Primer: San Diego Chargers (8-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-11)

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 22, 2010 10:10 AM EST in Primer

Game: San Diego Chargers (8-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-11)
Series Leader: Chargers, 19-10
Streak: Chargers have won five of the past six meetings
Coaches vs. Opponent: Lewis: 1-2. Turner: 1-0
Broadcast: CBS (4:05 PM ET): Gus Johnson, Steve Tasker. SIRIUS: 121 (SD), 158 (Cin.). XM: 103 (Cin.).
SB Nation: Bolts From The Blue
NFL.com: Game Center
Weather: Flurries with a high of 27 degrees. [Weather.com]
Uniform: Orange

CINCINNATI BENGALS

In two career games against the San Diego Chargers, Carson Palmer has completed 58 of 82 passes for 754 yards passing with five touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 114.6.
Palmer (149) needs one touchdown pass to join Ken Anderson (197) and Boomer Esiason (187) as the only players in franchise history with 150 touchdown passes.
In his past two home games, Palmer has a passer rating of 97.2.
Cedric Benson reached 1,000 yards rushing in consecutive seasons for the first time in his NFL career.
Benson has three rushing touchdowns in his past two games.
In his past three games against the Chargers, Chad Ochocinco is averaging 148.6 yards receiving per game with six touchdown catches.
Rookie Carlos Dunlap has six quarterback sacks in his past four games and looks to record at least half-a-sack in his fifth straight game.
Dunlap is second among all NFL rookies with seven quarterback sacks (Ndamukong Suh, 8).
Dhani Jones leads the team with 113 tackles.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

The Chargers look to record their 11th consecutive road win in December.
Phillip Rivers (4,141) needs 114 yards passing to surpass a career-best of 4,254 yards in 2009.
Rivers joined Hall of Fame Quarterback Dan Fouts as the only players in franchise history with three straight 4,000-yard seasons.
Rivers is 10-0 as a starter on the road in December with 19 touchdowns against five interceptions for a passer rating of 99.3.
Rivers is 2-0 against the Bengals and looks to record his third straight game with 300 yards passing and three touchdowns.
Mike Tolbert has 11 touchdowns rushing in 2010 and looks to record a third straight game with a rushing touchdown.
Tight End Antonio Gates leads all AFC Tight Ends with 782 yards receiving and is first among all NFL Tight Ends with ten touchdowns.
Vincent Jackson had a career-high three touchdown receptions last week, recording his first 100-yard receiving game of the season.
In his last game against the Bengals, Jackson had five receptions for 108 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
Shaun Phillips needs one quarterback sack to surpass a career-high of 11.5 in 2006.
Cornerback Quentin Jammer had an interception in his last game against the Bengals.

TEAM RANKINGS

Offense	Bengals	Chargers
Total	323.1 (21st)	397.8 (2nd)
Scoring	20.1 (21st)	27.7 (3rd)
Third Downs	37% (18th)	45% (5th)
Rushing	95.0 (27th)	113.0 (14th)
Rushing TDs	7 (t-29th)	14 (t-6th)
20-Yard Runs	3 (t-last)	9 (t-14th)
Passing	228.1 (13th)	284.8 (2nd)
Passing TDs	21 (17th)	29 (t-3rd)
Sacks Allowed	28 (t-12th)	32 (t-17th)
20-yard Passes	38 (t-20th)	62 (1st)

Defense	Bengals	Chargers
Total	342.9 (18th)	259.8 (1st)
Scoring	25.9 (26th)	18.6 (6th)
3rd Downs Allowed	38% (18th)	32% (2nd)
Rushing	120.1 (22nd)	89.4 (2nd)
Rushing TDs	13 (t-21st)	12 (t-18th)
20-Yard Runs	16 (t-30th)	18 (32nd)
Passing	222.8 (17th)	170.4 (1st)
Passing TDs	20 (t-13th)	12 (t-2nd)
Sacks	22 (30th)	44 (1st)
QB Rating	86.0 (20th)	72.5 (2nd)
20-Yard Passes Allowed	46 (t-21st)	30 (1st)
Interceptions	14 (t-14th)	14 (t-14th)

Special Teams	Bengals	Chargers
Kickoff Return	21.5 (23rd)	23.8 (t-10th)
Punt Return	6.5 (t-29th)	8.7 (21st)
Punting (Net)	38.8 (12th)	30.3 (32nd)
Punts Inside the 20	25 (t-9th)	11 (32nd)

2010 STATISTICAL INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Carson Palmer	Stat	Ranking
Quarterback Rating	78.7	23rd
Yards Passing	3,396	8th
Touchdowns	21	13th
First Downs	178	t-5th
Average Yards/Att	6.5	t-25th
Completions	314	5th
Interceptions	18	29th
Times Sacked	26	t-17th

Cedric Benson	Stat	Ranking
Yards Rushing	1,006	14th
Attempts / Game	19.7	7th
Touchdowns	7	t-12th
First Downs	55	t-9th

Chad Ochocinco	Stat	Ranking
Receptions	67	t-17th
Yards Receiving	831	21st
Touchdowns	4	t-49th
20-yard receptions	8	t-49th
First Downs	47	t-11th

Terrell Owens	Stat	Ranking
Receptions	72	t-13th
Yards Receiving	983	11th
Touchdowns	9	t-9th
20-yard receptions	15	t-10th
First Downs	47	t-11th

CAREER AGAINST THE SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Carson Palmer

Date	Result	Comp.	Att.	Yards	TDs	Int
12.20.2009	L, 24-27	27	40	314	2	1
11.12.2006	L, 41-49	31	42	440	3	0

Chad Ochocinco

Date	Result	Rec	Yards	TDs
12.20.2009	L, 24-27	3	79	1
11.12.2006	L, 41-49	11	260	2
11.23.2003	W, 34-27	10	107	3
9.30.2001	L, 14-28	2	28	1

Cedric Benson

Date	Rushes	Yards	TDs
12.20.2009	15	53	0
9.9.2007	19	42	0

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Comments

I hate Dhani Jones

and not because he went to Michigan

by jbs62 on Dec 22, 2010 10:25 AM EST reply actions

RE:

Interesting you’d hate our most productive defensive player, but alright.

Managing Editor at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Dec 22, 2010 11:56 AM EST up reply actions

"productive" is a misleading term

He has the most tackles because we get no pressure on the qb and don’t stop the run with the first line. He also cannot cover any receiver (especially TEs) and is always looking to make tackles when he gets beat.

Let Muckelroy play I say and move ReyRey to MLB

by jbs62 on Dec 22, 2010 1:05 PM EST up reply actions

Hey, my favorite unis.

It goes in this order…
1. Orange on white
2. Black on black
3. White on white
4. Those stupid mixes of black jersey and white pants or something.

"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428

by sexsalad on Dec 22, 2010 11:56 AM EST reply actions

Interesting breakdown

I liked it.

Dielman on Rivers: "I've tried to get him to say s--- or f--- and all he'll ever do is say, 'Golly gee, I can't do that."

by Superduperboltman on Dec 22, 2010 1:15 PM EST reply actions

Here's the important part, from a Chargers fan's perspective.

Weather: Flurries with a high of 27 degrees. [Weather.com]

We don’t have that stuff here (never had a flurry, 27 degrees would be just above the coldest overnight low I remember from when I was a kid), so our guys don’t know how to play in it. Funny enough, it’s been raining hard here recently, which might help our boys toughen up a little in practice.

This really helps your odds. Hurting your odds is the fact that this is a playoff game for San Diego. The Chargers have a way of suddenly getting it together when their backs are against the wall. If you see the fairweather Chargers, it’ll be a close game with a bunch of wacky improbable stuff happening. If you see the motivated Chargers, your boys will have their hands very full.

Any Chargers fan would tell any fan of any opposing team that it’s not hard to jump out to a lead on the Bolts, but a) doing so is no guarantee of success, and b) falling in the hole is a death sentence. The Chargers are an okay comeback team, but even so double-digit comebacks usually fail. OTOH, once they get you down, there is no hope of recovery.

The Chargers run defense isn’t bad, but is not as good as it looks on paper. The pass defense is killer, and the offense can threaten anything. You can’t stuff the box. You can’t blitz. You can’t play nickel unless you have a lead or long-yardage. You have to beat the OL with a four-man pass-rush, which is very hard to do and is still no guarantee of success, because Philip Rivers is the fastest gun in the West. But their best rusher isn’t much of a pass-blocker, and their pass game works off play-action. And, like I said, run defense isn’t their specialty (though it’s still dangerous). So if the first half goes your way, you can maybe hold on for a win. And if it goes badly, you can maybe turn off the TV.

An autumn Sunday,
Perched in front of the big screen,
Beer in white knuckles.

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Dec 22, 2010 5:41 PM EST reply actions