SAN JOSE, Calif. -- While the Pats players were off yesterday, the coaches spent the day getting their game plan together for San Diego. Head coach Bill Belichick said it almost feels like a division game against the Chargers because the teams have met so often in recent seasons.

Including the playoffs, New England and San Diego have met in each of the last three seasons.

The team has enough video on the Chargers just from their games with them, Belichick said, and the staff didn't really need to look at other game tapes during their preparations yesterday.

Though San Diego is only 2-3 after a loss to Miami last week, Belichick said the Chargers are an explosive and talented team in all facets of the game, including special teams, where Darren Sproles is "very dangerous" with the ball in his hands.

Even without Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman, the Chargers' defense is explosive.

"He's a terrific player, but I think they've gotten good production out of both kids [Shaun Phillips and Marques Harris] that have played there the last couple weeks. They like to bring outside linebackers [on the blitz], and they're bringing them just as much, if not more, than when he was in there," he said. "I'm not saying [Merriman] isn't a loss, but they still get pretty good production out of those outside linebackers and overall pass rushing."

Rivers well respected

After the Chargers upset the Colts in the Divisional playoffs last year, San Diego didn't let on that quarterback Philip Rivers had torn his ACL in the win against Indianapolis.

So the next week, in New England, Rivers played on the damaged knee, gaining the respect of his teammates as well as Belichick.

"I think Rivers has really grown as a quarterback, especially last year in the playoff game, playing with the injury; he showed a lot of toughness and grit. That wasn't the best day to pass the ball, the coldness, but he played with a lot of courage in that game. He made a lot of throws under pressure, not just the pressure of the game, the AFC Championship Game, but under pressure" from the New England defense," Belichick said. "I have a lot of respect for him."

smanza@projo.com