September 7, 2010 by
Danny O'Connor |
AFC West prediction,
AFC West preview,
Charlie Weiss,
Denver Broncos,
Elvis Dumervil injury,
JaMarcus Russell,
Jason Campbell,
Jay Cutler,
Kansas City Chiefs,
Kyle Orton,
Marcus McNeil holdout,
Matt Cassel,
Nnamdi Asomugha,
Oakland Raiders,
Richard Seymour,
Romeo Crennel,
San Diego Chargers,
Tim Tebow,
Vincent Jackson holdout
For the last few years, the AFC West has been considered one of the weakest divisions in the NFL. San Diego was the only team that was considered a playoff and Super Bowl contender before the season. Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders had the Al Davis-Lane Kiffin Civil War of 2007-08 which followed a two win season under Art Shell in 2006. The Kansas City Chiefs fell into a nose dive which included coaching changes, Priest Holmes retirement, Tony Gonzalez asking for a trade and receiving one to Atlanta and then the Larry Johnson ordeal that left a sour taste in the mouth of the Chiefs. Then the Broncos lost Mike Shanahan to a premature retirement and then traded an emerging star in Jay Cutler and a proven, but upset, star in Brandon Marshall.
But this year looks different, for [...]
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The San Diego Chargers proved a lot of things in their preseason opener last week against the Chicago Bears. They showed San Diego fans that they can survive without Marcus McNeill, that Philip Rivers doesn't need Vincent Jackson to run a high powered passing offense, that Ryan Mathews can revive the running game, and that the San Diego Chargers can stop the run.
As the San Diego Chargers move closer and closer to the regular season, though, games become less about understanding what players can and cannot do, and more about how the team functions as a unit. Preseason games stop becoming a means of talent evaluation; they become tone-setters for the beginning of the regular season.
While there will be plenty of scrutiny on the actions of individual players today, especially those [...]
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August 21, 2010 by
Lars Hanson |
Anquan Boldin,
Brandon Marshall,
Charlie Whitehurst,
Deon Butler,
earl thomas,
golden tate,
John Schneider,
mike williams,
Pete Carroll,
Russell Okung,
San Diego Chargers,
Santonio Holmes,
Seahawks,
TJ Houshmandzadeh,
Trade,
Vincent Jackson
SEATTLE- Pete Carroll seems to be using college recruiting tactics in the NFL, keep recruiting the same area if you found success the first time around. Earlier this off-season the Seahawks acquired third-string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst from the San Diego Chargers in exchange for a swap of draft picks.
Six months later Pete Carroll and John Schneider might be tapping into the Chargers well one more time in the form of wide receiver Vincent Jackson.
Jackson, 27, has been holding out for a long-term contract, something San Diego has not been willing to discuss and has shown no signs of backing down from that stance. With the two parties at an impasse the Chargers allowed Jackson to talk with the Seattle Seahawks about a long-term contract.
If this sounds fimilar it's because [...]
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There was a lot to learn in the San Diego Chargers' first appearance on the big stage. After an off season that can charitably be described as tumultuous, many San Diego fans were asking serious questions about the state of the team.
How will they deal without holdouts Vincent Jackson and Marcus McNeill?
Will the revamped running game be able to return to pre-2008 form?
Will the defense be able to effectively stop the run and the deep pass?
The Chargers proved Saturday that fans don't have much to fear when it comes to these questions. San Diego played well on both sides of the ball. Some of it was because of scheming changes. Most of the change, however, came from players who stepped up in the spotlight. Here are some of the players that made the biggest [...]
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With only three days left until the San Diego Chargers take the stage for the first time in the 2010 season, it is time to take a look at some people who may be feeling the heat this coming season.
Not all of the talk this off season has been about player issues. While Vincent Jackson, Marcus McNeill, and LaDainian Tomlinson have certainly hogged the limelight in the last few months, there is no doubt that some of the personnel of the San Diego Chargers have drawn attention for their actions both in the off season and in the preceding years.
There are three San Diego staff members in particular who, because of one reason or another, may be on the hot seat in 2010.
1. Norv Turner, Head Coach: Yes, yes, yes, he received a contract extension. Yes, he led the San [...]
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My apologies for missing number five in my countdown, but I unfortunately had no access to the internet yesterday. That having been said, lets get this ball rolling again.
The San Diego Chargers lucked out this year, as they seem to have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL. Outside of the AFC West games (Kansas City, Denver, and Oakland), the Chargers play Seattle, Jacksonville, Arizona, St. Louis, New England, Tennessee, Houston, Indianapolis, San Francisco, and Cincinnati.
Of those teams, only New England, Tennessee, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis pose serious threats. Here's a quick breakdown of why I excluded the other teams:
1. Kansas City: Rebuilding. What else is there to say.
2. Oakland: The Raiders have had [...]
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In the continuation of my Countdown to (Preseason) Kickoff series, here's a breakdown of six players who need to shape up soon. The Chargers are deep on talent (for most positions), so anyone who isn't pulling their weight may find themselves gone.
1. Shawne Merriman: Why not start with the most obvious one. It's simple: Contract year. Declining numbers. Holdout. Merriman already has too many ticks in the negative column. He is now a year removed from his major knee surgery, which should work in his favor, but the odds are stacked against him.
Merriman put up four sacks last year. He didn't force a single fumble. Merriman used to strike absolute terror into the hearts of offensive lineman and quarterbacks alike. If he doesn't get back to that place and start helping [...]
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Congratulations, football fans! After months of waiting, NFL football is just around the corner. To celebrate the seven days between now and the San Diego Chargers' first preseason game, I will be putting together a list every day of various points of interest, players to watch, games to mark, and things of that nature.
To kick it all off, here is a list of seven players to watch coming into the season. The Chargers are still holding open practices, but if you can't make it down to Chargers Park, look out for these guys come Sunday.
1. Malcolm Floyd: Floyd is the lynch pin of this offense now that Vincent Jackson has committed to holding out. He has looked very good in training camp, showing off his great hands, his ability to separate from defenders, and his [...]
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Last night (August 4th), the San Diego Chargers practiced in front of a large crowd at Qualcomm Stadium for the first time this season, and boy did they give the fans a show.
There were a lot of big plays and flashy moves, with a lot of players sticking out for one reason or another. Here are some observations from the action at The Q:
>> Wide Receiver Depth: With Vincent Jackson holding out, a lot of people seemed to fear that the Chargers' passing game would lack the fire that would come from a true Number One wide-out.
Well, fear no more, Chargers fans. Here are some quick descriptions of the outstanding wide receivers currently on the active roster:
>> Malcolm Floyd: Floyd looked brilliant as a primary option [...]
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There's a lot to talk about at the end of the San Diego Charger's first week of training camp, and I will do my best to expand on some of the big stories in the coming weeks. For now, though, here are some quick hits about what has happened in the first week.
>> Antonio Gates Cashes In: Last Thursday Antonio Gates scored big, receiving a five year, $36.175 million contract extension. This is a big deal for a few reasons:
- Everyone in San Diego is glad to see that Gates will stay for the next five years, and likely through the rest of his career. He is one of the faces of this franchise, he is an absolute star, and he is one of the best players to every touch a football. Having him around will continue to make this passing game one of the best in the [...]
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