Injuries, doubt, and luck defined past Chargers-Patriots playoff battles. Do similar signs leading up to the game mean that a similar result is coming?
For a long time now, I've taken some level of issue with a common phrase that I feel like is used either incorrectly or to justify bad actions.
That phrase is "Fortune favors the bold". Sometimes, it is used to explain why something is being rude or insensitive with their actions. Often, it is used to explain why someone believes track records don't matter.
I have seen more than one Chargers fan use this phrase this week to explain why they think the Chargers have a good chance to upset the Patriots.
The phrase is often tied to a Latin phrase (Fortuna Favet Fortibus) that is sometimes referenced as a motto of whichever brand of the United States military that the person speaking wants to stand behind. It's not that either, although it has been the official motto of some of the academies' graduating classes.
The Latin actually translates to "Fortune favors the brave", which I feel like is more in line with the feeling of karma. Don't cheat, just work your ass off and give it your all. If it doesn't work out, you've earned some goodwill with the gods (and some experience that you can take into your next adventure).
I bring all of this up to say.....there is a lot working against the Los Angeles Chargers right now.
As they prepare for their Wild Card Game in New England against the Patriots on Sunday, the deck continues to stack up higher against them.
I wrote about how the stats say it's going to go, but that was before I knew that Omarion Hampton (who hasn't played in an NFL game since December 27th!) was nursing an ankle injury that could potentially keep him out.
This is bringing back quite a few memories of the 2007 San Diego Chargers, who showed up in New England to take on the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game despite everything working against them.
The week before, Philip Rivers tore his ACL and LaDainian Tomlinson hyperextended his knee. Antonio Gates was playing through a dislocated big toe. But Billy Volek, Michael Turner and Darren Sproles led the team to a victory over Peyton Manning's Colts anyway.
I remember the front page of the sports section on the day of the AFC Championship Game, which featured a cartoon drawing of Rivers, Tomlinson and Gates as Revolutionary War solders. One of them had a drum, another had a flute, I couldn't tell you what the third one was carrying (if anything) but what was clear was how injured they were and how ratty their uniforms had become. The message was obvious: these guys were scraping and clawing until their dying breath because it was all they had left to give.
Rivers, a true sicko, decided to play against the Patriots with a torn ACL. He threw 2 interceptions and zero touchdowns. He completed about half of his passes for just 211 yards, well below his averages. He played in Week 1 the following season, by the way!
Tomlinson tried to push through his own knee injury but didn't last long before ending up on the sidelines, Michael Turner again finishing with the bulk of the team's carries.
Antonio Gates caught just 2 of the 6 passes thrown his way for 17 total receiving yards, certainly below expectations.
And, well, the Chargers were within 2 points of the then-17-0 Patriots at the start of the 4th quarter. It's not as though they were blown out or anything like that. But sometimes football can be a war of attrition, and in those situations the team with the better run of recent luck is usually going to win.
Fortune does not necessarily favor the bold. It doesn't always favor the brave, at least in terms of wins and losses. And in the case of this weekend's game, it's either going to favor the healthier team that has played itself into a higher seed and a home game, or it's going to be luck that creates a memory for the Chargers and their fans.