| Chargers Stand Between Packers, 3-0 Start
(Sports Network) - One of the more surprising undefeated teams in the NFL this season, the Green Bay Packers will try to open a campaign with three straight wins for the first time in seven years when they play host to the San Diego Chargers at historic Lambeau Field this Sunday.
The Packers knocked off Philadelphia at home and the New York Giants on the road to begin the season. A victory this weekend over the Chargers would improve the club to 3-0 for the first time since 2001, when Green Bay reached the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Packers are doing it this year against some solid opposition. A win over the Chargers would mark the first time in franchise history that Green Bay began a season 3-0 by defeating teams that all reached the playoffs the season prior.
In Green Bay's win over New York last week, quarterback Brett Favre threw for 286 yards and three touchdown in a 35-13 win. It was Favre's 149th career victory, passing John Elway for first place on the all-time list.
Favre is also now just four touchdown passes shy of passing Dan Marino's record of 420.
Both Elway and Marino are Hall of Famers, company Favre is sure to join when he finally decides to hang up his spikes.
Down 10-7 at intermission, Favre threw all three of his scoring passes in the second half as Green Bay outscored New York 28-3 over the final two quarters. The defense also played well in the second half, holding the Giants to 133 yards while intercepting a pass. The Packers' special teams also came up with a fumble recovery off a kickoff.
Dating back to last season, the Packers have now won six games in a row.
San Diego, meanwhile, will put a six-game winning streak against the NFC on the line Sunday, which includes a victory over the defending conference champion Chicago Bears on opening weekend. However, the Chargers stumbled last weekend, falling to New England, 38-14.
Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers went 19-of-30 with two touchdowns and two interceptions, while Antonio Gates added seven catches for 77 yards and a score versus the Patriots.
It also marked the second straight week that reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson was held in check, at least by his standards. The star running back ended the game with just 43 yards on 18 carries and four receptions for 15 yards.
The Chargers highly-touted defense also had a poor game. The unit allowed 407 net yards, with New England gaining an average of 6.3 yards per play. San Diego's secondary had trouble handling wideouts Randy Moss and Wes Welker, who combined for 16 catches, 196 yards and two touchdowns.
San Diego, which finished the regular season at an NFL best 14-2 last year, is trying to avoid its fourth 1-2 start in the past five years.
SERIES HISTORY
Green Bay has a 7-1 edge in its all-time series with San Diego, including a 38-21 road victory when the teams last met in 2002. The Packers have won four straight against the Chargers since the Bolts scored their only victory in the series, a 34-28 win at Lambeau Field in 1984.
Though in his 10th season as a head coach and having spent seven years in the NFC, Chargers head coach Norv Turner has never faced Green Bay. The Packers' Mike McCarthy will also be meeting both Turner and the Chargers for the first time as a head coach.
Turner succeeded McCarthy as the offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers when the latter took the head job in Green Bay prior to 2006.
WHEN THE CHARGERS HAVE THE BALL
The Chargers are still waiting for the game-breaking play from Tomlinson that came so regularly last year. He wasn't bad in the club's Week 1 win over Chicago -- he ran for a score and threw another -- but he had only 25 rushing yards and has totaled just 68 yards on the ground through San Diego's first two games. That has put a lot of pressure on Philip Rivers (369 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT) and Gates (16 receptions, 2 TD). However, while Tomlinson has yet to get it going on the ground, he has made 11 catches for 66 yards so far. Vincent Jackson (7 receptions) made four catches for 53 yards against the Pats as San Diego was again without wide receiver Eric Parker, who has been sidelined with a toe injury and is again out for this Sunday. Rookie Craig Davis made his first career start last week. Right tackle Shane Olivea left the New England game with a back injury and did not practice on Wednesday.
Green Bay's defense enjoyed a solid second half versus New York, led by Nick Barnett's team-high seven tackles out of the linebacker spot. He leads the team with 20 stops this season. Defensive end Aaron Kampman (9 tackles, 1 sack) also turned in a solid game with three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. He now has 16 1/2 sacks in his past 18 games.
Right after a Favre touchdown early in the fourth quarter made it 21-13 in favor of Green Bay, defensive back Charlie Peprah put the nail in the coffin on Sunday, as he jarred the ball loose on the resulting kickoff and it was recovered by linebacker Tracy White. That set up another Green Bay touchdown.
The Packer secondary held New York quarterback Eli Manning to just 211 passing yards while limiting wide receiver Plaxico Burress to two catches for 32 yards. However, the unit did allow 90 rushing yards to the unknown Derrick Ward, meaning Tomlinson should have some room to run in this game. Furthermore, corners Al Harris (back) and Charles Woodson (hip) both missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday.
WHEN THE PACKERS HAVE THE BALL
Favre (492 passing yards, 3 TD, 2 INT) continues his assault on the NFL record books Sunday against a tough Chargers defense. The signal-caller has been sacked five times this season, though, and he will likely be under a lot of pressure. Having Donald Driver (14 receptions, 139 yards) to throw to helps, as the wideout made eight catches for 73 yards and a score against New York, giving him a reception in 82 consecutive games. That is the second longest streak in Packer history, though he still trails Sterling Sharpe's record of 103 straight games by a healthy margin. Rookie James Jones (8 receptions) added four catches for a team-high 75 yards last week as Green Bay again played without receiver Greg Jennings, who has been limited in practice this week and is questionable for this game because of a hamstring injury.
Running back Vernand Morency (knee) has also missed Green Bay's first two games, but could be back on Sunday. His absence opened up the door for rookie DeShawn Wynn (58 rushing yards), who rushed for the first two touchdowns of his career in last week's win. He should get the bulk of the carries again this week over fellow rookie Brandon Jackson (75 rushing yards) if Morency can't go. Tight end Bubba Franks (knee), who caught a touchdown pass last week, missed practice on Wednesday but returned in a limited role Thursday.
The Chargers defense will try to rebound against Green Bay's banged-up offense. While the club was torched by New England last week, linebacker Shawne Merriman (8 tackles) had a strong game with two sacks and a forced fumble. San Diego is 8-1 when the Pro Bowl linebacker has two or more sacks in a game. Safety Clinton Hart (10 tackles) posted his first interception of the season in the loss. Hart did not practice on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury, but should be ready to go on Sunday. Linebacker Stephen Cooper had 12 total tackles last week to give him a team-high 20 on the season, along with a fumble recovery.
San Diego's secondary as a whole should be on notice this weekend, as Tom Brady, Moss and Welker had little trouble finding room in their win over the Chargers last week. Perhaps pressure from the linebackers will help San Diego get pressure on Favre and force the veteran into hurried passes that cornerbacks Quentin Jammer (11 tackles) and Drayton Florence (10 tackles) can pounce on.
FANTASY FOCUS
Favre has been a surprise so far for owners that took a chance on him as a backup, but his reward will be minimal this weekend. Also, while Wynn did tally a pair of scores last week, it is still unknown how much work he'll get on Sunday. Driver is a must-start each week, but James Jones may be held in check even if Jennings doesn't play.
For San Diego, Tomlinson isn't putting up the fantasy points at such a rapid pace as last year, but can't be benched and a breakout game is inevitable. It could happen against any team. However, until the Charger wideouts get in the act, Philip Rivers is a risky start, although Gates will continue to put up big numbers.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
Something has to give this weekend between Favre and the San Diego defense. The legendary Packer quarterback has been known to turn the ball over the past few years, while the Chargers defense was shredded as a whole last Sunday. Even though Favre has been good this year, it is tough to imagine him and his elderly legs getting away from the speed of San Diego's young linebackers. Even Lambeau isn't as intimidating as it once was, and the Chargers should have no trouble righting the ship in Green Bay. Expect Tomlinson to return to form, Favre to get a touchdown or two but spend a lot of time on his back, and San Diego to halt its losing streak to the Packers.
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