Both Brown and Mathews were on the field, but didn't take any snaps.  Brown did come out and sign autographs after practice, but maybe they were being careful.  I didn't take notes, so I'll just ramble my impressions.  The guys on the sidelines were really down on pictures of formations this year, so I put away the camera early.  Here's one of the DLine though.

All the backup running backs got carries with no Tolbert or Mathews.  Todman had a nice run right up the middle in a short yardage drill.  Odim had some nice carries too.  Rivers was really dialed into the short yardage throws in the flats, all were right on target.  Rivers was sharp all afternoon, no interceptions.  There was one botched snap early, it looked for a moment like his knee might have been tweaked, but he was fine.

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At the last minute I was able to get off work and take in the final open practice.  I had to park a fair distance away, so I missed the opening.  There were much fewer folks than in the opening practice, so I was able to move around a bit.  It looked like they were working running plays and checking out the younger receivers.  Crompton got picked several times and didn't look sharp.  Malcom Floyd got wide open on a streak early, that was pretty much his only play.  I'm not sure if it will help on the field, but the Defensive line definitely looks like a tight knit group to me.

I think Garay must have missed lunch though.

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1980 was a memorable season for Chargers football.  Dan Fouts passed for nye on 5,000 yards.  John Jefferson, Charlie Joiner and Kellen Winslow (the elder) all caught for 1,000+ yards.  Chuck Muncie was tearing it up at almost 5 yards per carry.  And in the midst of all this offensive plenty, was something quite remarkable: a hard-nosed blue-collared defense that tore through offensive lines like they were tackling dummies. 

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It was a big crowd that showed up early.

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This is a sad day for Charger football, but in thinking about Coryell the man, he was the very definition of a life well lived.  Don Coryell defined a generation of Charger football from 1978-1986.  He was a master of the offense, every Sunday was showtime when he coached.  The Chargers were the aerial circus, they were what other offenses aspired to.  And although known for offense, in his early years the defense in the form of Louis Kelcher, Fred Dean and Gary 'Big Hands' Johnson tore up opposing offensive lines.

Coryell was an odd contradiction.  If you watched him on the sideline staring at the game, you sometimes feared he was going burn holes right through players.  His typical stance was bent at the waist, hands on knees with the fierce gaze that only the totally consumed produce.  Yet to see him in a press conference he was the most genial, enthusiastic man you could hope to meet.  He heaped praise on his players and coaches, he was a class act through and through.  He spoke with a lisp, but he was so comfortable in his own skin you hardly noticed it.

I was in high school when Don Coryell became coach.  We had just moved up recently, and I had been a tepid fan of the Rams.  Somebody mentioned the Chargers had won their last six games under Coryell and I scoffed, they would be terrible again next year.  But there was no cable back then and Chargers football was all there was, so I watched the next season and was hooked.  It was an aerial circus and sometimes it crashed and burned, but for pure fun there was nothing better.  Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow, Charlie Joyner and John Jefferson; they didn't just dissect defenses, they dismantled them all under the steely eyed gaze of Coryell.  

Shakespeare wrote "The moon's an arrant thief, and her pale fire she snatches from the sun."  That was true for Coryell's offense, there were many that were similar, but they were imperfect reflections of the real thing.  His Chargers would lead the league in passing from 1978-1983.  Some say it's a pity he didn't make it into the hall of fame on this last go around, and they're absolutely right.  It's a pity for the hall of fame.

With the Chargers left tackle, Marcus McNeill and wide receiver, Vincent Jackson both holding out for long term contracts, it seems that there is no good way out where one side does not end up losing face.  Both sides have legitimate concerns that seem intractable; is there a creative way out of this standoff?

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Jamal Williams - 33

Jarvis Green - 31

Justice Bannan - 30

Brian Dawkins - 36

Champ Bailey - 31

Renaldo Hill - 31

Andre Goodman - 31

Last year they also brought in Ty Law at 36.  I know veterans are pretty savvy, but that's an old crew.

These are playoff Carnac's, impress your friends and amaze your enemies.  Who will get stranded on Revis isle, will Rivers have enough targets to overcome the Jets defense?

Yes, Chargers win 27-17

At the end of today, I think the story of this game will be told in two lines on the box score; Chris Johnson and Antonio Gates.  I feel better about the Chargers slowing down Johnson and ending the Titans season while taking the number two seed would be the perfect end to a great season.  Bolts 31, Titans 24.

A big game with a lot of playoff seeding implications and emotional overtones.  This one makes me nervous, but I'm going with the Chargers 24-17.

What say you all?