Chargers content with underdog role

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For the San Diego Chargers, it's going to have to be a heck of an encore. Their own legion of fans (joined by an even larger national contingent hoping the unbeaten and not-always-popular New England Patriots go bust) may be holding up lighters out there in the audience, hoping the big San Diego hits keep coming. But that means the Chargers will have to top Sunday's chartbuster over Indianapolis. So which is more unlikely, the Chargers overtaking the Colts, 28-24, without star RB LaDainian Tomlinson and QB Philip Rivers on the field, or coming out of New England victorious with everyone healthy? That may be the question the pundits will bounce around all week. The Patriots opened as a two-touchdown-plus favorite in Las Vegas. Around Chargers camp, though, what exactly does that mean? "I like it," said cornerback Antonio Cromartie at Monday's day-after-the-shocker televised news conference. "It means our backs are against the wall. No one's counting on us to win. It's been that way since Week 2. I love it. It gives us a chance knowing we're underdogs to show what we can do." You can figure on hearing the Chargers milk the theme all week. They've already joined the chorus of talking heads and statistics jockeys who have labeled the Patriots as NFL legends, even though that cake hasn't been completely baked, yet. At 17-0, of course, the Pats deserve the attention. But don't expect the Chargers to do anything but add on some icing, building that pastry into a skyscraper. A chance to pull off the upset of the century? What fun would that be? After Sunday's win in Indy, quarterback Rivers said, "We know what's next ... one of the best teams that ever played." Monday, Tomlinson echoed the sentiment, "They could be the greatest team ever, and you appreciate the opportunity to play them." Be the Chargers ever so humble, and maybe by next Sunday, they'll be their own kind of NFL legend -- the team that rocked Indianapolis and socked New England on its way to the Super Bowl. If it happens, the Chargers will have come a lot further than anyone might have imagined in the past year. They lost a playoff game they felt they should have won at home against the Patriots last January, then watched their primary assistant coaches (Wade Phillips and Cam Cameron) take jobs elsewhere and their head man, Marty Schottenheimer, get fired. Then they were spanked in New England in Week 2 this season, 38-14. They went to 5-5 and the theory was that they were struggling with the adjustment to new coach Norv Turner and staff. Consider the adjustment over. They have won eight in a row, capped by the upset Sunday that upset America's football fans. "It's obvious this wasn't the matchup everyone wanted to see," said Tomlinson of New England-San Diego, without apologizing. "Everyone had their chance to get to this point." The Chargers had about 16 hours to celebrate the win that the country loathed. "For me, that was the best victory ever," said guard Mike Goff of the win over the Colts. "I've never won one playoff game, let alone two. But we can't dwell on it. We just have to get ready for the next one." Part of that preparation will be swallowing lots of pride and giving New England its due. Someone asked Rivers on Sunday for his thoughts on beating New England. "Seventeen have tried and it hasn't happened, yet," he said. Tomlinson has been at ease with the "no chance" opinions, too. "I'm sure we'll be huge underdogs, but that's fine," he said. "You just want a chance. What's better than to be able to go up there and do that?" By week's end, the Chargers may get tired of hearing about the great Patriots, and may be heaping on the praise through gritted teeth. Somebody may even crack and utter some blasphemy about the Patriots putting on their pants one leg at a time, just like everyone else. Chargers defensive end Igor Olshanksy let his enthusiasm get the best of him after the win over the Colts, saying, "I guarantee you that (Pats coach Bill) Belichick and everybody else over there are scratching their heads saying, 'Man, we better get ready.'" But for the most part, the Chargers are better off playing along, tossing petals at the Patriots' altar, fawning over Tom Brady's brilliance, Belichick's genius, Randy Moss' greatness, and the wiliness of the entire defense, and throwing in a few kudos to Big Papi, Manny and the reborn Celtics for good measure. Winning strategies against New England aren't coming easy these days, but this one may be worth a try. By Sunday, the idea is that Chargers will have had their fill, and be just cranky enough to take it out on the greatest team ever.(Contact Gregg Patton at gpatton@PE.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)