Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Chargers are hurting big-time


With the University of San Diego making news in the NCAA Tournament last week, the Chargers were able to fly under the radar.

It was a good thing for them, because the offseason news on their injury front is not a pretty picture.
While all eyes were on USD, the Chargers revealed that starting center Nick Hardwick underwent surgery earlier this month to repair a severe sprain in his right foot. (He may not even be ready to play when the regular season kicks off.)
This only adds hurt to an offense that was already more than hurting when the Chargers lost to New England in the AFC Championship game.
We already know that tight end Antonio Gates (toe), quarterback Philip Rivers (knee) and fullback Andrew Pinnock (knee) are questionable to be 100 percent when training camp … or even the 2008 regular season begins.
With Hardwick joining this group, it means four regulars (or 36.4 percent of the projected starters) will likely be hurting when the bell rings in the next season.
Sure, LaDainian Tomlinson took a lot of unjustified criticism for pulling himself from the New England game with a lingering knee injury.
Now it looks like Tomlinson will be among the healthiest offensive players when it all gets going again.
Ouch!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It sure seems like the Chargers will be hurting come opening day, Gates, Pinnock, Rivers and now the starting center not a good sign. It seems the Patriots did more than win the AFC Championship game. It sounds like they may have affected the 2008 Chargers as well. We must really give praise to LT for knowing when he was really hurting and pulling himself from that game. Now he can carry the ball while everyone else is hurting.