bay prior to last week's shellacking of the visiting Broncos.

Luckily for San Diego, the win streak coincided with first-place Denver's collapse from 8-5 to 8-8, helping the Chargers to raise the AFC West banner for the third straight year and fourth time in the past five seasons.

Though the Chargers have turned their season around with an impressive four- week display, the Colts come into Qualcomm Stadium as the hotter of the two teams.

Indianapolis carries a nine-game winning streak into Saturday's contest, as well as a 12-4 record that either equals or is better than that of seven of the NFL's division winners.

The only team in the league that can boast a better record than Tony Dungy's team in 2008 happens to also reside in the AFC South, where the Tennessee Titans went 13-3 to earn the conference's No. 1 seed.

The Colts have been on fire since opening the year with a confounding 3-4 start, righting the ship by winning five straight games by six points or less during the month of November, then turning on the after-burners when the weather grew colder.

During the month of December, Indianapolis went 4-0 and outscored its four opponents by a composite of 120-48.

Included in the team's nine-game run of excellence was a 23-20 win at San Diego on Nov. 23, a result that offered partial revenge for the Chargers' 28-24 win at Indianapolis in a 2007 AFC Divisional Playoff.

A 51-yard Adam Vinatieri field goal at the final gun was the difference when the teams met roughly six weeks ago, and the boot marked the eighth time in the last 12 meetings between the franchises that the visiting team prevailed.

SERIES HISTORY

The Chargers and Colts have split a pair of postseason games, with San Diego's 28-24 win at Indy in a 2007 AFC Divisional Playoff countering a 35-20 Indianapolis win at Qualcomm Stadium in 1995.

The Chargers hold a 14-9 advantage in the all-time regular season series with the Colts, but were 23-20 home losers to Indianapolis in Week 12. San Diego won the previous meeting, a 23-21 thriller at Qualcomm in Week 10 of last season. Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning threw a career-high six interceptions in that contest.

Dungy is 3-2 all-time against San Diego, including a win for his Buccaneers in the 1996 season. The Chargers' Turner is 3-4 all-time against Indianapolis, including 1-2 while head coach in Washington (1994-2000). Turner is 2-3 head- to-head against Dungy, including a loss for his Raiders to Indy in 2004.

WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL

Peyton Manning's status as one of the NFL's prime MVP candidates was well- earned in 2008, as the decorated signal-caller put a Colts attack that had very little running game on his back at times. During the team's nine-game win streak, Manning (4002 passing yards, 27 TD, 12 INT) threw 17 touchdown passes versus just three picks, and didn't toss an INT on 110 pass attempts during the entire month of December. Wideout Reggie Wayne (82 receptions, 6 TD) and tight end Dallas Clark (77 receptions, 6 TD) both had strong years while working alongside Manning, and receivers Anthony Gonzalez (57 receptions, 4 TD) and Marvin Harrison (60 receptions, 5 TD) had semi-regular spurts of productivity as well. Gonzalez posted six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers on Nov. 23rd. The Indianapolis running game, meanwhile, struggled to gain much traction. Joseph Addai (544 rushing yards, 25 receptions, 7 TD) logged just one 100-yard game during an injury-plagued campaign, and Dominic Rhodes (538 rushing yards, 45 receptions, 9 TD) wasn't much better, with just 3.5 yards per carry in his own right. The Colts finished 31st in NFL rushing offense (79.6 yards per game), though the same offensive line group allowed only 14 sacks all year.

The Chargers' biggest defensive problems this year have come against the pass, where the team has generated 14 fewer sacks and 15 fewer interceptions than it did a year ago. The lack of playmaking ability has exposed the warts of a coverage group that is 31st in the league in passing yards allowed (247.4 yards per game). Outside linebackers Shaun Phillips (74 tackles, 7.5 sacks) and Jyles Tucker (37 tackles, 5.5 sacks) will have to apply some pressure on Manning on Saturday night, while cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie (64 tackles, 2 INT), Quentin Jammer (88 tackles, 2 INT), and Antoine Cason (74 tackles, 2 INT) try to take care of things on the back end. Safeties Eric Weddle (127 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) and Clinton Hart (63 tackles) have been better in run support than coverage this season. San Diego's defensive strength is against the run, as the three-man line of nose tackle Jamal Williams (56 tackles, 1.5 sacks) and ends Igor Olshansky (29 tackles, 2 sacks) and Luis Castillo (39 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT) head up a group that was 11th in NFL rushing defense (102.6 yards per game) during the regular season. Inside linebacker Stephen Cooper (98 tackles, 4 INT, 1.5 sacks) was second on the Chargers in tackles despite missing the first four games due to suspension.

WHEN THE CHARGERS HAVE THE BALL

Though he was inexplicably snubbed for the Pro Bowl, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers (4009 passing yards, 34 TD, 11 INT) comes off a monster season during which he led the NFL in passer rating (105.5), set a franchise mark and was tied for the league lead in touchdown passes, and broke the 4,000-yard barrier for the first time in his career. Over his final five games, which included the Nov. 23 loss to the Colts, the former first-rounder threw 11 touchdown passes versus just one interception. Wideout Vincent Jackson (59 receptions, 7 TD) and tight end Antonio Gates (60 receptions, 8 TD) have been Rivers' favorite targets all year, and others such as wideouts Malcolm Floyd (27 receptions, 4 TD) and Chris Chambers (33 receptions, 5 TD) have had their moments. The Chargers running game has generally been a disappointment this year, with LaDainian Tomlinson (1110 rushing yards, 52 receptions, 12 TD) experiencing the weakest season of his eight-year NFL career, but Tomlinson has looked healthier during a stretch in which he's scored six touchdowns in five games. Darren Sproles (330 rushing yards, 29 receptions, 7 TD) offers a change-of-pace. San Diego was 11th in the league in total offense and second in points during the regular season.

Rivers will be going up against an Indianapolis defense that allowed the fewest touchdown passes in the league (6) and ended the regular season ranked a healthy sixth in NFL passing defense (188.1 yards per game). The ability to get to the quarterback with ends Robert Mathis (48 tackles, 11.5 sacks) and Dwight Freeney (28 tackles, 10.5 sacks) remains a primary element of the unit's strength, and the duo was particularly proficient in the second half of the season. On the back end, cornerbacks Kelvin Hayden (42 tackles, 3 INT) and Tim Jennings (66 tackles, 2 INT) are steady, but the real strength of the secondary is the safety group of Bob Sanders (39 tackles, 1 INT), Antoine Bethea (101 tackles, 2 INT), and Melvin Bullitt (72 tackles, 4 INT). Sanders, who missed 10 games during the regular season with knee and ankle problems, is slated to start on Saturday. A light Indy front seven is not particularly strong against the run, ranking 24th in NFL rushing defense (122.9 yards per game), and the continued absence of middle linebacker Gary Brackett due to a broken fibula isn't going to help matters any. Buster Davis (24 tackles) will start in the middle for the Colts, and tackles Eric Foster (34 tackles) and Keyunta Dawson (42 tackles) will try to set him and weakside backer Freddy Keiaho (105 tackles) up for some stops. Keiaho led the Colts in tackles during the regular season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

One of the Chargers' best unsung weapons is in the punting game, where Mike Scifres (45.7 avg.) routinely ranks in the top five in all important statistical categories. Thanks in large part to Scifres, opponents are averaging just 6.3 yards per punt return against San Diego. Kicker Nate Kaeding (27-32 FG), who has experienced notable struggles in past postseason games, experienced a weak 2008 in which he made only 4-of-9 field goals from beyond 40 yards. Kaeding's kickoffs were better, as eight went for touchbacks and only one out of 92 was returned for a touchdown. Sproles is a solid weapon on both punt returns (11.3 avg.) and kickoff returns (26.0 avg., 1 TD), and scored touchdowns both ways in the first quarter of San Diego's win over Indy last November.

Indianapolis' veteran kicking battery of Hunter Smith (44.2 avg.) on punts and Adam Vinatieri (20-25 FG) on kicks won't give Dungy many sleepless nights, although it was Qualcomm Stadium where Vinatieri lost a game for the Colts last year with a miss of a chip-shot field-goal. Indy has not done much of note on returns this year, as neither punt returner Keiwan Ratliff (5.6 avg.) nor kickoff handlers Pierre Garcon (21.6 avg.) and Chad Simpson (22.9 avg.) have broken any huge returns. The Colts' coverage units were decent all year, giving up 9.2 yards per punt return, 24.3 yards per kickoff return, and not allowing a touchdown on either avenue.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

San Diego's primary weakness this season has been on the defensive end, so it was handy that during the team's four-week run it faced three mediocre-at-best attacks (Raiders, Chiefs, Buccaneers) and one that was adept at passing the ball between the 20's and not much else (Broncos). Peyton Manning and the Colts are a different animal altogether, as the Chargers, who allowed 12-of-19 third- or fourth-down conversions in their Nov. 23 meeting, would likely attest. Manning will dink-and-dunk his way his down the field as usual, keeping the ball out of the hands of Rivers and the surging San Diego offense. Rivers will have his moments, but will also have some trouble with the Indianapolis pass rush and won't, over the course of 60 minutes, be able to match Manning score-for-score.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Colts 27, Chargers 19