REMATCH!  CHARGERS & PATS GO AT IT AGAIN,

MANNING LOOKS FOR PAYBACK VS. YOUNG & TITANS

It’s never too early for revenge.

Sure, it’s only Week 2 of the NFL season but already the schedule lists games packed with pizzazz due to the teams -- and history -- involved.  And that’s recent history – going all the way back to…last year!

Remember when:

• The Patriots beat the Chargers in the Divisional Playoffs last January?  They play this week. 

• The Titans dealt the eventual Super Bowl XLI champion Colts their first division loss last December?  They play this week.

• The Eagles swept the division-rival Redskins last year?  They play this week.

“Experience is the biggest teacher,” says San Diego running back LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON, speaking in essence about all three of these games.  “You experience different things that happen in a big game and you make sure they don’t happen again.”

So, after a Kickoff 2007 Weekend that saw four games decided after the two-minute warning -- the most such endings in Week 1 in six seasons -- and the Giants-Cowboys game that totaled 80 points, the most in the 47-year history of the series, here comes Week 2 and more excitement:  

STORYLINE:  History – victory history – can be made.

And who better to do it than one of the game’s true “throwback” guys – BRETT FAVRE of the Packers, the league’s oldest starting quarterback (37) who still arrives at games in a T-shirt and cargo shorts looking like he’s ready for his first high school outing.

This Sunday, Favre – with a young Packers team surrounding him – can become the NFL’s all-time winningest quarterback with a victory over the Giants.  He is tied with JOHN ELWAY at 148 for the most such wins. 

On the other QB side, there could be some changes.  The Giants’ ELI MANNING, who has started 40 consecutive games, injured his shoulder against Dallas and his status for Sunday is uncertain.  If he cannot go, third-year man JARED LORENZEN, who has appeared in three regular-season games while throwing three passes, would start.

STORYLINE:  Manning vs. Young in a grudge match.  

Last December, the Colts rode a 12-game divisional winning streak -- and a 10-1 record -- into Nashville.  A win would give them the division title for a club-record fourth consecutive year.  What happened?  They blew a 14-point lead, held the ball for only 12 minutes in the second half, and watched eventual NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year VINCE YOUNG throw two TDs and tack on 78 of the Titans’ season-high 219 yards rushing.  Then ROB BIRONAS came on to kick a 60-yard field goal with seven seconds left to give Tennessee its first win over Indy in eight games, 20-17.

Now it’s 2007, the Colts are Super Bowl champs and head coach TONY DUNGY wants to get a division road win.  “The AFC South games are huge and it’s a big road game for us,” he says.  “It’s critical.”

Dungy feels that Colts defensive end DWIGHT FREENEY, despite not getting a sack in Week 1, had one of his best games ever, and can be a difference-maker in pressuring Young.  “He had one of the best rushing games I’ve seen in a long time,” Dungy says of Freeney’s effort against New Orleans .  “That’s where people can get swayed by sacks.  It was one of the best games I’ve ever seen in just beating people, rushing, and putting pressure on the passer.”

Matchup to watch: New Titans -- and ex-Colts -- CB NICK HARPER against two guys he knows very well, WRs MARVIN HARRISON and REGGIE WAYNE.

STORYLINE:  Top 10 rookies show their stuff.

…Like they did last week.  On Kickoff Weekend, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft, Lions WR CALVIN JOHNSON (Georgia Tech), and the No. 7 overall, Vikings RB ADRIAN PETERSON ( Oklahoma ), showed that they just may have a future in this league. 

Johnson had four catches for 70 yards in his debut, including a 16-yard TD reception that put the Lions up 17-0 against Oakland .  Peterson, picking up the load when CHESTER TAYLOR hurt his hip, rushed 19 times for 103 yards and made a juggling catch out of the backfield that he turned into a 60-yard TD romp.  He also led the Vikes in kickoff returns and recovered a fumble.

Speaking for himself -- and certainly Peterson – Johnson summed up the day:  “This is a great way to come out and get started.”  Now you’ve got to do it again, rookies!

STORYLINE:  Payback time?

That is certainly on the mind of the Chargers.  There was the NFL’s winningest team (14-2) last January 14, led by league MVP Tomlinson, primed for a cap-off-the-season playoff push in the Divisionals when it met the Patriots at home.

Result?  Four Chargers turnovers after committing only 15 in the regular season and an 11-point Patriots comeback in 3:26 late in the game engineered by QB TOM BRADY for a 24-21 New England win.

Shockingly, “next year” was thrust upon the Chargers and it doesn’t get more “next year” than this Sunday.  “You can’t fix that game,” says San Diego QB PHILIP RIVERS.  “It’s a new year.  We’re 1-0 and one of 16 teams that are 1-0.”

What the Patriots did not have in the Divisionals against the Chargers they have now – a deep threat.  San Diego CBs QUENTIN JAMMER and DRAYTON FLORENCE will confront one of the league’s most dangerous receivers – RANDY MOSS, who made it a memorable Patriots debut in Week 1 with his third-highest career yardage game (183 on nine catches for one touchdown).

Tops inside the 20:  For the past two years, the Chargers have had the highest red-zone TD percentage in the AFC.

STORYLINE:  Forget the sweeps!   

So say the Redskins, and maybe their stronger defense can help do it.  The Eagles (this year celebrating their 75th season) swept the NFC East-rival Redskins (celebrating their 75th anniversary) last season.  Time to put a stop to that, say the ’Skins. 

And maybe they have the antidote.  Washington beefed up its 31st-ranked defense of last year with new starting LBs LONDON FLETCHER and ROCKY MC INTOSH, who combined for 23 tackles against Miami in Week 1.  And it moved CB SHAWN SPRINGS to nickel back to bring some extra muscle in passing situations.

Of course, that new-look “D” will be facing old-hand QB DONOVAN MC NABB, who has returned from knee surgery, and will become on Monday only the third Eagles quarterback to start 100 regular-season games, joining RON JAWORSKI (who will cover the game for ESPN) and RANDALL CUNNINGHAM.