NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Making the playoffs for the first time since 2003 is special to the Tennessee Titans. An opening-round rematch with the only team to beat them over the final five weeks of the season?
Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck sums it up nicely: "If people missed the first one that we played, tune in."
When the Titans lost 23-17 in overtime to the San Diego Chargers on Dec. 9, it was a physical game with players hurt almost on every other play. Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman accused the Titans of a cheap shot that left him with an injured knee.
Even LaDainian Tomlinson was flagged for a personal foul.
Titans center Kevin Mawae was fined $5,000 for a hit on Merriman, and right tackle David Stewart was fined $12,500 for hitting Merriman and for a late shove on someone else. They weren't happy that Merriman collided with Vince Young after handing off to a running back.
Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips was fined $7,500 for a horse-collar tackle on Titans running back Chris Brown.
So no wonder Mawae said Sunday's AFC wild-card game will be a grudge match between the No. 6 seed and the AFC West champs.
"I know that there's a lot of things went on a few weeks ago when we played them at our place, a lot of bad blood in this game. So it'll be interesting to see. We're going to try to stay focused this week and not get caught up in the locker room trash talk and just focus on ourselves," Mawae said.
"We go out to San Diego and give them our best shot."
Based on recent history, this isn't much of a rivalry.
San Diego (11-5) has won five straight, with a record of 9-3-1 at home, and leads 22-13-1 overall. Titans coach Jeff Fisher has yet to beat the Chargers in four games.
But the Titans went into that Dec. 9 game determined to prove they had grown up, that they were no longer the team the Chargers whipped 40-7 on Sept. 17, 2006 in San Diego.
Most recently, the Titans held Philip Rivers to 37 yards passing through three quarters, sacked him five times and led 14-3 with about nine minutes left. It fell apart as Rivers tied the score with 13 seconds left to force overtime, and Tomlinson ended it with a 16-yard touchdown run with 7:29 left in overtime.
