Chargers impressive win is a (coin) toss up

Josh Lewin, the outstanding radio play-by-play voice of the Chargers, made an interesting comment in his postgame analysis Sunday night.

Lewin said the key to the Chargers’ 30-10 whipping of New England may have been winning the coin toss before the game.

How true!

It marked the first time in six games that the Chargers have won the toss. The interesting question was whether to receive or defer till the second half.

Coach Norv Turner wisely chose to go on offense first.

By doing so, the normally slow-starting Chargers were able to put a dagger in the Patriots right off the bat.

A 48-yard pass from Philip Rivers to Vincent Jackson on the first play from scrimmage got things going. From then on, the crowd was into the game.

It was 10-0 Chargers within 11 minutes; 17-3 Chargers by halftime.

If there was a lesson learned here, it was to take the ball first whenever winning the coin flip (and hope the other team defers if it wins the toss.)

For the first time this season, the Chargers truly looked like the Super Bowl team that multitudes have predicted.

Whether they make it to the Big Game is a toss up; let’s just hope they keep winning the coin toss!

Will Chargers start the season at least 5-0?

Josh Lewin, the outstanding play-by-play announcer for the Chargers on radio station Rock 105.3 KIOZ-FM, made an interesting observation about the AFC West.

“It’s like Gladys Knight & the Pips,” he said last weekend. “The Chargers are Gladys Knight, and everyone else is the Pips.”

Right on.

It would be shocking if any of the Pips among the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs or Oakland Raiders overtake the Chargers this season in the AFC West.

Perhaps the bigger question is whether the Chargers can begin their season with a 5-0 record … at the very least.

They’re already a 10-point favorite at home for the Sept. 7 season opener at home against Carolina, which will be without leading (and suspended) receiver Steve Smith.

Then comes a Sept. 14 contest at Denver, where the Chargers haven’t had much success over the years but did win 41-3 last season. It won’t hurt that Broncos’ leading receiver Brandon Marshall is suspended for that game.

Week 3 is a Monday Night home game Sept. 22 vs. the New York Jets and some new quarterback named Brett Favre (gee, I think ESPN has ignored him lately!)

The next two weeks feature games at Oakland (Sept. 28) and Miami (Oct. 5).

So far, it appears to be a very soft schedule.

Then comes a Week 6 match up at home on Sunday Night, Oct. 12, vs. the mighty New England Patriots.

The Chargers will be looking to avenge (a) a 2006 playoff loss, (b) a 2007 regular season loss, (c) a 2007-08 postseason loss, or (d) all three losses to the Patriots.

That may be the most important hump of all to get over.