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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 8:12 a.m., Thursday, January 1, 2009

NFL: Colts-Chargers playoff capsule

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS (12-4) AT SAN DIEGO (8-8)

Saturday, 3 p.m. HST, NBC (Oceanic Cable 8, HD 1008)

OPENING LINE — Pick 'em.

RECORD VS. SPREAD — Indianapolis 7-9, San Diego 7-8-1.

SERIES RECORD — Chargers lead 15-10.

LAST MEETING — Colts 23, Chargers 20, Nov. 23, 2008.

LAST WEEK — Colts beat Titans 23-0; Chargers beat Broncos 52-21.

COLTS OFFENSE — OVERALL (15), RUSH (31), PASS (5)

COLTS DEFENSE — OVERALL (11), RUSH (24), PASS (6)

CHARGERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (11), RUSH (20), PASS (7)

CHARGERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (25), RUSH (11), PASS (31)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — This will be sixth game between teams in five seasons, including second straight year in playoffs. Last year, Chargers upset defending Super Bowl champion Colts 28-24 in divisional round in Indianapolis, with subs filling in after Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson got hurt. ... Colts came away with heart-stopping 23-20 win in San Diego on Nov. 23 when Adam Vinatieri kicked 51-yard field goal as time expired. ... Colts have won nine straight while Manning is having MVP-caliber season. Manning has completed 90 of 110 passes in last four games for 1,054 yards and eight touchdowns. Overall in streak, Manning is 209-for-290 for 2,248 yards and 17 touchdowns, with only three interceptions. ... Indy's and San Diego's combined 13-game winning streak (9 for Colts, 4 for Chargers), marks longest combined winning string for opposing teams in wild-card round. ... Manning extended his NFL record with his ninth 4,000-yard season. San Diego's Philip Rivers, only QB this year with 100 passer rating (105.5), tied New Orleans' Drew Brees for most TD passes (34), but goes against unit that allowed only six scoring throws, fewest ever in 16-game season. ... Indy's Adam Vinatieri has figured in outcome of last two regular-season games between teams. He made 51-yard field goal as time expired to lift Colts to November's win in San Diego. A year earlier, he missed from 29 yards in 23-21 loss at Qualcomm Stadium. ... Teams are tied 1-1 in playoffs, with Colts winning in San Diego in wild-card round in 1995 and Chargers winning at Indy in divisional round last year. ... Chargers were able to retrieve alternate powder blue jerseys from an auction house and will wear them Saturday night. Worn in a win over Raiders on Dec. 4, they were to be auctioned off for charity, which they will be after this game.