San Diego Chargers: Off To Their Usual Slow Start? Or Not so Usual?

So the San Diego Chargers are off to their usual slow start. Here they are at 1-2 with fans leaping off of the band wagon at record speed. 

No big deal, right? 

After all, every year since Norv Turner took the reigns, the Chargers have started poorly, looked like they were not an elite team, only to come on strong for the final two thirds of the season and make the playoffs. 

Don't even get me started on how they do in the playoffs. That is for a different time.

Being that the Chargers are once again below .500 and looking amateur, especially on special teams, many Chargers fans figure it is the same old Bolts. Personally, I'm not that sure. Let's look at why I fear that this year could be a different story.

LaDainian Tomlinson

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 19: LaDainian Tomlinson #21 of the New York Jets runs the ball against the New England Patriots at the New Meadowlands Stadium on September 19, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Jets defeated the Patriots 28 - 14.

Let's start with the fact that the best Chargers' running back ever is now a New York Jet. Now, I know that L.T. struggled with injuries and had a couple of bad years before leaving the Chargers, but he did provide veteran leadership and put pressure on the youngsters to put forth that extra effort. 

In the long run, I believe that if Ryan Mathews gets and stays healthy, the Chargers will be happy to make the change at tailback.

Kassim Osgood

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SAN DIEGO - JANUARY 17: Kassim Osgood #81 of the San Diego Chargers reacts to a play against the New York Jets during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Qualcomm Stadium on January 17, 2010 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images

The loss of Kassim Osgood, the former Chargers Pro Bowl special teams player has proven to be a huge loss after giving up three returns for touchdowns in their two losses. 

The Chargers actually offered more money to Osgood than the Jaguars did, but Norv Turner was honest and told him that he would not be playing receiver for the Bolts. 

That made the decision easy for Osgood as he has always aspired to be a starting wide out.

Jamal Williams

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SEATTLE - DECEMBER 24: Jamal Williams #76 of the San Diego Chargers stands on the field before the game against the Seattle Seahawks on December 24, 2006 at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Perhaps this change isn't that much of a difference this year since Jamal didn't play last year either, but he is yet another Pro Bowl player that the Bolts figured they could do without.

Antonio Cromartie

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SAN DIEGO - JANUARY 17: Running back Shonn Greene #23 of the New York Jets scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter in front of cornerback Antonio Cromartie #31 of the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Qualcomm Stadium on January 1

I must admit that I was glad to see Cromartie go, but he did force Antoine Cason to step up and become a starter at Corner thus leaving a special teams spot open for an inexperienced player. 

That inexperience is killing the Chargers in the early going this season. 

At least the women of San Diego are safe now.

Marcus McNeill

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 4: Tackle Marcus McNeill #73 of the San Diego Chargers blocks against the San Francisco 49ers on September 4, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chrgers won 26-7. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Here is a real head scratcher. Marcus McNeill is a Pro Bowl left tackle who was a restricted free agent this year. Chargers GM A.J. Smith offered him a tender to sign of about 3.1 million. 

Realizing that the going price for a player of his stature and importance was more like 9 million a year, he refused to sign the tender and sat out of training camp, fully expecting to sign a long term deal. After all, he was not a discipline problem and he seemed like A.J.'s kind of guy. 

Apparently not.

If it were up to Smith, McNeill would still be sitting on his couch at home and wasting his talent. 

Fortunately, McNeill couldn't stand being away from the game and signed his new tender of just over $600,000, of which he will earn approximately $440,000 after missing a couple of games and being placed on the roster exempt list which will keep him out until week 6.

Vincent Jackson

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SAN DIEGO - JANUARY 17: Wide receiver Vincent Jackson #83 of the San Diego Chargers stiff-arms cornerback Darrelle Revis #24 of the New York Jets during AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Qualcomm Stadium on January 17, 2010 in San Diego, California. (Phot

Yet another Pro Bowl player missing this year, Vincent Jackson is, like McNeill, a restricted free agent who refused to sign his tender. 

The difference is that he does not appear willing to take the lower dollar amount and AJ Smith does not seem to like Jackson in the least. In fact, Jackson's agent has claimed that Smith will not even talk to him. He has assigned an assistant the job of handling Jackson's contract talks and will not even pick up the phone to work things out.

The confusing part is that Smith will not pay Jackson more money, but will not trade him either.  Therefore Jackson sits and waits for a miracle.

In Smith's defense, Jackson has a history of not being the sharpest tool in the shed. 

He has two drunk driving incidents, another citation for driving on a suspended license and not having tags. That citation came the morning of the Chargers/Jets playoff game last season. 

After having his car impounded, Philip Rivers had to go pick up Jackson from some street corner and drive him to the stadium. Jackson did not see this as a distraction at all. In fact, he called it..."comedical."

Shawne Merriman

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 19: Linebacker Shawne Merriman #56 of the San Diego Chargers signals in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Qualcomm Stadium on September 19, 2010 in San Diego, California. The Chargers won 38-13. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Ge

Shawne Merriman has been bitten by the injury bug and has not been on the field for very many plays this season. 

Oh wait, that is not different at all. If you ask me, he should see a specialist.

Perhaps an O.B./ Gyn. I'm growing tired of his act.

Summary

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SEATTLE - SEPTEMBER 26: Running back Justin Forsett #20 of the Seattle Seahawks rushes against Brandon Siler #59 of the San Diego Chargers at Qwest Field on September 26, 2010 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

The fact is that the Chargers have made a ton of moves since last season and it will take time to find out if those moves will benefit the team, or be to their detriment. 

At this point, it is the later.

As for the slow start, I do think that the Chargers will recover and thanks to a fairly weak schedule, they should still win the West. In fact, I believe if they get healthy at all, they should be tied for first after week 5. 

That being said, I would not plan of throwing their helmets on the field and having teams lay down for them. The league is on to the fact that the Chargers are inexperienced in many positions and lack the leadership they once had. Right now, teams around the league are licking their chops in anticipation of getting a piece of the Chargers.

Now is the time for Norv Turner to shut up the critics and prove that he should be the Bolts head coach.  A.J. Smith must also prove that he is deserving of being the general manager. 

That could be a tough sell to many Chargers fans. The empty seats at the home opener show that Chargers fans do not like the direction the team seems to be going in.

Up next, Arizona!