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Patriots vs. Chargers Key Battle: Dan Koppen vs. Jamal Williams

Jan 19, 2008 – 8:46 AM
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Michael David Smith

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For all the talk of Tom Brady and Randy Moss and Wes Welker and Rodney Harrison and Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates and Shawne Merriman, the single most important individual matchup when the Chargers take on the Patriots in Sunday's AFC Championship will be Patriots center Dan Koppen against Chargers nose tackle Jamal Williams.

Koppen and Williams will be teammates in three weeks at the Pro Bowl, but on Sunday, Koppen will need to move Williams if the Patriots are going to have any success running up the middle, and he'll need to at least stalemate Williams to keep Brady from having pressure in his face.

That won't be easy, as Williams is listed at 348 pounds and almost certainly weighs significantly more than that, while Koppen is listed at a mere 296. But Koppen probably has the best technique of any center in the NFL, and I think he's going to get the better of their individual matchup, which is a big part of the reason I think the Patriots are going to win the game.
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