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Chargers: Five things to know | 
Judge
SAN DIEGO -- A couple of weeks ago, I was on a San Diego radio show when the host, Chris Ello, expressed exasperation with his Chargers -- essentially saying that it's now or never for the Bolts.
| Out of Nowhere Man |
 When you think of the San Diego Chargers you think of great defensive play, and why not? They led the league with 48 takeaways last year, and linebackers Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips are two of the game's best pass rushers. But there's someone tucked in behind those two who bears watching, and that's linebacker Jyles Tucker . An undrafted free agent last season, he worked his way off the practice squad and on to the 53-man roster to produce three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the season finale and was named the AFC's Defensive Player of the Week. Now he looks like a comfortable security blanket in the event anything happens to Merriman or Phillips. The guy is made in the mold of both -- he's quick, fast and relentless -- but has a couple of obstacles to overcome to make it big: Merriman and Phillips. |
| Who is your Out of Nowhere Man? |
"This has got to be the year they go to the Super Bowl, right?" he asked.
Maybe.
While that won't satisfy Ello, it should comfort most Chargers' fans, and here's why: Almost never in the past 25 years has San Diego been viewed as Super Bowl material.
A year ago, the Chargers were coming off a 14-2 season, but the firing of Marty Schottenheimer and the hiring of Norv Turner were perceived in some quarters as the worst things to happen to this franchise since the retirement of the powder blues.
Then Turner wound up in the AFC Championship Game, and, suddenly, the San Diego Chargers and Norv Turner achieved the unimaginable -- instant credibility as a Super Bowl threat.
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slambe: "Every team has injuries. But the Chargers have depth. They played well against the Titans and Colts when these injuries were fresh, now they are much better." |
But in overcoming a 1-3 start and getting this close to toppling then-undefeated New England -- with tight end Antonio Gates and running back LaDainian Tomlinson sidelined, no less, and quarterback Philip Rivers playing on one leg -- the Chargers proved as much to themselves as they did the rest of the NFL.
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Positives: Chambers is established as one of the better deep-threat options in the NFL. He had 16 receptions for 20-plus yards last year and has 43 such grabs over his last three seasons. He's also matched or topped a 13.0 yards per catch average in all but one of his seven seasons. Chambers will also be playing in San Diego where it's unlikely that he'll see a lot of double coverage since he shares the playing field with LaDainian Tomlinson as well as the Antonio Gates. Having Norv Turner orchestrate the offense is also a huge plus -- Turner led Chambers to one of his 11-touchdown seasons in 2003. Negatives: Because that offense has Tomlinson, the likelihood of Chambers having huge yardage days is slim. Last year, for example, Chambers didn't top 100 yards in any contest as a Bolt until the postseason win vs. Tennessee. History is also working against Chambers: The last time the Chargers had a 1,000-yard receiver was in 2001 (Gates did it in 2005 with a 1,101-yard season, but he's not a wide receiver). Speaking of Gates, his role in the offense will also limit the number of passes Chambers will have thrown his way over the course of the season. Chambers' phenomenal run late last year was partially due to Gates being sidelined with a toe injury. Outlook: Chambers is a borderline candidate for 1,000 receiving yards and shouldn't be expected for any more than six touchdowns. However, because he's likely to provide 60-90 receiving yards per week, he'll be a consistent top-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver for your team in smaller leagues and a low-end No. 2 in deeper leagues. He's worth a middle-round pick. -- Dave Richard RB: LaDainian Tomlinson (1st overall) QB: Philip Rivers (102nd overall) WR: Chris Chambers (74th overall) TE: Antonio Gates (46th overall) |
| 2008 Fantasy Draft Prep |
"We learned from (the championship) game that we can play with anybody, whether they're undefeated or not," Tomlinson said.
The question now, of course, is: Who can play with San Diego?
New England is the obvious choice because a year ago, only the Patriots stood between the Chargers and their second-ever Super Bowl. You'd like to include the Indianapolis Colts, too, except San Diego is 3-0 against them dating to 2005, when it ended Indy's 13-game unbeaten streak.
The way I see it, that leaves two speed bumps for this year's Chargers: New England and themselves. The Patriots beat them three times in 13 months -- including two playoff appearances -- and seem to have the club's number.
San Diego defends Tom Brady better than almost anyone, but the Patriots still find a way of persevering. So do something about it: Beat the Patriots on Oct. 12, just as Indianapolis beat them three years earlier.
At that time, New England had a six-game winning streak against the Colts and an enormous psychological advantage. But that evaporated with a 40-21 victory, a triumph that convinced Indianapolis that, yes, it could solve Bill Belichick's defenses.
Since then, Indianapolis is 2-1 against the Patriots, and there's a lesson there, Bolts' fans.
Sure, you don't want your team to fall into last year's trap that left them 1-3 at the first turn, but it won't -- and let me explain again: In Game One, Carolina won't have Steve Smith. In Game Two, Denver won't have Brandon Marshall. The Jets are here for Game Three, and who knows what Brett Favre will be doing. Then it's on to Oakland and Miami, and, sorry, I don't see a loss in there.
That takes us to New England and what could be a defining moment for the Chargers. If they're a legitimate Super Bowl contender -- and they sure look that way from here -- that's the logical place to start, not just because New England is the defending AFC champion but because the Patriots ended San Diego's past two seasons.
"I don't think they're in our heads," Rivers said. "I really don't. But the fact is: We haven't gotten by them yet.
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| Ask an NFL player or coach |
Antonio Gates, TE: No. The one things about me that's changed is that back then basketball was a part of my life. Now football is a part of my life. The people I've met, the accomplishments I've met will keep me playing this game. Now when people ask me: Do you like basketball more than you do football? I say I don't think it's a question of whether I like basketball more. Football has established me as a person -- who I am and my identity. When I said that basketball established my identity (years ago), and I was in love with it. But when I wanted to play it, football was always pulling at me. I couldn't understand it. I was called in, I accepted it and now it's a part of who I am.
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"What we have to understand against those guys is that they capitalize on every mistake you make. There are some things you can rebound from in games where, maybe, you're a little bit of a better team than your opponent, but you can't do it against them.
"You kick four field goals you're going to lose. It's those little things where you think, 'Oh, we got points, so we're OK. We're going to get a lot more opportunities.' Well, you might not against them."
While no one here dares mention the playoffs or the Super Bowl or .... quiet, please .... the New England Patriots ... trust me, players and coaches know what beating the Patriots would say about the Bolts' chances to take the next step.
"For us it's going to be just another game," Tomlinson said, "but I think it would do great things for our confidence if we beat them."
You mean, because of the recent record?
"Exactly," he said.
To get there, the Chargers must be on their best behavior, which means few injuries, no stupid mistakes and no surprises -- like last year's loss to Kansas City. Rivers must stay away from another knee injury. Tomlinson can't bow out. And Gates must recover from toe surgery.
If there's a potential hazard, it's at center where veteran Nick Hardwick continues to recover from foot surgery and could miss anywhere from one to four weeks of the regular season.
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| Ask an NFL player or coach |
 LaDainian Tomlinson, RB: Probably the touchdown record, and the reason why is because that's the way you win games -- by scoring touchdowns. If you don't score you don't win. And, so, by me scoring a lot of touchdowns it meant we won a lot of games. That's the way I always looked at it. Plus, it was kind of special the way it happened. It just kind of came about, and all the guys got involved with it.
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Antonio Cromartie, CB: That feels good. It can't be broken. It can only be tied. So having a record that will stand forever in football history is very satisfying and thrilling for me to think about. As for receiver: Yes. I go to coach (Norv) Turner all the time and bother him about it, saying, "Can I play wide receiver a little bit?" This offseason I worked at receiver. There were just a couple of things I was trying to work on. Playing defensive back helps on the route combinations and also alignments for receivers. I get on coach Turner all the time about trying to play wide receiver. Is there a chance I'll play? I don't know. I go to him every day and nag him. We'll see.
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Backup Jeremy Newberry, a free agent signed in the offseason, will take over, and the Chargers better cross their fingers that his knees withstand a month of play.
"We're talking about the long haul," general manager A.J. Smith said. "I have no concerns about (Hardwick's) health, and I have no concerns about him helping us to win."
So that leaves the Patriots as the biggest obstacle, and the Chargers -- as well as the rest of the AFC -- should be worried. New England was one minute from going 19-0 last season.
Coaches and general managers typically build their clubs to overcome teams standing between them and a Super Bowl, and I see one blocking San Diego's view of Super Bowl XLIII.
"Super Bowl, Super Bowl, Super Bowl or bust," Smith said. "It's an overused cliché. All I've ever said is that I want us to be a playoff-caliber team each and every year so that we can have a chance to chase a world championship each and every year. And, hopefully, one of those special years will happen for us."
This could be it, folks. You look at the Chargers' roster, and it's loaded. You look at the schedule, and there's a fast start waiting to happen. You look at New England, and there's an opponent that must be conquered.
Chris Ello, this might be the year you get your wish. The San Diego Chargers have virtually everything going for them, except one important line on their resume.
"Would I be surprised if we didn't reach the Super Bowl?" Rivers asked "No. But I'd say we would be disappointed. We were disappointed last year.
"Now, it's like: What's left? Over the last four years, we got into the playoffs, and we left early. We went 14-2, and we didn't make it. We've done everything from top to bottom.
"But the key thing this year is that we have an understanding of what it takes. We all have that dream, but now we have an understanding of how it's going to be. We know what it is, so let's not worry about it."