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DECEMBER 1, 2013
TIME: 4:25 p.m. Sunday
PLACE: Qualcomm Stadium (Grass)
LOCAL RADIO: Play-by-play Dan Hoard and analyst Dave Lapham led by Triple Cast of WLW 700 AM, ESPN AM 1530 and WEBN FM 102.7 on the 25-station Bengals radio network.
TV: CBS broadcast team of play-by-play Ian Eagle and analyst Dan Fouts on Cincinnati's Channel 12, Channel 7 in Dayton, Ohio, Channel 27 in Lexington, Ky.
INJURIES
CIN: OUT: Starting RG Kevin Zeitler (foot) misses his second straight game after not practicing this week. Starting WLB Vontaze Burfict (ankle) got hurt in Friday's practice and is questionable. Everyone else is probable. Nickel back Chris Crocker (hamstring) went limited Friday after being full Wednesday and Thursday, but is probable. WR-KR Brandon Tate (ankle) didn't practice Friday but is probable. Starting MLB Rey Maualuga (knee, concussion) went full this week after missing the last three games and is probable. P Kevin Huber (kicking ankle) looked ready to go after sitting Wednesday, was limited Thursday and Friday and was probable. Backup LB Michael Boley (hamstring) was limited Wednesday and Thursday, but went full Friday and is probable. Backup DT Devon Still (elbow) went full in practice this week after missing four straight games and is expected to play.
SD: Starting TE Antonio Gates (hamstring), starting C Nick Hardwick (neck), WR Eddie Royal (toe, chest) didn't practice Wednesday and Thursday. T King Dunlap (neck) and starting OLB Jarret Johnson (hand) went limited Thursday after sitting Wednesday.
THE SERIES
Chargers lead, 19-13; 10-6 at home
NOTEWORTHY
» Chargers new head coach Mike McCoy made his debut calling NFL plays as Broncos offensive coordinator in 2009 against the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in the famous Spike Strike game when Denver beat the Bengals on a tipped 87-yard pass with 11 seconds left.
» With a win on Sunday, the Bengals can move to 8-4 and put three games between them and Pittsburgh (5-7) and two between Baltimore (6-6) in the AFC North with four to play.
» A win would also make Marvin Lewis the first Bengals head coach to win three games in San Diego. Paul Brown, the club's first head coach, won two. Forrest Gregg and Sam Wyche each won one.
» The Bengals played their first regular-season game in San Diego during the inaugural 1968 season on the night of Sept. 6. They actually had a 7-0 lead on running back Paul Robinson's two-yard run that began his 1,000-yard jaunt for that season, but ended up losing 29-13. As on this Sunday the Bengals faced a a dangerous quarterback. John Hadl threw touchdown passes of 48 and 56 yards to Willie Frazier in the second half.
» In a battle of AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates, Bengals RB Giovani Bernard faces Chargers WR Keenan Allen. Bernard is second among rookies in yards from scrimmage and Allen leads all rookie receivers in yards and catches.
» Bengals WR A.J. Green went into his last game back on Nov. 17 leading the NFL in receiving yards. After a career-low seven yards against Cleveland followed by a bye week, Green is still within striking distance in third (1,020) behind Detroit's Calvin Johnson (1,299) and Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown (1,103) even though Johnson and Brown played on Thanksgiving.
» DE Robert Geathers, who has played the most Bengals games of anyone on the club with 135, has been on injured reserve since getting hurt in the opener. His brother, Chargers rookie DT Kwame, hopes to play in his eighth NFL game after being inactive the last two games.
» In what looks to be the second game of his NFL career, Bengals S Tony Dye, who has the same hometown as Burfict of Corona, Calif, comes home after becoming the first rookie on defense or special teams to score a TD in his first NFL game since the 2012 opener. Dye took a blocked punt 24 yards against Cleveland on Nov. 17.
NFL RANKINGS
CIN: 10th in scoring, 10th in offense (20th rushing, 10th passing); 6th in scoring defense, 7th in defense (10th rushing, 6th passing), T-17th in turnover margin at minus-2.
SD: 13th in scoring, 6th in offense (17th rushing, 4th passing); T-15th in scoring defense, 29th in defense (17th rushing, 27th passing), T-22nd in turnover margin at minus-4.
COACHES
CIN: Marvin Lewis 86-84-1 regular season, 0-4 postseason in his 11th season; 3-2 vs. Chargers.
SD: Mike McCoy 5-6 in his first season, 0-0 vs. Bengals and Lewis.
WEATHER
The National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio is calling for sunny skies and temperatures of 70 degrees with winds out of the northeast at about five miles per hour with no chance of rain.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
» 37-49-1 - Marvin Lewis road record
» 24-23 - Lewis record in December
» 13-7 - Lewis record in last five Decembers
» 6-11 - Lewis road record against teams in AFC and NFC West
» 32-29 - Lewis record on grass
» 392 - Yards passing for Chargers QB Philip Rivers in win over Kansas City last week
» 367 - Yards passing for Bengals QB Andy Dalton in last two games combined
» 4 - Times Rivers has thrown for at least 390 yards this season, tying an NFL record
» 10/18/09 - Last time Bengals allowed a QB 390 yards passing (Houston's Matt Schaub with 392)
» 4 - Times Bengals sacked Rivers last season
» 26-5 - Rivers' December record with two of the losses coming to Bengals
» 6-3 - Dalton's December record with one win over Chargers
» 20 - Times Rivers has been sacked this season in 11 games
» 29 - Sacks by Chargers, 15th in NFL per pass
» 26 - Sacks by Bengals, 13th in NFL per pass
» 34 - Sacks allowed by Bengals, ninth in NFL per pass
» 809 - Combined scrimmage yards for Bengals RB Giovani Bernard, second among NFL rookies
» 737 - Receiving yards for Chargers WR Keenan Allen, tops among NFL rookie receivers
» 446 - Receiving yards for Bengals WR Marvin Jones, Allen's teammate at Cal
» 3 - TD catches for Allen
» 7 - TD catches for Jones
» 59 - NFL-leading receptions for a running back by San Diego's Danny Woodhead
» 42 - Receptions by Bernard
» 10 - Projected team-leading sacks for Bengals LE Carlos Dunlap, beating his career high of 9.5
» 1,483 - Projected receiving yards for Bengals WR A.J. Green, a club record
