We all know (and hate) "The Song That Never Ends." Long used as a cheap gimmick to annoy, this song consists of a single verse, repeated ad nauseum, until the victim(s) reach a state of ad assaultum (loosely translated as: I hear that verse one more time, and this will be the punch that never ends).

Unfortunately, that's exactly what San Diego's stadium issue has turned into... a political song that repeats the same verse over and over again, with the public rapidly reaching a point of ad apatheum (loosely translated as: I don't care anymore, just go away).

This is a no-win for everyone, possibly excepting politicians looking at the next election instead of the next decade. Continued following the jump...

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Over the past couple weeks, with the furor over the San Diego Union Tribune's proposal dying down, there have been some interesting developments in regards to the Chargers' stadium situation, as well as other teams who have equally (if not more) tenuous stadium situations.

We'll take a brief look at the latest information regarding the Chargers, the City of San Diego, and now the County of San Diego. We'll also take a brief glimpse at what's happening in other locations, most notably San Francisco, St. Louis, and Minnesota.

More below the jump...

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On Sunday morning, a lot of us awakened to a dazzling artist’s rendering of a football stadium located at the current 10^th Avenue Marine Terminal, as part of an editorial written by staff at the San Diego Union Tribune. The plan included new bayfront beach access, public parks, a stadium, an arena, and further south expansion of the Convention Center.

After reading through the ideas in the editorial, I learned a couple of interesting nuggets of information regarding the Chargers, the city, and about the potential land value of the Qualcomm stadium site. There were also important details left out of the article that made it hard for me, and others, to take the editorial with complete seriousness.

Before continuing, I urge all readers and commenters to actually read the U-T’s editorial.

Overall, however, there were enough interesting and good ideas in the editorial that I think it can and should be discussed further. We’ll do that after the jump…

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Now that a couple of weeks have passed, and the scab has (hopefully) healed over some, I want to revisit why Dean Spanos may have made the correct call to retain Norv Turner.

I am perfectly well aware that a great number of people will vehemently disagree with this post, and will bypass any reasoning or statistics I come up with to back up my defense. I simply want to have a fair discussion that goes beyond the usual themes that always seem to surround Norv as the Head Coach.

This article is not going to detail the faults that Norv has as a Head Coach. Those faults will be discussed next week, when we look at the other side of the argument, and discuss why the Chargers should have pulled the trigger on Norv Turner.

Author's Note: All stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference (PFR).

More below the jump...

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Now that the Chargers have finished a highly disappointing season, we have to now turn our thoughts towards the offseason. Some have projected that 2012 will be the last season for the Chargers in San Diego.

With that in mind, let's take a brief look at what has changed in the last few months, and what milestones we have ahead of us for the next few months.

We'll also take a brief glimpse at other teams that have been rumored to move to Los Angeles in the coming years, and see what has changed for them recently.

More below the jump.

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There are many different ways to operate a sports team.  Some are aggressive, some are conservative.  Some are physical, some are finesse.  However, the teams that always have the most success are the ones that embody two of sports' best known cliches.

Successful teams have "an established identity," that gives them the ability to "impose their will" on their opponents.

In the next couple of sections, I want to expand on these ideas by providing specific examples, before explaining how this affects the San Diego Chargers.

More below the jump, lots and lots more (I apologize in advance if it seems like rambling)...

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Last night, an article appeared in the San Diego Union-Tribune in which Chargers General Counsel Mark Fabiani disclosed the broad outlines that will entail a proposal for a downtown football stadium east of Petco Park.

Fabiani reiterated the Chargers' idea that the stadium could serve as a supplement to a Convention Center expansion has been floated before, but Fabiani takes it a step further this time, proposing that money that was originally slated for a Convention Center could be re-directed to help offset stadium construction costs.

Needless to say, this is ruffling the feathers of more than a few people in the San Diego Convention industry.  On the other hand, it does drop some tidbits of information regarding the direction the Chargers are going.

More below the jump...

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Over the last several days, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders embarked on a "fact-finding" trip to Kansas City, Indianapolis, and Denver.  No, it wasn't to get advance scouting on Todd Haley's plans for Jamaal Charles, or finding when exactly Peyton Manning would return to the field, and it certainly wasn't to help sort out whether Tim Tebow sucks slightly less than Brady Quinn.

In fact, it was something we've been waiting desperately for from local San Diego government; a show of significant interest in working on a stadium solution for San Diego and the Chargers.  Considering the recent developments in Los Angeles, this fact-finding trip could not have come at a more important time.

Some thoughts on this trip are given below...

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As was reported ad nauseum during several local news broadcasts yesterday evening, and in this morning's Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles (LA) City Council voted unanimously to move forward with Anschutz Entertainment Group's (AEG) proposal to rebuild part of the LA Convention Center and build a new football stadium in downtown LA, adjacent to the Staples Center.

The new facility, Farmers Field, is currently projected to open in 5 years, provided that the framework of the deal doesn't blow up over that time.  As far as San Diego is concerned... does this mean we're losing the Chargers?

More below the jump...

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Now that a CBA has been agreed to, we can get back to watching football, dreaming about free-agency, planning our fantasy football rosters, planning our Sunday barbeques and tailgates, and of course arguing about A.J. and Norv, as opposed to endlessly rehashing the politics and business of football, with one exception...

New stadiums for multiple teams, including the Chargers.

In an article in Friday's San Diego Union-Tribune, Chargers' Special Counsel Mark Fabiani discussed the current disposition of the proposed football stadium in East Village.  Also, today, Fabiani briefly discussed what potential impact a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will have on stadium construction efforts.

More below the jump...

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Thursday's edition of the Orange County Register featured an interview with Tim Leiweke, President of the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).  Leiweke is spearheading the proposed new football stadium adjacent to L.A. Live and the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles.  The proposed football stadium, Farmers Field, has a huge naming rights deal in it's back pocket, but it doesn't have the most important element: a tenant.

At long last after several weeks, if not months (or years), we finally have a list of the teams that are being targeted for possible relocation to Los Angeles.  Of course, the Chargers are on that list, as well as the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, and St. Louis Rams.  All five teams have the same issue in common:outdated stadiums that no longer meet the modern requirements for the National Football League.

I think the key question here is if the odds of any of these teams moving to Los Angeles are equal to, or greater than the Chargers possible relocation.  More on that below the jump.

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According to an article in today's San Diego Union-Tribune, and following a closed door meeting among several of San Diego's business leaders, Mayor Jerry Sanders seems interested in bringing a version of LA Live to San Diego.  The obvious conclusion that Mayor Sanders reached was that a football-only facility for the San Diego Chargers could not be sold as a good public money investment.  I have just one question. 

What the hell took so long?!  More below the jump...

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As was reported a couple of weeks ago, Chargers brass, including CEO Dean Spanos and Special Counsel Mark Fabiani, had a meeting today with San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, as well as other officials from the city regarding the status of the proposed new stadium in San Diego's East Village.

Very few details came out of the meeting, and there was no great pronouncement of a deal in the immediate future, but there was no indication that the participants felt that it went poorly.

After the jump, I will talk about some of the issues that were likely discussed, plus a couple of other ideas that I found interesting.  Much like the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations that are continuing between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), and league owners, I think the best thing here is that both sides are still talking.

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As the NFL world turns, we in San Diego are preparing for a draft, hoping against hope that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement  (CBA) is on the verge of being ironed out, and sitting on pins and needles waiting for any news about a stadium either in San Diego, or (gag reflex kicking in) in Los Angeles.

While I can't offer any solace on the 1st 2 fronts, what we can discuss is Monday's announcement in the San Diego Union-Tribune reported a meeting between San Diego Chargers Team President Dean Spanos, and San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders coming very, very soon.

The long and short of this meeting below the jump...

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On the Friday before Super Bowl 45, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell gave his annual "State of the NFL" address to the assembled media.  While fielding questions about an impending lockout, the brutal weather conditions in Dallas, and other topics, the subject of the named-but-unbuilt Farmers Field came up, in relation to the future of the San Diego Chargers.

Read Goodell's reply below the jump.

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As a San Diegan, I currently have a love/hate relationship with Farmers Insurance.  On the "love" side, last year the company rescued the annual golf tournament at Torrey Pines, and enjoyed a dramatic finish in this year's Farmers Insurance Open.  On the "hate" side, Farmers Insurance reached a mega-deal with with Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), for the corporate naming right to AEG's proposed downtown football stadium in Los Angeles.

No matter how you cut it, this is potentially very good news for people in Los Angeles who want football back, and potentially awful news for those of us who want to keep the Chargers in San Diego.

Below the jump, I will get into some details, post some pictures and links, and offer some bits of conjecture.

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Wow, that feels better.  As we continue the 2010 season of Press Your Luck, the Chargers come off a convincing 38-13 drubbing of the Jacksonville Jaguars.  As opposed to the game in Kansas City that played like a GED adult missing questions and piling up whammies, the Chargers played this game with drive and determination, albeit on the sloppy side early.

This weeks look at the Chargers will have a substantially increased level of Big Bucks, and a sharp decrease in the number of whammies.

Below the jump is a list of things that I will be watching for against the Seattle Seahawks.

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Now we move forward into Week 2 of this 2010 Chargers season of Press Your Luck.  As we all know in Week 1, the Chargers piled up whammy after whammy in losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.  I still tend to think this game was something of a fluke, what with the typhoon that brought our offense to a screeching halt, and the Chiefs fans who haven’t been that loud since Trent Green, Tony Gonzalez, Priest Holmes, and Dante Hall were terrorizing opponents (it’s the first time in years where the levels of hope and BAC were directly proportional at Arrowhead).

However, there were things that happened in that game that were definitely not a fluke, and they are things that must be fixed to prevent a second straight weekend of whammies.

Below the jump is a list of things that I will be watching for (on NFL Redzone’s free weekend and the game replay on NFL Network).

Brandyn Dombrowski

Last Week = Big Bucks!

For me, the single best thing coming out of that game on Monday night was Dombrowski’s performance.  To be perfectly honest, I’d forgotten about Marcus McNeill about 2 series into the game.  He did a solid job handling Tamba Hali, and this week he gets another test playing opposite Jaguars DE/OLB Aaron Kampman.  If he is able to handle Kampman, then I think all of us can just forget about McNeill for the rest of the season.  However, if Kampman forces the Chargers to provide help on the left side, we will see an offense that is playing with another hand tied behind its back.

Malcom Floyd, Legedu Naanee, and Buster Davis

Last Week = Need more spins

Can we be honest and consider the possibility that we were all too fast to drink the "we don’t need Vincent Jackson Kool Aid?"  I think that later this season, that Kool Aid will be perfectly brewed and ready for consumption.   However, it was not ready for consumption in Week 1, even without the typhoon that blew through Arrowhead on Monday night, and we should have expected that.  Floyd, Naanee and Davis simply haven’t been on the field enough for Philip Rivers to know exactly where they will be from play to play.  Their routes are just different enough, their speed is just different enough, and their experience is just low enough to throw a wrench into the offense.

This (and the weather) allowed Chiefs’ Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel to focus on taking Antonio Gates completely out of the game, via double team, bracket coverage, and triple coverage.  Just like the 1st half of 2007, when teams took Gates away, and the Chargers offense struggled because Rivers didn’t fully trust his receivers before Chris Chambers arrived via trade, and Jackson grew into a legitimate threat.

Floyd, Naanee, and Davis occasionally beat the Chiefs’ secondary, but to get Gates some room to operate going forward, they must consistently make defenses pay for playing them man-to-man.  They got extra spins last week due to the weather, but a similar performance this week will result in whammies. 

Ryan Mathews

Last Week = Need more spins

Ryan Mathews’ debut last week was hampered by a few factors last week.  One was the weather, another was rookie fumbleitis, and the last was the 2nd half deficit.  We know weather won’t be a factor this week in San Diego, so let’s focus on ball security.  Mathews’ fumble was a classic case of a rookie not protecting the ball in traffic, and I imagine that the offensive staff has been on his case this week in film study.  Mathews’ fumble was a critical mistake in Week 1, and he needs to show that he’s learned from that mistake.  That should help the Chargers get a 2nd half lead, which will then result in additional chances for Mathews to pound the rock.

Philip Rivers

Last Week = Stopped by a Whammy

No I’m not talking about the weather here.  I’m talking about that meltdown in the 3rd quarter.  I love Rivers as much as the rest of you, and as much as the rest of the NFL universe hates him.  However, you can not air out your entire offense – on the field, in the 3rd quarter of game you’re losing by 2 touchdowns, especially when you’re not having your best game – whether the offense deserves it or not.  Philip, save those ass chewings for the sideline, locker room, practice field, or film study – especially since you can only get away with one of those meltdowns each season before you start losing players.  On the field, let it go for the moment and move on to the next play.

Nick Hardwick

Last Week = Stopped by 4 whammies

I’m wondering whether will all made a mistake in assuming that Hardwick would be back to something near Pro Bowl form, considering he missed about an entire season of play.  Hardwick looked rusty, tired, and overmatched on Monday against Glenn Dorsey (whose lunch he’d eaten in 2008).  Additionally, he had issues getting the snap to Rivers before the shot clock expired on multiple occasions, which is… unacceptable from a former Pro Bowl player entering his 7th season.  Very simply, Hardwick has to play a lot better on Sunday, or I think the Chargers will have to consider putting Mooch back in the middle.

Special Teams

Last Week = Stopped by 4 whammies

Where to begin with this group.  The Javier Arenas return that should have gone for a touchdown, but for a great Mike Scifres tackle (this tackle was the play that kept us in the game)? The 94-yard punt return touchdown by Dexter McCluster?  Good kickoff returns by McCluster and Arenas that allowed the Chiefs to control the field position battle all game long?  The Chargers’ failure to down 2 punts inside the Chiefs’ 10 yard line?  This unit had EPIC FAIL written all over it on Monday night, and must perform better if the Chargers are to have a chance at winning, regardless of the opponent.

Late addition:  For the first time since I was in high school, David Binn will not be the long-snapper on Sundays.  This means I will actually have to play attention on every 4th down punt and/or field goal attempt.  The whammy potential here, in what I think will be a close game, is unnervingly high.

Run Defense

Last Week = 1 whammy

What’s disturbing about the Chargers’ run defense is that Defensive Coordinator Ron Rivera has to dial up some fairly exotic linebacker blitzes, twists, and stunts to stuff the opponents’ running game.  This is because, once again, the defensive line is failing to occupy blockers at the point of attack.  There is a two-fold problem here… one is that sending linebackers to attack on run downs opens you up to obvious play-action opportunities, the other is that if the attack is blocked, running backs with vision and burst can exploit a small opening and turn it into a long-distance touchdown.  This was the case for Jamaal Charles last week, and this week, the Chargers have another such runner against them in Maurice Jones-Drew.  The defense has been mostly stout versus the run, but they have to contain the home-run running plays.

Pass Rush

Last Week = 1 whammy

Aside from Shaun Phillips’ sack on the Chiefs opening possession, there wasn’t a lot of heat on Matt Cassel.  This was the Chargers very best chance to get back in the game, but the lack of pressure helped Cassel from beating the Chiefs (yes, the Chiefs) with errant thows, fumble opportunities, and interceptions.  The pass rush has to get better at forcing opposing QBs into making poor decisions with the football. If Merriman isn’t ready to go, then it will be past time to see Larry English, Jyles Tucker, and Antwan Applewhite get after Jaguars’ QB David Garrard. 

Jacksonville’s offensive line, like Kansas City’s, is suspect.  Jacksonville’s receivers, like Kansas City’s, are suspect.  However, Jaguars’ Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter is a vertical passing coach who likes to push the ball upfield – as opposed to Charlie Weis’ spread-dink-dunk style of play.  This means longer routes, more time for Garrard to hold the ball, and more chances for the Chargers to hit Garrard and force mistakes.  I expect that Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason will hold up well for the 1st 3-4 seconds of each pass play.  If the pass rush forces them to cover longer than that, it could be a long afternoon.

Bottom Line.

Offensively, the Jaguars are a poor-man’s San Diego on offense, down to the design and players, excepting Maurice Jones-Drew and David Garrard’s scrambling ability.  The Chargers defense must stop Jones-Drew from keeping the Jaguars offense on schedule, and give the pass rush a chance to attack Garrard on 2nd and 3rd and long.  If the pass rush fails, I think this game will be a shootout.

On offense, the Chargers have to get some explosive plays from the Floyd/Naanee/Davis trio early in the game.  This will open space for Gates underneath and give Mathews a chance to control the clock in the 2nd half.  Also worth watching will be Dombrowski vs. Kampman.  If Dombrowski holds up well, and forces limited blocking adjustments by Rivers and Hardwick, the Chargers offense can control this game.  Otherwise, their options will be somewhat limited.  I also wouldn’t be shocked to occasionally see Jacksonville send some blitzers at Ryan Mathews.

And obviously, any special teams mistakes will prove costly.

I think the Chargers will win, but not easily, I’m thinking 30-20, with a score late to ice the game. 

As John said when he unceremoniously released a bunch of roster writers at the outset of training camp, "you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs." A.J. Smith has essentially done the same thing to start this season, and whether you agree with it or not, he has given the Chargers 2010 season the feeling of the old game show Press Your Luck.

In honor of the decision to play the 2010 season as a version of Press Your Luck (any season starting without a Pro Bowl left tackle and wide receiver qualifies), this season's game reviews will follow up with the Press Your Luck theme. Instead of As and Bs, will will have Big Bucks. Average players in the preseason will earn additional spins. And instead of bad grades, we will have whammies!

Preseason games are not really worth a major review, so instead I will focus on a handful of items that I was interested in watching. And, to my surprise, there was a lot to like.

Bears vs Chargers boxscore

Big Bucks, Extra Spins, and Whammies below the jump.

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via upload.wikimedia.org

*First - An Interesting Story*

At my workplace, we deal frequently with cab drivers.  One of these drivers, named Mickey (now deceased), told stories about when he used to bartend at the Red Lion Inn in San Diego during the 1960s.  This was a popular hangout for Chargers' players and coaches at the time.  He said that Al Davis, then Sid Gillman's receivers coach, used to check the tips that the players would leave behind, and would pocket the extra money if he thought the players left too much. 

He also spoke about coaches meetings that lasted late into the night.  Gillman and Chuck Noll from the Chargers, talking shop with Don Coryell and John Madden from San Diego State.  Obviously, Mickey couldn't remember specifics on the conversations, but it makes you wonder... how much of modern professional football was started in that bar?

More below the jump...

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Hello everyone.  It's been awhile since my last post; frankly, I've been struggling to find a fresh angle from which to approach a topic when there is little-to-no new news.

For this current edition, I am going to share my fan experience when I journeyed to Lambeau Field in September 2007, to see the Chargers play the Packers.  Many of you may remember this game well, a shootout between grizzled veteran Brett Favre, and young gun Philip Rivers that went down to the 4th quarter.

Chargers at Packers boxscore

I think this angle is relevant, because the path to a successful new stadium lies in creating a) a great game day experience, b) a destination that people will visit when football isn't being played, c) a point of civic pride for all persons in a region, whether die-hards, casual, or non fans, and lastly d) a decent sense of history - as in a place that acknowledges the shared experiences between fans and team.

I can think of no better example than Lambeau Field.  More below the jump.

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The first issue looked at the previous locations the Chargers called home, while the second issue looked at various sites around the county that the Chargers have considered for a new stadium.

As part of this ongoing series looking at stadium related issues, one of the most pressing questions is simply: What's the matter with Qualcomm Stadium? 

Simply stated, it is a 42 year-old, multipurpose sports facility that has 2 major tenants - the Chargers and the San Diego State Aztecs football team, as well as a host of deferred maintenance problems that have only grown more pronounced over the last several years.

More below the jump...

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The biggest difficulty facing the San Diego Chargers and their efforts to get a new stadium built has been, more than anything else, the lack of a firm location.  You can't seriously discuss financing a new stadium, discuss parking issues, making adjustments to the infrastructure, and holding a public vote, until you know where you're going to put a stadium.

The previous article about Chargers' stadium business took a look back in time at their previous and current home fields.  Today, I will be looking at sites around San Diego that have been discussed, some in much greater length than others, and will attempt to provide a few thoughts about why these locations did not work out.  I have omitted some proposals, including the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal - because the Port of San Diego is adamantly opposed to such a proposal, as well as a site in Escondido - which is on hold pending the result of a study in downtown San Diego.

Some of these locations were not much more than pipe dreams and speculations, while other locations were killed by political opposition and/or infighting, and a bad economy.  More below the jump

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Now that the offseason has begun, one of the biggest issues facing the San Diego Chargers going forward is the issue of building a new football-only stadium.  At the moment, the Chargers appear to be focusing most of their efforts on a site located east of Petco Park in downtown San Diego.  Certainly, I will be giving updates as more information comes out from the city of San Diego, as well as the Chargers.

This is a complicated issue, and while I generally support the idea behind a stadium, I certainly understand, given the economic conditions, why many persons in the city and county of San Diego oppose any public contribution towards a privately-owned NFL franchise.

Going forward, I will be looking at this stadium issue from a number of different perspectives.  However, for the initial effort in this series, I want to take a look back at the locations the Chargers have called home for their 50-year history. 

More below the jump

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Even if it's not officially done, there's no question that LaDainian Tomlinson's career in San Diego has come to an end.  Personally, I'm already exhausted with all of the "breathless" media coverage surrounding this; it's been an open secret since last spring that he was not likely to return.

Over the last few weeks, I've argued with family and friends about why Tomlinson isn't coming back.  Most of the reaction I get from people is that it's Norv Turner's fault for not using him correctly, or the offensive line went soft / sucked against the run, as well as delusional people who think that once Tomlinson gets "completely healthy," he will return to All-Pro form.

It pains me to say that Tomlinson is no longer an every-down back in the NFL.  It has been frustrating to watch him this year, knowing that the desire was there, and that he knew what to do, but that his body wasn't capable of doing it anymore.  There were no great jump-cuts to break into the open, no long sprints down the sideline for TDs, and for the first time since his rookie season, he was a liability in the passing game.

As of now, I'm forgetting about all of that.  I'm choosing to remember the player who carried this franchise from the depths of Ryan Leaf Hell and back to legitimacy.  I'm remembering the player who finished 8th on the all-time rushing yardage list, and was the 3rd greatest TD scorer in NFL history.  I'm remembering him as possibly the best player to ever wear the uniform in San Diego, with only Dan Fouts and Lance Alworth in the discussion.

Below are my 10 favorite LaDainian Tomlinson moments.  Add more if you think of any that I've missed.  Let us Chargers fans at Bolts From The Blue give the NFL's All Decade Back a worthy monument of thanks.

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I, like no one else who reads here, has any more interest in hashing out the playoff loss to the Jets.  Still, I think this loss represents something of a "look in the mirror" moment for the Chargers organization, from Dean Spanos, A.J. Smith, Norv Turner, as well as every player in the locker room.

The Chargers are one of only 5 teams since 2004 to have won their division at least 3 times.  Here are the other teams:

• New England Patriots (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009).
• Indianapolis Colts (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009).
• Seattle Seahawks (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007).
• Pittsburgh Steelers (2004, 2007, 2008).

The Chargers are obviously the only team in this group that has not yet appeared in a Super Bowl.  We can currently discount Seattle, as their miserable 2008 and 2009 clearly show that they are a team that has entered their rebuilding cycle.  The Patriots are a team going through something of a rebuilding process as well, but figure to be in contention as long as Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are running the show.  The Colts are in contention as long as Peyton Manning is under center.  The Steelers seem to have 1 mediocre season every 3-4 years, but are also in the hunt as long as Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu are healthy.

The Chargers are well positioned to capture a 5th straight AFC West title next season, and the playoff spot that comes with it.  The question facing the Chargers is this: What's missing?

Some ideas and thoughts below the jump.

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"You will be governed by the principle of calculated risk, which you shall interpret to mean the avoidance of exposure of your force to attack by superior enemy forces without good prospect of inflicting... greater damage on the enemy."

-Chester W. Nimitz, in a letter to his task force commanders prior to the Battle of Midway in 1942 

Based on much of what I've read or heard this week,  the Chargers should be in full panic mode over the having to play against the best defense in the NFL.  There's no way the Chargers can throw on Jets' CB Darrelle Revis - he's so good that he'll take completely take away Vincent Jackson, while the Jets can shut down Antonio Gates, and Malcom Floyd without much trouble.  The Jets' blitz is so overpowering, that Rivers will act like a high school JV QB seeing his first ever game action - throwing picks, and being unable to locate the blitzers.

On defense, we are going to get shredded by RBs Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene.  Jets' QB Mark Sanchez will light our secondary up with huge plays to TE Dustin Keller and WR Braylon Edwards, because he's back playing in Southern California were he grew up.  Our defense will get absolutely ground into mulch by the Jets (future Hall-of-Fame, apparently) Offensive Line.

Ugh!  I'm ready to puke now, and the rest of Chargers' Nation should be ready to puke as well, after having to hear so much garbage.

Not to worry.  Below the jump, I'm going to talk about how the Chargers should beat the Jets, based on The Principle of Calculated Risk that one of America's greatest military commanders used to defeat an opponent that (like the Jets, apparently) seems to have every advantage.

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