Tom Brady and the New England Patriots face Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers in their home opener on Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Event: New England Patriots vs. San Diego Chargers - NFL Regular Season, Week 2.
Date/Time: Sunday, September 18, 2010 - 4:15 p.m. EDT.
Location: Gillette Stadium (Capacity: 68,756), Foxboro, MA.
Broadcast Info: Sunday's game between the Patriots and Chargers will be aired on CBS (Channel 4), with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms calling all of the action. The game can also be seen on Channel 717 on DIRECTV.
In addition, the game can be heard on WBZ-FM 98.5 The Sports Hub, the flagship station of the Patriots. The lengendary duo of Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti will serve as the broadcast team. The game can also be heard on SIRIUS Radio, Channel 86.
Last Week: Tom Brady set a franchise record for passing yards in a game with 517 and also threw four touchdowns in the Pats' 38-24 demolition of the Miami Dolphins last Monday. Brady's performance placed him fifth all-time in NFL history, and he became the 15th player to reach 3,000 completions in his career. In addition, Brady had a 99 1/2-yard pass to Wes Welker, tying the record for longest touchdown pass in league history.
As for Phillip Rivers and the Chargers, they posted a 24-17 victory against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. Rivers completed 33-of-48 passes and threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns, but was picked off twice. Ryan Matthews led the Chargers' ground game, rushing for 45 yards on 12 carries. Antonio Gates had eight catches for 74 yards and Mike Tolbert grabbed nine catches for 58 yards and two scores.
Players To Watch: Obviously, the two players to watch in this game are the quarterbacks, Brady and Rivers. Both are top-tier quarterbacks who are capable of completely taking over a game, and expect the passing yards to rack up quickly at Gillette on Sunday. For Brady, his top target is Wes Welker, with tight end Aaron Hernandez being his second best option. For Rivers, tight end Antonio Gates should be his primary focus.
Storyline: It should be another fun match-up between the Patriots and Chargers, two teams with highly skilled quarterbacks and offenses capable of putting up points. The Pats got off on a good foot with their win over Miami, and now look to move to 2-0 in their first home game. The Chargers didn't score as many points as New England's 38 in Week 1, but still scored enough to put away Donovan NcMabb and the Vikings. Expect lots of scoring.
Game Preview: Check out Tanya Fox's preview of Sunday's game. Click here to read it.
Prediction: With two great quarterbacks, expect a 50-point minimum. Final Score: Patriots 38, Chargers 34.
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