This game pits the Chargers' outstanding pass offense against the Jets' smothering pass defense. A matchup to watch is Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis on 6-foot-5 Vincent Jackson, who is six inches taller.
The Jets still are upset about what they consider a snub: The Packers' Charles Woodson winning defensive player of the year over Revis. The size difference shouldn't make a big difference for Revis, considering the job he did on big men such as Andre Johnson, Terrell Owens and Randy Moss.
Rivers is flowingPhilip Rivers is consistently good, but he's been especially hot in recent weeks. He was the AFC's offensive player of the month for December (and a few days of January), completing 93 of 137 passes for 1,316 yards and nine touchdowns with three interceptions over that five-game span.
The Chargers are 18-0 in December since 2006, and they've scored 20 or more points in 22 consecutive games (including playoffs), the league's longest active streak.
Floating the ideaWould you believe the Jets already have planned their Super Bowl parade? Well, they might not have worked out the finer details, but coach Rex Ryan recently circulated a for-team-eyes-only playoff itinerary that includes a Feb. 9 victory parade in New York.
"When you lay it out in front of them," Ryan said, "I think they can visualize it and realize that, 'Hey, man, if we take care of business, play the way we know we're capable of doing this, we can get this done.' "
A challenge or just chutzpah? You be the judge.
Another viewpointFormer NFL quarterback Rich Gannon, a CBS analyst: "I just think San Diego is too much. Rivers is one of the best quarterbacks in the league right now. He doesn't make a lot of mistakes. Norv (Turner) has done a nice job with how he's used the backs too. (LaDainian Tomlinson), maybe he's not the player he once was, but they've used him accordingly. And this (Darren) Sproles kid, I think he's an exciting player not only as a runner, but with the way they get him the ball on the perimeter and with screens. That could really cause problems for the Jets' defense."
AP (all-purpose) storyChargers running back Darren Sproles, who also returns kicks, needs just 51 all-purpose yards to reach 1,000 in six playoff games. No player in NFL history has hit that milestone so quickly.
The fewest postseason games to reach 1,000 all-purpose yards:
PLAYER
GAMES
Marcus Allen
7
Terrell Davis
7
Thurman Thomas
8
8
Many tied
9
*Sproles has 949 all-purpose yards in five games.