Early Look at Chargers vs Bengals Wildcard Matchup
The San Diego Chargers have returned to the NFL postseason after a drought of three years. However, that pales in comparison to the wait the Cincinnati Bengals have had since their last playoff victory.
The Bengals have not won a playoff game in 23 years and look to end that drought with a win at home on Sunday against surging San Diego.
Between 2006 and 2009, the Chargers won four consecutive AFC West titles and were 3-4 in the postseason with quarterback Philip Rivers leading the way.
However over the past three seasons, prior to this season, the Chargers finished second in the division and missed the playoffs. This season though, four consecutive wins to end the regular season was good enough for the Chargers to qualify for the sixth and final AFC playoff seed.
Rivers, who led the league in pass completion percentage at 69.5%, said it has been too long since the team was in the playoffs and it felt great to be back.
San Diego will be facing a tough Bengals club that finished the season 11-5 for first place in the AFC North, and their fourth appearance in the postseason in the past five seasons.
Mike McCoy is in his first season with San Diego as their head coach. The former offensive coordinator with Denver has been credited with helping quarterback Rivers turn in such a strong season.
During San Diego’s four straight wins to end the regular season, Rivers had 9 touchdown passes and a passer rating of 109.8. That four game run ended with the Chargers’ overtime win over Kansas City to qualify for the postseason.
Most people had written the Chargers off in early December when they were 5-7, but they went 4-0 to finish the season and now travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals on Sunday.
The teams met earlier in the season in a game in which the Bengals defeated the Chargers in San Diego 17-10. The loss was the last of the regular season for San Diego, as they then won four straight.
Rivers had his season low passer rating of 80 in the Cincinnati loss. The Chargers had three turnovers and scored their lowest point total of the season.
The game looks to be tough for the Chargers who are used to warm weather and the Bengals are undefeated at 8-0 SU and ATS at home this season.
Rivers will have his hands full as the Cincinnati defense has allowed only 9 touchdowns while intercepting 15 passes in their 8 home games. This season, the Bengals defeated the likes of Aaron Rogers, Joe Flacco, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger at home.These two team have only met once previously in the postseason. The Bengals defeated the Chargers 27-7 for the AFC Championship back in 1982 in a game that is considered one of the coldest in the history of the league. That day the temperature was -9 Fahrenheit and with the wind chill -59.
San Diego has had a little controversy since defeating Kansas City on Sunday, as Thomas Keiser one of the team’s linebackers was arrested following a fight in a local bar only hours after the Bolts beat the Chiefs.
Pick: Bengals 28-17
