Posted in Chargers, NFL Draft, Philip Rivers, AFC West, Lane Kiffin, Darren Sproles, Nate Kaeding, Gosder Cherilus, Eric Weddle, MikeShanahan, Herman Edwards, Igor Olshansky, Buster Davis on Apr 22nd, 2008
sdsporting Made an interesting post today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
The first paragraph….
If you’re wondering why the Chargers have become the dominant team in the AFC West, opposing coaches will tell you it’s at least in part because of the NFL draft.
Here’s what each had to say to espn.com:
“You look how they drafted,” Kansas City coach Herman Edwards said. “They built their team through the draft. They are very talented.”
Denver’s Mike Shanahan: “San Diego, player per player, is probably as good as anybody in the National Football League and is probably one of the top-five teams. Personnel-wise, I would say they’re right at the top, No. 1. That’s saying a lot.”
Oakland’s Lane Kiffin: “It’s no secret that San Diego is the team to catch.”The Chargers have built themselves through the draft with such selections as:
2004: Philip Rivers (quarterback), Igor Olshansky (defensive end), Nate Kaeding (place-kicker), Nick Hardwick (center) and Shaun Phillips (linebacker).
2005: Linebacker Shawne Merriman, defensive lineman Luis Castillo, receiver Vincent Jackson […]
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Posted in Chargers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates, University of San Diego, Nick Hardwick, AFC Championship, Andrew Pinnock, NCAA Tournament, USD on Mar 25th, 2008
sdsporting Did a great write-up today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
Here’s a quick excerpt:
With the University of San Diego making news in the NCAA Tournament last week, the Chargers were able to fly under the radar.
It was a good thing for them, because the offseason news on their injury front is not a pretty picture.
While all eyes were on USD, the Chargers revealed that starting center Nick Hardwick underwent surgery earlier this month to repair a severe sprain in his right foot. (He may not even be ready to play when the regular season kicks off.)
This only adds hurt to an offense that was already more than hurting when the Chargers lost to New England in the AFC Championship game.
We already know that tight end Antonio Gates (toe), quarterback Philip Rivers (knee) and fullback Andrew Pinnock (knee) are questionable to be 100 percent when training camp … or even the 2008 regular season begins.
With Hardwick joining this group, it means four regulars (or […]
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sdsporting Made an interesting post today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
Here’s a snippet:
OK, Charger fans; does everybody still believe the Chargers got the better of the draft day trade with the New York Giants in 2004?
After all, the Giants did receive Eli Manning in the trade. And Manning was the MVP on Sunday when the Giants shocked the New England Patriots, 17-14, in the Super Bowl.
You can still make the contention that the Chargers did much better in the trade. In essence, by trading Manning to New York, the Chargers were able to get quarterback Philip Rivers, linebacker Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding.
Certainly, a case can be made that the Chargers went from 4-12 in 2003 to the playoffs each of the last two years because of the Manning trade in April 2004.
But what about the Giants? They were also 4-12 in 2003 … and now they have won the Super Bowl with Manning.
There’s no question that the Chargers received plenty […]
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Posted in Chargers, New England Patriots, Super Bowl, LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers, San Diego Union-Tribune, Associated Press, Tom Brady, Oakland Raiders, Nate Kaeding on Jan 27th, 2008
sdsporting Blogged something interesting today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
The first bit is quoted here:
If you think the New England Patriots have been less than honest concerning Tom Brady’s foot injury before Super Bowl XLII, then maybe it’s time to look in the mirror in San Diego.
Or have you not heard?
Kicker Nate Kaeding played the final four weeks of the season with a fractured fibula in his left leg (an injury never told on the official NFL injury report), according to the Associated Press.QB Philip Rivers played the AFC Championship game after having arthroscopic surgery for a torn knee ligament, which the team had reported as a sprained knee ligament.RB LaDainian Tomlinson wasn’t even on the injury report before the AFC title game in New England, yet had to leave after four plays with a lingering knee injury.
The San Diego Union-Tribune, which acts as an apologist for the Chargers, has already said the Chargers followed procedure according to an NFL vice president.
This same paper […]
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sdsporting Made a great post today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
Read this summary….
Will the Chargers be the next Indianapolis Colts; the team that comes close for so many years before finally winning a Super Bowl?
Chargers’ faithful can only hope so after Sunday’s 21-12 loss to the New England Patriots for the AFC Championship.
If you’re disappointed by the Chargers losing to the New York Jets in the 2004 Wild Card round, the Patriots in the 2006 AFC Divisional round and New England in this season’s championship; then take heart by what the Colts suffered through.
Indianapolis concluded the 2002 season with a 41-0 wild card loss to the New York Jets. It lost to New England in both the 2003 AFC Championship and 2004 AFC Divisional round, then fell to Pittsburgh in the 2005 AFC Divisionals.
So, the next season, the Colts finally won the Super Bow after four straight years of playoff disappointment.
Can the Chargers be next?
It says here they can; but they question […]
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sdsporting Made an interesting post today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
Check it out:
If Philip Rivers can’t play at some point Sunday, the Chargers will turn to a man who holds the NFL record since 1970 for most passing yards (2,789) in his first 10 career starts.
Billy Volek?
He once completed 39 passes, second most in Tennessee Titans’ history, during a game against the Chargers on Oct. 3, 2004.
Naturally, the Chargers hope Rivers (strained right medial collateral ligament) can play the entire game Sunday at New England as they attempt to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 13 years.
But should Volek need to be the answer, well, at least he’s been the answer at times before.
Just last Sunday, Volek scored the winning TD on a 1-yard sneak to cap an eight-play, 78-yard drive during an improbable 28-24 win at Indianapolis.
Was this really the same Volek who couldn’t hit an open receiver five yards away during his brief stints in the regular […]
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Posted in Chargers, Marty Schottenheimer, A.J. Smith, Donnie Edwards, Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Antonio Cromartie, Keenan McCardell, Chris Chambers, Shawne Merriman, Nate Kaeding, Eli Manning on Jan 2nd, 2008
sdsporting Did a great write-up today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
Read this summary….
The good news is the bad news for the Chargers.
The good news is that general manager A.J. Smith has been signed through 2014. And, yes, that’s the bad news.
On the good side, Smith seems to have a great ability to secure great players.
Trading Eli Manning on draft day 2004 for what turned out to be Philip Rivers, Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding was brilliant.
Bringing in Keenan McCardell in the middle of the 2004 season and Chris Chambers the middle of this season were both strokes of brilliance. Taking a chance on Antonio Cromartie in the first round of the 2006 draft looks superb right now.
Then there’s the personality.
Smith has run off such mainstays as Drew Brees, Donnie Edwards and Marty Schottenheimer with his piranha personality.
In the future, the Chargers can only hope Smith continues to make above average personality evaluations.
But on the other hand, he may even be more likely […]
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sdsporting Did a great write-up today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
The first bit is quoted here:
Philip Rivers has received much criticism this week for running his mouth off, but what about Shawne Merriman?
After the Chargers won a physical game at Tennessee three weeks ago, Merriman said in regard to the playoffs:
“There were a bunch of cheap shots out there, but they can get some cheap shots on the sofa at home while they watch us.”
He was referring to the Titans sitting home watching the Chargers in the playoffs. What a mistake!
If Tennessee wins Sunday night at Indianapolis (and the Titans are favored), then Tennessee will play the No. 3 seed in the first round of the AFC playoffs.
The Chargers will be No. 3 unless they lose Sunday at Oakland and Pittsburgh wins at Baltimore. That combination is very unlikely to happen.
Sure, the Chargers will be out to “get” Tennessee for the Titans’ apparent dirty play the first time the two teams met.
But Merriman certainly […]
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sdsporting Blogged something interesting today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
Here’s a snippet:
The Chargers have made a wonderful playoff run by putting together a four-game winning streak against teams that are a combined 2-23 down the stretch.
OK, take away the four losses against the Chargers and those teams are a combined 2-19.
Or didn’t you notice that:
The Chargers started their winning streak against a Baltimore team that has lost eight straight (and allowed Miami to win its first game of the season Sunday.)
The streak continued against Kansas City, which has lost seven straight.
Then there was a win vs. Tennessee, which has lost four of six.
And finally came Sunday’s 51-14 win against a Detroit team with six straight losses.
Clearly, there are three echelons in the AFC. New England is at Level 1, with Indianapolis and Jacksonville at Level 2. The Chargers lead a Level 3, which also includes Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
In their latest win, the Chargers had plenty to feel good about.
LaDainian Tomlinson and […]
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sdsporting Made a great post today on sdsporting.blogspot.com
The first few lines….
Jamal Williams and Shawne Merriman are out with injuries.
There goes the heart of the Chargers’ defense.
Lorenzo Neal is out for the regular season, at least.
There goes a heart of the offense.
Philip Rivers is gimpy.
That’s another important offensive component.
That being said, the Chargers still have an excellent chance to clinch the AFC West when they host the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Look at it this way: The Lions are coming off a game they led the entire way until falling at the end to the powerful Dallas Cowboys.
Sound familiar to what Baltimore did against the New England Patriots two weeks ago?
Don’t forget, Baltimore came out completely flat last Sunday when it got beaten up by Indianapolis.
You shouldn’t be surprised if Detroit suffers the same fate this week; even considering how banged up the Chargers appear to be.
Prediction:
Chargers 30, Lions 17
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