SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
2009 RECORD: 13-3-0
(1st in AFC West)
HEAD COACH: Norv Turner
Key Additions: CB Donald Strickland (FA/NY Jets), CB Nathan Vasher (FA/Chicago)
Key Losses: RB LaDainian Tomlinson (FA/NY Jets), CB Antonio Cromartie (trade/NY Jets), DT Jamal Williams (trade/Denver), WR Kassim Osgood (FA/Jacksonville), TE Brandon Manumaleuna (FA/Chicago), LB Tim Dobbins (trade/Miami), QB Charlie Whitehurst (trade/Seattle), RB Michael Bennett (FA/Oakland)
Offense: Quarterback Philip Rivers signed a huge contract extension prior to last season and then went out and had another huge year.
Rivers passed for 4,254 yards and 28 touchdown passes with just nine interceptions and for the second consecutive season, was the AFC's leading passer. Billy Volek is the backup and has shown he can do the job when needed.
The Chargers are a team that throws first and the receivers are good ones.
The Tight End is Antonio Gates (79 catches for 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns), a perennial All-Pro at the position.
The wide receivers include Vincent Jackson (68 catches for 1,167 yards and nine TD), Malcom Floyd (45 catches, 776 yards), Legedu Naanee (24 catches, two TD) and veteran Josh Reed, who made 27 catches with Buffalo last season, also providing depth.
Jackson has been holding out during training camp and threatening to sit out the season after leading all Chargers' wideouts last season.
The running game needed a boost after LaDainian Tomlinson had his worst season as a pro last year and he was not resigned and went to the New York Jets.
The Chargers drafted Ryan Mathews (Fresno State) to be the halfback and he will get the bulk of the carries. Mike Tolbert is the fullback and can do some damage, averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
Darren Sproles is the third down back and is a great pass catcher out of the backfield and also returns kicks for the Chargers. Sproles gained 343 yards on the ground in '09 with three touchdowns and also had 45 receptions for 497 yards and four touchdowns, including an 81-yard score on a pass.
The offensive line has center Nick Hardwick, who missed a lot of time in '09 with an injury. The guards are Louis Vazquez and Kris Dielman and the tackles are Jeromey Clary and Marcus McNeill, who also is a holdout during the pre-season. If McNeill decides to stay out, then Corey Clark or Brandyn Dombrowski will play left tackle.
San Diego scored 454 points, which was fourth in the NFL last season. The passing attack ranked fifth in the league, averaging 271 yards per game. The running game needs improvement after ranking 31st in the NFL in '09 with just 89 yards per game.
Defense: The Chargers run defense slipped to 20th overall last year as they allowed 118 yards per game. Nose Tackle Jamal Williams was injured in the opening game and missed the rest of the season. He went to Denver via free agency in the off-season.
Antonio Garay will be at nose tackle in the 3-4 scheme in 2010 and the ends will be Luis Castillo and Jacques Cesaire.
The linebacking unit is a solid group with Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips on the outside and Stephen Cooper and Kevin Burnett inside. Larry English is a solid backup and will play wherever he is needed.
Quentin Jammer and Anton Cason will be the corners and the safeties are Eric Weddle and either Donald Strickland or Steve Gregory. Providing depth in the secondary is Nathan Vasher and Darrell Stuckey.
The Chargers' pass defense ranked 11th in the NFL a year ago, allowing 209 yards per game.
Quentin Jammer had three interceptions to lead the team, which totaled 14 picks in '09.
San Diego had 35 quarterback sacks with Phillips leading the way with seven while Merriman had four.
OUTLOOK: After seeing the Chargers rip off 11 wins in a row to close the season at 13-3, Head Coach Norv Turner was once again disappointed with the team's performance in the playoffs.
The Chargers lost a tough one in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the New York Jets, 17-14 as usually reliable (and Pro Bowl) kicker Nate Kaeding missed two very makable field goals.
The Chargers won their fourth consecutive AFC West title last season and will look to advance further in the playoffs this year.
Rivers should be solid again after leading the AFC in passing in back-to-back seasons.
With the talent on both sides of the ball and a new running back starting in 2010, the Chargers should win another AFC West title. Barring any significant injuries, they should go 12-4 and go deep into the AFC Playoffs.
Whether the Chargers reach the Super Bowl this season will depend on their mindset in the post-season.
If they play in the post-season the way they do in the regular season, especially in December, where they are 18-0 since 2006, there is no reason to believe the Chargers cannot achieve their goal of a Super Bowl title.
The Chargers expect to get to the Super Bowl and know they have the talent on the roster to do so. They just have to get it done when the chips are down in the post-season.
TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- at Kansas City
Week 2- vs. Jacksonville
Week 3- at Seattle
Week 4- vs. Arizona
Week 5- at Oakland
Week 6- at St. Louis
Week 7- vs. New England
Week 8- vs. Tennessee
Week 9- at Houston
Week 10- Bye Week
Week 11- vs. Denver
Week 12- at Indianapolis
Week 13- vs. Oakland
Week 14- vs. Kansas City
Week 15- vs. San Francisco
Week 16- at Cincinnati
Week 17- at Denver
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