Patriots vs. Chargers Key Battle: Dan Koppen vs. Jamal Williams

For all the talk of Tom Brady and Randy Moss and Wes Welker and Rodney Harrison and Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates and Shawne Merriman, the single most important individual matchup when the Chargers take on the Patriots in Sunday's AFC Championship will be Patriots center Dan Koppen against Chargers nose tackle Jamal Williams.

Koppen and Williams will be teammates in three weeks at the Pro Bowl, but on Sunday, Koppen will need to move Williams if the Patriots are going to have any success running up the middle, and he'll need to at least stalemate Williams to keep Brady from having pressure in his face.

That won't be easy, as Williams is listed at 348 pounds and almost certainly weighs significantly more than that, while Koppen is listed at a mere 296. But Koppen probably has the best technique of any center in the NFL, and I think he's going to get the better of their individual matchup, which is a big part of the reason I think the Patriots are going to win the game.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-19-2008 @ 10:01AM

kevin said...

Pats line has been great all year Jags one sax all game .

1-19-2008 @ 1:52PM

tim morris said...

well i belive the patriots should be made to give thier place in every game this year up to the other team.. how do you call them winners when they got caught cheating last year against the packers and was warned not to do it no more. the start of this season all teams were told if they do the same thing the patriots done last year it would be concidered cheating and action will be takin...well load and behold the patriots got caught this year doing same thing recived a 20 million dollar fine and was let to play on... how do you call a cheating team winners??? is this how america wants our children to play ...i think we should take them out of the game and make examples of the.. not praise them for cheating and allow them to go to play offs or superbowl game... where is justis here..

1-19-2008 @ 10:17AM

PATS FAN said...

THEY ONLY CHEATED IN ONE GAMER GET OVER IT ALREADY, THEY ARE A GREAT TEAM. EVERY TEAM CHEATS, INDY CHEATED TOO, WITH THE FAKE CROWD NOICE, AND MIAMI CHEATED TOO.

1-19-2008 @ 10:38AM

doddie boss said...

patriots are the worlds best losers...how do you put a cheating team in the play off or for that more how are they allowed to play another game???. oh i see we tell our young foot ball players to cheat is to win?? thats is what is wrong with this world.. they cheated in two games that they were caught at... stand up america show our kids right from wrong... if i cheated you out of money just once is that ok.... patriots take a stand do whats right a give up your play off game and super bowl status... so our kids and your embarrassed fans your for the right way.....boooo cheaters

1-19-2008 @ 11:52AM

Seen one eat a rocking chair once... said...

I'm actually pleased- quite pleased- that we were able to get tape of the Packers before the hammer came down.

1-19-2008 @ 12:57PM

SDjay said...

Patsies are cheaters, they shouldnt be goin anywhere but home for the playoffs. I dont understand what all the undefeated hubulub is about. They cheated their way to an undefeated season.Pats should be ashamed of themselves and in my opinion dont deserve ANY ones praises. CHEATERS!!!!!!

1-19-2008 @ 1:54PM

right on for those who see the cheaters are no heros...pater haters

1-19-2008 @ 1:53PM

riboy said...

Waaaaaaa! cry babies the Patriots cheat!Give me a break already,is that all you cry babies can come up with.We are watching history being made by the best team of all time and all I hear is cry babies. Sorry to all the babies but maybe if your good and stop crying Santa will make your loser team better next year. Patriots 19-0.

1-19-2008 @ 2:09PM

Bill Walters said...

Don't worry It will be Green Bay vs San Diego in the super bowl. I saw the refs play book and they are going to cheat New England right out of it.

Cause cheating is "okay" in New England after all everyone does it.

1-19-2008 @ 4:36PM

peggyann said...

What a bunch of morons. Anyone of you would give your eyeteeth to be where the Patriots are today,
The only card you can play is the "CHEATER" card and you've been playing that since September. Grow a set fellas---the Patriots are terrific.

1-19-2008 @ 8:12PM

J.R. said...

CHARGER FEVER!!! Watch it!!

1-19-2008 @ 8:52PM

old Fla Pats fan said...

They got caught in the fisrt quarter of the first game and it hasen't been done since.
Pats haters have to cry about anything the pats do because they are sooooooooo jealous. Get a life idiots.

1-19-2008 @ 8:28PM

primrod said...

It's funny to see you haters make excuses for the Pats immense success. Weak a$$ arguments that have had no bearing on the outcome of this season. I assume it's to get a rise out of us Patriot fans, but I see through your bull$hit banter and know at the center is pure envy. Have you ever seen a clown with a frown and a tear painted on its face, also know as a (sad clown) that's what you haters are, SAD CLOWNS with a Patriots suck t-shirt.

Honk! Honk!

1-19-2008 @ 9:09PM

I just took the time to read some responses from another blog site and it seems no matter where you go people are Patriot bashing and Patriot cheering. What a small minded world we live in.
What happened to the days when the winning team or fans were congratulated instead of being ridiculed for winning?My youngest son plays pop warner football and I sometimes can't believe how some parents carry on when things don't always go their way.(reminds me of some fans that post on these blogs)That really teaches uor kids good sportsmanship. It actually got so bad that the pop warner commish had to have a number of parents banned from the games and finnally with one the player himself was banned due to the things he was learning from his parents.All of you who contiuously bash other teams fans ought to be ashamed of yourselves for acting the way you do.
You actually make me ashamed to be a fan of the game due to your ignorrance.Stop acting like the young kids your supposed to be setting an example for.

1-20-2008 @ 10:21AM

old fla pats fan its all in fun!!.... and start teaching children now that somebody has to lose and NO ITS NOT okay to "cheat" no matter what everyone else does.

Speaking of cheating did you hear the black and white stripes have determined that San Diego will win.