Former Chargers linebacker and walking human chest muscle, Shawne Merriman, is at it again.

On Monday’s episode of FS1’s “The Herd,” the 34-year-old – who is out of football and now apparently involved in clothing design, bare-knuckle fighting (which Red blogged about), and NASCAR – guaranteed that the Los Angeles Chargers, who haven’t beaten Brady ONCE in his career, would come in and beat the Pats in Foxborough on Sunday (h/t Patriots Wire):

“They’re a lock for me this week,” Merriman said. “The Patriots, yeah, you have Bill Belichick, you have Tom Brady there, but they’re not the same team they were in the past. They’re just not. They don’t bring that kind of stamp to the field anymore. I know they’ve been in the playoffs, they have the experience. But this Chargers team right now, they’re the most resilient team in football.

“They’ve been through so much. Injuries and the move and people not really paying attention to them and they just use all of it as fuel. Going out there is going to be no different. Them winning on the road, it hasn’t been a problem this year. They’ll go right into Foxboro, it will be competitive, it will be a good game. In the past, the Patriots have always found ways to win. Not this time, I don’t think that’s the case.”

I’ll start by saying that I believe the Chargers do actually have a shot of winning on Sunday, perhaps more than any previous Patriots home playoff opponent in the past two decades. They might be the most talented squad, up and down the roster, in the entire AFC, and their pass-rushers could give Brady fits this weekend. (Much more to come on all of that, and more, in this week’s preview.)

But for Merriman to be that certain is laughable. A lock? He’s banking on a quarterback with .500 career playoff record and a young defense that still has yet to prove themselves on the biggest stage. Also, the game is in New England, and the Pats will have had had two weeks to rest up. Oh, and “yeah,” Shawne, we do still have “Belichick and Brady there.”

Nothing would be sweeter than beating the Chargers on Sunday and seeing a shot of a sour-pussed Merriman somewhere in the stands. And hopefully, all 53 guys run out to mid-field after its over to do the “Lights Out” dance – just like the “classless” Patriots teams of the past (*he said with heavy sarcasm*). Right, L.T.??!!

Regardless, it’s safe to assume that Merriman’s words this week only further fueled and fanned the flames of a hungry, elder Thomas Patrick Edward Brady, Jr. In fact, I actually now feel better after hearing what he said.

Post this one up on the bulletin board, Bill!