Chargers are a team in transition

For a team that won their last 11 regular-season games, the San Diego Chargers sure seem to be in transition.

After losing their first playoff game to the New York Jets, the Chargers are tearing apart their roster … as if the window is slamming on their Super Bowl chances.

Although Darren Sproles will be back, they need an every-down running back to replace LaDainian Tomlinson.

Jamal Williams, the stalwart of their defense for many years, needs to be replaced at nose tackle.

Kassim Osgood, the All-Pro special teams’ player, will be off to different pastures.

Brandon Manumaleuna, the steady back-up tight end, is off to the Chicago Bears.

Then there’s the question if Antoine Cason can replace Antonio Cromartie (traded to the New York Jets) as a starting cornerback.

Suddenly, the Chargers aren’t so strong at right tackle, tight end and running back depth, the defensive line, the secondary, and special teams.

Luckily, thanks to the NFL collective bargaining agreement, at least they won’t lose linebacker Shawne Merriman, receivers Malcom Floyd and Vincent Jackson or left tackle Marcus McNeill to free agency before the 2010 season.

The Chargers appear weaker … but remember … they reside in the NFL’s weakest division with Denver, Kansas City and Oakland.

That traditionally makes their path to the playoffs much easier.

Chargers' offensive line could be downfall

The last time the San Diego Chargers missed the playoffs, in 2005, it was because their offensive line was in shambles.

Say hello to déjà vu thus far in 2009.

Already, the team has lost center Nick Hardwick (ankle) and likely right guard Louis Vasquez (knee) for this week’s home opener vs. the Baltimore Ravens.

Add Jeromey Clary at right tackle along with the two injured players and you have a very weak right side of the line.

(Don’t you think the Ravens will exploit this on Sunday?)

Even left tackle Marcus McNeill (ankle) should have come out of Monday’s 24-20 win at Oakland in the fourth quarter, but he continued to play since the Chargers were flat out of reserve linemen.

So what does this mean for Sunday?

You’ll likely see Scott Mruczkowski (center) and guard Brandon Dombrowski (guard) make their first career NFL starts vs. Baltimore.

Does this bode well for the Chargers? Not really.

Prediction:
Ravens 23, Chargers 17

Chargers' GM needs to step it up

General Manager A.J. Smith is rarely full of surprises, so give him credit for living up to his reputation in his “State of the Chargers” address.

The biggest shock is that linebacker Marques Harris will be allowed to test the market as an unrestricted free agent.

Harris made a lot of big plays on defense when he spelled the outside backers … most of all the sack in Week 4 at Oakland where he stripped the ball from QB JaMarcus Russell and turned the game around as the Chargers recovered from a 15-3 deficit.

It is basically yesterday’s news that DE Igor Olshansky, and OL Mike Goff and Jeremy Newberry aren’t coming back.

Speaking of the O-line, it’s a revelation that Marcus McNeill is going to take five months to rebound from neck surgery (but should be healthy by training camp.)

No wonder he had such a poor season in 2008.

And lest any of us should be surprised; Smith danced around questions concerning LaDainian Tomlinson and his status with the Chargers.

His strongest statements concerned that fact he hasn’t done so well himself the last two years (duh!) and that lots of players need to step it up.

“We've got some people who need to get their act together,” Smith said. “They know who they are.”

Certainly, the general manager should put himself at (or near) the top of that list.

The line isn't good on the Chargers

Some of us still remember that old high school cheer, “Hold that line.”

In a nutshell, that’s exactly what’s wrong with the Chargers.

The reason they lost to Carolina, 26-24, on opening day Sunday was simple: The Panthers beat up the Chargers on both the offensive and defensive lines.

The Panthers averaged 4.9 yards per rush against a weakened Chargers defense, even without the benefit of a breakaway run to inflate the statistics.

And when the Chargers had the ball, they certainly weren’t as effective up front without injured center Nick Hardwick and tackle Marcus McNeill.

Also, we discovered that people who don’t play in the exhibition season because of nagging injuries aren’t going to be effective from the start.

How else do you explain Jamal Williams and Shawne Merriman only being in on two tackles apiece?

And even Antonio Gates, despite his late 24-yard touchdown reception, looked rusty as he still recovers from last season’s toe injury.

The Chargers need to make a quick recovery when they go to Denver this week, otherwise they will find themselves 0-2 in what is supposed to be a Super Bowl season.

The redeeming factor?

The AFC West is so weak that the Chargers could likely win it by going 8-8 or 9-7.

Will injuries stop the Chargers?

Who/what can stop the Chargers in 2008?

Only the Chargers themselves … or injuries.

With the regular season two weeks away, it appears that injuries already are slowing down the Chargers. Consider:

Linebacker Shawne Merriman may be ready by the Sept. 7 opener vs. Carolina, but a knee injury could also sideline him for many weeks.

Center Nick Hardwick will definitely miss a significant amount of time with a sprained foot.

Tight end Antonio Gates is getting better, but is still slowed by a toe injury.

Left tackle Marcus McNeill hasn’t been able to block lately due to a shoulder injury.

Linebacker Stephen Cooper is suspended for the first four games, which could leave the Chargers thin at LB if Merriman is not able to play.

The Chargers have made the playoffs three of the past four years, missing only in 2005 because of a run of injuries.

One can only hope the same fate does not befall them in 2008.

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 better when bruised and battered?

Billy Volek at quarterback? Michael Turner at running back? Andrew Pinnock at blocking back?

It sounds like the end of an exhibition game for the Chargers ... not the beginning of a run for the AFC Championship.

Who would have believed the Chargers would score their winning touchdown on a drive with much of their second string on the field in Sunday’s 28-24 upset of the Indianapolis Colts?

Throw in a key catch on the winning drive by Legedu Naanee – and the fact tight end Antonio Gates was more than hobbled - and it makes the upset even more monumental.

So, would the Chargers be better off with their second-string offense in the AFC Championship game Sunday, Jan. 20 at New England?

Don’t even think about it.

The win at Indy proved the Chargers have a superior offensive line from tackle to tackle with Marcus McNeill, Kris Dielman, Nick Hardwick, Mike Goff and Jeromey Clary.

Their power blocking certainly proved to be a difference on the winning eight-play, 78-yard drive against the Colts capped off by Volek’s 1-yard touchdown run.

If nothing else, the Colts will remember their last game in the RCA Dome as a loss to San Diego in the same building where the Chargers spoiled what had been a perfect 13-0 season in 2005 for Indianapolis.

But while the Chargers have had Indy’s number in three straight games, New England also seems to have San Diego’s number.

Who can forget the Chargers’ heartbreaking 24-21 loss to the Patriots in last year’s AFC Divisional playoffs at home ... or the horrible 38-14 loss at New England earlier this year?

Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson better heal in a hurry from their knee injuries.

Otherwise, this may be known as the year that second-string "skill" players carried San Diego to its second-ever Super Bowl appearance ... or another lopsided loss to New England.