THE MATCHUP
Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers
Oct 19, 2009 @ 8:30 PM
Qualcomm Stadium

THE LINE
Chargers are the favorite, giving 3. The Under/Over is 44

THE RECORD
The Denver Broncos are 5-0 Overall, 3-0 at Home and 2-0 Away. They are 1-0 in the Division and 4-0 in their Conference.
The Broncos have scored 99 points and given up only 43.

The San Diego Chargers are 2-2 Overall, 1-1 at Home and 1-1 on the Road.
They are 1-0 in their Division and 2-2 in their Conference.
The Chargers have scored 101 points and given up 102.

2009 TRENDS AGAINST THE SPREAD
The Broncos are 5-0 ATS.
The Broncos are 2-0 ATS away.
The Broncos are 4-0 ATS as the underdog.
The Broncos are 2-0 ATS as an away underdog.
The Chargers are 1-3 ATS.
The Chargers are 1-1 ATS at home.
The Chargers are 0-1 ATS as the underdog.
The Chargers have not been a home underdog.

PREGAME ANALYSIS
One of the keys to this MNF contest is the Denver Bronco defense. In their first five games, they have given up only 43 points while allowing only 3.3 yards per carry. If they can keep the Chargers to just under 4 ypc, they can still win, even if Phillip Rivers has a big game.

Another factor that could determine the outcome is that the Broncos are averaging 139 yard rushing and the Chargers are defense are giving up 151 yards per game - and wiith their star defensive tackle Jamal Williams (IR), the Chargers defense may be in for a long day.

GAME PREDICTION
Denver Broncos 24 San Diego Chargers 21

Denver’s new head coach, Josh McDaniel has fired up the Broncos and they have bought into his system. The Broncos defense will stop the Chargers ground game and give their offense multiple opportunities to score. In addition, the Chargers defense will overpursue on the run, opening up the passing game for Kyle Orton.

source: espn, foxsports

The NFL football season runs for 20 consecutive weeks, 17 for the regular season and three postseason games. Then we all have to sit and wait two weeks for the Superbowl to be played.  This two week lag leads to a media gap and takes the momentum out of the biggest sports game in the world.

Is there a possible solution to the problem?  Why not have the college football championship game played on the weekend before Superbow Sunday?  This would actually add more hype and more interest than any other time two week period in all of sports.  Can you image the media attention, the hype and the buzz it would create!

I know what many of you are thinking! What is wrong with the way things are now?

First of all, the NFL is a great organization and it’s product is superb, but making this one change would benefit the NFL, college football and all football fans in general.

Secondly, the week before the Superbowl is probably the weaking week in all of sports. I mean, after 20 consecutive weeks of anticipation we have to put everything on hold and twittle our thumbs for an additional week before the big game. 

Another issue is that all of the NFL storylines are played out. Aren’t you tired of stories about players’ pets and other totally ridiculous stories?

But perhaps the bigger issue is the way college football determines it’s national championship.  Instead of head to head competition in an NFL playoff like setting, a statistical scoring system determines who plays in the “daddy of the them all” to determine the national champion. 

Some say that the system is flawed because it is suspect to bias and political pressures from college bowl committees.  In fact college bowls are big business.  Adn after 12 continuous weeks of college football, they go on vacation for a month before the bowl games are played.

These weeks of layout take the momentum away from the teams that were on a roll. In addition, it is a one game situation, where momentum is taken away.  At least with a college football playoff scenario, played over the first few weeks of January, climaximg in the national championship game, the weekend before the Superbowl would add vigor and life to both the NFL and college football.

What do you think?