(Sports Network) - The San Diego Chargers, winners of three consecutive games, look to have finally found themselves. The Detroit Lions, who will visit Qualcomm Stadium to meet San Diego on Sunday, have likely begun to wonder whether they will ever arrive.

San Diego has played its most consistent football of the season over the past few weeks, with a home blowout of the Ravens (32-14) preceding important back- to-back road wins versus the Chiefs and Titans (23-17). Last week, the Chargers dug themselves out of a 17-3 fourth-quarter hole in Tennessee, forcing overtime on a touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to Vincent Jackson with nine seconds to play in regulation. In the extra session, LaDainian Tomlinson's 16-yard touchdown run pushed San Diego to an unlikely comeback victory.

With the win, the Chargers maintained a two-game lead on the Denver Broncos in the AFC West, and can clinch a second consecutive division title with a fourth straight triumph in Week 15, coupled with a Denver loss in Houston on Thursday night.

Like their competitors on Sunday, the Detroit Lions very nearly headed into Week 15 boasting positive momentum. Rod Marinelli's team, desperate for a win following four consecutive losses, led NFC top dog Dallas for most of last week's matchup, and held a 27-14 fourth-quarter lead over the Cowboys.

But the Lions failed to keep their grip on what would have been a course- reversing victory, as Dallas rallied for two touchdowns, including one on a final-minute pass from Tony Romo to tight end Jason Witten, that severely harmed Detroit's chances at its first playoff berth since 1999.

The Lions enter Sunday's game sitting amid a glut of 6-7 teams looking up at 7-6 Minnesota for the final Wild Card spot in the NFC.

The potential tie-breakers don't favor Marinelli's club, nor does a schedule which includes road games against the Chargers and 11-2 Packers, with a home game against the Kansas City Chiefs sandwiched in between.

SERIES HISTORY

San Diego has a 5-3 lead in the all-time series with Detroit, and has won five in a row in the series since the Lions prevailed in the first three meetings (1972, 1977, 1978). The Chargers were 14-7 road winners when the clubs last met, in 2003, and took a 27-21 decision when the two last did battle in Southern California, in 1996. The Lions are 0-3 all-time in San Diego.

San Diego head coach Norv Turner is 3-2 in his career against the Lions, including a 27-13 win for his Redskins in a 1999 NFC Divisional Playoff. That contest marks the lone playoff win in Turner's career as a head coach. The Lions' Marinelli will be meeting both Turner and the Chargers for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE LIONS HAVE THE BALL

Though Detroit will continue to be viewed as a pass-happy team, the long- absent Lions ground attack comes off a game in which it posted season-highs for rushing attempts (32), rushing yards (152), and touchdowns on the ground (3), including 92 yards and two TDs on 23 carries for Kevin Jones (550 rushing yards, 8 TD, 31 receptions), and a touchdown and 60 yards on nine totes for T.J. Duckett (194 rushing yards, 2 TD). The 152 rushing yards and three ground TDs were the most of the Marinelli-Mike Martz era, and Duckett's total was his best since 2005, when he was a member of the Atlanta Falcons. With the effort, the Lions moved up from last place on the NFL rushing offense chart to 30th (82.9 yards per game), but the team continues to rank last in the league in rushing attempts with 266. The Lions passing game was effective in the absence of injured receiver Roy Williams (knee), with Jon Kitna (3405 passing yards, 15 TD, 12 INT) completing 22-of-36 passes for 248 yards without an interception and not suffering a sack until the game's final play. Wideouts Shaun McDonald (67 receptions, 4 TD) and Calvin Johnson (37 receptions, 4 TD) combined for 13 catches and 147 yards. The Lions remain last in the league in sacks allowed with 53.

The Lions might seek to continue their balanced approach against a Titans team that had some problems defending Tennessee running back LenDale White (30 carries, 113 yards, 1 TD) last week and picked off quarterback Vince Young a couple of times. The Chargers enter the week leading the NFL in interceptions (22) and takeaways (35), including a league-high nine picks by cornerback Antonio Cromartie (27 tackles), who needs one INT to break Charlie McNeil's 46-year team record in that category. The San Diego pass rush will take a hit this week without Pro Bowler Shawne Merriman (63 tackles, 11.5 sacks), who is expected to miss a couple of weeks with a sprained knee sustained on a questionable hit by the Titans last Sunday. With Merriman out of the lineup, the team's leading pass rusher is outside linebacker Shaun Phillips (61 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 1 INT). The Chargers come into Sunday ranking in a tie for 19th in the league against the run, with nose tackle Jamal Williams (38 tackles) and inside linebackers Stephen Cooper (87 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT) and Matt Wilhelm (77 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack) ranking as the team's most feared ground-stoppers.

WHEN THE CHARGERS HAVE THE BALL

After something of a slow start to 2007, the future Hall-of-Famer Tomlinson (1195 rushing yards, 55 receptions, 14 TD) has come alive with 323 yards and four touchdowns in his last two games, and has re-introduced himself into the race for the NFL rushing crown. Tomlinson will begin Week 15 just 22 yards back of league rushing leader Willie Parker of the Steelers, although running room could be harder to fine with trusty fullback Lorenzo Neal (32 rushing yards, 8 receptions, 1 TD) out indefinitely due to a fractured fibula suffered last week. Tomlinson, who also leads the league in rushing touchdowns with 12, is attempting to become the NFL's first back-to-back rushing champion since Edgerrin James of the Colts pulled off the feat in 1999-2000. Rivers (2686 passing yards, 17 TD, 15 INT) missed some time with a knee sprain last Sunday but still threw for 228 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Rivers and fellow QB Billy Volek accounted for three interceptions and five sacks absorbed, though Rivers rallied to lead three touchdown drives in the final nine minutes of regulation and overtime. Gates (67 receptions, 9 TD) fought off pain from a hip pointer to catch six passes for 57 yards and the aforementioned game-tying touchdown. Chris Chambers (24 receptions, 2 TD) and Vincent Jackson (33 receptions, 3 TD) are Rivers' top targets on the outside.

The beleaguered Detroit defense experienced mixed results against Dallas last Sunday. On the good side, the Lions held Cowboys wideout Terrell Owens to three catches for 21 yards, and limited Dallas running backs Marion Barber and Julius Jones to 72 ground yards. But ultimately, the Lions simply surrendered too much real estate to quarterback Tony Romo (35-of-44, 302 yards, 2 TD) and tight end Jason Witten (15 receptions, 138 yards, 1 TD), also giving up four touchdowns when holding the Dallas offense to field goals a time or two would have helped them cash in win number seven of the year. Linebacker Ernie Sims (119 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) had a huge outing with 14 tackles and a key forced fumble in the game, while ends Dewayne White (36 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT) and Jared DeVries (20 tackles, 6 sacks) both had sacks of Romo. The Lions are second in the league in takeaways (33) on the year, but are also 31st in yards allowed (371.2 yards per game) and last in touchdowns surrendered (43). Cornerbacks Travis Fisher (64 tackles, 2 INT) and Fernando Bryant (64 tackles, 2 INT) will be responsible for watching Chambers and Jackson this week, with a young safety group likely to be asked to defend Gates.

FANTASY FOCUS

Many fantasy owners of Tomlinson and Gates will find themselves in the playoffs this week, as both players have been among the best point-producers at their respective positions. The playmaking San Diego defense has also been a great fantasy play. Don't hesitate in starting any of the above this week.

The Lions' stars are a riskier proposition. Jones comes off a big day on the ground, but do we really believe that the team is committed to the run? Kitna has thrown for a ton of yards this year, but without Roy Williams, do we expect him to put up a huge game against a tough San Diego defense? The answer to both questions is no. Also, the defensive playmaking that Detroit became known for in the first half of the season has pretty much dried up in the second.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Lions came up short in an effort to reclaim high ground in the playoff race last week, and after that demoralizing loss, it's hard to know how much the team really has left. At the same time, San Diego returns home after winning on the road in back-to-back weeks, and has the look of a club that, despite some injuries, is beginning to jell. Look for the teams to continue to drift into opposite directions on Sunday, as the Chargers jump out to an early lead and keep the Lions at arm's length thereafter.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Chargers 23, Lions 7