I'm just going to start with it and get it over with...it will be like the sting you feel from pulling off a band-aid, but I think it has to be done to justify my thoughts on this 2011 Charger team. That is, Norv Turner sucks and the Chargers aren't going to win anything with him as the head coach. I did give him the benefit of the doubt when he first got to San Diego but for the past 2 seasons I have been completely disgusted with how this team performs and then disappoints.
We'll start with the first game. There has been a lot of emphasis being put on the Chargers first few games because under Turner the Chargers typically start slow and lose more than they win in their first 4-6 games of each season. Turner has said that a lot of effort and determination is being put into starting the season out good, so we'll see if that indeed happens. I can easily see the Chargers lose to the Vikings on Sunday...in San Diego to boot! If that happens, I will be fully braced for another disappointing season. Sure, under Turner the Chargers provide the fan with an exciting ride throughout the season but it always ends in a colossal disaster in the playoffs.
Many pundits put the AFC West as a weaker division and that may be true, but it is certainly better than it was just 3 years ago. The Raiders and Chiefs aren't bad anymore and no one in the NFL minds the fact that the Denver Broncos stink - HA HA HA! I think the division is once again up for grabs.
So let's just state the obvious...the Chargers special teams last season was the worst in the history of the NFL and cost the Chargers a number of games. Although the Charger defense was ranked #1 last season it was mostly due to being in poor field position because of the horrendous special teams coverage so opposing teams didn't need to go on 70+ yard drives every time they took the field. The Charger offense was legit last year and Phillip Rivers is "The Man".
The Chargers schedule will be interesting...they play (along with the AFC West opponents) the NFC North, AFC East, Jacksonville and Baltimore. Interesting that the Chargers either play at home, indoors or in an otherwise "warm" part of the country every game after the game in Chicago on November 20th. That could be in their favor for the regular season but could be a problem if they end up going somewhere cold in the playoffs and became 'soft' because of the climate they played in...
So the first four games (Min, @NE, KC, Mia) I think the Chargers go 2-2, losing at least one of the games that they could have, should have won. The next four games (@Den, @NYJ, @KC, GB) are mostly road games and the Chargers go 1-3 in that stretch, so 3-5 overall at the midway point, right on pace with previous years. Next four games (OAK, @Chi, Den, @Jac) look like the breather the Chargers need to get back on pace...go 4-0 and are now 7-5 coming down the stretch. Buf, Bal, @Det & @Oak finish up the Chargers season...I think they go 2-2 and end up one game short of the playoffs at 9-7...it will be the game in Oakland that will decide the season and the Chargers were manhandled by the Oakland line (both offense and defense) last season and Oakland looks to be better...but who knows, maybe 9-7 is good enough to win the division and get you into the playoffs.
But I see a season that will be very much of the same that we have seen for the past 3, 4 years under Norv Turner. Occasionally the Chargers will beat a good team but the Chargers will also get beaten by any number of bad teams on any given day. The Chargers haven't shown any consistency in the past had have only disappointed in the playoffs. The AFC is always a knock-down, drag out fight and the Chargers never seem to have the mentality or the game to rise above the rest. The AFC West gets no respect because no team from the AFC West has earned any and I don't think that is going to change after this season either.
I hope I'm wrong and I'll be watching every Charger game and would love nothing better than to see them win a Super Bowl because no matter what I think will or won't happen it will never change the fact that I am a super fan and will cheer for them no matter what... GO CHARGERS!
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