DENVER BRONCOS
As Rocky Mountain News staff writer Lee Rasizer suggested Tuesday, "If the Denver Broncos offense's task in the wild-card playoff round had a catchphrase, like in championship boxing, it might be this: Match Game P.M.
"As in Peyton Manning. ..."
With Manning spearheading an attack that put up 522 points, 34 off the league's single-season record, the Indianapolis Colts figure to keep the scoreboard operator busy Sunday at the RCA Dome.
So it just might be up to the Broncos to match the Colts' offensive game. ... No mean feat.
Especially in light of last year's 41-10 playoff thrashing at the hand of the Colts this time last year -- an embarrassing loss that Associated Press sports writer Eddie Pells noted this week, sat hard with Denver players through most of the offseason.
Instead of dwelling on that loss, the Broncos probably will focus on their two victories over the Colts in the last 13 months. And while it's hard to gain too much confidence from last Sunday's 33-14 victory against Indy's backups, Denver's 31-17 win in Indy during Week 15 last season was much more impressive.
"We know what it takes to go over there and win," head coach Mike Shanahan said.
For starters, they'll need Jake Plummer to avoid errors against a defense that ranked 29th in the league, but was successful nonetheless because it created 36 turnovers. Only Carolina and Buffalo had more.
They'll need a good running game from the offensive line and the 1-2 combo of Reuben Droughns and emerging rookie Tatum Bell. In the win last year, Denver controlled the ball for a team record 44:58 and proved that the best way -- maybe the only way -- to shut down Manning is to keep him off the field.
In last year's playoff loss, the Broncos were forced to abandon what had been a mostly successful running attack (26 carries, 146 yards) and try to move the ball through the air.
Plummer completed 23 of 30 passes but averaged only 7.9 yards per completion. Two interceptions and third- down failures (4-for-11) also hurt the Broncos' productivity.
Similar production Sunday probably will mean another early playoff exit.
And the Broncos know it.
"We've got to keep pace. We can't fall into that trap," said Ashley Lelie, who tied Rod Smith for the team lead with seven touchdowns. "We've got momentum winning the last couple games and they just lost, so hopefully they're looking at what we've got, playmaker-wise, and they'll play scared."
I suspect, however, Denver's best chance lies not in "scaring" the Colts, but in running the ball well.
As News beat man Jeff Legwold suggested this week, Broncos offensive coaches are noted for their tinkering, for their week-to-week adjustments throughout a season. But simplicity might be the best route this time around.
Rolling up their sleeves and running the ball against the league's 29th-rated defense greatly would improve the Broncos' chances of an upset.
The Colts are quick and undersized up front and dart upfield at the snap. Indianapolis banks on the idea it can use speed to chase down a run play from behind.
But with a back like Bell in the middle of the field, the Broncos could get him free if they handle their business. Bell is too quick to be caught from behind by most front fours -- even one featuring ultra-quick end Dwight Freeney.
Of course, Droughns, who rushed for 1,240 yards this season, has taken a bulk of the carries this year. But in the past month, Shanahan has leaned more and more on Bell.
After having not carried the ball more than six times in any game before December, Bell has carried the ball at least 12 times in three of the past four games. That includes his 123-yard effort against the Dolphins on Dec. 12 and 91 yards against the Colts in the regular-season finale Sunday.
"The kid can run, and the 1-2 punch we've got going with Reuben and him is pretty impressive," Plummer said. "I want to get him to keep his weight back a little bit. There were a couple times there he was going so hard forward he fell down. But you can see when he gets a chance he's going to either hit you really hard and make you hurt or he'll get a chance to break one. He's got amazing speed. He's running hard. He's running like a man and that's all we can ask."
Said Shanahan: "He definitely has that speed to go the distance. If somebody misses a tackle or he gets a crease, he's got a chance to go the distance. Not many guys have that type of speed. If he's in the open, he's got a chance to outrun everybody.
"He's got that type of quickness and that type of downhill quickness, so hopefully he'll some opportunities."
Other notes of interest. ...
According to the Sports Xchange, rookie receiver Triandos Luke suffered a mild concussion Sunday. The Broncos will monitor him during the week before making a decision on if he can play in Denver's playoff game at Indianapolis. ...
Safety John Lynch fractured his thumb on the game's first play but kept playing. Shanahan informed media of the injury on Monday and said that Lynch will play with a cast in Sunday's AFC wild-card playoff game against the Colts at the RCA Dome.
"He'll have a little cast on it, and probably be sore for a couple days, but it shouldn't keep him from playing," Shanahan said.
Both have prolific passing games and suspect secondaries to put on display Sunday at Lambeau Field, when the NFC North rivals face each other for the first time in the postseason.
What separates these two evenly matched teams?
"A field goal," head coach Mike Sherman stated. "Both games. A last-second field goal."
That, and momentum.
The Packers enter the playoffs as the NFC's hottest playoff team, having won nine of 11. They also beat the Vikings twice by 34-31.
Minnesota backslides into the playoffs having lost seven of 10.
The Vikings insist everybody's 0-0 now and the regular season doesn't matter.
The Packers believe their emotional punch will make a difference come kickoff.
That's why Sherman played most of his starters for much of the time Sunday in the Packers' 31-14 win at Chicago even though the game meant nothing for playoff positioning.
"My biggest fear was to leave here laying an egg," he said.
That would have meant more practice time this week focusing on the negative rather than the positive.
"You don't want to come out here and stink it up and then try to come back next week and act like you're all good," tight end Bubba Franks said.
That's what the Vikings have to do this week after losing at Washington 21-18 on Sunday.
The Packers don't enter the playoffs on quite the roll they did a year ago, when they won four straight. But Sherman feels just as good about their chances for success this year.
"I feel good about this team. I feel very good about the fact we beat the Bears yesterday," Sherman said. "If we had lost that game you know everybody worries about the physical part of the game and having the players ready physically, but I think the psychological part, the psyche of the players, is equally important and when you lose a game.
"It affects you. They read about how they lost the ballgame, they hear about how they lost the ballgame. Then you have to go win again."
As PackersNews.com staffer Pete Dougherty suggested on Tuesday, Sherman's handling of his players all last week and then on Sunday under tricky circumstances was as error-free as he could have hoped.
Sherman didn't reveal all week how much he'd play his starters against the Bears even though the Packers' playoff seeding was locked in. He established a mind-set that he was playing to win, not to just escape healthy.
Then on game day, he struck a balance that leaned heavily toward following through with that mind-set, but with notable exceptions. He didn't dress nose tackle Grady Jackson or No. 2 halfback Najeh Davenport. He pulled Brett Favre and Ahman Green out early in the second quarter. The rest of the starters played extensively, and the weakest link on the team, the defensive backfield, played from start to finish.
There were no serious injuries, and starters who needed the work got it.
Dougherty went on to note, "Other playoff teams were far more conservative. But Sherman's robust approach, which could have opened him to serious second-guessing, gives him a team on the rise going into the playoffs. ..."
According to Stapleton, the players liked Sherman's approach to the finale.
"Any regular-season game, regardless of your situation, to me is important," Favre said. "I look at Denver last year when they played us. They had just beat Indy the week before and sat most of their guys and didn't play all that well. I don't think they gave it much effort and then they went back the next week and got crushed by Indianapolis (in the playoffs).
"I just think that the morale is better. I don't see any plusses in not playing the game to win."
Meanwhile, as noted above, there were no serious injuries, but the Pack didn't come out of the closer without a few bumps and bruises.
In fact, the team endured scares when Javon Walker and Franks went down briefly.
Walker, who has become the Packers' best receiver and a key player in their offense, left the game in the third quarter after having the back of his head slammed to the ground while making a 43-yard catch. He stayed down on the field for a couple of minutes but eventually walked off on his own.
Walker didn't play thereafter, but Sherman said he didn't suffer a concussion and could have gone back in the game.
"He's fine and he'll be able to practice first thing (Wednesday)," Sherman said.
Franks, the starting tight end, appeared to have the more severe injury of the two. He hurt a knee in the fourth quarter but after the game wasn't sure whether it was bruised or twisted.
"It was certainly scary to us," Sherman said. "I think he'll be OK. He might have a slight sprain, but I don't think it's anything that will keep him out of action this upcoming week."
Franks never has missed a game in his five-year career.
According to Pro Football Weekly, Davenport is listed as questionable for Sunday's game, as he continues to recover from what's reportedly a second-degree separation of his shoulder.
Davenport likely will be a "Dreaded Game-Time Decision."
Receiver Robert Ferguson, however, is unlikely to play after missing the last two regular season games following a hit Dec. 19 by Jacksonville's Donovin Darius that left him temporarily paralyzed. Sherman did not yet rule him out entirely, however.
Ferguson, the Packers' No. 3 wide receiver and kick returner, is still dealing with weakness on his left side and Sherman said he would have to "come a significant way" to be cleared to return.
"But I think once it comes, it comes. From my understanding, he could wake up today and be markedly better," Sherman said. ...
Also of interest this week. ...
Favre not only finished with the fourth 4,000-yard passing season of his career, he also set an NFL record by throwing 30 or more touchdowns for the eighth time in his career.
Favre threw for 196 yards Sunday and he finished the season with 4,088 passing yards, the fourth-highest total of his career. His two touchdown passes gave him 30 for the year.
"That's pretty good," Sherman said. "I'd take it if I was a quarterback, renegotiate my contract and get more money."
The Packers also finished the season with several other team records: Their 6,349 yards in total offense, 354 first downs and 382 completions all were most in franchise history. They topped the records of 6,172 yards set in 1983, 342 first downs in 1989 and 375 completions in 1994.
They also gave up only 14 sacks, which is the fewest they've ever allowed, regardless of the length of the season. Their previous low was 17, set in 1972 when they only played 14 games. Their previous low for a 16-game season was last year, when they gave up 19.
Marot went on to note that while head coach Tony Dungy would prefer going into the playoffs with nine straight wins, but the bigger goals in Sunday's 33-14 loss to Denver were escaping the regular-season finale with no major injuries and giving the Broncos little to scout for next Sunday's rematch in the first round of the AFC playoffs.
"The first game really doesn't help you," Dungy said Monday of Sunday's loss.
Since the moment the Colts lost last year's AFC championship game, they have wanted to return -- and nothing has sidetracked them yet.
Indianapolis didn't panic after losing two straight games at midseason and temporarily losing the AFC South lead. Instead, the Colts responded with eight straight wins to clinch the division title and the AFC's No. 3 seed.
"We had goals to get the best record in the AFC, the bye and home-field advantage," Dungy said. "After San Diego, we realized we were as far as we could go. I think now it's more about excitement."
Nor did the Colts lose focus when Peyton Manning's record chase took center stage. Rather, they continued attacking defenses and scoring points like they were playing a video game.
Dungy knows the upcoming stretch will be a greater challenge, so he intentionally played it safe Sunday.
Rookie quarterback Jim Sorgi got his most extensive playing time this season in relief of Manning, who, like Edgerrin James, was on the field for just three plays. The other starters left after the first half, and the Colts simplified their offense, running the same plays, so they wouldn't give Denver any advantages heading into next Sunday's rematch.
"Well, we only had 43 plays, so we didn't have a chance to run too many over and over," Dungy said. "But we went in with a cut-down game plan to make it easier for Jim Sorgi."
Of course, that won't be an issue this weekend with Manning, the runaway winner of the Associated Press 2004 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, back under center.
The AP honor comes as no surprise, considering that Manning had perhaps the greatest passing season in league history. He broke Dan Marino's 20-year-old record with 49 touchdown passes and had a passer rating of an almost unfathomable 121.1, shattering Steve Young's mark of 112.8 set in 1994.
Manning threw only 10 interceptions all year. ...
As the AP put it: "Perhaps the only one relatively unimpressed was, well, Manning. ..."
"The regular season is over with and it's been a good run for us," he said. "Statistically, those things don't carry a lot of weight in the playoffs."
What could carry weight in the postseason -- starting this Sunday in Denver, is the versatility of the Colts' attack. The Colts have the three terrific wideouts, good tight ends, a solid offensive line and a Pro Bowl running back in James.
All of which should be more than sufficient to post Fantasy-worthy numbers against the Broncos. ...
For what it's worth. ... Marvin Harrison tied his own team record with his 15th touchdown catch of the season in the Denver game. He also tied Hall of Famer Lenny Moore for the most total yards from scrimmage with his 33 yards receiving. Harrison now has 11,213 yards from scrimmage.
Meanwhile, Dungy held five ailing starters out of Sunday's game: linebacker Rob Morris (concussion), tight end Marcus Pollard (ankle), safety Idrees Bashir (hamstring), cornerback Nick Harper (back) and guard Rick DeMulling (ribs). Dungy expects all five to play this week.
Tight end Dallas Clark was tested Monday for a concussion after a bone-jarring hit by Denver's John Lynch, and wide receiver Brandon Stokley left the game after his foot was stepped on. Dungy also expects both of them to play Sunday.
Stokley underwent X-rays on his left foot after having his toe stepped on in the first half of the Denver game. The initial examination showed no broken bones in the foot.
"It started throbbing and I wasn't able to go out there and run on it and push off," Stokley said. "But I should be alright."
According to the Sports Xchange, Clark was left with a lingering headache after a helmet-to-helmet collision with Denver safety John Lynch.
"The headache started getting a little worse and it wasn't worth getting hit again," Clark said of the results of the first quarter meeting with Lynch.
"With his helmet in hand and head down, Moss slowly walked off the field Sunday while his teammates were lining up to try an onside kick with 2 seconds left. The Redskins recovered, handing the rattled Vikings a 21-18 season finale loss. ..."
Campbell went on to advise readers that even though the play mattered little in the end, center Matt Birk took issue with Moss's quitting attitude, and confronted the receiver immediately after the game.
"It shouldn't happen, and if it happens again there might be some problems," Birk said Monday, choosing his words carefully.
Had Minnesota recovered, the Vikings might have been able to try a Hail Mary pass -- a play that as Campbell pointed out, Moss certainly would've been handy for -- to seal a playoff spot. It was a moot point when Carolina lost minutes later, allowing the Vikings to back into the postseason. They travel to Green Bay on Sunday.
But Moss's move spoke volumes about the shattered mental state of the Vikings, who lost seven of their last 10 to finish 8-8.
Few of his teammates and coaches noticed at the time, but television cameras caught the three-time All-Pro -- who has an infamous history of attitude problems -- walking into the tunnel toward the locker room.
Moss, who caught five passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in the game, had an hour-long phone conversation with Tice afterward. They talked again Monday morning in the coach's office for the same amount of time. Tice declined to comment about a possible disciplinary measure, but he indicated Moss knows he messed up.
"I understand his frustration," Tice said, "but we can't let our frustrations make us make poor decisions of poor judgment."
Moss was unavailable for comment, as he has been most of the season.
"I wasn't too much worried about it," wide receiver Marcus Robinson said. "He's going to do what he's going to do, and it's not a reflection on me or anybody else.
"That's Randy Moss. He can do basically what he wants to do. Definitely, he did what he did."
Of course, Moss, who missed considerable time this year with a hamstring injury, hasn't been only one coming up a bit short.
In addition to Moss, injuries and a suspension kept the Vikings from using Birk and running backs Michael Bennett, Onterrio Smith and Mewelde Moore for at least four games each.
They've all since returned. Daunte Culpepper is having a career year, and Minnesota's 21 turnovers were second-fewest in the NFC this season. So what seems to be the trouble?
"We've been shooting ourselves in the foot a little bit," Tice said.
Poorly timed penalties have clearly been a problem. But there are others. ...
Since Moss came back from his hamstring injury in on Nov. 28, opponents have effectively contained him with a lot of cover-2 defense. While that opens up the middle for Culpepper and his league-best 69.2 completion percentage, safeties are simply refusing to let Minnesota go deep.
Another issue?
Campbell cites abandonment of the ground game.
The Vikings led the NFL in rushing in 2002 and finished fourth in 2003, but season-ending injuries to tight end Jim Kleinsasser and right tackle Mike Rosenthal have hurt. Bennett's sprained knee, Smith's substance-abuse suspension and Moore's sprained ankle prevented Minnesota from finding a sustained rhythm in the backfield, and two surgery-requiring hernias have kept Birk from blocking at his best.
Bad defense, too, has led to early deficits and a need to pass more to get back in the game. The Vikings want to capitalize on Culpepper's efficiency and their receivers' big-play potential, so throwing is usually the most attractive option. Still, they haven't had a 100-yard rusher since Week 6 and averaged only 22 carries over their final five games -- making it easier for teams to sit back and play the pass.
"We haven't put together that game I know we're capable of," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "We pick times where we turn it on. ... We all just need to pick up our intensity level."
Also of interest. ...
As noted by the Sports Xchange, Culpepper finished the regular season with the most combined yards for a quarterback in NFL history. His total of 5,123 (4,717 passing, 406 rushing) broke Dan Marino's record of 5,077 yards in 1984.
"I would rather have the record for most victories by a quarterback," Culpepper said.
One last note here. ...
After further evaluation, Kelly Campbell has been diagnosed with a separated AC joint in his right shoulder, an injury suffered in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Redskins.
However, Pro Football Weekly reports that Tice said the injury injury is not considered serious and Campbell should be ready for this weekend's game
The Jets have dropped three of their last four with a quarterback still hurting and a coaching staff that contributed to the poorest performance of the season in a 32-29 overtime loss to St. Louis on Sunday.
Chad Pennington, nursing a strained right rotator cuff, was off all afternoon. His longest completion was 17 yards, while six Rams had receptions of more than 25 yards. When the Jets needed Pennington to make a big play, he failed. But so did the rest of his teammates. The coaches, too.
Several questionable calls contributed to the dreadful day. The Jets underutilized Curtis Martin, who still ended up winning the NFL rushing title. And they have yet to figure out when to go for a 2-point conversion.
Against the Rams, it helped cost them the game.
"Those are the decisions you make," head coach Herman Edwards said Monday. "I'm not going to take it back."
The Jets went ahead 26-21 late in the third quarter and decided to go for two. Pennington threw incomplete, and the Jets settled for a five-point lead.
Though Edwards has repeatedly said he only goes for two in the fourth quarter, he changed his mind against the Rams because he wanted to go up by seven.
But had the Jets gone up 27-21, the Rams would have gone for the single extra point when they scored their touchdown to go up 28-27. Then Doug Brien could have won it 30-28 when he made his 27-yard field goal just before the end of regulation.
That was not the only blown chance. In another indictment of offensive coordinator Paul Hackett, under attack all season for his questionable play calling, the Jets decided to not use Martin late in the game when they had the lead.
This despite the Rams' porous run defense. Martin ended up with 153 yards, but it could have been more -- perhaps enough to put the game away in regulation.
Of course, the offense was terrible in general, scoring just one touchdown against a defense ranked No. 20 heading into the game in large part because they inexplicably abandoned the run inside the Rams 30. Even with an ailing Pennington, the Jets ran three times and threw 10 passes.
Despite the overall offensive malaise, New York Daily News staffer Rich Cimini suggested on Tuesday that Edwards seems to be more concerned about Pennington than anything else.
Edwards reiterated what he has said several times over the last few weeks that Pennington's shoulder isn't all the way back, but this time he took it a step further.
"Obviously, if his shoulder's not 100 percent well, he's lost a little bit of his velocity on throwing the ball," the coach said. "That's going to hinder him a little bit."
Since returning from a strained rotator cuff, an injury that probably will require surgery after the season, Pennington is 2-3, with an unimpressive touchdown-interception ratio of 7-6. In the last two games, both losses, he has led the offense to only two touchdowns.
But it wasn't all Pennington's fault. The pass protection (six sacks) was poor, Santana Moss had a key drop and the play-calling was curious at times.
Afterward, Pennington admitted his play was "sporadic." Edwards suggested that Pennington's problems might be mental as well as physical.
"He has to be a little more accurate on what he wants to do and make decisions, don't second-guess himself," Edwards said. "I think, at times, he second-guesses himself a little bit, tries to anticipate too many things."
Pennington insisted that his shoulder isn't the problem. He believes the inconsistency stems from his three-week layoff, which affected his footwork. For Pennington, who doesn't have an overpowering arm, footwork is critical.
Asked if he can make the necessary throws, Pennington said, "Oh, yeah, absolutely ... Everything is fine. Obviously, it's not like it was in training camp, but I can play winning football. No excuses, no explanations on that one. ..."
Meanwhile, Newark Star-Ledger beat man Dave Hutchinson noted that Edwards hinted he intends to communicate more with Hackett this week and during Saturday night's wild-card matchup with the Chargers in San Diego.
In fact, Hutchinson believes Edwards may order Hackett to scale back the offense against the Chargers and give Pennington more friendly throws to compensate for his loss of arm strength and velocity.
Also, the Jets may lean on their running game -- Martin and LaMont Jordan -- even more.
Quick-striking pass plays are not always the way to go, Edwards noted.
"In anyone's mind, the quickest way to score is to throw the ball," he said. "If I run it, well, I might make three (yards), then maybe I'll break for 10. You get caught in that trap sometimes, 'I've got to throw it.' Then all of a sudden you get out of rhythm of what you want to do.
"Sometimes it puts you in a bad situation. At times, that happens to us. ... Sometimes running isn't pretty. But just have to be patient sometimes."
The translation, according to Hutchinson: "After ordering Hackett to open up the offense and getting mixed results, Edwards appears to be ready to go back to the run, in part, because of Pennington's injury."
It's not a given such a game plan would work against the Chargers even though the Jets have the NFL's rushing champ in Martin, who rushed for a career-high 1,697 yards this season.
San Diego, which is 12-4 and winner of nine of its past 10 games, ranks third in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing just 81.7 yards per game. The Chargers rank 31st in passing defense, though, meaning teams are playing catch-up against them and throwing the ball.
In the Jets' 34-28 victory over the Chargers in Week 2, Pennington hit 22 of 29 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Martin rushed for 119 yards and two scores.
Now, though, the Chargers are a much different team, one with a high-octane offense that ranks third in the NFL in scoring, averaging 27.8 points per game.
Which, unfortunately, means the team is likely to need another big game from Pennington. ...
One last note here. ...
Wayne Chrebet is probable for Saturday's game despite a mild concussion that knocked him out of the second half of the Rams game last weekend.
Jerricho Cotchery replaced Chrebet in the slot and could play more against the Chargers even if Chrebet is able to play.
Bulger also was voted as the Rams' MVP by his teammates during the 2002 season.
"I think this is probably as well as he's played," head coach Mike Martz said of Bulger, who finished the regular season with 3,964 passing yards -- sixth most in the NFL this season and the fifth best total in Rams history.
Running back Steven Jackson was the Rams' Rookie of the Year.
Martz said Bulger's knowledge of the Rams' offense now rivals former two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Kurt Warner.
"I think right now Marc is intellectually close to where Kurt was," Martz said. "I don't know if anybody is like Kurt. Kurt had such a tremendous ability to digest and decipher exactly what was going in. It was just like he could slow time down. I think Marc is like that right now."
Martz said what separates Bulger from even Warner is his quick release on passes.
"The difference between the two, Marc has such a dynamic delivery," Martz said. "The ball gets out of there so fast. He is easily the most accurate guy we've had. Trent Green, I thought, was really accurate. I think Marc is (better). He makes a throw to Torry Holt on the sideline, and there are two guys hitting him right when he releases the ball, where he can't finish the throw, and he snaps it out there. If he is off by a foot, the ball gets picked off. He puts it to the only spot he can."
Bulger threw for a season-high 450 yards -- three yards shy of his career-high -- in the Rams' 32-29 overtime win over the New York Jets on Sunday.
Bulger completed 14 of 20 for 183 yards and one touchdown in the fourth quarter and overtime period against the Jets.
"To play like he did when it counted -- 3-for-3 on the final drive and I think 6-for-8 in the overtime -- he's the guy you want on your team when it's all on the line," Martz said.
The 450-yard effort was the fifth-best performance in the NFL this season. His 448-yard outing against Green Bay earlier this season was the sixth-best performance.
Jackson rushed for 673 yards on 134 carries -- an average of 5.0 yard per carry -- this season. He had a team-leading four rushing touchdowns.
Jackson came up 127 yards short of earning a $200,000 bonus for rushing for 800 or more yards this season.
Jackson becomes only the second first-round draft pick to earn the Rams' Rookie of the Year honors in the last eight years. Rams wide receiver Torry Holt was the other in 1999.
Meanwhile, of the several bumps and bruises suffered by Rams players Sunday in the 32-29 overtime win against the Jets, the most serious injury appeared to be guard Tom Nutten's sprained left knee.
Nutten probably won't play against Seattle.
That's why Brees and the Chargers don't think it's likely the Jets can pull off another victory in San Diego when the teams meet Saturday night in the first round of the playoffs.
"Considering that we are night and day a different team from then till now, I think it's going to be very hard for them," Brees said Monday. "They're a good team, they know how to win, they won a lot of games. So have we.
"I look at that first game and that feels like it was last season," Brees said. "It feels like it was two seasons ago. It feels so far away, just to let you know what the confidence level is, the way we feel about our team right now as opposed to then."
The Chargers were booed often by the home fans as they lost 34-28 to the Jets on Sept. 19. They lost again the following Sunday at Denver to fall to 1-2.
Since, they've won 11 of 13 games to surprise everyone except maybe themselves. They're in the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons and won the AFC West for the first time since their Super Bowl season of 1994.
Of San Diego's 12 wins, only one came against a playoff team -- 20-17 over Denver here on Dec. 5. Their four losses are all to playoff teams: the Jets, the game at Denver and road games against Atlanta and Indianapolis.
"I think if you look at that, Denver and the Jets, that was the second and third games of the season," Brees said. "We're a much different team then than we are now. Teams go on streaks and it takes them a little while sometimes to find their identity. Then they go."
In Brees' case, he went from almost getting run out of town to becoming a local hero. He's thrown 27 touchdown passes and just seven interceptions, compared to 15 interceptions and 11 TDs last year when the Chargers were an NFL-worst 4-12.
After losing to the Jets, the Chargers won their last seven home games.
That includes a 24-17 victory over Kansas City on Sunday, when the Chargers rested Pro Bowlers Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates.
"We wanted to create that home-field advantage and make it to where when people came to San Diego, they knew that they were in for a battle," Brees said.
Brees will be well-rested for the Jets. He stood on the sideline in street clothes Sunday and watched as Doug Flutie and rookie Philip Rivers each threw a touchdown pass. ...
Meanwhile, as North County Times staff writer Jay Paris noted Tuesday, fullback Lorenzo Neal doesn't make much of the Chargers' 1-4 record against playoff teams.
"It is what it is," he said. "We beat only a couple of teams with a winning record. So be it. I mean, we played the games that are scheduled in front of us. We've lost some, we've won some. Hey, let's just get it on and we'll see at the end of the day if the Chargers are for real. I like our chances. ...
"There hasn't been a game this year that we've been blown out, and this team won't quit," Neal said. "So if you're going to get us, you better make sure you kill us, because we're going to come back and we're going to keep fighting."
Paris went on to note that Brees' warm disposition turned as cool as Monday's weather when he was asked about the Chargers' lack of success against playoff teams.
"Teams go on streaks, and it takes a little time for them to find their identity," Brees said. "I think if you look at that Denver game and the Jets game, that was the second and third games of the season. We were a much different team than that what we are now.
"And we lost at Atlanta by one point and we lost to the Colts in overtime. Those weren't blowouts; those are hard-fought, close games."
And those 11 victories against non-playoff squads?
Brees is quick to point out that there are no slam dunks on an NFL schedule.
"Every team in this league is a tough matchup," the Pro Bowl quarterback said. "There are no easy games. So for us to go 12-4, those 12 wins were hard-fought battles against good teams. And, yeah, we all look back on games we could've, should've, would've won."
Schottenheimer, who takes a 5-11 playoff mark into Saturday's game, isn't concerned about his 1-4 record against playoff teams.
"That's the NFL," he said. "That is why everyone enjoys it so much, the theater."
And as Paris pointed out, Saturday is no matinee, so the Chargers will get the chance to prove they're ready for prime time. And primed to knock off a team that hasn't already started making offseason plans.
They'll get a chance to prove it on Saturday. Against a team that, just like the Chargers, went 1-4 against playoff teams. ...
For what it's worth. ... With Tomlinson a healthy scratch and backup Jesse Chatman nursing a sore toe, the running load fell to rookie Michael Turner last Sunday.
As the Sports Xchange noted, the fifth-round pick didn't disappoint, rushing for 87 yards on 15 carries, good for a nifty 5.8-yard average. Turner did fumble on one of his four receptions.
Turner was impressive, but Chatman will move back into his usual No. 2 spot for the playoffs.
For what it's worth, Tomlinson believes last week's day off was a good idea.
"I'm fresher going into this week," Tomlinson said. "I think Marty did the right thing, sitting guys. I have no problem with that."
Also of interest. ...
According to Pro Football Weekly, Keenan McCardell's strained hamstring continues to improve, and according to Schottenheimer, the veteran receiver will be in the starting lineup for Saturday's game, barring any setbacks.
McCardell, who has missed the team's last three contests, finished the regular season with 31 catches for 393 yards and one touchdown in seven games.
Receiver/return man Tim Dwight (toe) is also expected to go Saturday.
It came after Alexander fell one yard short of the NFL rushing crown in the Seahawks' NFC West-clinching victory against Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. It was delivered with a smile on his face and an "NFC West Champions" hat perched atop his head.
The fashion statement served as a not-so subtle nod to critics who questioned his priorities in the wake of Alexander's "I got stabbed in the back" comments after the Seahawks' 28-26 win over the Falcons. The Seahawks ran a quarterback sneak for the yard he needed on what turned out to be their last offensive play and winning touchdown.
"And here I am," Alexander said.
He was there, Bishop noted: "Sitting in front of dozens of reporters, cameras flashing, tape rolling, backtracking from his comments a day earlier.
"Saying he wanted the crown for his fullback, for his linemen, for his coaches. Saying he didn't need to apologize to coach Mike Holmgren or his teammates because they already know where winning stands on his priority list. Saying reporters caught him before he had a chance to think. ..."
"The biggest thing in the world is how apologetic I am to this whole situation," Alexander said. "How ... my feelings about a record could even take any excitement, any of the light away from us winning a championship.
"I'm human. The thing is: Anybody can, at one time, pop off. And I've done it several times. I'm not worried about my image."
After the game, Holmgren expressed disappointment in Alexander gaining one less yard this season than New York Jets running back Curtis Martin.
At team headquarters, the word was that if the Jets had beaten the St. Louis Rams, giving Seattle the NFC West title on Sunday morning, the Seahawks would have approached the rushing record differently.
As it was, the Seahawks needed to beat Atlanta to win the third division crown in team history. They knew his recent statistics -- 12 carries inside the 10-yard line in the last four games for eight yards, two touchdowns and two fumbles, abnormal numbers for Alexander -- and decided to run the sneak.
After the game, Alexander implied it was intentional. Monday, he backed away, saying he didn't think Holmgren knew he was that close.
"That was a little too extreme," Alexander said. "What I meant by it was: We're like family, especially coach Holmgren and I. Any time you get close to doing something, and you feel like the person you're closest to didn't help you, you're like, 'Oh, man. Did you stab me in the back?'"
"It's a non-factor," fullback Mack Strong said Tuesday. "Nobody even brought it up today, which I think is the right thing to do. Shaun did what he had to do [Monday], in a press conference and a formal apology. As far as I'm concerned, it's done."
Holmgren, who addressed the issue during a Tuesday press conference, said he didn't even know Alexander was a yard short of tying the Martin for the NFL rushing title when he called for Matt Hasselbeck's decisive sneak.
"Honest to goodness, you guys, I suppose this is interesting," Holmgren said. "To me, it wasn't that complicated. No one was intentionally doing anything. Inches? Quarterback sneak. That's it."
Holmgren said he planned to help Alexander get 2 more yards on Seattle's next possession. That never happened, because the Falcons used the rest of the clock on their final drive, capped by a TD as time expired.
"There was no one, other than Shaun, who wanted him to get that record more than me," the coach said.
Holmgren said he hadn't discussed the issue with Alexander.
"We'll practice. At some point, we'll probably bump into each other in the hallway," Holmgren said. "It's only a distraction if you make it a distraction, and I don't think this is a distraction. ..."
According to Bishop, those who know Alexander well say he did not set out to lead the league in rushing yards, that a Super Bowl championship has always been more important.
More money was not a reason for Alexander's outburst Sunday, as he had no incentive in his contract that would give him a bonus for winning the rushing title. He had already met the only incentive in the final year of his original five-year contract with the Seahawks, which kicked in when Alexander passed the 1,000-yard mark for the season.
Alexander already received a substantial pay raise for hitting an escalator in his contract that took effect this season. His base salary jumped from $545,000 to $3.25 million after Alexander rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
He reaffirmed his desire to remain in Seattle if a deal can be reached before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in March. But the Seahawks and Alexander have not had any contract talks of substance this season, even though Alexander was open to signing a contract extension had he been presented with an offer.
Meanwhile, Alexander smiled at each individual camera taking pictures at his news conference yesterday, expressing disbelief that his comments created such a controversy.
"I didn't think it was going to be that big of a deal," Alexander said. "But, it is a great story. I bet you people read it. ..."
So, while celebration should have been the order of the moment, turmoil grabbed part of center stage Sunday -- and it wasn't limited to Alexander.
Darrell Jackson caught three passes for 18 yards Sunday, including a 3-yard touchdown in the second quarter. But he came up 1 yard short of 1,200 receiving yards for the season, a milestone reached by only two other Seahawks in franchise history: Steve Largent and Koren Robinson.
In the locker room after the game, a uniformed police officer blocked reporters from speaking to Jackson. Seahawks staff said they were familiar with the officer but were unaware that he was restricting access.
But of course, the most egregious act came last Saturday, when Robinson failed to show up for the team's mandatory practice.
As Tacoma News-Tribune beat man Mike Sando reported, Robinson, the Seahawks' troubled fourth-year receiver, was supposed to start the team's pivotal game Sunday.
Instead, Holmgren benched Robinson for the third time in two seasons, this time less than a week after the 24-year-old wideout returned from a four-game NFL suspension for substance abuse.
In that case, Robinson told league officials that his failed test resulted from someone slipping "ecstasy" or a similar drug into his drink, sources close to the player have said.
This time, there were no indications why Robinson would skip practice one day before his team played for the NFC West title. He was sent home upon arriving for work Sunday, Holmgren said, and the Seahawks listed him among their inactive players.
"I have confidence in him as a football player and I have confidence in him as a person," Matt Hasselbeck said. "But you need to be there for your teammates and your teammates need to know they can count on you, and he needs to learn that lesson."
In an article published Tuesday night, Associated Press sports writer Tim Korte noted that Holmgren must now decide whether the standout receiver will play against the Rams.
"He is practicing today," Holmgren said. "I haven't made the decision on what his role will be. My players committee is involved in this, as well. I'll make a decision by the end of the week."
Robinson missed six of the final seven games: two for breaking team rules and four after an NFL suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
Holmgren repeated his position that he feels obligated to help his players if they have personal problems. He said Robinson isn't receiving special treatment and hinted there's more to the issue than he can disclose, but it's a private matter.
"There are things that no one knows are going on," Holmgren said. "There are reasons. I know that's going to raise questions, and probably no one's ever going to get those answers."
Holmgren met with Robinson on Monday.
"I did a lot of talking. He did a lot of listening," Holmgren said.
Around the locker room there was plenty of support for Robinson, who is liked by teammates and valued for his talents as an athlete.
"All we can do is put our arms around this guy and hope he can get through this," receiver Jerry Rice said. "It's not really for us to say. All we can do is try to show him how to do it, try to lead by example and hope he can catch on. ..."
For the record, Robinson did indeed practice Tuesday, but a final determination on his status for this weekend has yet to be made. ...
Also of interest. ...
In an article published Tuesday, Times staffer Jose' Miguel Romero reported that Hasselbeck admitted that he still felt some pain in his throwing elbow after Sunday's win.
But the Hasselbeck -- who completed 21 of 27 pass attempts, threw for two scores and ran for another -- isn't likely to miss practice time this week in preparation for the playoffs.
"I think it's at the point where it's go time. It's the playoffs and this is what this whole season has been about," Hasselbeck said Sunday. "It's going to be really important for me to be out there practicing, so that's going to be my mindset."
Hasselbeck has missed some practice time over the past couple of weeks because of a painful elbow, which he injured in the fourth quarter of the loss at New York on Dec. 19. He did not play the following week.
"I thought I looked a little rusty," Hasselbeck said of his performance against Atlanta. "Hopefully those are things you learn from. You just get back in there and try to get back in the rhythm and do better next time."
And finally. ...
According to Pro Football Weekly, Jackson has been slowed by discomfort in his hamstring over the past several weeks, and as a precautionary measure, he did not work out with the team on Tuesday.
However, the veteran receiver is expected to return to practice over the next couple of days and be in the starting lineup for Saturday's game.