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San Diego, California - The first-place San Diego Chargers head to “Music City” for their first-ever visit to Nashville’s LP Field for a matchup with the Tennessee Titans and a chance to clinch their third AFC West title in the last four years. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. PST.

 

The Chargers (7-5) hold a two-game lead over Denver (5-7) in the AFC West. A San Diego win coupled with a Broncos loss to Kansas City would clinch the division and assure the Bolts of a home playoff game. The Chargers have four games left in the regular season: two at home and two on the road.

 

San Diego is one of the NFL’s hottest teams. The Bolts have won two straight and six of their last eight. The team has strung together back-to-back wins for the second time this season, earning its most recent wins on the road where the team improved to 2-4. San Diego has never played in LP Field, but the team has played in Nashville, beating the then-Tennessee Oilers, 13-7, in 1998. The Houston Oilers relocated to Tennessee in 1997 and changed their name to the Titans in 1999. The Bolts have won four straight in the series, including convincing wins in the most recent meetings, 38-17 in 2004 and 40-7 in 2006. The Chargers have won six straight games in December and are 11-4 in December the last three-plus years.

 

The key to the Chargers’ recent success has been its defense. The Chargers lead the NFL in interceptions (20) and total takeaways (33), and are tied for seventh in sacks (31). Antonio Cromartie leads the NFL with eight interceptions and is only one away from tying Charlie McNeil’s 47-year-old team record of nine, set in 1961. He’s also threatening Dick “Night Train” Lane’s NFL record of 14 for the Los Angeles Rams in 1952. Cromartie has all eight of his picks in the last seven games and he’s only been a starter for the last four. He had two last Sunday in Kansas City.

 

Shawne Merriman leads the team with 9.5 sacks. He had a season-high three against the Chiefs last Sunday and is now just half a sack shy of his third-straight 10-sack season. With 10, Merriman would become only the sixth player in NFL history with 10-or-more sacks in his first three NFL seasons.

 

Listen to the San Diego Chargers vs the Tennessee Titans live on KXO Radio AM1230.