Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Chargers: Volek to the rescue?


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 season?

Perhaps the difference was playing in a situation where the Chargers needed him to produce to win, rather than not make mistakes while they were ahead on the scoreboard.

“I haven't had a chance to go out there to play to win,” Volek said after the Indianapolis game. “When I've played it's been, 'OK, don't lose the game.' To go out there and be with those guys, it's a confidence booster and it reminds me how fun this game is.”

During a two-game stint of the 2004 season, Volek passed for 426 yards against Kansas City and 492 yards vs. Oakland, becoming the fourth QB in NFL history to record back-to-back 400-yard passing games and only the second man to record 900 or more passing yards in back-to-back contests.

Volek hasn’t played much since that 2004 season, when he replaced Steve McNair (bruised sternum) at QB for the Titans.

Even so, the eight-year veteran out of Fresno State proved he had something left in the gas tank when the Chargers needed him most against the (then) defending Super Bowl champions from Indianapolis.

Come Sunday, the Chargers may need another miracle from their second-string quarterback.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe Volek isn't all that bad, after all. He sure was a hero last Sunday and might have to do it again.

Anonymous said...

I hope that Volek if needed this week, he can show the kind of performance he has done in the past and help the Chargers do well ... because they are going to need all the help they can get.