Week Seventeen Reactions-Sorting Out The Madness

Dec 29, 2013; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers safety Eric Weddle (32) reacts after a win against the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers won 27-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers (In Classic San Diego Fashion) Claim Last AFC Wildcard Spot
Yes Chargers fans it actually happened; the Chargers (against all odds) are going to the playoffs. Considering that going into the season the Chargers had unloaded GM A.J. Smith and Head Coach Norv Turner, Chargers fans didn’t know what to expect. Considering that the Chargers held a mere 5-7 record four weeks ago, nobody knew what to predict. Considering that the Chargers were in a win-or-go-home situation, everybody was clueless on what was going to happen, but in the end everything worked out in San Diego’s favor. For the 9-7 Chargers, their record has been a pretty accurate and pretty inaccurate gauge of their success this season. While the Chargers played like a winning ball club, winning 5 of their last 6 games against teams such as the Chiefs and Broncos, they also played like a losing ball club, losing to teams such Oakland and Washington weeks 5 and 9. All in all though they surprised me, they really did. Typically in San Diego, the Chargers have been known to pull off colossal 2nd half stumbles in order to miss the playoffs. However, this season the Chargers actually were able to pull it all together in the home stretch and take the AFC’s last Wild Card spot in exciting fashion. This past Sunday against the Chiefs the Chargers playoff destiny was a gigantic question mark. Even if the Chargers were able to pull off a win against the Chiefs, they would need both Baltimore and Miami to lose in order to get a playoff spot. And well, just as Hollywood had scripted, the Chargers won in an overtime thriller as both the Ravens and Dolphins lost in embarrassing fashion. Let’s look back at the game though. Coming into last Sunday the Chargers were basically assured of a win considering that the Chiefs would be resting all of their starters. However, despite 2nd-string players such as Chase Daniels and Knile Davis playing against the Chargers 1st-string defense, the Chiefs still managed to put up 24 points and almost win the game. All game the Chiefs were hanging in there despite their defense giving up 3 TDs and 405 total yards to Philip Rivers and the Bolts. The game eventually would come down to a 41-yard field goal attempt by Ryan Succop with 8 seconds remaining on the clock. With the Chargers playoff hopes hanging in the balance and the collective breaths of 66,374 fans being held, Succop shanked his 41-yard attempt and thus sent the 24-24 game into overtime. After that Rivers and the Chargers defense took care of the rest; pushing down the field for a 36-yard field goal and then later holding on as Chase Daniels’ 4th-down pass fell incomplete. What made this game so interesting was the fact that it honestly had everything. Without explosions, bad guys and a female love interest Sunday’s game had all of the ingredients for a Hollywood classic. Ryan Mathews and the Chargers’ running game looked about as good as ever (Mathews rushed for a season-high 144 yards on 29 carries with a 6.0 yards per carry average as the rest of the chargers squad combined for 42 yards), Philip Rivers was typical Philip Rivers (Rivers threw for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns, completing two-thirds of his passes) and the defense wasn’t absolutely dynamite, but it was there when it needed to be and got the job done. I know most of you are thinking, “what does this mean for the Charger’s playoff chances?” Don’t worry, I’ll get there. In the past four years, every single team that has played in the Philadelphia Eagles’ home opener has gone on to win the Super Bowl. The Ravens, Giants, Packers and Saints have all played the Eagles in their home opener and gone on to win the Super Bowl. Is it a bunch of baloney? Perhaps. But still, you can’t argue with history, folks. Do the Bolts have an actual chance at winning the Super Bowl this season? Technically everyone has the same chance to win, but doesn’t mean that the Chargers will win. In reality the Chargers could win, they are riding one of the hottest 4-game winning streaks in the NFL and have nothing to lose. Philip Rivers and Ryan Mathews especially are playing outstanding football and will definitely be put to the test this week against the Bengals and their tenacious defense. I believe that the Chargers will actually win this one, but don’t be surprised if they’re taken down in the divisional round by Peyton Manning and the Broncos. The talent and luck is there, the question is will the execution be there come game time? Guess you’ll have to wait to find out football fans.