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Rivers sends Bolts into 1st-place tie in AFC West

BoltYou — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:45:04 GMT

The calendar hadnt even gotten to Halloween and the San Diego Chargers already had been knocked 3 1/2 games behind the Denver Broncos in the AFC West.

Fans were jumping off the bandwagon rather than ride out what appeared to be a spectacular crash in the making. The Bolts were being written off in the media. Preseason talk of reaching the Super Bowl was replaced by the stunning thought that the Chargers, who have been guilty in the past of fawning over their press clippings, might miss the playoffs entirely.

Yet there was Philip Rivers, telling reporters after a 34-23 loss at home to the Broncos on Oct. 19 that the Chargers needed to simply worry about themselves, focus and hopefully look up in a month and be in it.

It turned out Rivers was as accurate with his words as he has been with his right arm.

None of you believed us, Rivers said after Sundays win over Philadelphia, which, coupled with Denvers surprising loss at Washington, left the teams tied at 6-3 atop the division.

Then again, did the Chargers themselves believe what Rivers was saying a month ago?

There is no question, said Rivers, who signed a $93 million contract extension in August. We didnt know it would happen like this, or this fast, that we would be sitting here with the same record, but we believed we could get ourselves back in it because we were talking about 11 more ballgames. There is a lot of football left still and there is no telling where things can go in either direction.

Were going to keep the focus though and make sure it goes in the right direction.

Much to the fans annoyance, the Chargers have been slow starters in Norv Turners three seasons as coach. They start slowly in games and in seasons. They have managed to extricate themselves in time for the playoffs.

The Chargers and Broncos meet again Sunday in Denver, where the Chargers traditionally have had a hard time winning even without referee Ed Hochuli helping the Broncos. It will be their first visit to the Mile High City since Hochulis blown call helped the Broncos pull out a 39-38 win early last season.

The Chargers have won four straight. The Broncos have lost three straight.

Sound familiar? Thats how last season ended, when the Chargers rallied with four straight wins to clinch their third straight division title with an 8-8 record. They routed the Broncos 52-21 in the season finale to finish off Denvers historic collapse.

So whats changed?

The Chargers finally are playing close to how everyone thought they would, although its a slightly different cast of characters than the bunch that was physically beaten up during a season-opening win at Oakland.

The Chargers had four starters knocked out of that game, including run-stuffing defensive tackle Jamal Williams with a season-ending injury. Center Nick Hardwick still isnt back from ankle surgery stemming from an injury that night, but he appears close to returning. Running back LaDainian Tomlinson finally looked like the L.T. of old on Sunday after being dogged for weeks by a sprained ankle sustained in the opener.

Its taken the Chargers this long to play what Turner said was their most complete game of the season, a 31-23 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Tomlinson ran for a season-high 96 yards and two touchdowns, and Rivers threw two touchdown passes to raise his season total to 16, against six interceptions.

The defense stuffed the Eagles three times inside the 10-yard line, including on one drive when Philly had a first-and-goal at the 1.

San Diegos four-game winning streak includes victories against division doormats Kansas City and Oakland, a comeback win against the stumbling New York Giants engineered by Rivers, and the Eagles victory.

The Chargers had 17 sacks in those games after getting just seven in their first five games.

Rivers believes the Chargers have shown their character and mental toughness. Hes also looking for more, knowing that theres a lot of ball still to play.

Being 6-3, he said, doesnt put us in any category, it doesnt make us anything other than that, but it does give us a lot of confidence and I think it has shown that weve made a lot of improvement.

Source: Bernie Wilson, Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

Chargers Team Report - Inside Slant 11/16/09

BoltYou — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:18:54 GMT

The Chargers head to Denver, where the Broncos await and first place in the AFC West will be on the line Sunday.

Fresh from their fourth straight wina 31-23 conquest of the Eaglesthe Chargers are feeling good again.

Its a long way from that funk they experience a month ago when sitting at 2-3 and three games behind the Broncos. That point was emphasized when the Broncos beat the Chargers in San Diego.

I can remember standing right here after the Denver loss and all of you were sitting in about the same spots, and I said that we had to worry about us, focus in, and hopefully look up in a month and be in it, Philip Rivers said. None of you believed us.

Everyone believes now as the Chargers have climbed off the mat, no longer having to scrounge for a wild card invitation but setting sights on their fourth straight AFC West title.

Being in it doesnt mean anything other than giving ourselves and opportunity, Rivers said. We have a long way to go but it is nice to put together a string of wins and play better football in a lot of areas and we know the task at hand of going to Denver and winning.

The Broncos are reeling, losers of three straight and without starting quarterback Kyle Orton. Its expected the Chargers will try to scoot the Broncos out of first place with them forced to play backup Chris Sims.

But that is a problem for others to solve. Among the reasons the Chargers are back in the mix is because they stopped peaking around the league and just worried about themselves.

Its been a lot of great focus and discipline and hard work to put ourselves in it, Rivers said.

NOTES, QUOTES

te A ntonio Gates had team highs with seven receptions and 78 yards in Sundays win.

He is such a great player and he knows how to play that position so well, coach Norv Turner said.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson was a motivated player Sunday when his wife informed him before the game she was pregnant with their first child. She left me a gift in my locker and it said open immediately, Tomlinson said. It was a pregnancy test. It was pretty special.

Tomlinson turned in his best performance of the season.

Players and coaches said Sundays win was the teams most complete game of the season.

Absolutely, Shawne Merriman said. I think this was one of our most well-put together games all the way around with offense, defense and special teams.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Player Notes

ILB Tim Dobbins is expected to return this week after missing two games with a knee injury.

RT Jeromey Clary could be down this week with a sprained ankle.

C Nick Hardwick suffered a setback last week from an ankle surgery which has kept him out of all but the season opener. Hardwick will try to resume practice later in the week.

DL Travis Johnson has a chance to practice later in the week with a shoulder injury.

OLB Jyles Tucker is likely to be out another week with an ankle injury.

Report Card Vs . EAGLES

Passing Offense: APhilip Rivers missed on five of his 25 passes, collecting 231 yards and two scores. He was able to get the passing game going despite the Eagles being bent on taking away Vincent Jackson. So Rivers turned to other targets and was splendid; Jackson had but one catch. Rivers was sacked twice, but thats not bad against the Eagles aggressive front.

Rushing Offense: ARushing for 119 yards used to be no big deal for the Chargerswell it is now. They entered the game with the NFLs worst running game, but that was before LaDainian Tomlinson stiff-armed Father Time and scooted for two scores and a season-high 96 yards. Tomlinson showed he still has some wiggle, but more importantly, the run-blocking was noticeably better.

Pass Defense: DWay too soft on the underneath routes and no pass rushthe Charger seldom even blitzed after collecting 15 sacks in the past two games. The result was an unencumbered Donovan McNabb rolling up a whopping 450 passing yards and two touchdownshis pick came on the Hail Mary to end the game. Brandon Siler and Paul Oliver did get their first career sacks, but there was little pressure on McNabb or his receivers.

Rush Defense: BWith the ease in which McNabb was allowed to throw the ball, there was very little motivation to run. But when the Eagles did, the Chargers looked stoutespecially when it had the ball inside the Charger 10 three times and came away with nine points. The Eagles ran for but 29 yards. Siler and Stephen Cooper played well at inside linebacker.

Special Teams: BThe return game of the Eagles is darn good with DeSean Jackson. But the coverage units bottled him up. Not much in the return game, although Darren Sproles did have a 29-yard kickoff return. P Mike Scifres got off a 62-yard bomb at an appropriate time.

Coaching: ANorv Turner decides to go throwback, returning the Chargers to the days of being under Marty Schottenheimer when LaDainian Tomlinson was the king. He let Tomlinson run early and often and he responded with 96 yards and two scores. Ron Rivera went the bend-but-dont-break route and it workedalthough the number of passing yards allowed was way up there. But the defense kept the Eagles from the end zone and that is always job No. 1.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

LT climbs charts, Bolts beat Eagles 31-23

BoltYou — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:01:09 GMT

LaDainian Tomlinson isnt finished yet and neither is the AFC West race.

Tomlinson scored twice to continue his climb up the career rushing and scoring lists, and the San Diego Chargers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 31-23 on Sunday to pull into a tie atop the AFC West with the slumping Denver Broncos.

The Chargers and Broncos, both 6-3, play next Sunday in Denver. Four weeks ago, the Chargers appeared dead in the water, 3 1/2 games back after losing 34-23 to the then-undefeated Broncos.

The score of the Broncos 27-17 loss at WashingtonDenvers third straight was announced moments before kickoff in San Diego. The Chargers then went out and won their fourth straight.

Philadelphias Donovan McNabb threw for a season-high 450 yards, completing 35 of 55, and two late touchdowns. He was intercepted in the end zone by Antonio Cromartie on the games last play.

The Eagles (5-4) made it inside the Chargers 10-yard line three times only to have to settle for field goals by David Akers.

Eagles running back Brian Westbrook was knocked out with another concussion. He had missed the previous two games during a win against Washington on Oct. 26.

Tomlinson gained a season-high 96 yards on 24 carries to pass Thurman Thomas and Franco Harris and move into 12th place all-time with 12,145 yards. His two touchdowns gave him 146 and moved him past Marcus Allen and into third place on the all-time list.

The last time the Chargers played the Eagles, on Oct. 23, 2005, Tomlinson was held to 7 yards on 17 carries, his career low for a regular-season game.

It appeared for a while in the offseason that L.T. would be a salary-cap casualty, but the sides finally agreed to a reworked contract. He turned 30 in June, then sprained his right ankle in a season-opening win at Oakland. He missed the next two games, the first time in his brilliant career that he missed regular-season games due to injury.

His previous season-high was 71 yards in a win at Kansas City three weeks ago.

Tomlinson scored on a 3-yard run to give the Chargers a 14-0 lead four minutes into the second quarter. Midway through the third quarter he chugged 20 yards through the right side of the Eagles defense to make it 21-6.

San Diegos Philip Rivers threw touchdown passes of 20 yards to wide-open fullback Mike Tolbert in the first quarter and 20 yards to Legedu Naanee in the third quarter.

Naanee was flagged for excessive celebration for kneeling in front of a Chargers cheerleader and handing her the ball. The Chargers had to kick off from their 15.

The Eagles were stuffed their first three times inside the San Diego 10, including when they had the ball first-and-goal from the 1 after Quentin Jammers pass interference penalty in the end zone in the second quarter. They had to settle for field goals of 18, 25 and 25 yards.

McNabb threw a 5-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin early in the fourth quarter and 6 yards to tight end Brent Celek with 7:12 left to pull the Eagles to 28-23.

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

Hardwick unlikely to return to Bolts this week

BoltYou — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:29:27 GMT

Center Nick Hardwick probably will have to wait at least another week to rejoin the San Diego Chargers.

After participating in part of practice Wednesday, the former Pro Bowler missed Thursdays practice because of a sore ankle, and coach Norv Turner says its unlikely that hell play Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

You try to take it in stride, said Hardwick, who was hurt in the season opener and had ankle surgery.

Back at practice were running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates. Each sat out Wednesdays workout, Tomlinson because of a hip bruise and Gates because of a sore foot.

Outside linebackers Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman didnt practice. Phillips leads the team in sacks with five and his readiness is of some concern, Turner said, because he also missed Wednesdays practice because of an ankle injury.

Merriman rolled his foot last week.

I think hes all right, Turner said. I think hes just a little bit sore, and its probably good for him to not work today.

One Charger who is at full speed is receiver Vincent Jackson, who is tied for the NFL lead with seven TD catches and is first with an average of 17.2 yards per catch.

Vincent is playing at a tremendous level, Gates said. Hes making it a lot easier for me. At this point, hes playing better than any receiver in the NFL.

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

LT, Gates among six Chargers missing practice

BoltYou — Thur, 12 Nov 2009 13:28:02 GMT

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates were among six San Diego Chargers missing practice due to injuries.

Tomlinson has a bruised hip and Gates has a sore foot. Coach Norv Turner said Wednesday that he expects both back at practice on Thursday as the Chargers continue to prepare for Sundays home game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Also missing practice were defensive end Travis Johnson (groin), defensive tackle Ogemdi Nwagbuo (ankle), outside linebacker Shaun Phillips (ankle) and outside linebacker Jyles Tucker (ankle).

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

Chargers Team Report

BoltYou — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:12:07 GMT

Pumped up after their big road win against the Giants, many wonder if Sunday's triumph was a signature win for the Chargers.

"It is for everyone on the outside," coach Norv Turner said. "Our team is getting better. We've gotten better each of the last weeks since the bye. It's nice to win a close game. It's nice to win a game this way because I think when you win a game this way, it builds on your confidence and you know you can."

The Chargers did it in dramatic fashion as Philip Rivers marched his team 80 yards in the final two minutes for the 21-20 thriller over the Giants. Rivers hit Vincent Jackson with on an 18-yard pass with 21 seconds remaining.

"We have won games like this in the past, but this one is very, very special in terms of the way it was going in the fourth quarter," Turner said.

"It something in my mind we need to build on because I don't think we are anywhere near as good as we can be. We have a lot of new and young players playing. I know I say that every week but they're a week older right now."

Among players making the biggest strides is Shawne Merriman. With his knee slowly rounding into shape, he has collected four sacks in the last two games.

"Well, it was another game that we had to win," Merriman said. "It was one of those things where we approached the game with our backs against the wall, too. We can't worry what Denver or anyone is doing in our conference, so we've got to go out and win on from this point on."

The point is, Sunday's win came accompanied with a load of confidence in the calm manner Rivers led the team to the victory.

"I'm just glad to be a part of it and witness that," Merriman said.

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

The Lord of NO Rings (Part 2)

BrandX — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:10 GMT

The Two Turds

Part one of this story left us with what should happen, yet we of Chargers faith could never be so lucky to actually have happen. With that said, I want to introduce BoltYou!.com readers to two men whom I refer to as The Two Turds. You're probably thinking I'm going to say Norv and A.J., right? Well, if it were that simple, I would have no reason to write this article. The Two Turds that I speak of are actually father and son. That's right; none other than team President and CEO Dean Spanos and his degenerate offspring John, who currently holds the title of Director of College Scouting. These two have played a crucial role in the dismantling of what should have been a Super Bowl Dynasty.

Dean Spanos was appointed by his father and team owner Alex Spanos back in 1994. We all remember what happened then, right? In case you don't remember, it was the year the Chargers made their first and only Super Bowl appearance. Can anyone say, "Beginner's Luck"??? Anyway, prior to 1994, the team had just a handful of winning seasons, and even less playoff appearances since their AFL Championship back in 1963. And it was Dean's job to help mold this franchise and help turn it into a "Dynasty". Dean's greatest downfall has always been his loyalty to his General Manager. It was Dean, who stood by then GM Bobby Beathard, and allowed him to push Head Coach Bobby Ross around, which ultimately resulted in Ross "stepping down". He replaced Ross with the "Ryan Leaf of Head Coaches", Kevin Gilbride. We all remember how well that went. After firing Gilbride, and replacing him with June Jones (who saw the writing on the wall and left to coach at U. of Hawaii), he brought in one of the dumbest football minds in the history of the NFL, Mike Riley. Riley was a real nice guy, but my left shoe knows more about the game than he did. That leaves us with Marty Schottenheimer, and our current "curse" Norv Turner. He allowed Schottenheimer to use the Chargers front office as a staffing agency for his family. Then, being loyal to his GM again (A.J. Smith), he sent Marty packing following a 14-2 regular season.

Let's just think for a minute of what could have been...

If only Marlon McCree goes down after intercepting Tom Brady, then we get to kill the clock. Chargers win, and the Colts (who we've done nothing short of "Bitch Slap" for the past four seasons) have to come to The "Q" for the AFC Championship Game. Win that game, and everyone knows Chicago was overrated in 2006. Well, that's not how it went down, but instead of bouncing back the following season, we instead make it to the AFC Championship with an entirely different playbook, when we could have gotten there with the one we had already mastered. I credit our inability to score against New England in that game as being a direct result of our backup players not having the experience running Norv's plays. Michael Turner used to kill it when Marty was head coach. But instead of touchdowns in the Red Zone, we got 3 field goals, and so went what could possibly be our only chance at a Super Bowl for many years to come. Why would I suggest that the Chargers are in a decline? Well, it all comes down to talent. Talent like Drew Brees, Michael Turner, Wes Welker; players we let walk away. But not only players that we let walk away, or we sent away, but also players we would never have. John Spanos, who was given the title of Director of College Scouting in January of 2003, made what might have been a "career killer" with his first recommendation to John Butler, who was GM at the time.

It was 2003. The Chargers were coming off an 8-8 season in which they failed to make the playoffs for the seventh year in a row. They hired Marty Schottenheimer as Head Coach, and held the 15th overall selection in the NFL Draft. John Butler had recently released fan-favorite SS- Rodney Harrison, and everyone in Chargertown just knew that they were going to select SS- Troy Polamalu from USC. But John Spanos had an even better idea...He spent his time and used his expertise with scouting a true gem. Rather than go for the sure thing in Polamalu, they move down to number 30, pick up an extra 3rd round pick, and select CB- Sammy Davis, from Texas A&M. Well, Polamalu has two championship rings, five Pro Bowl appearances, and two runner-ups for NFL Defensive MVP. The Chargers traded their pick to Philadelphia, who selected DE- Jerome McDougle. The Steelers (who were at #27) set a world record in the 40 yard dash they ran so fast to get up to #16 and take Mr. Polamalu. John Spanos' comments on Polamalu's draft card were that he was too aggressive, and played with too much intensity...ummmmmm...isn't that what you want in the field??? OH, and Sammy Davis by they way...yeah; He's "spreadin' the news" alright. He tackles early morning drivers at busy intersections now because instead of playing in the NFL, He's slingin' newspapers. Pretty sure I almost hit him with my car last week. And so, what became John Spanos' first mistake, certainly was not his last.

I could write five pages on how incompetent this loser is, but instead, I'm going to focus entirely on this season. His "must haves"? There were three. LB- Larry English (who has yet to impress me), G- Louis Vasquez (The Galloping Gimp), and DE- Vaughn Martin (plays like Canada...moves like molasses). I thought we should have used our first round pick to get a RT or a Guard. Two players who were available at #16 were OT- Michael Oher (Ole Miss), and OG- Phil Loadholt (Oklahoma). I wrote about both of them, and predicted both would be late-first round or early-second round picks. Where are they now? Oher is the starting RT for the Baltimore Ravens, and has yet to yield a sack in his first 8 games. He's also the subject of a documentary that will be in theaters this winter. It chronicles his collegiate career, and his succession to the NFL level, after being orphaned by his parents as a child. Well, he wasn't in Jeromy "El Matador" Clary's league according to J-Span, so the Ravens will now benefit from what Spanos referred to as a player who "lacked discipline", and needed "special attention". Loadholt is the starting RG for the 7-1 Minnesota Vikings, and instead of clearing the way for LaDainian Tomlinson, he's making a path for Adrian Peterson, who will likely be an MVP contender at the end of the season. Instead of Vazquez, they could have selected DT- Roy Miller, who has as many sacks as English, but only from a more difficult position. Wait a minute...isn't that where Jamal Williams plays? Oh, that's right...33 year-old Defensive Tackles who have had 2 knee surgeries last forever in this league...I FORGOT. So instead of taking Miller...who played at U. of Texas...in the Big-12, no less; they take Vasquez from pass-only Texas Tech, and scoop up Martin in the 4th round. Well, there was a guy still available from a little-known program in Texas named Johnny Knox (Abilene Christian), who would have made an excellent addition to our receiving corps. He lasted until the 5th round. Who would have known? Better yet, they could have redeemed themselves for releasing Wes Welker and Greg Camarillo by taking Austin Collie (BYU), a player who gave up his final year of eligibility where he would have finished as the NCAA's all-time leader in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. But hey, what do I know??? What I do know is that we did not need a Linebacker. In fact, our best LB from this draft went undrafted. We just signed him to the active roster. James Holt. Remember his name. If he actually gets a chance to play, he will be impressive. He was a sack specialist in college. I don't need to tell everybody this again, if you want to read more, just reference my Draft Analysis blogs. In fact, I'm pretty sure I mentioned all of these guys.

The Two Turds will always be connected to this team, but it doesn't mean they need to be involved in the decision making process. I think Alex Spanos would do better handing operations over to a man who knows how to handle personnel. I'm speaking of Senior Executive Randy Mueller. He's the real genius who traded QB- Rick Mirer to the Bears for a 1st round pick in 1997, and drafted OT- Walter Jones who's had nine Pro Bowls if I'm not mistaken. He also traded RB- Ricky Williams (right before he went crazy) from the Saints to the Dolphins and received two 1st round picks, both which produced Pro Bowl players DE- Will Smith, and OT- Jammal Brown. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the man who SHOULD be president. But it will never happen. Team Spanos just doesn't make enough money in the Apartment/Condominium building industry, I guess. Maybe one day It'll all make sense...until then...

BOLTYOU! (not you personally...I mean Team Spanos)

Stay tuned for Part 3 of "The Lord of NO Rings" Trilogy

BX

Forum: BrandX

Rivers TD to Vincent Jackson stuns Giants, 21-20

BoltYou — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:10:48 GMT

Five years after being traded away in a draft-day swap for Eli Manning, Philip Rivers came back and stuck it to the New York Giants.

Rivers capped an 80-yard drive with an 18-yard pass to Vincent Jackson with 21 seconds to play and the San Diego Chargers stunned the Giants 21-20 on Sunday, posting their third straight win while handing New York its fourth straight loss.

San Diego (5-3) is now well positioned for the second half of the season. The Giants (5-4) can only shake their heads in disbelief after blowing their first 5-0 start since 1990.

Its a big emotional win, said Rivers, who threw for 209 yards and three touchdowns. I dont need a real reason why, but it ranks right up there with the win at Indy in the playoffs (2009). The link between me and Eli is always going to be there. So yeah, its a little special. Any time you play against a team that won the Super Bowl, its fun. It (the trade) didnt weigh into my mind and my thinking, but I bet it was there.

Rivers had the Giants to thank for giving him the chance to pull the game out.

Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas returned an interception 33 yards to the Chargers 4 with 3:14 to play. If Manning and company had punched the ball in, the game would have been over.

But a first-down holding penalty on Chris Snee tes) pushed New York back 10 yards and it settled for Lawrence Tynes second field goal, a 22-yarder with 2:07 to play for a 6-point lead.

We had a chance and you cant leave that team in the game, said Manning, who was 25 of 33 for 215 yards and two touchdowns. You cant leave that team an opening. They are good and talented and if you have a chance to end it, you have to end it.

Rivers did. He hit 6 of 8 passes in the game-winning march, hitting Malcolm Floyd for 12 yards, two to Antonio Gates and a 21-yarder to Darren Sproles that put the ball at the 18. On the next play, Rivers found Jackson in the right corner of the end zone for the game-winner.

Vincent just came open and separated himself from the defender, Rivers said. On that play, he was probably the last option to get the ball by the way it set up. But we had all that field and I just wanted to give him a chance to get to it.

Jackson also caught a 10-yard TD pass in the second quarter.

Hes calm and confident and that just rubs off on everyone else, Jackson said of Rivers. It didnt matter what the score was or how much time was left. We were going to get the job done.

Appropriately, the game ended with Shawne Merriman sacking Manning. San Diego drafted the linebacker in 2005 with one of the picks the Chargers got from the Giants in the Manning deal.

We showed a lot of team character to bounce back, Merriman said. We never want to start off slow, but weve learned when we need to hit our stride.

Rivers also hit Kris Wilson on a 2-yard TD in the third to give San Diego a 14-7 lead in a game in which the Giants defense rebounded from a miserable efforts the previous three weeks.

Manning drove the Giants 60 yards in 10 plays on the next possession and Tynes got New York within 14-10 with his 38-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

The Giants defense, which gave up 112 points in the first three games of the losing streak, then helped them take the lead, recording three straight tackles for losses and forcing the Chargers to punt from their 4.

Domenik Hixon returned the ball to the San Diego 39 and Manning needed only six plays to put New York on top, hitting Kevin Boss with an 8-yard TD on a play when the Chargers were offside.

A bizarre play at the end of the Giants opening drive cost them 3 points. New York lined up for a 39-yard field goal attempt, but Tynes never got the kick off. Feagles took the snap and Tynes said Feagles had both hands on the ball so he could not kick it.

We are all very, very upset, very disappointed obviously in the loss, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. We played hard, did a lot of good things but obviously we didnt do enough.

Rivers gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter with his first TD pass to Jackson. It capped a 45-yard drive after a short punt by Feagles.

The Giants tied the game on the ensuing series on Mannings 6-yard TD pass to Steve Smith. The pair had kept the nearly 11-minute drive alive with a 19-yard completion on third-and-18 from the Chargers 44. ^NOTES: Giants weakside LB Michael Boley and DT Chris Canty returned to the lineup. Boley missed a month after knee surgery. Canty was out since the opening week with a calf injury. Chargers starting ILB Kevin Burnett was inactive with an ankle injury. The Giants decided to honor the Yankees for their recent 27th world championship and introduced manager Joe Girardi during a break in the game. He was identified on the scoreboard as the teams general manager. Does Brian Cashman know?

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

Chargers Team Report - Inside Slant 11/05/09

BoltYou — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:04:13 GMT

The Chargers and Giants tangle in the Meadowlands on Sunday, two teams desperately looking for a win.

Of course that story line takes a backseat to the one few can get enough of: Philip Rivers vs. Eli Manning.

Manning was a Charger for, oh, about 45 minutes, on draft day before being trade to the Giants. Rivers was among the booty headed the Chargers way, and Sunday marks the first time the two quarterbacks will square off against each other as starters.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson said if he were just a fan, he would be watching those two big names from one of the NFL's most celebrated drafts.

"Sometimes rivalries are just naturally built because of where you are drafted, and then there is the trade aspect of it," Tomlinson said. "There is a natural rivalry there with Philip and Eli as it was with Michael Vick and myself from the trade."

Vick was nearly a Charger before then-general manager John Butler pulled off the blockbuster which brought Tomlinson, a future Hall of Famer, to San Diego.

"Some things are going to follow you your whole career," Tomlinson said. "Them two are going to be linked together their whole career so as a fan it is something you just want to watch."

But there is more to this game than those two. Both teams need a win as the season starts to make a turn into the second half.

The Chargers are showing a pulse again after beating up on AFC West rivals Kansas City and Oakland. While those wins have the Chargers over .500 at 4-3, they know they are stepping up a class this week.

And they face a Giants team which is in a sour mood after dropping three straight games after winning their first five.

The Chargers have to prove they can beat someone other than an AFC West patsy.

"I can't say it's a must-win because after this game we have eight left and anything can happen in eight games," Tomlinson said. "That is a whole half of a season."

Still ...

"This is a game we need to win," Tomlinson added. "We need to get on a roll and put games tighter, winning games, to kind of get that confidence going, to build that confidence.

"And going to a place like New York, a hostile environment against a very good team, it will do a lot for our confidence.

"I don't know if it is a benchmark game or not but this is a very good team and we will see where we stand after Sunday."

The Chargers can't stand to give much more ground, already two games behind AFC West-leading Denver. But they also know the Giants, at home, aren't going to fold easy despite stubbing their toes in their last three games.

"You go back to New York and play in the late afternoon game is really why you play," Rivers said. "We have been in these types of games before and won and that's going to be the plan as we head to Sunday."

The Chargers are entering a grueling three-week run in which they are at the Giants, home to the Eagles and then at the Broncos. After such a sputtering start, the Chargers know they have to find that extra gear right now.

"This is a very good defense and it's obvious they get after you," said Tomlinson, who rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in his lone game against the Giants. "They have talent at pretty much every position: Osi (Umenyiora), Justin (Tuck) and (Antonio) Pierce, that is the core of their defense, but they do got other guys that get after you."

After this game, the Chargers will know if they are legitimate playoff team.

SERIES HISTORY: 10th regular-season meeting. Giants lead series 5-4, but the Chargers won the last game, 45-23, in San Diego in 2005. The Chargers' last visit to New Jersey came in 1995 where they needed to win to secure a playoff spot. The game was marred by the Chargers being buried by a barrage of snowballs.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

LT: Rivers-Manning showdown worth watching

BoltYou — Thur, 05 Nov 2009 13:26:58 GMT

When Eli Manning and Philip Rivers play at Giants Stadium on Sunday, itll be the first matchup between the two quarterbacks who were swapped for each other during the first round of the 2004 draft.

Be sure to watch, said Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, whose spot in San Diego was secured as part of a draft-weekend blockbuster trade, in 2001.

Theres a natural rivalry there with Philip and Eli, as it was with Michael Vick and myself from the trade, Tomlinson said. Those two are going to be linked for their whole career. So, as a fan, thats something you want to watch.

Manning preferred the Giants to the Chargers, who took him anyway with the No. 1 pick, then dealt him to New York for Rivers and a handful of picks.

Two years ago, Manning led the Giants to a Super Bowl victory.

I dont have any regrets, he told San Diego reporters during a conference call Wednesday.

Rivers said hes happy the Chargers acquired him and two future Pro Bowlers - outside linebacker Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding.

I think I like it here a whole lot better, Rivers said. It certainly fits me out here.

Merriman said he doesnt sense the Chargers harbor any ill will toward Manning for choosing New York over San Diego.

I just look at it as another quarterback I need to get on the ground, period, and hes a pretty good one, he said.

As for the Chargers jersey that Manning got on draft day? I think my parents have it, Manning said. I gave it to my mom. She put it in her purse that day, and she has it for a rainy day, I guess.

NOTES: ILBs Kevin Burnett and Tim Dobbins did not practice because of ankle injuries. Tomlinson said Giants fans will razz him, telling him that former Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, a Hall of Famer, is the real L.T. How can you argue? Tomlinson said. Merriman wears No. 56 partly in honor of Taylor.

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

Chargers sign LB Holt to active roster

BoltYou — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:48:31 GMT

The San Diego Chargers have signed rookie linebacker James Holt from the practice squad to fill the roster spot created when wide receiver Chris Chambers was released.

Holt originally joined the Chargers in May as a free agent. He was released at the conclusion of training camp and added to the practice squad.

The Chargers need a linebacker because Tim Dobbins is expected to be out for two weeks after sustaining a knee injury in Sundays 24-16 win over Oakland.

The Chargers signed linebacker Jeremy Leman to the practice squad.

General manager A.J. Smith didnt immediately return a call seeking comment.

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

Rivers gets first shot against Eli, Giants

BoltYou — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:08:46 GMT

Philip Rivers calls it one of those little sidebars.

Really, though, itll be the featured event when Rivers and his San Diego Chargers face Eli Manning and the struggling New York Giants on Sunday at the Meadowlands.

Manning was drafted by the Chargers in 2004, then traded to the Giants within an hour for Rivers and a handful of picks that San Diego ended up spending on kicker Nate Kaeding and outside linebacker Shawne Merriman.

Manning went on to lead the Giants to a Super Bowl upset of the Patriots two seasons ago. Rivers is still trying to get to his first Super Bowl.

The Chargers (4-3) are rejuvenated after wins over AFC doormats Kansas City and Oakland. The Giants (5-3) have lost three straight, including Sundays 40-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Its fun, Rivers said Monday. The one thing I know and I know Eli knows, all the quarterbacks know, were not playing one another out there. Weve got plenty of other things to worry about on the defensive side of the ball we have to go against.

But it is fun competing against another team led by a quarterback that you are linked to in many ways, especially being the same draft class.

This will be Rivers first start against the Giants. Drew Brees was still the Chargers starter when Manning and the Giants came to San Diego in September 2005.

The Chargers won 45-23 that night and their fans booed and heckled Manning, still angry he had spurned San Diego 17 months earlier. Days before the 2004 draft, Mannings family asked the Chargers not to draft Eli. The Chargers did anyway, then pulled off a blockbuster trade that helped both teams.

Rivers said he sent congratulations two seasons ago after Manning led the Giants to a thrilling Super Bowl win over the previously undefeated Patriots.

I dont know him real well, but certainly enjoy watching him play. Itll be fun competing against those guys this weekend, Rivers said.

The Chargers have popped above .500 thanks to Sundays 24-16 home win over Oakland and a 37-7 win at Kansas City a week earlier.

Every week is a treat to play in the NFL, to play in an NFL game, Rivers said. But these are the kind of games, the reason why you play. You get to go right in the thick of all the action in the East Coast, being in New York, and play, obviously, a team that won the championship two years ago and is a very capable one and thought of highly this year. Its a tough place to go on the road, in a game I think that will say a lot about us.

San Diegos win, coupled with Denvers loss at Baltimore, pulled the Chargers within two games of the Broncos in the AFC West race. San Diego is trying to win its fourth straight division title.

I think weve put two together that many expected us to win, as did we, but youve still got to go do it, and now this one here will be the toughest challenge weve had in three weeks, Rivers said.

On Monday, the Chargers released wide receiver Chris Chambers a day after he had a key catch against the Raiders. Coach Norv Turner said they waived Chambers because of the emergence of Malcom Floyd and the need to sign a linebacker due to a knee injury to Tim Dobbins on Sunday. Dobbins could be out for two weeks.

Chambers was demoted Sunday in favor of Floyd, yet still had a big catch in the win. Chambers was obtained at the trading deadline in 2007 from Miami for a second-round draft pick, and helped the Chargers reach the AFC championship game that season.

His production dropped off dramatically this season, with just nine catches for 122 yards and one touchdown.

Source: Associates Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

Chargers release WR Chris Chambers

BoltYou — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:35:23 GMT

The San Diego Chargers have released wide receiver Chris Chambers a day after he had a key catch in a 24-16 win over the Oakland Raiders.

Coach Norv Turner said the Chargers released Chambers because of the emergence of Malcom Floyd and the need to sign a linebacker because of an injury to Tim Dobbins on Sunday.

Chambers was demoted Sunday in favor of Floyd, yet still had a big catch in the win over the Raiders, which lifted the Chargers to 4-3.

Chambers was obtained at the trading deadline in 2007 from Miami for a second-round draft pick, and helped the Chargers reach the AFC championship game that season.

His production dropped off dramatically this season.

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

LT scores twice, Bolts get lucky 13th vs. Raiders

BoltYou — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:58:57 GMT

Some things never change in San Diego, such as the great weather and LaDainian Tomlinson and the San Diego Chargers beating the hapless Oakland Raiders.

Tomlinson scored twice, the first in the wildcat, and the Chargers won 24-16 on Sunday, their 13th straight victory against the Raiders. Its the longest active NFL winning streak by one team over another.

The Chargers (4-3) have swept the series for the sixth straight season. Many Chargers, including quarterback Philip Rivers, have never lost to the Raiders (2-6). It was San Diegos seventh straight home win against the Raiders.

Oh, and Shawne Merriman got his first two sacks since 2007, dropping JaMarcus Russell late in the second quarter and again late in the fourth, then doing his spasmodic Lights Out dance. The outside linebacker has been slow coming back from knee surgery that cost him the final 15 regular-season games and both playoff games last year.

San Diego sacked Russell five times, with the other outside linebacker, Shaun Phillips, also collecting two.

With the Denver Broncos losing 30-7 at Baltimore, the Chargers pulled within two games of the AFC West lead. San Diego is trying to win its fourth straight division title.

The Chargers didnt have to rally to win as they did in the season opener at Oakland, when they were physically beaten up by the Raiders despite taking a 24-20 victory.

Cornerback Antonio Cromartie intercepted Russell when tight end Zach Miller fell down. It was the first pickoff in 20 games for Cromartie, who had 10 in 2007 but dropped off to two last year.

The Chargers first play from scrimmage was a 53-yard pass from Rivers to Malcom Floyd, who replaced struggling Chris Chambers in the starting lineup. It gave San Diego first-and-goal on the 6. Tomlinson took the direct snap and ran around right end for a 7-0 lead.

Oakland tied it early in the second quarter after Rivers pass to Vincent Jackson glanced off the receivers hands and was intercepted by Chris Johnson, who returned it 20 yards to the San Diego 27. Justin Fargas scored on a 3-yard run to cap the short drive.

San Diego scored on its next two drives to go up 21-7. Rivers hit a wide-open Jackson on an 8-yard scoring pass and Tomlinson scored on a 10-yard run.

Rivers was 16 of 25 for 249 yards. Tomlinson had 56 yards on 18 carries. Fargas also carried 18 times for 59 yards.

Tomlinson had only one touchdown this season coming into the game. He sprained his right ankle in the season opener at Oakland and missed the next two games.

Tomlinson has accounted for 28 touchdowns against Oakland in his nine-year career: 22 rushing, three receiving and three passing.

All the Raiders got the rest of the way were three field goals by Sebastian Janikowski, of 48, 41 and 28 yards.

The Raiders were coming off their worst home loss ever, 38-0 to the New York Jets. Russell was pulled in that game after committing three turnovers.

Russell was 14 of 22 for only 109 yards.

Source: Associated Press

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (November 2009)

Chargers Team Report - Inside Slant 10/28/09

BoltYou — Thur, 29 Oct 2009 12:18:53 GMT

Its go-time for the Chargers as they prepare for Sundays visit from the Oakland Raidersas in time to go on a run.

The Chargers started the season 2-3, and while it was a surprise to most, not so much those close to the team.

In fact, year three under coach Norv Turner has seen three 2-3 starts. And how did that work out for the Chargers?

In 2007 they won the AFC West title and advanced to the AFC Championship Game. In 2008 they won the AFC West title and advanced to the AFC divisional playoff game.

In 2009? That remains to be seen, and yes, the dynamics are different with the Denver Broncos starting 6-0.

But the Chargers have been down this road before, and Sundays stretch of highway is somewhat forgiving in offering the struggling Raiders.

Each year is kind of a different deal, Turner said of three straight 2-3 beginnings. This year we lost Jamal Williams and Hardwick in the first game, our center and our nose man, two Pro Bowl players. Then, we actually came out of the Raiders game with five starters who ended up missing games. That contributed; we played good teams and we lost close games.

Theres always a multiple, number of reasons that you can point at, but we have put that behind us.

And the Chargers are coming off their most complete game of the season after thumping the Chiefs 37-7.

We solved the issues in the defensive front, where we had Jamal as our anchor for so many years, Turner said. Weve kind of gone to about a six-man rotation in there in the defensive line. We got a guy we released this summer, Ian Scott back. We had Travis Johnson that we traded for, and he has gotten back healthy and hes able to play. Hes not 100 percent but hes able to play. So, weve been able to shore up a little bit of that defensive front, which, obviously, we struggled with the first couple of games, not only in the Raider game, but against Baltimore and Miami, we had a tough time with the running game.

But the Chargers arent going to run off and hide. They have too many offensive weapons and a defense which is just maybe starting to find its footing.

Combine that with a belief the Chargers have taken this path before and there is surprisingly little panic among the Bolts.

I attribute it to their experience, their mental toughness, and were a talented group, said Turner, who has been under pressuremore so than his previous two yearswith the recent slow start. Its nice, obviously, to get all your guys back and be healthy so that you can continue to work to be at your best.

The Chargers will have to be at that level Sunday and in the coming weeks if they hope to lift off on one of their runs. After the Raiders, the competition goes up considerably with games against the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos.

But first up is Oakland, and despite their shaky play, they got the Chargers attention in the opener. The Chargers were manhandled throughout most of the game before coming back to win it in the waning minutes.

Its a very physical group up front defensively, Turner said. The secondary is outstanding. They did a good job offensively running the ball and keeping us off the field. So, it was the type of game I expected it to be.

Chargers fans are expecting the Chargers to get hotlike in 07 when they won their final six regular-season games, or in 08, when they won their final four.

Were going to finish the season strong, wide receiver Vincent Jackson said. Were going to stick together. Were a family. We started this thing together and we hope to finish it together. So, thats our mindset.

And really, the Chargers have no choice as they aim for their fourth straight visit to the playoffs. Even if for the third straight year they have to do it the hard way.

Thats what this league is about now, Jackson said. You never know whos going to be a powerhouse and everybody comes in preparing and expecting to win their division and go on to the playoffs.

Where were at right now, is not where we foresaw ourselves at earlier this year, but it is what it is. Were going to take one game at a time and were hopeful that things work out in the way they have in the past. Weve been pretty fortunate so all we can control is what we do on the field right now.

Series History: 100th regular-season meeting. Raiders lead series 54-43-2. The Chargers have won 12 straight and the last six at Qualcomm Stadium. The Raiders and Chargers have met once in the playoffs, in the 1980 AFC title game, in which the Raiders prevailed. The Chargers had to rally to defeat the Raiders, 24-20, in their earlier meeting this season.

NOTES, QUOTES

What are the reasons the Chargers running game was slow to develop? Coach Norv Turner has the answers.

Well, you can go right back to the opening game, he said. We started the season in Oakland, and our center, our right guard and our tailback were all injured and missed at least the next two games. And our center has not returned. We have a young right guard that has come back and played. The combination of the change and continuity there and the schedule we played, and the teams the way we played them.

We played Baltimore and Miami and we had a lot of yards in both games, moved the ball and scored points. Theyre not teams that youre going to zero in and just run the ball every down against. The way the Pittsburgh game went, we struggled to run the ball. Over the last couple weeks, weve gotten back into little bit more of a balanced mode where were getting a little better run production.

ILB Tim Dobbins made the most of filling in for Kevin Burnett last week, collecting 11 tackles and an interception in Kansas City.

(Thats) his best game since Ive been here, Turner said. (He) was outstanding against the run and the pass.

With Burnett still ailing, Dobbins could get his second straight start.

QB Philip Rivers is coming off his best start of the year, one in which he compiled a 122.6 rating while throwing for three touchdowns and 268 yards with no interceptions. It helped that Rivers wasnt sacked in Kansas City after being nailed five times the previous game against the Broncos.

WR Vincent Jackson said the teams 12-game winning streak over the Raiders isnt the focus in the locker room. I didnt know exactly how many it is, he said. Its not really a big deal to us.

The Chargers need to keep an eye on DE Richard Seymour, their old nemesis from his days with the Patriots. Seymour had two sacks and six tackles when they teams squared off in the season opener. Hes tied for the team lead with four sacks.

Steve Gregory, a former safety, is taking to his new responsibilities as the nickel back.

Wherever they tell me to play, Im going to play, and Im going to do my best, he said.

Raiders LB Kirk Morrison and WR Chaz Schilens, who has missed the season with injury, are both San Diego State grads.

Turner went 9-23 as Raiders head coach from 2004-05.

Oakland owner Al Davis was a wide receivers coach for the Chargers from 1960-62 and was instrumental in the signing of Hall of Famer Lance Alworth.

The Chargers cut DB Simeon Castille, who played special teams against Kansas City after being signed off the practice squad the day before. It re-signed CB Dante Hughes, who was signed last week before being cut for Castille.

OT Joe Toledo was added to the practice squad.

Sunday marks the end of a three-game swing through the AFC West. The Chargers lost to the Broncos before beating the Chiefs last week. The Chargers only have two divisional games remaining after Sunday, which could make it more difficult to make up that three-game deficit to the first-place Broncos.

By The Numbers: 8Number of wins QB Philip Rivers has in eight starts against the Raiders.

Quote To Note: They beat the Eagles, who I think most people consider one of the best teams in the league. Thats the Raiders team were going to prepare for.Coach Norv Turner in building up the Raiders, despite their 2-5 record.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

This will mark week two of the Chargers revamped secondary and base on last week, the changes are working.

In the wake of releasing starting strong safety Clinton Hart, the Chargers moved rookie Kevin Ellison over to Harts spot and switched safety Steve Gregory to the nickel cornerback spot. Paul Oliver also worked some at safety and the results were impressive.

With defensive coordinator Ron Rivera calling numerous blitzes from corners and safeties, safety Eric Weddle had a sack; Oliver and Gregory had interceptions.

Antoine Cason, a second-year pro, was the odd man out in this realignment. But the Chargers dont plan to tinker with the success they had last week.

Player Notes

P Mike Scifres was a full participant in practice which was a good sign. Scifres has been battling a groin injury, but may be past it.

WR Buster Davis, a former first-round pick, continues to be looked over on game days. He has yet to suit up, despite being healthy on most game days. His time in San Diego could be come to an end after this season.

OLB Shawne Merriman is showing more speed than earlier in the year. He still is looking for his first sack of the season. He was limited in Wednesdays practice with a foot injury but it is not considered serious.

RG Jeromey Clary hopes to build off his performance in Kansas City in which he had his best game of the year.

WR Chris Chambers needs a decent game Sunday or he will continue to lose snaps to Malcom Floyd. Chambers had two drops Sunday, including one that would have gone for a touchdown.

Game Plan: Considering the troubles the Raiders have in stopping the run, giving up 169 yards per game, the Chargers are expected to give them a steady dose of the running game. Thats not to say the Chargers wont do what they do bestheave it down field with regularity. But LaDainian Tomlinson showed last week with a season-best carry of 36 yards on a season-high 71 yards that he can still gobble up yards when given the chance. And the Chargers had some trouble with pass protection that last time these teams played. Running it will give Tomlinson confidence going forward, as well as keep the heat off of Rivers in the pocket.

Matchups To Watch: Chargers pass defense vs. Raiders TE Zach Miller. The Chargers are notorious for having trouble covering tight ends and this week should be no different. Although the team hopes its new look on the back end will deliver a different result with new starting SS Kevin Ellison likely tracking Miller, who had 96 receiving yards on six catches against the Chargers in the opener. Last year against the Chargers, Miller had a 95-yard game. With Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell having accuracy problems down field, look for him to try to involve Miller heavily in the passing game. Its going to be up to Ellison and the linebackers to keep Millers production down.

Chargers pass rush vs. Raiders front line. With the Chiefs falling behind early, the Chargers were able to work on their pass rush and blitzes and it was a welcome showing, resulting in four sacks. The secondary got into the act with numerous blitzes and OLB Shaun Phillips got his first two sacks of the season. The Raiders front hasnt blocked with any consistency and Russell looks like a quarterback with happy feet. The Chargers will go after Russell in various ways out of their 3-4 alignment to get Russell jittery and not allow him to go through his reads. OLB Shawne Merriman doesnt have a sack this season but he always seems to play well against the Raiders.

Chargers run defense vs. Raiders RBs Michael Bush and Justin Fargas. The Chargers were exposed up the middle in the wake of losing Pro Bowl DT Jamal Williams. But lately the rotation of Ian Scott, Travis Johnson and Ogemdi Nwagbuo has fortified that area and no longer are gaping holes being seen up the middle. With Russell struggling, it figures that the Raiders will offer their two-headed monster. Both Bush and Fargas have 56 carries for 204 yards, with Bush adding two touchdownsone of which came against the Chargers in the opener.

Injury Impact: DT Ogemdi Nwagbuo (ankle) was limited in his practice and could be compromised on Sunday. The Chargers can ill-afford any more injuries to the defensive line. DL Travis Johnson (groin) will be limited in practice this week but should play Sunday. He wont be at 100 percent. C Nick Hardwick (ankle) is starting to do some work on the side but still isnt expected to return until mid-November. ILB Kevin Burnett (ankle) didnt practice and will likely be down this week.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Forum: San Diego Chargers News and Discussions (October 2009)