Chargers at Lions
THE STORY: The San Diego Chargers are embarking on their annual December push toward a playoff spot after spending the past two months looking like a team that would be drafting in the top five. The Detroit Lions have scratched off the stink of back-to-back losses with back-to-back wins and came within a game of achieving their wild card dreams with a last-second victory over the Oakland Raiders – one of the teams the Chargers are trying to track down. San Diego still has a chance to save its season and end up with the AFC West title, but it needs to win out and get a lot of help. The Lions, who sit in the No. 6 spot in the NFC, are in control of their own destiny. While the Chargers have been a perennial playoff contender during the Philip Rivers years, Detroit will be looking to lock down its first trip to the postseason since 1999.
TV: CBS, 4:05 p.m. ET. LINE: Lions -1.5, O/U 52.5
ABOUT THE CHARGERS (7-7): Once again San Diego was left for dead after a horrible start and once again it has risen up just in time to make a late charge for a playoff spot and possibly save coach Norv Turner’s job. The Chargers secured their most impressive win last week, dismantling the Baltimore Ravens 34-14 for their third straight win following a six-game losing streak. Rivers has been at the top of his game during the winning streak, throwing seven touchdowns and no interceptions after serving up 17 picks in San Diego’s first 11 contests.
ABOUT THE LIONS (9-5): Detroit has shown its resiliency of late, beating Minnesota without Ndamukong Suh on Dec. 11 and pulling within a game of the playoffs at the last second against the Raiders. Suh blocked a game-winning field goal attempt by Oakland after the Lions had rallied to take the lead. Matthew Stafford engineered two long drives in the final seven minutes, capping the comeback with his second touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson. Detroit is two games ahead of a group of teams at 7-7.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Johnson’s 214 yards last week were the third-most in a game in Detroit history.
2. San Diego RB Ryan Mathews has 453 yards over the last four games and went over 1,000 (1,033) in the win over Baltimore.
3. Rivers joined Peyton Manning and Drew Brees as the only quarterbacks in history with at least four consecutive 4,000-yard seasons.