SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: THE PREVIEW (KINDA)

by Tbone, The Sports Hernia

So here it is, the incredibly and shamefully belated preview for the San Diego Chargers. Yes, I realize the season has started and they've already played one game but quite honestly, nothing has changed with my stance on this team. I'm just not so big on them this year and don't see such great things happening for them. Here's why.

The highly unlikable Shawne Merriman spent the end of his preseason ignoring the advice of countless doctors and generally behaving like the utter moron he is. Now he's exactly where everyone said he would be, it's just a shame that whole 'pour some 'Tussin on it' thing didn't work out. I guess the rocks rolling around inside his head finally formed Voltron for a brief moment and made a sound decision. He played a few crappy snaps last Sunday and will now undergo surgery on the two torn tendons.

But it's not all about one player, the Chargers still have a ton of talent in other areas. Quarterback Philip Rivers showed some serious balls against the Patriots in the playoffs last January, but the guy is still only 6 months removed from reconstructive knee surgery, so it would be pretty outstanding and surprising if he made it through the entire season without injury. Especially when everyone has been dropping like flies since the preseason (I know you're already sent get well cards to poor Tommy).

Plus, even if Rivers were to stay healthy, I don't see his two main receiving targets becoming consistent enough to take the pressure off Antonio Gates as the only reliable receiver. Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers both appear to have all the physical tools to be great (people have been waiting for Chambers to bust out for years) but I doubt this is the year either guy finally puts the full package together. Too inconsistent.

And that brings us to Ladanian Tomlinson, whose still just 29 years old, but in his case it's an "old 29". It'll be tough for him to maintain the ridiculously high level of play everyone has become so accustomed to. Let's face it, the guy has simply been way too good for way too long in fantasy football, so I see this as his first "down season" going by his standards. Things just have a way of balancing out like that.

The true icing on the cake for San Diego though is Norv Turner, who continues to baffle the minds of pretty much anyone with common sense as to why he continues to get head coaching jobs in the NFL. He ain't taking them to the Super Bowl, not a chance in hell.

Prediction: 10-6; 1st round playoff loss; no more Norv.

The more I think about it, if it happens that way, consider this season a victory for Charger fans.