What bettors need to know: Titans at Chargers
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Quarterback quandary
If Vince Young plays Sunday, we probably won’t know about it until just before kickoff. He’s still nursing a quad injury and veteran Kerry Collins will step in if Young’s out.
Young participated in Friday’s practice but didn’t go full-out.
"I did say early he's a quick healer," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "He's been that way. He can overcome some difficult things rather quickly, so we're very optimistic at this point."
To make matters worse for the Titans offense, center Kevin Mawae (left calf) and right guard Benji Olson (back) are both doubtful and Roydell Williams, the club’s top receiver, is out with a broken ankle.
Sending him down the river
The Tennessee Titans have every reason to be worried about a Chargers offense that’s putting up almost 35 points a game over its last three, though San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers seems to be an afterthought.
“[Rivers is] all right,” Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said. “I feel he had a better season last year. I've been in the game long enough to know that if you have a rushing leader for two years, that helps your offense, and if you have a tight end that big, that helps your offense. I just feel that those two are the players you have to watch. It comes down after that to the quarterback.”
Tennessee held Rivers in check for three quarters the last time the two teams met back in December, but he finished strong to lead the Chargers back to a 23-17 overtime win as 1 ½-point favorites.
Hug it out
Tempers have cooled since Shawne Merriman accused the Titans of attempting to injure him in last month’s game. Cooled publicly, at least.
"I think the situation of the things happening before was really blown out of proportion, really" Merriman told reporters Wednesday.
"It's going to be a physical game, and not because of what happened the first time.It's going to be a physical game because whoever loses goes home. I think there's more at stake now than it was four games ago."
"We're going to all give each other hugs before the game starts."
San Diego surge
After starting off the year 1-3, the Chargers head into Sunday’s game on a six-game winning streak, both straight up and against the spread. During that stretch they haven’t allowed more than 17 points in any of their wins. Star running back LaDainian Tomlinson had four 100-yard rushing games and six touchdowns on the ground down the stretch.
Line check
Most books opened with San Diego favored by nine points with the total at 41 points. Since then the betting public has bumped the Chargers up -10 as the total dropped to 39 points at some sportsbooks.
Sunday NFL Gameday
New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5) (Total 39.5)
Raymond James Stadium, 1:00pm ET (FOX)
The Giants will be looking to get some revenge on Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia, who has knocked them out of the playoffs during stints with both the Eagles and the Niners. New York got to finish out the regular season against the Patriots, and they held tough in that game before finally falling 38-35 at home. Eli Manning went 22-of-32 for 251 yards passing against the Pats with four touchdowns and one interception, and Giants fans will be looking for a similar performance by their quarterback on Sunday afternoon.
The Buccaneers enter the playoffs on a two-game losing streak, but they still managed to win the weak NFC South division by two games over the Panthers and Saints. Tampa Bay sat out Garcia in their regular-season finale against Carolina, with Luke McCown throwing two touchdown passes in the 31-23 home defeat. Joey Galloway also missed that game with a sore shoulder, but he's expected to be fine on Sunday. A bigger concern for the team is LB Cato June, who is hobbled by a foot injury right now.
The Giants and Buccaneers last met in October 2006 in New York, with Tampa Bay losing 17-3 in that contest. These teams last played in Tampa Bay in November 2003, with the Bucs winning 19-13. Tampa Bay is favored by 2.5 points at home on Sunday, and they went 9-7 against-the-spread on the season (6-2 ATS at home, 6-3 ATS as the fave). New York went 10-6 ATS overall, 6-2 ATS on the road, and 4-2 ATS as the dog.
Here are the official injury reports for both the Giants and Buccaneers for Sunday . .
New York Injuries
Sam Madison CB Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (stomach)
Shaun O'Hara C Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (knee)
Kevin Dockery CB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (hip)
Kawika Mitchell LB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (knee)
Dave Tollefson DE Questionable Wild Card Weekend (concussion)
Ahmad Bradshaw RB Probable Wild Card Weekend (calf)
Plaxico Burress WR Probable Wild Card Weekend (ankle)
Michael Matthews TE Probable Wild Card Weekend (illness)
Sinorice Moss WR Probable Wild Card Weekend (back)
Tampa Bay Injuries
Cato June LB Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (foot)
Arron Sears G Questionable Wild Card Weekend (ankle)
Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers (-9.5) (Total 40)
Qualcomm Stadium, 4:30pm ET (CBS)
The Titans needed to get past the Colts last Sunday night to sneak past the Browns and into the playoffs - and they managed to pick up a 16-10 road victory over a second-string Indy squad that didn't put up much opposition. However, Tennessee quarterback Vince Young suffered a quadriceps injury in that contest, and he could come down to a game-time decision this weekend - veteran Kerry Collins is the backup. The Titans will definitely be without WR Roydell Williams on Sunday as he is out with a broken ankle.
And while Tennessee enters the playoffs on a three-game winning streak, San Diego has won six games in a row heading into this matchup. The Chargers had no trouble dispatching the Raiders in their regular-season finale, getting two touchdown passes from Philip Rivers in a 30-17 road victory. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 56 yards on 16 carries in that contest, and he ended up leading the league with 1,474 yards on the ground this season. Kicker Nate Kaeding has a bruised left leg, but will keep FG duties.
San Diego has already beaten Tennessee once this season, winning 23-17 on the road back in Week 14. Tomlinson ran for 146 yards and an overtime touchdown in that contest. The Chargers are 9.5-point favorites to win this weekend; San Diego went 11-5 against-the-spread this season, including 7-1 ATS at home and 10-3 ATS as the favored team. Tennessee went 8-8 ATS, 5-3 ATS on the road, and 4-4 ATS as the dog.
Here are the official injury reports for both the Titans and Chargers for Sunday . . .
Tennessee Injuries
Roydell Williams WR Out Wild Card Weekend (ankle)
Kevin Mawae C Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (calf)
Benji Olson G Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (back)
LenDale White RB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (knee)
Vince Young QB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (quadriceps)
Chris Brown RB Probable Wild Card Weekend (back)
Albert Haynesworth DT Probable Wild Card Weekend (hamstring)
San Diego Injuries
Lorenzo Neal FB Doubtful Wild Card Weekend (fibula)
Marques Harris LB Questionable Wild Card Weekend (hand)
Nick Kaeding K Probable Wild Card Weekend (left fibula)
