Football Season Begining

I am a sports junkie...most anyone that knows me at all knows this... I watch almost any and all 'real' sports, and primarily the big four - NBA, MLB, NFL and NHL. But there is NO doubt that my favorite sport, like most other red-blooded American males, is the NFL. And tonight's kickoff of the 2005-06 NFL season is close to being a holiday for us NFL fans. This season is also a rare one for myself and many a San Diego Charger fan in that I am optimistic about the Chargers. I have been a Charger fan for 25 years now, and for about 20 of those years the season began with little hope and I would rarely have any anticipation in seeing them.

But not this year my friends. This is a whole new Charger era. I think the Chargers can and should do well this year for two reasons...first, they are a young team with great leaders. LaDanian Tomlinson is one of those 'Barry Sanders type' guys. He leads by example and wants to be a Charger. He doesn't hold out for more money, ask for his contract to be renegotiated, doesn't get arrested or do any of the other stuff other 'superstar' athletes might do. The only thing LaDanian has said prior to this season is that he is aiming to break Marshall Faulk's record for most yards from scrimmage and would like to break 2,000 yards rushing...man, I am going to love watching him try!

Besides Tomlinson the Chargers got Drew Brees who is out to prove that last year was not a fluke. Brees went into last season with the attitude that he was the starting quarterback and it was his job to lose...well, the situation is still the same. With Phillip Rivers still waiting in the wings, Brees will have to prove that he has developed into a NFL caliber quarterback and by doing so, will be the quarterback of the Chargers for several years.

Antonio Gates is in the same boat as Brees. Last year was his coming out party and he is also out to prove that he is not a 'one season wonder'. He certainly has the skills that should keep him among the top tight ends in the league.

The defense is always an issue with the Chargers...specifically the pass defense. The Chargers' draft focused on getting players that can help with a non-existent pass rush. If the Chargers can get any sort of pressure on the quarterback, it will greatly help the secondary - and the secondary, which is often the focus of many critics of the Charger defense, I think is respectable. And the secondary is only as good as their pass rush. Quentin Jammer - those that watch a Charger game may only see or hear Jammer's name when he gets his one or two pass interferences that he gets per game...but the player Jammer is defending will rarely have any completions and more importantly no scores. He has developed into a nice shutdown corner.

Now on to the second reason I think the Chargers should do well this year...because the Chiefs and Broncos both stink...or at least I think they will. I think the Chargers should win the AFC West almost by default. Of course they need to play the games to prove me right, but I really can't see why or how the Broncos and/or the Chiefs pose much threat to any legitimate team...and that's really where it's at. To be a good team you need to beat the teams you should beat and if the Chargers want to be a legitimate NFL contender, they need to dispose of these two weaker teams.

But enough talk...let's play some ball!

Weak One: Chargers vs Dallas, my prediction: Chargers 38 Dallas 17

Go Chargers!