NFL plays Scrooge to Chargers on Christmas

What is it about the NFL that does not agree with the San Diego Chargers at Christmas time?

OK, so the Chargers didn’t play on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day last year ... because there were not any NFL games on those days.

But go back two years and those were the Chargers hosting the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football on Christmas Eve; which happens to be the holiest day of the year to some people.

Fast forward to this year and you have the Chargers playing at the Tennessee Titans on Christmas Night.

Is this fair to Norv Turner, Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Luis Castillo, Shaun Phillips, Shawne Merriman, Quentin Jammer and all on Christmas?

No way.

First of all, this is the NFL Network’s "Thursday" game on a Friday. The game certainly could have been played on Saturday ... or the day after Christmas ... just like last Saturday’s Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints game.

In addition, the Chargers are traveling 2,000 miles to play the game; more than any other team has traveled all year for a non-Sunday or -Monday game. And, yes, it is Christmas.
So the Chargers must say thanks to the NFL for once again playing Scrooge with their Christmases.

Prediction:
Titans 23, Chargers 20

Chargers playing it smart this summer

Give the Chargers credit for playing it very smart this training camp.

So many teams complain how they get beaten up in camp with only 80 players on the roster.

The Chargers have alleviated this by holding guys out of practice and/or games at the first sight that something might be wrong.

Consider the list held out of last Saturday’s 7-6 exhibition loss at St. Louis:

Offense: QB Philip Rivers; RBs LaDainian Tomlinson and Andrew Pinnock; OL Marcus McNeill and Nick Hardwick; TE Antonio Gates; and WRs Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson.

Defense: DL Luis Castillo and Jamal Williams; LB Shawne Merriman; and DBs Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie.

With even half of these players active, the Chargers certainly would have whipped an inferior St. Louis team. But what’s the point in an exhibition game?

The Chargers appear to be saving guys so that they may have a better chance of being healthy at the end. If they are to make a Super Bowl run, this definitely will be a major issue (remember the injuries that hampered the team in last season’s AFC Championship loss to New England?)

If there is a downside, it may be that players are not as far along when the regular season starts.

But the bigger issue is who will be ahead when the season concludes.

Chargers facing another lost weekend?

You think the Chargers’ loss was bad enough last week at Minnesota?

Just wait until the Indianapolis Colts come to town for Sunday night’s match-up on NBC-TV.

Peyton Manning has spent a lot of time on his back in his last two games against the Chargers, but he’ll probably be spending much more time in the end zone this week.

As if San Diego’s defense wasn’t horrible enough last Sunday, it will spend this week’s entire game without injured defensive end Luis Castillo and (most likely) cornerback Quentin Jammer.

Ouch.

Can you smell 400-plus yards for Manning?

Offensively, the Chargers couldn’t run or pass against Minnesota (does that mean they didn’t do anything right?)

Indianapolis? It has a better defense than the Vikings.

Yes, these are the same Chargers who two years ago went into Indianapolis and spoiled the Colts’ bid for a perfect season when they were 13-0.

But there was a major difference: Motivator Marty Schottenheimer coached them in 2005; motivation-less Norv Turner is the current coach.

If San Diego State wins this weekend at Nevada Las Vegas, the Aztecs will be 4-5 on the season. The Chargers will have the same record if (when?) they lose to the Colts.

Who would’ve thought?

Predictions:

Colts 31, Chargers 20

SDSU 24, UNLV 21

A.J. Smith: Genius or Not?

A.J. Smith is an absolute genius … or is he?

Smith is certainly given the most pats on the back for the San Diego Chargers’ impressive 35-13 record the past three regular seasons. But if that be the case, he’s also part of the team failing to win its playoff games in 2004 and 2006.

The team’s cornerstone players are LaDainian Tomlinson on offense and Jamal Williams on defense. Both players were with the Chargers before Smith became general manager.

Smith had a stellar draft in 2004.

Selecting quarterback Eli Manning in the first round and trading him to the New York Giants for QB Philip Rivers was a steal; considering the Chargers also received a third-round pick (kicker Nate Kaeding), and first-round selection in 2005 (linebacker Shawne Merriman).

San Diego’s 2004 draft was further bolstered by picking current starters Igor Olshansky (defensive end, second round), Nick Hardwick (center, third round) and Shaun Phillips (linebacker, fourth round.)

What about Smith’s other drafts? You might want to close your eyes on some.

2003: This draft yielded busts in two of the first three picks with defensive backs Sammy Davis and Terrence Kiel. However, it did yield current starters CB Drayton Florence (2nd), LB Matt Wilhelm (4th) and P Mike Scifres (5th).

2005: Besides Merriman, current starters DE Luis Castillo (1st) and WR Vincent Jackson (2nd) were also taken. Beyond that, none of the draftees figure to be starters this season.

2006: Starters were chosen in the first two rounds with CB Antonio Cromartie and OT Marcus McNeill. Once again, that’s where the starters stop among draft picks.

We’ll find out if Smith is a true architect in 2007. The Chargers did not sign any free agents from outside the organization, so they are certainly no stronger than the day they lost to New England in the playoffs with leading tackler Donnie Edwards (now a Kansas City Chief) at linebacker.

The Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer, at least in part, because he cannot win in the playoffs despite being one of the best regular-season coaches in NFL history. They might not have to worry about a playoff loss with new boss Norv Turner, who has failed to make the postseason in eight of his nine seasons as a head coach.

A.J. Smith: Genius or overrated? This year’s NFL draft could tell a lot about that question.