The No-Name Offense
With the game’s top running back, LaDainian Tomlinson, and starting quarterback Philip Rivers sidelined by injuries, the San Diego Chargers’ hopes of upsetting the defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts looked pretty grim.
With 10 minutes remaining, the Colts scored a touchdown to grab momentum, and more importantly, a three-point lead, and with the home crowd behind them and the Chargers relegated to playing some second-stringers on offense, Indianapolis appeared poised to move to the AFC Championship game against New England.
But then, the No-Name Offense struck. To wit:
Billy Volek, subbing for Rivers, opened the drive with a 15-yard pass to Chris Chambers. Chambers, you’ll recall, didn’t even start the season in San Diego -- he was acquired midway through the campaign from Miami.
After a six-yard pass to Vincent Jackson, Michael Turner -- Tomlinson’s backup -- was stuffed for no gain. But on third-and-4, the Colts committed a 15-yard facemask penalty, and the No-Name Offense was back in business.
Volek followed with the biggest play of the drive -- a 27-yard pass to … Legedu Naanee.
Yes, that Legedu Naanee -- the rookie from Boise State who had all of eight catches during the regular season. He had actually made more catches in the preseason -- but it was this one in the postseason that Chargers fans will remember for a while. It’s the stuff that Legedus are made of.
Turner took over from three, running three times and moving the ball down to the 1-yard-line, where Volek scored on a quarterback sneak. The five-minute-plus drive held up as the game-winner as San Diego stopped Peyton Manning and Co., and ran out the clock.
Expect the starters to be ready for this weekend’s game against the unbeaten Patriots, and the Chargers will have their work cut out for them regardless against the NFL’s most explosive team. But if Rivers and Tomlinson can’t go, it’s apparent that Volek, Turner and the rest are capable of getting the job done.
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Harrah’s headliner Rita Rudner and her husband, Martin Bergman, who won this year’s celebrity football contest, will be providing picks each week throughout the playoffs, with a comment about each game. Playoff record against the spread: 4-4.
Patriots -14 vs. Chargers
The Chargers are too banged up and the Patriots are just too good. I predict Marty Schottenheimer finally gets a good night's sleep after a rout.
Packers -7 vs. Giants
Brett Favre in another Super Bowl? Has to be, surely, especially after that performance in the snow.