Patriots-Chargers Game Set for SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL this Week

Tom Brady and the AFC East-leading New England Patriots (9-3) visit Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers (8-4) at Qualcomm Stadium this Sunday, Dec. 7, on NBC's Sunday Night Football. Sunday night's coverage begins with FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA at 7 p.m. ET.

The Patriots, tied with Denver for the best record in the AFC, look to rebound after their seven-game winning streak was broken by a 26-21 loss at Green Bay last Sunday. The Chargers, a game behind Denver, look to keep pace in the AFC West and keep their playoff hopes alive. Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski is first among tight ends in receiving yards (910), and Brady is averaging 306.5 passing yards per game. The Chargers come off a 34-33 win against the Baltimore Ravens, where Rivers threw for 383 yards, and connected with WR Eddie Royal for the game-winning touchdown pass with 38 seconds remaining. Rivers and Brady hold the first and second spots, respectively, for winning percentage in the final four games of the regular season since 1970 (Rivers .906, Brady .833).

The two teams meet on Sunday for the first time since the Patriots' 35-21 win over the Chargers on Sept. 18, 2011, at Gillette Stadium.

Calling Patriots-Chargers is seven-time Emmy Award-winner Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his 29th season as THE VOICE of the NFL's premier primetime package; 15-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth, who has won the Emmy for Outstanding Event Analyst in each of his five seasons in the SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL booth; and two-time Emmy Award-winning sideline reporter Michele Tafoya.

NBC's coverage of SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL is led by Emmy Award-winning producer Fred Gaudelli and Emmy Award-winning director Drew Esocoff. SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL has won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Live Sports Series for a record six consecutive years.

Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports, is hosted by 26-time Emmy Award-winner Bob Costas, who will report from Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif., on Sunday. Costas will be joined on site by Collinsworth, Tafoya, two-time SUPER BOWL winner Hines Ward, and NBC Sports commentator Josh Elliott.

Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from NBC Sports Group's Studio 1 and will be joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy, two-time SUPER BOWL winner Rodney Harrison, Mike Florio of PRO FOOTBALL TALK on NBCSN and NBCSports.com, and Peter King of Sports Illustrated. Kathryn Tappen will report from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa., on the Seahawks-Eagles game.

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