NFL Wembley Preview: Season-defining game in store for Chargers and Saints

NFL / Andy Richmond / 23 October 2008 / Leave a Comment

Andy Richmond on the players to look out for on Sunday as the NFL returns to Wembley again.

Gravel-voiced American icon Robert Allen Zimmerman - Bob Dylan to you and I - probably never thought he would have his 1964 protest song used to capture the spirit of the NFL at the moment, but as Dylan put it "The Times They Are a-Changin", and the full NFL shebang rolls into town on Sunday at Wembley. I for one can remember back to the times in the early 80s when gridiron was an alien sport in the UK, watched by few and understood by even fewer and never played outside of the USA.

That's all changed now as we have wall-to-wall coverage thanks to SKY Sports' excellent coverage each week and a plethora of other coverage, even the BBC are jumping aboard the NFL train this weekend by televising the Wembley game - head-to-head with Antiques Roadshow and hymn fest, Songs Of Praise. Those times they are a-changin.

This year's protagonists - the New Orleans Saints and the San Diego Chargers will be hoping to emulate last season's winners the New York Giants who used their narrow victory over the Miami Dolphins as a springboard which ultimately took them to Superbowl victory.

Both sides have some of the undoubted stars of the game...here's a few to watch for on Sunday.

New Orleans Saints

Quarterback Drew Brees plays his first game against his former teammates on Sunday. In fact the last time these two teams met he was in Chargers colours and threw four touchdown passes in a 43-17 victory. After suffering a bad shoulder injury in the last game of the 2005 season, and seeing current Chargers QB Phil Rivers made the starter for the 2006 season, the Saints made Brees a six year, $60 million offer that he couldn't refuse. One of the most exciting QBs in the game he leads the NFL in passing yards (2,224 this year) and is sure to be airing the ball out on Sunday.

He may have no option as the Saints will be missing one of their key players in running back Reggie Bush, injured last Sunday against Carolina he'll be out for 3-4 weeks, and the Saints ground game will be led by RB Deuce McAllister - a safer if less spectacular option than Bush.

A Bush-less offence is a problem for the Saints and expect Brees to be looking for other targets such as Marques Colston and a man who had experience of a Wembley victory last year, tight end Jeremy Shockey. This duo have been sorely missed by the Saints in recent weeks and they will be banking on Shockey especially making the gig has he has been troubled by a hernia in recent weeks.

Devery Henderson, a recent favourite for Brees, is also a man to watch he leads the potent Saints receiving core with 465 yards this year.

San Diego Chargers

QB Phil Rivers had a hard act to follow in Brees but to all intents and purposes has done well. Not as extravagant through the air as Brees (who could be?) he led the Chargers to the AFC Championship game last year but has struggled a little this campaign, but does lead the league in TD passes with 16.

LaDainian Tomlinson, better known as LT, has been the star of the Chargers' running game. Less potent this year, he appears to be carrying a toe injury which was picked up at the end of last year and has missed some practice this week so expect a more conservative performance from LT.

Rivers has two excellent targets to aim at through the air in 6ft 5ins WR Vincent Jackson, who'll have a distinct height advantage over whoever the Saints match him up with, and one of the best tight ends in the NFL, Antonio Gates. A consistent force in San Diego's offensive line-up over the past six seasons, he leads the league for TD receptions for his position this year with four.

The Game

With identical 3-4 records, both sides come here in dire need of a win. Both suffered defeats before coming to London, the Saints with the heaviest loss to the Panthers 30-7. Quite frankly, this is a game neither can afford to lose if they are to keep their play-off hopes alive - the Saints have some real tough clashes coming up in the next few weeks.

The Chargers have the weapons of that there is no doubt - but I always like a balanced offence and San Diego have struggled to find one this year mainly due to the slow start to the season from LT - he could have another difficult day against a Saints run defence which has played well recently. QB Rivers will need to go after the Saints secondary with the giant Vincent Jackson a frequent target.

The Saints will have no option but to air the ball out on Sunday in the absence of Bush, although I can see Staley providing a semblance of balance in the offensive game - Brees knows that he faces the league's 32nd ranked pass defence and if the offensive line can keep him safe and sound he has every chance of picking the Chargers apart.

All those pieces of the jigsaw point to a shoot-out but just remember both of these teams are in unfamiliar surroundings, on a pitch which can cut up (remember last year) and having to make major adjustments to their normal practice and match routines.

Those elements make it a modest punting exercise for me and I'd be recommending some small bets in the touchdown scorers markets based around a couple of players from each side - for the Chargers - Jackson and Gates, with Henderson and Shockey taking the eye for the Saints.

The pressure is on both these sides and a loss will, as my old fiend Mr Dylan might say, leave their play-off hopes Blowin' In The Wind.