Should the Chargers think playoffs in 2010?
With WR Vincent Jackson and LT Marcus McNeil holding out, should the San Diego Chargers really be thinking about reaching the playoffs in 2010? A rookie running back? That could be a problem for the Chargers to think about reaching the Super Bowl this year. Only 9 rookie running backs have ever reached the Super Bowl in 44 years.
Chargers say, Tomlinson who?
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Well, the San Diego Chargers are missing WR Vincent Jackson and LT Marcus McNeill but they unveiled their newest offensive weapon on Saturday night in rookie RB Ryan Mathews. The Chargers won their first preseason game in an impressive fashion Saturday night 25-10 over the Chicago Bears.
in limited action, the Chargers starting quarterback Philip Rivers was 4-6 for 62 yards and a score, tossing a 28 yard pass to WR Legedu Naanee before exiting the game.
But what Chargers fans really wanted to know was if Ryan Mathews was going to be the real deal. It didn’t take long to figure out that he is. On his second NFL carry, Lance Briggs almost tackled him for a loss around the goal line and Mathews shed the tackle , ran around Briggs and gained 18 yards. Mathews, who grew up idolizing former Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson was so nervous prior to the game that he got physically sick, throwing up prior to the game.
He looked great collecting over 60 yards in 11 touches in limited action for the Chargers.
The Chargers replacements at left tackle, Brandyn Dombrowski and Tyronne Green played pretty well in the absence of Marcus McNeill, but this is just the first preseason game and yes, they did face Julius Peppers, but he’s a bit overrated as far as I’m concerned. McNeill needs to get signed.
The Chargers defense looked good, logging 6 sacks and holding Chicago to only 216 total offensive yards, despite Jay Cutler only playing one series. Had the Chicago starting quarterback played a few more series, the Chargers would have added a couple more turnovers.
San Diego Chargers finally get good news
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The San Diego Chargers finally got a bit of good news. LB Shawne Merriman will return this weekend. Merriman was one of the Chargers restricted free agents who was holding out, along with Marcus McNeill and WR Vincent Jackson. Signonsandiego.com is reporting that he could sign his tender offer this weekend.
While Merriman has a ways to go to get back to the level of play he displayed early in his career, his addition should help to bolster the defense.
Merriman had been holding out because he was concerned that the Chargers had intentions of trading the linebacker. Merriman decided after missing over a week of training camp that he would just return to the team and relinquish his demands. “At some point in time, I’ve got to make a decision that is best for everybody”, Merriman told reporters.
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Does Chargers McNeill’s stock go up NOW?
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The San Diego Chargers have had a volatile offseason with player holdouts, LT Marcus McNeill among them, but does recent event now give him some more leverage? OT Brandyn Dombrowski missed practice on Monday, while Nick Richmond and veteran Tra Thomas are missing time after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.
The injuries moved OG Tyronne Green to move into the left tackle position for the Chargers during practice. Do the Chargers really want to go into the regular season with this make-shift left tackle position? Do they really want Philip Rivers that exposed on his blind side?
What is management thinking about? I can understand, well not really, the issue with WR Vincent Jackson, but a LT? And the possibility of starting a rookie LT with a rookie running back? Hell, even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came to terms with average LT Donald Penn last week. They recognized the importance of having some stability at that position while they are trying to develop a rookie quarterback.
Come on Chargers front office, let’s get a deal done with McNeill.
Chargers move Holt again
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San Diego Chargers LB James Holt is on the move again. Last year Holt was an undrafted free agent and made the Chargers roster on his strength of his special teams play. Holt was backing up outside LB Kevin Burnett, but now with the Chargers loss of Donald Butler for the year, he shifts back inside again.
Former Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie is expecting some big time things in 2010. He went to New York and was expected to be teamed up opposite Darrelle Revis. Revis is currently holding out with no end in sight to the impasse. Revis’ nickname is Revis Island so Cromartie thought it would be cool to call himself, Alcrotraz. He will begin selling T-shirts in a few weeks.
Speaking of Cromartie, he says he wasn’t loved in San Diego, he was a scapegoat. He appeared on XTRA 1360 in San Diego and said it was time for him to move on. You can listen to the entire interview right here.
When he was asked about becoming the scapegoat in San Diego he said, (transcribed by sportsradiointerviews.com)
“Did I? Yes. I mean for instance, you can bring up the last play with the touchdown with Shonn Greene. I’m the guy that didn’t go for the tackle, but I’m not also the guy that missed the tackle too. I’m not the only guy on the field. There’s ten other guys besides me that can get to the play.”
