NFL Preview: 2009 San Diego Chargers

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 2009-2010

by Sidney McCoy

I think I’m missing something – it may be presumptuous to declare a team the Super Bowl champions before the first game of the season, but isn’t it an annual tradition now for all the commentators and analyst to rave about the San Diego Chargers embarrassment of overflowing talent? Couldn’t this really be the year the Chargers live up to their promise and dominate?

Let’s see, Philip Rivers is last season’s highest ranked passer and signs a huge ($92m over 6 years with $38m in guarantees) contract; LaDanian Tomlinson is healthy and plays pre-season to establish rhythm, Shawne Merriman returns healthy (and DA has dropped the charges), talented running backs & receivers galore, defensive & special teams notables , depth at key positions (Darren Sproles, Billy Volek, etc.). . . . . Shouldn’t this season be something of a non-stop highlight reel?

Okay, maybe it’s all that stiff competition in the AFC West – the Oakland Raiders pin their hopes on quarterback JaMarcus Russel (no Jeff Garcia? But Bruce Gradkowski even changed his number twice for Jeff) and running back
Darren McFadden (and maybe Michael Bush / Justin Fargas). However, they’ll be overcoming history (Chargers have won the last 11 meetings) and glaring team weaknesses.

The Denver Broncos fire Mike Shanahan on New Year’s Eve and trade (?superstar?) Jay Cutler for Kyle Orton (huh?). Josh McDaniels (former Offensive Coordinator/QB Coach for New England for past eight seasons) suspends Brandon Marshall (Shanahan has said he wanted to trade/fire him).

Is the emerging star of the Kansas City Chiefs really Dustin Colquitt (the punter)? Rookie Coach Todd Haley (former AZ Cardinal Offensive Coordinator) fired the Chiefs’ OffCoord two weeks ago and assumed his own play calling–just as franchise-hopeful Matt Cassel sprains his left knee preseason against the Seahawks. With cornerback Brandon Flowers inactive, veteran Dolphin linebacker Zach Thomas cut, and Giants veteran receiver Amani Toomer released, veteran safety Bernard Pollard released, and veteran defensive end Alfonso Boone released … it’s pretty safe to proclaim this the “Rebuilding Season” for the Chiefs.

Therefore, other than the obvious necessity to actually go through with playing the actual games, I’m officially starting to save my pennies for play off tickets … who’s with me?