2007 Outlook:

How does a coach lead his team to the best record in the NFL in the regular season and then get fired at season’s end? Well, with a reputation of choking in the playoffs and then taking the best team in the league and choking again, Marty Schottenheimer found himself out of a job this offseason. In comes Norv Turner and a stable of new coaches as they attempt to recapture last year’s regular season success. Turner is most well known for grooming quarterbacks, so Philip Rivers figures to benefit the most from the new head coach. LaDainian Tomlinson flourished in his years playing “Marty Ball” and I don’t expect his numbers to take a hit with the new offensive scheme. Turner would have to be a fool not to utilize LT’s supreme talents as both a rusher and a pass catcher. This lineup is so talented that anything less than a Super Bowl trip would be a wasted season.

2007 Draft Review:

The Chargers drafted a nice combination of talent and need in the most recent NFL draft. TE Scott Chandler from Iowa and LB Brandon Siler were two very successful college football players who should eventually be able to help this franchise. I agreed with the selection of a wide receiver for their first pick, but I think they probably chose the wrong guy. Dwayne Jarrett, Sidney Rice, and Anthony Gonzalez were all still on the draft board when the Chargers took Craig Davis from LSU with the 30th overall pick. Draft Grade: B+

Key Acquisition:

Especially with the release of Keenan McCardell, WR Craig Davis is going to have the opportunity to jump in and prove he can produce right off the bat. How quickly the chemistry develops between him and Philip Rivers will be important for the Chargers passing game.

Key Departure:

142 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. That’s what the Chargers lost with the departure of linebacker Donnie Edwards. San Diego is still a talented defensive unit, but the loss of their leading tackler from last season is definitely noteworthy.

Offensive Preview:

Philip Rivers enters his second season as the Chargers starting quarterback and he has a new mentor in Norv Turner. In both Dallas and San Francisco, Turner was able to mold Troy Aikmen and Alex Smith into productive NFL quarterbacks. Rivers has already been productive, so hopefully Norv can help him become Pro Bowl-caliber. LaDainian Tomlinson is the best running back in the NFL and Antonio Gates is the top tight end in all of football. So needless to say, the Chargers are stacked on offense.

Defensive/Special Teams Preview:

Chargers fans will join linebacker Shawn Merriman in his “lights out” dance all season long as Merriman continues to mature into one of the premier linebackers in the league. Jamal Williams will once again anchor one of the best defensive lines and the secondary will still be solid, even with the departure of safety Terrence Kiel. On special teams, the Chargers boast one of the best kickers in the NFL with Nate Kaeding, who connected on 92.9% of his field goal attempts last year. Explosive back-up running back Michael Turner will likely get a chance to display his kick returning ability for another season. Mike Scifres will handle the punting responsibility.

Season Prediction:

You probably noticed that I referred to multiple Chargers as the best at their positions. The best running back, the best tight end, the best linebacker, the best defensive lineman, the best kicker. You get the point, San Diego is an incredibly talented football team and they should breeze through the season and into the playoffs. The true test for Norv Turner will be in the playoffs as he’ll need to motivate his team to come up clutch against other AFC greats like New England and Baltimore. I predict that they’ll come up just short in a hard-fought AFC Championship game battle against the Patriots.

Projected Finish

13 Wins, 3 Losses (1st in the AFC West)

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