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Chargers face Titans in key clash

Dec 9, 2007 - 12:37 PM San Diego (7-5) at Tennessee (7-5) 1:00 pm EST

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Despite an inconsistent season, the San Diego Chargers can clinch the AFC West title this weekend - with a little help.

The Chargers visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in a battle of 7-5 teams with major playoff implications.

A San Diego victory, coupled with a Denver loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, gives the Chargers their third division title in the last four seasons.

Last season, San Diego posted an NFL-best record of 14-2 but lost in the divisional round of the playoffs, leading to the firing of coach Marty Schottenheimer.

"We want to get on a roll and be hot come the end of December," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. "It's certainly better to be where we are than to be looking up at someone, but we still have that sense of urgency we had a couple weeks ago."

San Diego will be looking to match a season high with its third straight victory. Last week, the Chargers rallied for a 24-10 victory at Kansas City.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 177 yards on 23 carries, topping the 100-yard mark for the first time since scoring four touchdowns in a 198-yard effort against Oakland on October 14.

Tomlinson also ran for two touchdowns to pass Hall of Famer Walter Payton for third on the NFL's all-time list with 123.

While Tomlinson showed a glimpse of last season form, when he rushed for an NFL-best 1,815 yards, the Chargers' defense also stepped up with eight sacks and fout turnovers.

The Titans are looking to avenge last season's 40-7 loss at San Diego in which the Chargers built a 20-0 lead at halftime.

San Diego held a 250-15 advantage in total yards and garnered 16 first downs to just one for the Titans in the first half. Tennessee quarterbacks Kerry Collins and Vince Young combined to complete 1-of-11 passes for zero yards in the half.

Last week, the Titans snapped a three-game losing streak with a 28-20 victory over the Houston Texans that improved their playoff chances.

The win pulled Tennessee into a tie with the Cleveland Browns for the AFC's second wild card spot.

Young threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns in perhaps his best game of the season as the Titans rallied from a 10-7 halftime deficit.

Tennessee's defense also got a boost from the return of tackle Albert Haynesworth, who missed the previous three games with a hamstring injury. Without Haynesworth, the Titans surrendered 97 points.