Will the third seed be the charm?
After losing in their first playoff game as the No. 4 seed following the 2004 season and as the No. 1 seed after last season, the Chargers host the sixth-seeded Tennessee Titans tomorrow as the No. 3 seed in the AFC.
“I couldn't care less about the bracket or the seeds,” General Manager A.J. Smith said recently, though he has said it 100 times before. “Just get in the tournament.”
The Chargers last year learned what many top seeds before them have learned.
“Home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, everyone tends to say, 'Roll out the red carpet,' ” Smith said. “History tells you that is not the case. History tells you the complete opposite takes place.”
The last time two No. 1 seeds met in the Super Bowl was 1993. The last time a No. 1 seed won the Super Bowl was 2003.
“I said coming into the season 11-5 would be great,” safety Marlon McCree said. “I didn't want to be 14-2 and the No. 1 seed. You're home throughout the playoffs, guys are planning parties, there are distractions. Guys need 1,000 tickets. We go out and get beat. When you're on the road, no one has to get 15 tickets, nobody is planning after-parties. Guys are doing extra studying. Then we go out and play better.
“We've still got to go play. We've got ourselves in position. Now we've just got to go do it.”
Last year's Super Bowl champion, by the way, was the Indianapolis Colts, the AFC's No. 3 seed.
“That was something Norv (Turner) reminded us about,” linebacker Matt Wilhelm said. “He said history repeats itself.”
Injury report
Nate Kaeding did not practice again yesterday, but Turner reiterated his lack of concern about his kicker's participation on PATs and field goals tomorrow. Dave Rayner will handle kickoffs.
Fullback Lorenzo Neal also sat out practice and will not play tomorrow. Linebacker Marques Harris went through the full workout for the second straight day and was listed as questionable.
Yes, he caught it
The Titans continued to insist this week that Chris Chambers didn't catch that fourth-and-5 pass in the fourth quarter of the Chargers' Dec. 9 victory in Nashville. Had the pass been ruled incomplete, the Titans would have won in regulation.
Chambers, however, has never wavered from his belief that he caught the ball. Asked this week if he stood by that statement, Chambers said:
“Of course. Why not? If they're still talking about that, then that's a good thing, to tell you the truth. It was a play. It was an opportunity that gave us a new life. That wasn't the only play that had to be made that game.”
Chambers, in his seventh season, will be playing his first playoff game tomorrow. The Dolphins made the postseason in his rookie year (2001), but he was injured and couldn't play.
Forecast improving
For all the talk about the weather's impact on the game, the latest forecast calls for the rain to taper off late tonight, with just a 30 percent chance of “occasional showers” tomorrow, according to Weather.com. The temperature should be in the 50s.
Fans are reminded that umbrellas are not allowed inside Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers also are cautioning fans that the rain could affect traffic and parking along the San Diego River throughout Mission Valley. The parking lot will open at 8 a.m. and could close as early as 11. Stadium gates open at 10 for Club and Suite ticket holders and at 11 for everyone else.
Kevin Acee: (619) 293-1857; kevin.acee@uniontrib.com
