SB Nation - Kassim Osgood

Bolts & Dolts: Bengals at Chargers

John (obviousman) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 12:21:04 -0000

1 day ago: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is caught by San Diego Chargers safety Kevin Ellison for a ten yard loss in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Chris Park)

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Alright, we're doing it a little different this week. I'm doing Bolts & Dolts without re-watching the game, because this is a team/game/post driven by emotion, and after re-watching I may come back and add or change something. S'alright? S'alright.

First, the game. This game ranks up there with the Giants game for me. It's an opponent of equal talent, and a lot of times in the past the Chargers have lost to teams that are just as good as them by not doing the little things. This season, through plenty of adversity (namely, injuries), the team has continued to do the little things that keep you in the game and give you a chance to win the game at the end. Because of that, today's first Bolt might be the most well-deserved one ever.

Bolts

Norv Turner. There's this recurring conversation I seem to have with my friends and family every year about Norv Turner. In a nutshell, the conversation is "The team just doesn't seem ready to play at the beginning of the season or at the beginning of games. That's coaching." Sure, fine, although the team has been much better this season at starting off games strong.

However, that's negative thinking. Three straight division titles, nine straight wins and seventeen straight wins in December (not all of thus under Turner, but still). That's coaching too. Three straight seasons where the team has started slow and could've quit on him but never did, that takes coaching. No coach is unblemished, and with Norv the good certainly outweighs the bad. I'm not ready to declare Norv the greatest Chargers coach ever, but if you look at where he is now it's hard to argue that he's not on his way to getting there.

Offense

Philip Rivers - 24/38, 308 yds, 3 TDs, 2 INTs. Only Philip would be able to manage a 92.9 QB Rating in a game in which he was picked off twice. This is why he's the active leader in QB Rating. It wasn't the best game for him, but he sporadically had some perfect throws and (as usual) came alive to save the day in the fourth quarter. His MVP resume is getting stronger while Brett Favre's is getting weaker.

LaDainian Tomlinson - 117 all-purpose yds, 3.7 YPC. It was a very efficient day for LT. He was used in the passing game when the Bengals were focused too much on the receivers, and he looked strong in the running game (as did the offensive line) nearly all game. It wasn't dominating, but it was efficient. By the way, has LT ever smiled this much in one season? He looks like he's having a ball this year.

Vincent Jackson - 5 catches, 108 yds, 2 TDs. First it was VJ that was free because of Antonio Gates, then it was Gates that was open because of VJ. Now, and credit Norv Turner for this, the team has found a perfect balance of both. Defenses have to find a way to cover both guys on every play otherwise there's going to be a big play. Credit Vincent for fighting through the little bit of adversity he's faced this year and coming back alive right when the team needed him most.

Antonio Gates - 4 catches, 33 yds, TD. Simply put, the best receiving TE in football. He cannot be covered by a CB, LB or most NFL Safeties. Unless you have somebody like Troy Polamalu or Tyvon Branch, be prepared to double-team Gates on just about every play. Gates almost lost his Bolt when he dropped the ball into Keith Rivers hands, but that ball was thrown behind him.

Malcom Floyd - 4 catches, 63 yds. I originally had Floyd down in the "Almost Bolts" and then realized that he had a better game than Gates (or at least close to it). I love how Malcom has become Philip's new favorite 3rd down target, and I love how there's never any doubt that he caught the ball if he's gotten his hands on it.

Floyd is a free-agent after this season, and a few days ago somebody said they thought another team would spend too much money on him and he wouldn't be back next season. I hope, for the sake of Philip Rivers and Malcom Floyd, that's inaccurate. These guys have been together since the start of their careers, creating chemistry on the 2nd string team in practice, and bring out the best in each other.

Defense

Tim Dobbins - 11 tackles, 1 forced fumble. Yes, yes, that was me saying "Dobbins sucks" in the first half. The truth is, the Chargers played Dobbins a lot because he's great against the run. The Bengals did the right thing in calling pass plays that would force him into coverage, where he's not-so-good. His tackle numbers are half because he was very good against the run and half because he was tackling his receiver after giving the guy an easy catch. What earned him a Bolt was getting the closest thing to a turnover on the most important play of the game.

Eric Weddle - 8 tackles. Great to see Weddle hasn't lost anything in his two weeks off. He was still in the middle of every play, and providing great downfield coverage.

Kevin Ellison - 6 tackles, 1 sack. I love Ellison's size. When the Bengals put a TE/RB out wide, Ellison always lined up with him in man coverage. He has the speed to stay with them, and the strength to give them a big bump on the line. I haven't seen him playing a lot of zone coverage (that seems to be Oliver's specialty), but in man he's stellar. I think he's earned the starting SS spot for 2010.

Defensive Line. Okay, none of them were really demanding a double-team (which is why the pass-rush was non-existent) so they weren't a huge help in rushing the QB. However, they were stellar at stopping the run. Alfonso Boone, Travis Johnson and Vaughn Martin each had periods of the game where they dominated their section of the line. If you take away the two "cut-back" runs (27 yards for Larry Johnson, 26 yards for Chad Ochocinco), the rushing numbers look significantly better. Holding Cedric Benson to just 53 yards (and no TDs) is something to be congratulated for.

Special Teams

Nate Kaeding - 2/2 FGs, 3/3 XPs. Was there even any doubt? There wasn't for me. The second Malcom Floyd caught that ball and put the Chargers on the 35 yard line, I knew they had won the game. Just as Gates is the best receiving TE in football (and arguably the best overall), Kaeding is the most accurate kicker in football (and arguably the best overall). Lucky for the Chargers, both guys are having career years at the same time.

Dolts

Offense

There were no offensive Dolts this week.

Defense

There were no defensive Dolts this week.]

Almost Bolts

Mike Scifres - The Bengals had time for one more drive to win or tie the game. Scifres punts, his gunners are blocked, and the ball still goes out of bounds on it's own at the Cincinnati 5 yard line. Any time you can force a team to go 95 yards to score the winning TD, you're making it very difficult for them. He would've been the hero of the game if the Bengals didn't go down the field and tie it.

Quentin Jammer - Jammer is one of the first plays that could've been a Bolt or a Dolt. His interception against Chad Ochocinco was beautiful, but overshadowed in my mind by the numerous times he was beaten on out routes. His goal-line play against the Bengals TE at the end of the game was a big reason why the Chargers won, but what will stick out to people is the easy interception that went through his hands on the previous play. It certainly wasn't Jammer's best game, but he responded well to being thrown at (which doesn't happen often).

Kris Wilson - Jeff will be able to better point this out in his post later this week, but I thought the team really came alive on Wilson's catch. For those that didn't see it, Kris has his helmet torn off and kept fighting for the extra yard. It got to the point where the defender literally pulled Wilson down by the back of his head (it looked like a for-sure neck injury), and Kris popped right back up with an angry stare. This all happened about a foot in front of the Chargers sideline, which went bananas after the play.

I like Wilson's toughness, blocking and soft hands. This is probably way too early, but I could see him replacing Brandon Manumaleuna next season as the team's backup TE/FB.

Kassim Osgood - Not just the best special team player in the league, but quite possibly the smartest. Nobody knows special teams better than him, and nobody works harder at it. I know it's not possible, but I really hope he's wearing a bolt on his helmet next season.

Almost Dolts

Steve Gregory - Just like Tim Dobbins, Gregory was targeted and thrown at all day. The Bengals were smart enough to not throw short-passes at his receivers, because that's Steve's specialty, and instead hit the receiver at the point where they've gotten past Gregory but before they've gotten to the safeties. It was a good gameplan that the Bolts are sure to see more of going forward. Unlike Dobbins, Gregory wasn't able to stand out with any big plays.

Pass Rush - I've been over this, but I'll go over it again. 2 sacks is not enough, but this is not the fault of Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips or Larry English. The defensive line needs to cause more of a disturbance for the QB when he's sliding up in the pocket. I think we may see more of Vaughn Martin in the next couple of weeks because, even though he's still not great or very consistent, there were times where he was pushing around offensive linemen like they were children. If he can force offenses to pay attention to him, you'll see the OLBs racking up the sacks in droves once again.

Bolts & Dolts: Chargers at Cowboys

John (obviousman) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:58:21 -0000

More photos » by Amy Gutierrez - AP

8 days ago: San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (85) pulls in a touchdown pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. The Chargers won 20-17. (AP Photo/Amy Gutierrez)

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When you factor in things like how the opposing teams have played in the games immediately before or after their showdown with the Chargers, you could make a case that this Cowboys team is the 2nd or 3rd best team the Bolts have faced all year. Although it's December, they're playing much better than they were in the beginning of the season (when the Broncos beat them) and it was going to take a complete game by the coaching staff and players to get a win.

Well, that was about as complete of a game as you can have in the NFL against a legitimate opponent. The defense, similar to the game against the Browns, seemed to play a soft zone in the beginning and end of the game. They struggled to stop any of the Cowboys three star RBs, and yet Dallas was only able to score one meaningful touchdown in the game. I have no idea how Ron Rivera keeps doing it, but he continually keeps points off the board.

The offense is currently unstoppable. It's clicking in a way it never has before, with Philip Rivers playing his best football and Norv Turner calling all the right plays at the right times. It helps when you have 5 guys on the field who are receiving threats on any given play. Even LaDainian Tomlinson, who isn't much of a feature-back these days, seems to become a better player near the goal line and whenever the Chargers need a big run for a first down.

It's a good time to be a Chargers fan. The division crowd, the playoffs and a first round bye are no longer just dreams.

Bolts

Offense

Philip Rivers - 21/32, 272 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT. Whomever is disappointed that Philip didn't have another game with a QB rating of over 130, please leave the room. This was not the Browns and it was not the Chiefs. This was a legitimate NFL defense with very few holes. The pass-rush was there all game, and kept Philip stepping up in the pocket and sometimes running for his life. The CBs played a great game, Mike Jenkins in particular. Rivers and his WRs were just better. Any time you can post a near 90 QB rating against one of the better defenses in the league, count it as a victory.

Vincent Jackson - 7 catches, 120 yds. Well, well, well....somebody's back. In reality, VJ never left. This game wasn't about him breaking out as much as it was the defense going with a different philosophy. In the last few games, the idea was to double Jackson on every play. That left things open for Antonio Gates. This game, the Cowboys did the opposite and VJ came through in a big way. Huge plays by him and Rivers are the reason this game wasn't lost. They kicked the team back into high gear after the injury to DeMarcus Ware.

Antonio Gates - 4 catches, 44 yds, 1 TD. Need a first down on third down? Need a TD from inside the 15 yard line? Go to the guy who is completely and totally uncoverable. Philip didn't need to force passes to him this game, and didn't, but when he needed that outlet to get the team out of a jam Gates was there. He always is.

Malcom Floyd - 3 catches, 40 yds. First off, his catch on the sideline was absolutely ridiculous. Second, Floyd is a Pass-Interference machine....which actually makes sense. His speed is not that great, so it's rare that you see him more than a half-step ahead of his defenders downfield. However, he has a reputation for catching everything and is the king of jump balls. So any CB covering him is close by, and knows that just getting his hands in Floyd's face isn't going to do a thing. Add in the fact that he's skinny (so it always looks like he's the one that got pushed) and he could get PI called against a CB nearly every time if he tried. It's great that Norv has figured this out, and knows there's no risk in throwing it to Floyd one-on-one downfield, and calls it when a big play is necessary.

Offensive Line - 1 sack allowed. Say what you want about the run-blocking. It's at least three times more important to keep Rivers upright and healthy than it is opening holes for LT and Darren Sproles. That was a fierce pass-rush, with lots of blitzing (I miss Phillips' recklessness sometimes), and the offensive line gave Philip just enough time and space to make plays. Even that one sack, you could argue that it happened because Rivers didn't move in the pocket when he should've. Great showing by everyone, and specifically the tackles. I don't know where Scott Mruczkowski and Brandyn Dombrowski fit into the future of the offensive line, but with them and Jeromey Clary and Nick Hardwick it would appear the Bolts have a plethora of talent up front for next year.

Defense

Brandon Siler - 5 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss. That's it. Let there be no more doubt in anybody's mind. Brandon Siler is a Player, with a capital P, and has earned the right to start ahead of Kevin Burnett for the rest of the season. He makes the run-defense stronger, gets pressure on the QB when blitzing and is generally a force that can mess up any given play for the offense. Give him the most credit for the goal-line stand (his specialty), and give him credit for being strong in coverage all game as well.

Stephen Cooper - 3 tackles, 2 defended passes, 1 forced fumble. The best game of zone coverage Coop has played all season. I don't really care that he didn't pick off the passes he got his hands on, because I believe most of them were big 3rd down plays. Cooper had an OK game against the run as well, which is why you saw a lot more runs to the outside (away from him and Siler) as time went on.

Special Teams

Mike Scifres - 42.0 average, 2 (of 3) inside opposing 20 yd line. Follow this theory, dreamed up by my wife. With about 10 second left to go in the first half, Scifres came out for his first punt (that's kindof amazing). The punt landed inside the Cowboys' 5 and bounced into the end zone. When the camera showed Mike, he was screaming "Man, what the @#$&!" at somebody. I couldn't tell why, and my wife said "I guess he wanted somebody to down it. You know, for his stats." My response was "Screw his stats, it's the end of the half!" Well, if the following theory is correct, I'm the only idiot.

In the second half, Mike punted twice. Each time it was downed inside the Cowboys' 5 yard line by Kassim Osgood. After each time, Kassim stayed where he downed it, held the ball up and looked back at where the play originated from. I originally thought he was just doing it as a celebration, and to show the refs where he was. My wife was the one who said "I bet he's showing the ball to Scifres." If that's the case, and it makes the most sense, then good job by Mike to get on Kassim. That field position meant the world in the second half. Oh, and....

Kassim Osgood - 2 downed punts inside the Cowboys' 5. You could argue that, between Osgood and Mike Tolbert, the Chargers have two of the ten best special teams players in football. I'd certainly argue that point. The Bolts are going to have big shoes to fill on punt returns next season when Osgood is playing WR somewhere else.

Nate Kaeding - 2/2 FGs, 2/2 XPs. I love that stat that shows up every time he kicks now, the most accurate kicker in the history of the NFL. Kaeding is everything that everybody thought Mike Nugent would be. If you're within 45 yards of the goal post, it's a guaranteed 3 points. Beyond that, you still have a good chance.

Dolts

Offense

There were no offensive Dolts this week.

Defense

Defensive Line - 4.0 YPC allowed, zero sacks. This probably isn't their fault. There just isn't enough talent on the line to dominate anybody anymore. Still, each guy on the line was getting pushed around with ease and I don't believe any of them were demanding anything more than a single blocker. This is a big reason why Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips were held in check as pass-rushers and run-stoppers. The defensive line allowed a lot of easy runs up the gut, and didn't take up the blockers to free up LBs to stop the runs to the outside either. Whether or not they can do it, the Bolts may need the defensive line to play better than that to win any playoff games.

Almost Bolts

Mike Tolbert - Quite a weapon on offense, and quite a hitter on special teams. I'm left scratching my head as to why he didn't carry the ball once all game, but I'm sure Norv has his reasons. Perhaps, like me, he doesn't yet trust him to hold onto the ball in a close game?
LaDainian Tomlinson - Just what we've come to expect from LT. Smart running, timely big plays and a knack for never fumbling the football. Has anyone else noticed that he never loses yardage anymore? A handoff to LT these days is a guaranteed 2 yards or more.
Antonio Cromartie - He's gotta be the best man-to-man CB in the league right now. In man, he was untouchable. In zone, he was good but not great. The Quentin Jammer-Antonio Cromartie tandem is playing at the highest combined level ever right now. That's why you see teams putting their star WRs (like Miles Austin) in the slot, to get away from those guys.
Safeties - Nobody mistook these Safeties for Eric Weddle or Troy Polamalu out there, but the same philosophies were in place and played out. Paul Oliver, Steve Gregory, Kevin Ellison and C.J. Spillman did not allow big plays through the air and prevented big plays on the ground with sound tackling. I personally can't wait until Gregory can slide back down to the Nickel CB spot again and Weddle can start roaming centerfield like always. It's my belief that the run defense, as well as the man-defense on the slot receiver, is a lot better with Gregory down near the line of scrimmage.
Tim Dobbins - The poor man's Brandon Siler. He played well in goal line situations.
Larry English - He got the closest to Tony Romo out of the OLBs. As with most of this season though, English was close but couldn't make the play.

Game Preview: Philadelphia Eagles at San Diego Chargers

John (obviousman) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:00:27 -0000

Is anyone else worried that this might be a let-down game? The Chargers are coming off a huge victory against the Giants in New York and are returning home to play an Eagles team that's on the verge of turmoil (aren't they always?) after losing to the Dallas Cowboys. The Bolts have the momentum and many people are picking them to win. Here are the two things that are worrying me about this game:

Everyone knows how big the Broncos game is. If the Chargers are going to make a run at the division championship, they need to win that game. It's been a focus of the fans all week and the Eagles have almost become an afterthought. Let us hope Norv has been able to keep this team focused on this week.
Although the team has been improved since the bye week, the only team they've soundly defeated during that stretch is the Chiefs. The Chargers were pushed around again by the Raiders and needed a last-minute drive to beat the struggling Giants. The main reason for these close wins is the offense going silent for long periods of time in the second half. My thinking is, if the offense can die for an entire quarter it can stay silent much longer.

Doing each one of these game previews, I usually bring everything back to the "worst case scenario". This is really how I think about everything in the future. Usually the worst case scenario for the Chargers is a shootout, which they can usually win based off of the strength of their offense. However, I don't know that the Chargers could beat the Eagles in a shootout.

I don't know, I have a lot of doubts about this game. I know we have momentum and good feelings, but that doesn't win football games. Let's break down the stats and see what they tell us.

When the Eagles Have the Ball

Off. Yds/Game: 15th

Off. Pts/Game: 4th

3rd Down %: 22nd

Time of Possession: 26th

Pass Yds/Game: 15th

40+ Yd Pass Plays: 10 (1st)

Rush Yds/Game: 17th

Rush Yds/Att: 4.7 (5th)

All of these stats add up to something very simple: Stop DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Obviously the Eagles struggle to put together long drives and score mostly on big plays. Luckily for Chargers fans, stopping the big plays has been a specialty of the defense (and especially the secondary) this season. Stopping 3rd down conversions is another story...

via twiggs.org

Def. Yds/Game: 11th

Def. Pts/Game: 20th

3rd Down %: 28th

Pass Yds/Game: 5th

40+ Yd Pass Plays: 2 (5th)

Rush Yds/Game: 26th

Rush Yds/Att: 4.2 (13th)

Advantage: Tie. Coming from somebody who lives in Philly and has watched a fair share of Philly games, there's no way of predicting what will happen. There's a 50% chance that Donovan McNabb is incredibly accurate and Brian Westbrook is unstoppable. There's also a 50% chance that McNabb can't complete a pass and Westbrook can't get any significant yards (yes, even against the Chargers "warm butter" run defense).

Luckily for the Chargers, and for us fans, this is a strength vs. strength matchup. The Eagles offense will test the Bolts' secondary, which has been good all year and is getting better with addition of a real pass rush. That gives me more hope than if San Diego were facing a team that relies heavily on a power running attack.

When the Chargers Have the Ball

Off. Yds/Game: 17th

Off. Pts/Game: 9th

3rd Down %: 12th

Time of Possession: 28th

Pass Yds/Game: 7th

40+ Yd Pass Plays: 8 (5th)

Rush Yds/Game: 32nd

Rush Yds/Att: 32nd

It's kindof amazing that the Chargers are 5-3 and surging with the league's worst running game.

via www.eagles-football-fansite.info

Def. Yds/Game: 10th

Def. Pts/Game: 8th

3rd Down %: 6th

Pass Yds/Game: 11th

40+ Yd Pass Plays: 3 (9th)

Rush Yds/Game: 10th

Rush Yds/Att: 3.6 (4th)

Advantage: Eagles. While the Eagles defense isn't bad, they're ranked about as well as the Giants defense, they lost their nickel and dime cornerbacks during this week. That is a weakness that can be exploited with Legedu Naanee and maybe even Kassim Osgood. That can be paired with the height disadvantage (all of the Philly CBs are 5'10") for some opening in the passing game. One thing is for sure, Philip Rivers will not hesitate to throw to his tall WRs downfield if they're covered one-on-one.

The key to this game is Nick Hardwick. Rivers won't survive against the Eagles' complicated blitzes without somebody on the line that can figure out where the blitz is coming from. If Hardwick plays, there's a much better chance of keeping the QB upright and throwing downfield.

Fancy Stats (DVOA Rankings)

via www.bostonherald.com

San Diego Chargers

Offense: 16th

Pass Offense: 9th

Rush Offense: 30th

Defense: 23rd

Pass Defense: 14th

Rush Defense: 27th

Philadelphia Eagles

Offense: 12th

Pass Offense: 15th

Rush Offense: 9th

Defense: 1st

Pass Defense: 1st

Rush Defense: 12th

Bolts & Dolts: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs

John (obviousman) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:06:38 -0000

More photos » by Ed Zurga - AP

about 1 month ago: San Diego Chargers running back Darren Sproles (43) gets past Kansas City Chiefs safety Jon McGraw (47) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, in Kansas City, Mo. Sproles ran 58 yard for a touchdown on the play. The Chargers beat the Chiefs 37-7. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

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I know it won't come as a surprise, but there won't be many "Dolts" after yesterday's game. It was a well-played game against a weaker opponent, so I'll tone down the positive rhetoric as well.

The one thing that should be noted, though, is that for the first time in a long time the Chargers did not play down to their weaker opponent. This was a game they knew they should dominate and they did. With a weak schedule ahead of them, this is a fantastic sign of things to come.

Onto the best and worst from Week 7's win in KC.

Bolts

Offense

Philip Rivers - 18/30, 268 yards, 3 TDs (122.6 QB Rating). No interceptions and no mistakes. The only way the Chiefs were going to be competitive in this game was if they got a few turnovers, and Philip made sure that wasn't going to happen. His deep ball wasn't perfect (it was raining), but it was good enough. Add on his 2 runs for 18 yards (is that becoming a weapon?) and you have a great all-around game. Everything we'd expect from Rivers when he's given time to throw.

Vincent Jackson - 5 catches, 142 yards, 1 TD. (Yawn) Another average day for Vincent Jackson. He's having a hell of a season. In the offseason I was hoping the Chargers wouldn't try to sign him, because top-flight WRs are extraordinarily expensive, and now I think he should be the team's top priority. Apparently top WRs are so expensive because they're worth it. It should be noted that VJ came about 6 inches away from having 2 TDs yesterday.

Darren Sproles - 5 rushes, 41 rush yds, 3 catches, 58 rec yds, 1 rec TD. Sproles was used to perfection in yesterday's game. This is precisely what I'd like to see from him every week. He wasn't forced to be the focal point of the running attack, and he made one big play catching the ball out of the backfield that put the game out of reach. He was also solid, but unspectacular, in the return game. Can you really argue with a 8.2 yards-per-carry and 19.3 yards-per-reception?

Mike Tolbert - 1 catch, 2 yards. This has nothing to do with stats. Mike Tolbert is developing into the FB that everybody wanted him to become when they saw his Lorenzo Neal-like frame. The running game works much better when he's blocking for LaDainian Tomlinson instead of Jacob Hester. Enough of the FB by committee. Tolbert should be the full-time FB.

Defense

Tim Dobbins - 11 tackles, 1 defended pass, 1 interception. What a game! He looked better than Stephen Cooper out there. Dobbins was all over the place, making tackles and making plays. Would I trust him in coverage against the Broncos or Colts? I don't know. The Chiefs couldn't really test his pass coverage, but everything they threw at him he destroyed.

Defensive Front Seven - You know how every time Eric Weddle ends up the team's leading tackler, nobody is real happy about it? If a Safety is your lead tackler, your front seven didn't do their job....right? Let's look at the Chargers' leading tacklers from yesterday by position:

Dobbins (LB)
Siler (LB)
Phillips (LB)
Merriman (LB)
Gregory (Nickel CB)

Luis Castillo - 2 tackles. Luis was a beast yesterday that the Chiefs could not contain. He stopped running plays in their tracks, got consistent pressure on Matt Cassel and even tackled a WR "over the middle". Although the stats don't show it, and they normally won't if you're the best player on the 3-4 defensive line, this may be turning into the best season of Castillo's career.

Steve Gregory - 4 tackles, 1 sack, 2 defended passes, 1 interception. The most questioned member of the Chargers "re-tooled" secondary had the biggest game. We certainly saw why he was moved to Nickel CB over Antoine Cason. What Gregory lacks in size, he makes up for in physicality, toughness and smarts. He was much better rushing the passer from the nickel spot than Cason has ever been. He took risks that I don't think Cason would've ever taken, and they usually worked out. I still worry about Steve getting burned by a fast receiver, but the Chargers needed desperately to win the short game before worrying about the deep game and Gregory helps them in that regard.

Eric Weddle - 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 defended pass. Eric Weddle has turned into exactly what I thought he would when he was drafted. He is a solid, intelligent player that delivers consistently. Is he a great leader? Not necessarily. Does he have weaknesses? Sure, he can't really cover TEs. Still, what he can do he does very well and he's hardly every out of position. I think one of Eric's best talents is rushing the passer, and Ron Rivera apparently agrees. In obvious passing situations yesterday, Kevin Ellison was taken off the field and Weddle was moved to SS as a sometimes-blitzer (with Paul Oliver playing FS). The Bolts saw plenty of success with that personnel, and I imagine we'll see more of it in the future.

Special Teams

Jacob Hester - 1 blocked punt, 1 fumble recovery, 1 ST TD, 3 rushes, 8 rush yds. For as much as I've been disappointed in him as a FB/HB this year, I've been just as impressed with Jacob on special teams. Which is funny, considering Tolbert was the one who was kept on the roster because of his contributions on special teams. I think he should still be a part of the offense, because he has soft hands and good speed, but I don't know exactly where he fits. Either way, Hester may be the rightful heir to Kassim Osgood's special teams throne in 2010.

Mike Scifres - 4 punts, 49.0 yards-per-punt, 2 punts inside opposing 20 yd line. Yesterday's game included a 63 yard punt from Scifres, which means he's 100% healthy or close to it again. Also, when facing one of the better punters in the league, Scifres had a higher YPP, less touchbacks (0-1) and didn't have any of his kicks blocked (0-1). Although it was a good competition, Mike came out the victor.

Dolts

Offense

Chris Chambers - thrown to 4 times, 0 catches. Fans and coaching staff alike have always looked past Chambers' dropped passes because he caught the ball when it mattered. On third down, in the fourth quarter, in a playoff game, etc. When the heat is on, Chris' hands turn to magnets. Not the case yesterday. There were several drives that were stopped dead in their tracks because he couldn't make an easy catch on 3rd down. That's not acceptable.

Brandyn Dombrowski - Before you can win a football game, you need to eliminate mental errors. When you line up as an eligible receiver, you better know it and you better know to report. Especially when you're that close to the end zone. That was a really stupid mistake that ended up costing the Chargers 7 points. In a close games, mental errors mean everything. Thank you lucky stars it wasn't a close game and work on thinking when you're on the field.

Editor's Note. I am not including the offensive line because as poor as they may have been when close to the goal line, they were fantastic otherwise. It was apparent to everybody watching that the Chargers were desperately trying to get LT a running TD, just as it's apparent that LT can no longer get any yards when running to the outside. The Chiefs did the right thing in putting 10 or 11 guys in the box and sending them all at Tomlinson. That's part of what made the Offensive Line's job so difficult down there.

Defense

There are no defensive Dolts this week.

If I Were the San Diego Chargers' GM: Q1 Review

John (obviousman) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:08:32 -0000

More photos » by Jack Smith - AP

Being the Chargers GM must be awesome. (AP Photo/Jack Smith)

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My greatest love, as it pertains to football, is personnel. Even during an entertaining, late season game my brain can't help from scouting the players on my screen and thinking about improvements that need to be made to the roster. Even in the very early stages of an unpredictable season, I love nothing more than to throw my GM hat on and pretend I'm A.J. Smith.

I have two dream jobs. Well, three I guess. Number one would be playing Quarterback in the NFL. However, I'm about 4 inches shorter than Drew Brees and 9 inches shorter than Philip Rivers, so that might be hard. I will admit that I've always been an accurate passer in my backyard and even won my wife a stuffed duck on one of those boardwalk games where you have to hit the target inside of the swinging tire. Still, that one ain't happening.

My second dream job would be as GM in the NFL. This is the reason I look through stats endlessly and the reason I've read Ernie Accorsi's book twice already. If I could one day be the GM of any NFL team, I think I'd skip everywhere instead of walking. Also, I'd do it for free.

My third dream job I'm practically doing. It would be to write about the San Diego Chargers. To share my passion and contribute words to the world that are appreciated, even if it's by a small group of people.

So while writing about it, I'm going to be doing quarterly looks ahead to see the potential holes in the roster in 2010 and to tel you what I would do if I were Mr. Smith. My first attempt at this is after the jump.

Free Agents

Team FAs

Since I don't want to write this post two different ways every time I do it, let's go off the assumption that there will be a new CBA in place by time free agency rolls around. Here's who the Chargers are at risk of losing:

Who to Keep

Vincent Jackson
Brandon Manumaleuna
Marcus McNeill
Tim Dobbins

Look, the WR situation is not as bad as it might seem. Where will we find the money to pay VJ? Simple. We'll give him Chambers' money. Chris is one of the top 20 WRs in the league in terms of base salary. Moving that money over to Jackson, plus VJ's current salary and a little extra, should be enough to keep this dynamic WR in San Diego for another 5 years as least. That's a move that I would do as GM.

Manumaleuna can be kept because he'd probably be cheap. He's an effective blocking TE who can fill in at OT or FB in a pinch. Unless somebody else falls in love with Dobbins, I'd keep him around for run support, depth and his special teams prowess. McNeill is kept because he's an adequate LT that has tremendous potential. It's really hard to find a good LT these days and even harder to try to play without one.

Merriman can go because his price tag is too high. The team cannot afford to be paying starter's money to 3 OLBs. Also, the Chargers could do worse than having Antwan Applewhite and Jyles Tucker as the backups. I'd like to keep Osgood, but don't see him staying. Somebody that likes tall receivers (Bengals?) will give him a chance to catch balls and he'll be gone. Chambers, Sproles and Whitehurst will all cost much more than they're worth on the free agent market.

It would probably cause too many issues to slap the franchise tag onto Merriman. He wouldn't want to play on the one-year deal, he'll feel he's getting underpaid, etc. etc. I'd personally go without a franchised player in 2010.

Roster Holes

The 2009 offseason was the first in a few years where there was legitimate holes on the roster. As of right now, I don't know that the team did a very good job of filling all of those holes. In 2010, those same weaknesses exist along with new ones.

Running Back - The bad news is that LT can't take the beating of a starting RB in the NFL anymore. The good news is that his restructured contract makes him cheap enough that he could be the second option in the ground game without killing the cap.

Trying to buy a running back as a free agent is absurd, unless you find a diamond in the rough (like Priest Holmes). It's even harder when there's only a couple of decent free agents RBs. After this season, the only RBs that might become free agents (they could still sign a contract with their current team) that have any starting experience are LenDale White, Pierre Thomas, Chester Taylor, Willie Parker and Le'Ron McClain. Jerious Norwood is an intriguing name, although he hasn't started much at all since being drafted. I don't think any of these guys are worth the money that they're going to get, so I point my eyes towards the draft.

I think it is absolutely, 100% necessary to use the Chargers 2010 first round draft pick on a running back that can start immediately. Unfortunately, this draft class currently looks thin at RB. Perhaps it's just too early. Even so, I have my eye on Clemson's C.J. Spiller and from the looks of it he might want the chance to apprentice under Tomlinson.

Strong Safety - From what I've seen, Kevin Ellison is not the answer at Strong Safety. He's the Brandon Siler of that position. He's a strong, big hitter than is good against the run but will get burned if he has to cover anybody downfield. I don't think Clinton Hart or Steve Gregory are good enough that I feel secure in having either of them as my starting SS in 2010.

I'm very intrigued with C.J. Spillman as an option here. He was very fast and hit really hard during the preseason. He reminded me of Melvin Bullitt, who I am a big fan of. I'm hopeful that the only reason he's listed as a FS and saw time their in the preseason is because the team liked what they saw from both him and Ellison and did not want them competing for the third SS job. If I was A.J. Smith, I have a meeting with Norv Turner and Ron Rivera and ask them point blank of Spillman is a viable option to start at SS before I make any other moves.

Let's assume they say no. "There's nobody on the roster we're excited about starting at SS." Well, let's see what else is out there. The aforementioned Melvin Bullitt (RFA) is part of a strong class of free agent Strong Safeties that also includes Atari Bigby, Abram Elam, Dawan Landry and Brodney Pool. These guys may cost more than trying to find a decent SS through the draft, but with more important needs to fill with rookies I think the Free Agent route would be the one to take. Any of those 5 guys mentioned, with the possible exception of Brodney Pool, would be a great improvement over Hart and Gregory.

Defensive Tackle - I originally thought this position was a HUGE need, but it may not be by the end of this season. If Ogemdi Nwagbuo and Vaughn Martin both show improvement during the season, to the point where they could both be competent starters on the defensive line, then the Chargers have incredible depth in 2010. That would leave them with 5 legitimate starters (Nwagbuo, Martin, Luis Castillo, Jamal Williams, Jacques Cesaire) and no need for anyone beyond that besides maybe Ryon Bingham.

If neither of them pan-out, the Chargers will continue to look for a young replacement for Jamal Williams. There are plenty of good DTs in the 2009 draft class, including 365 lb. Terrence Cody, so that would be the way to go there. As for right now, Shaun Rogers would be someone that I would inquire about but it would cause problems for the future of the defensive line. Rogers is signed for 5 seasons after 2009, and considering the Chargers would have to give up at least a first round draft pick to get him they would not be eager to dump him once Jamal Williams came back or one of the young kids started to show promise. That means they would have to give up on J-Will, OG and/or Martin and I don't think they're ready to do any of that. If I'm A.J. Smith, I'd like to stand pat and see how the young kids play for the rest of the season. However, the idea of Rogers pushing the line around with Nwagbuo subbing in and Martin playing backup DE seems like one I'd have to jump on if the price was right.

Center - This one kindof kills me. After talking with him at training camp, I can say that Nick Hardwick is one of the nicest people I've ever met. Not one of the nicest Chargers or nicest football players, nicest people. I also think he's a fantastic Center when he's able to stay healthy. I just think the Chargers need a better backup plan for when he gets injured.

Tyronne Green brought some hope. He was a very good OG at Auburn, and they hoped to turn him into the backup Center. Considering he's the 3rd Center and probably the 5th Guard, it's safe to say this pick has yet to pan out. If he shows something before next season, great. He can be a solid Center and nobody else is needed. If he shows nothing, he needs to be cut and a legitimate Center needs to be drafted. It's damn near impossible to find a decent Center as a free agent because of how valuable they are to each team's offensive line.

Summary

It's obviously not a full plan, but there's direction there. Sign Vincent Jackson to the contract he's worth. Scout every college RB in the country. Aggressively pursue the free agent Strong Safeties. Make a decision to trade for a NT or put your confidence in Nwagbuo and Martin for the future. Find a real Center to backup Hardwick. The rest will fall into place as the season goes along, and I hope some of these weaknesses turn into strengths. Right now, that's what I would focus on if I were the General Manager of the San Diego Chargers.

The Argument for a San Diego Chargers Passing Attack

John (obviousman) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:00:30 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Sanchez - AP

3 months ago: San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, left, drops back to pass as Oakland Raiders linebacker Ricky Brown, right, looks on during the third quarter of their NFL football game between the Oakland Raiders against the San Diego Chargers, Monday, Sept. 14, 2009 in Oakland, Calif.(AP Photo/Marcio Sanchez)

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It's time I dig into this issue and get my fingernails dirty. Guessing why Norv Turner prefers a balanced offense to a spread-out, pass-happy offense is not going to get us anywhere. Sure, with one of the greatest RBs of all-time (and one known to almost never fumble the ball), there's temptation to keep handing him the rock and sending him up the middle (since he can't make it outside as easily anymore). However, I'm going to make the argument that switch to a more spread-out, pass-happy offense would benefit the Chargers and make them a more dynamic team.

1. Play to your personnel. Any good Head Coach/General Manager relationship should revolve around this statement. The GM's job is to find good players at bargain prices and hand them to the coach. The coach's job is to build a team that plays to the strengths of his roster. Here are the strengths of the Chargers roster:

Hands - Who on this offense can't catch a ball? You could argue that Vincent Jackson occasionally doesn't make the easy catch, but every other catch is generally made. Malcom Floyd, Legedu Naanee, Chris Chambers, Antonio Gates, LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles all have glue on their hands. Michael Bennett, Jacob Hester, Mike Tolbert, Buster Davis, Brandon Manumaleuna, Kassim Osgood and Kris Wilson are all somewhere between "Good" and "Fantastic".
Speed - Need burners? We got 'em. I think VJ and Naanee are probably the two fastest WRs, with Floyd, Chambers and Buster not far behind. Gates may be the fastest TE in football. Sproles is probably the fastest RB in football. This is a team Urban Meyer would drool over.
The Captain of the Ship - So you just made Philip Rivers the highest-paid player on your team. Considering he's also signed to be here just as long as anyone else on the roster, this is his team. Chances are in 5 years from now the team will look very different, but Rivers will still be behind Center. Why not build the team around his strengths? He's the leader, he's accurate and he's smart. In his entire career, only 2.5% of his passes have been intercepted. In his career he's average 7.5 yards per pass attempt and 12 yards per completed pass. Compare that to Tomlinson's 4.2 yards per carry last year and you can see how this may be a more effective way to move the offense downfield.
The Offensive Line - In 2006 and 2007, Kris Dielman was maybe the best Guard in the entire NFL. At that same time, Lorenzo Neal was maybe the best Fullback in football. Those two guys worked magic and cleared some massive holes to help LT break those records. However, Dielman isn't the incredible run-blocker he once was. Nick Hardwick can't seem to stay healthy and the starting Right Guard for the Chargers has very little experience as a run blocker. This is an offensive line that is currently better suited to pass-block than they are run-block.
Jacob Hester - NFL offenses are quite simple in some ways. Do you have a big, bruising RB that can break tackles? He may or may not need a lead blocker to clear the way. Do you have a small RB that can make something happen if you give him space? He needs a lead blocker that can clear the way. For as much as I praise Hester for the progress he's made as a blocker, he will never be Lorenzo Neal. He will never knock LBs five yards back when he hits them. His hands, ability to run the football and intelligence make him a more valuable weapon in a passing offense than in a power running offense.
LT/Sproles - As I just stated, for these guys to succeed they need a big, bruising offensive line and a powerful lead blocker. They don't currently have that, but that doesn't mean they cannot be effective. If you spread the defense out and force them to play with 5 or 6 defensive backs, that will make both LT and Sproles more effective than if you line up 2 TEs and a FB in front of them and send them up the middle against 8 guys. Also, with LT/Sproles constantly being lined up against LBs and Safeties you'd have clear-cut mismatches on every play.

See the rest of my argument for the Chargers to run a spread-out, pass-happy offense after the jump.

2. It's a proven success for winning. In the past 50 years, there have been plenty of teams that have tried to win through the air rather than on the ground. Some have had more success than others. The key is defense. If you have even an average defense, you can outscore your opponents. Teams like the 2008 Cardinals, 2007 Patriots, 2006 Colts, 2004 Eagles, 2002 Raiders and 2001 Rams (all teams that have made the super bowl) have all had great offenses without having much of a running attack. These teams made it further than any recent Chargers team by spreading the defense out 3, 4 and sometimes even 5 wide.

3. It makes the defense better. The teams mentioned above each had defenses that were able to be much more aggressive than other teams because they were typically playing from ahead. I once heard an interview with the late Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson, a man who Ron Rivera considers a mentor, in which he half-jokingly said something to the effect of "My play-calling is suicide unless we're playing with a lead." Any coach that loves to blitz will tell you that getting an early lead is the key to running an aggressive defense.

4. It slows down the opponent's running game. If the Oakland game showed us anything, it is the the Chargers front seven can get pushed around. Considering the Bolts are facing the AFC North and NFC East this season, meaning they will play at least a handful of teams the win with running and defense, this may be the only option. Do the Chargers really think they can win against the Giants, Ravens or Steelers with the same offense they ran against the Raiders? The way to beat those teams is to make them abandon their gameplan and force them to start playing away from their strengths. I think that quickly getting up by 10 or 14 points by spreading them out, then sending heavy blitzing at their QBs while covering their none-too-impressive receivers, would certainly give the Bolts a better chance at victory. Balance be damned.

5. Rivers or LT. I know LT is the bigger name and the one that shows up in the commercials. I know that when he's on the sideline, I rarely get to see the action on the field. I've made a million cases for taking some of the workload away from LT to save his legs, so I'm not going into that again. However, here is my point: Philip Rivers led the Chargers to 5 come-from-behind victories in 2008. He already has one come-from-behind victory in 2009. When it gets to the 4th quarter and the Bolts are losing, the fans and the team seems very confident that Rivers is going to come through and win the game. Why? Because he's a great player, that's why. So my question is, if it's become painfully obvious to everybody who pays attention to the team that Rivers has become the best player on the team, why would you wait until you're losing in the 4th quarter to hand him the reins of the offense? Wouldn't it make more sense to build a lead with Philip throwing the ball all over the place, then let LT get his carries and burn the clock in the second half while the defense blitzes the hell out of the opposing QB?

San Diego Chargers Select 2009 Captains

John (obviousman) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:39:18 -0000

by Denis Poroy - AP

3 months ago: Chuck Liddell, a mixed martial artist, gets a hug from San Diego Chargers' Kassim Osgood prior to the NFL preseason football game between the San Diego Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers at Qualcomm Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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The San Diego Chargers players have voted, and the team has named their captains for the 2009 season. These guys will take care of the coin toss and get that fancy "C" on their jerseys all year. These are the guys have been voted on as their peers to be recognized as leaders on the field and in the locker room.

Offensive Captains

Philip Rivers, QB (4th year as captain)
LaDainian Tomlinson, HB (7th year as captain)

Defensive Captains

Jamal Williams, DT (5th year as captain)
Stephen Cooper, LB (1st year as captain)

Special Teams Captain

Kassim Osgood, WR (5th year as captain)

How's that for consistency? Congrats goes out to all of the guys, but especially to Stephen Cooper. I read an interview last year where Coop said he had always been a quiet guy, but felt like he needed to start being more vocal and leading the defense last year to get it going in the right direction after Cottrell was fired. It's great to see that the other players have noticed his effort and lined up behind him by voting him as one of their defensive captains.

Updating the San Diego Chargers Depth Chart

John (obviousman) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:50:16 -0000

by Denis Poroy - AP

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, left, drills with teammates during the Chargers NFL football practice held in San Diego Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Is everyone ready to get back to business? I know I've had enough Tila Tequila for a lifetime.

Since we have been keeping your readers up-to-date to the Chargers depth chart throughout the preseason, I thought it was appropriate to do it one last time after the roster as been cut to 53. Barring injury, this is probably the way it will look for the remainder of the site.

The official Chargers depth chart, plus my thoughts, can be found after the jump.

Offense

WR1

Chris Chambers
Malcom Floyd
Buster Davis

WR2

Kris Dielman
Scott Mruczkowski

Nick Hardwick
Scott Mruczkowski

Louis Vasquez
Scott Mruczkowski

Jeromey Clary
Brandyn Dombrowski

Defense

OLB1

Stephen Cooper

OLB2

LCB

Quentin Jammer

RCB

The special teams you can guess. Nate Kaeding is the only kicker, Mike Scifres is the only punter. David Binn is the long snapper, Sproles is the return man and Cromartie is the backup return man.

Now, I started copying this depth chart from the Chargers weekly game release, but then decided to go off of the depth chart that's listed on Chargers.com. Mostly I went this way because I thought they'd be roughly the same, but with one having Manumaleuna listed as the 2nd TE and the other having him listed as the second starting FB (I know, it's odd). However, there's more differences than that. Let's count all of the differences on the game release from what you see above:

Brandon Manumaleuna is listed as the second starting FB. Kris Wilson listed as 2nd TE.
Tyronne Green is listed as the 3rd string LG and RG.
Osgood is listed as the 3rd WR1, Davis is listed as the 3rd WR2.
Travis Johnson is listed as the backup for Jamal Williams and Luis Castillo. Nwagbuo is listed as the backup to Cesaire. Vaughn Martin is shown as the 3rd DE at both spots.
Shaun Phillips is backed up by Jyles Tucker. Merriman is backed up by Applewhite. English is listed 3rd behind Merriman.

That's interesting, isn't it? There's probably nothing to the inconsistencies. It's probably just a case of two different people putting the depth charts together. Still, I'd like to know who the team really considers to be the backup DT and if English is really ahead of Tucker.

The offensive line looks even thinner on the Chargers' website's depth chart. Why not show Green there as well, so the fans don't get nervous about one guy backing up all three interior-line positions by himself? Also, Dombrowski covering both tackle positions by himself would worry me more if I didn't think that Mooch or even Manumaleuna could handle an offensive tackle spot in a pinch.

What do you guys think? Is there enough depth on this team to fight through injuries in 2009?

San Diego Chargers' Roster: 2009 vs. 2008

John (obviousman) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:02:57 -0000

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

3 months ago: San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson (21) and quarterback Philip Rivers (17) watch from the sidelines during their NFL preseason football game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Saturday Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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With the San Diego Chargers' 53-man roster set, I want to compare where the team is today compared to where they were one year ago. How do the position groups match up to each other? On talent alone, has the team gotten better or worse?

QB (2009): Philip Rivers, Billy Volek, Charlie Whitehurst

QB (2008): Rivers, Volek, Whitehurst

Verdict: Equal. There's been no change, but Rivers enters 2009 with no questions about his health (as he did in 2008) and a year of learning how to carry an NFL team on his back. Volek looks more polished as he gets even more comfortable with Norv Turner's offense. Still, any improvements here have more to do with time and chemistry rather than any talent improvement.

See the comparisons and verdicts of the rest of the position groups after the jump.

HB (2009): LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles, Michael Bennett, Gartrell Johnson, Jacob Hester, Mike Tolbert

HB (2008): LT, Sproles, Hester, Tolbert, Andrew Pinnock

Verdict: Better in '09. The Chargers went into 2008 thinking that Hester could fit the role of power RB and backup to LT. He has shown himself to be a fine FB, but not an NFL-caliber running back. So, based on the fact that there is at least one decent backup to LT in 2009 (Bennett) and possibly another (Johnson), 2009 wins.

WR (2009): Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Buster Davis, Malcom Floyd, Legedu Naanee, Kassim Osgood

WR (2008): Chambers, Jackson, Davis, Floyd, Naanee, Osgood

Verdict: Equal. Same players, same result. Jackson, Floyd and Naanee may be better than they were at the start of 2008, but there's really no way of predicting that. The expectations for Chambers and Davis have dropped in the last year.

TE (2009): Antonio Gates, Brandon Manumaleuna, Kris Wilson

TE (2008): Gates, Manumaleuna

Verdict: Better in '09. Kris Wilson offers great blocking and good hands out of the 3rd TE position. Having a player like that on the end of the line (possibly next to Manu), offers a great improvement for goal line packages. Expect a lot of "Off Tackle" runs to his side when the Chargers are inside the opponents' 5 yard line.

OT (2009): Jeromey Clary, Marcus McNeill, Brandyn Dombrowski

OT (2008): Clary, McNeill, L.J. Shelton, Corey Clark

Verdict: Better in 2008. Although I really like Dombrowski, I'd certainly prefer to have 2 legitimate backup Tackles and a veteran mixed in there (like Shelton) makes me more comfortable as well. Shelton did a decent job filling in for McNeill in 2008, and it's always nice to have a proven commodity sitting on the bench should anything happen.

G (2009): Kris Dielman, Louis Vasquez, Tyronne Green

G (2008): Dielman, Mike Goff, Scott Mruczkowski

Verdict: Better in '09. Dielman is healthier than he was going into 2008, Goff was a train-wreck last season and has since flopped in KC, and Mooch is still on the team. Louis Vasquez brings a massive presence to the right side of the line that should eventually help balance it out.

C (2009): Nick Hardwick, Mruczkowski

C (2008): Hardwick, Jeremy Newberry, Cory Withrow

Verdict: Better in '09. Hardwick is healthy, which is the biggest improvement here, and Mooch is a better blocker than Newberry and Withrow combined. The reason the Chargers were able to go with only 8 offensive linemen is because Mruczkowski and Green can both play Center and Guard. Dombrowski can also play either Tackle or Guard.

Defense

DT (2009): Jamal Williams, Ogemdi Nwagbuo

DT (2008): Williams, Brandon McKinney

Verdict: Equal. Both McKinney and Nwagbuo are young and have shown themselves to be capable in the preseason. Regular work in the season will let the team know if Nwagbuo is ready to fill that backup NT slot long-term.

DE (2009): Luis Castillo, Travis Johnson, Vaughn Martin, Jacques Cesaire

DE (2008): Castillo, Igor Olshansky, Cesaire, Ryon Bingham

Verdict: Incomplete. For as bland as Igor was as the Chargers' DE, he stayed healthy and was consistent enough to almost never get bowled over. Cesaire's health will help determine if this group has been improved over 2008, as well as how well Travis Johnson can transition back to the 3-4 and if he's improved work ethic. Since neither is a starter, I'll call Martin and Bingham a tie.

ILB (2009): Kevin Burnett, Stephen Cooper, Tim Dobbins, Brandon Siler

ILB (2008): Dobbins, Siler, Matt Wilhelm, Derek Smith, Anthony Waters

Verdict: 2009, better by a long shot. Cooper wasn't on the initial 53 man roster from 2008 because he was serving a 4 game suspension, so that's a big improvement. Burnett has shown himself to be a major playmaker in the Chargers defense, which puts him leaps and bounds ahead of Wilhelm, Smith and Waters.

OLB (2009): Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips, Larry English, Jyles Tucker, Antwan Applewhite

OLB (2008): Merriman, Phillips, Marques Harris, Jyles Tucker

Verdict: 2009 wins. A healthy Merriman (remember, the Chargers knew he was planning on playing 2008 on a bad knee), plus a first-round draft pick, makes this an easy choice.

CB (2009): Quentin Jammer, Antonio Cromartie, Antoine Cason

CB (2008): Jammer, Cromartie, Cason, Cletis Gordon, DeJuan Tribble

Verdict: Tie. Gordon and Tribble don't bring anything to the 2008 group. Figuring that out helped the Chargers to take the risk and go with only 3 CBs in 2009.

FS (2009): Eric Weddle, Paul Oliver, C.J. Spillman

FS (2008): Weddle, Oliver

Verdict: 2009, but just barely. I don't know that Spillman will see a lot of time as a FS in '09, but he should be a force on special teams and could eventually develop into the backup FS or a starting SS.

SS (2009): Clinton Hart, Steve Gregory, Kevin Ellison

SS (2008): Hart, Gregory

Verdict: 2009, but just barely. Ellison brings something to the table in goal line situations (where he can't get burned deep), and I hope he can do something for special teams, but that's about it right now. If he continues to develop, keeping him this season will pay dividends in the future.

Special Teams (LS/K/P): David Binn, Nate Kaeding and Mike Scifres are rocks in this group. The Chargers, and their fans, are hopeful that this trio stays together for another five seasons.

Do you have a question for next week's mailbag? Don't hesitate to e-mail me directly with your question and I'll make sure to answer it before next week's game.