Game should be respectable

SAN DIEGO — It’s the NFL playoffs, so it must be time for teams to play the we-get-no-respect card.

In the case of the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots, that’s coming from both sides.

“I think we have to prove to a lot of people that we can beat these bigger-name teams,” San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman said Friday. “You don’t have 10 straight wins by default. We worked to get it. But obviously we’ve got a team here that could come in here and possibly beat us. Our objective is not to let that happen.”

Meanwhile, former Chargers receiver Reche Caldwell, who signed as a free agent with New England before the season, told his current teammates that San Diego Coach Marty Schottenheimer criticized the Patriots’ ability before the Chargers beat them, 41-17, last season.

“I know he’s friendly with a lot of those guys,” New England quarterback Tom Brady said recently of Caldwell. “They don’t think too highly of us, from what Reche says.”

San Diego cornerback Quentin Jammer responded to that Friday, saying “there is absolutely no truth” to the notion the Chargers have anything but the utmost respect for the Patriots, who have won three Super Bowls since 2001.

“How can you not respect a team and a quarterback who has won three Super Bowls, and a defense that can shut anybody down in the league?” Caldwell asked. “I think it’s just a ploy to get their team fired up. And if that’s what they need to get them fired up, then that’s their business. We’re just looking forward to our first playoff game, which is our first step to the Super Bowl.”

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The Chargers lead the NFL in sacks, and it’s not just because of Merriman. Fellow linebacker Shaun Phillips, who became a starter when Steve Foley was shot by an off-duty police officer, has had a terrific season. Phillips had a career-high 11 1/2 sacks and picked up the nickname “The Other Guy” based on a comment he heard from Tennessee offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

“It pretty much came from [Chow] when he was referring to Shawne Merriman like, ‘Oh, Shawne Merriman is a good player, and that other guy on the other side,’ ” said Phillips, who had “The Other Guy” T-shirts made.

“He didn’t refer to me by my name and it was a bit disrespectful. But we took it as a joke and now we’re running with it and it’s now more of a media thing. And it’s fun.”

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Even though the Chargers won, quarterback Philip Rivers struggled in a Dec. 17 against Kansas City. He completed only eight of 23 passes for 97 yards with two interceptions. At one point in the second half, he ripped off his helmet and threw it into the bench as he stormed off the field.

He said he planned to do a better job Sunday of keeping his emotions in check.

“As a quarterback, the camera’s always on you,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to control your emotions.... I’ve been that frustrated before and just not shown it. That was one of those deals where it just gets pointed out.

“We’ve had our highs and lows as a team, and I’ve had my highs and lows as a quarterback. You learn from them.”

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