The Chargers lost another very disappointing game yesterday to the Green Bay Packers.  QB Philip Rivers was pretty sharp for the most part as he completed 27 of 36 passes for 306 yards with 3 TD passes and 1 interception.  RB LaDainian Tomlinson had another rough game as he carried the ball 22 times for 62 yards (2.8 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 33 yards (11.0 avg) with 1 TD reception.  TE Antonio Gates was outstanding as he caught 11 passes for 113 yards (10.3 avg).  WRs Vincent Jackson (6 rec, 98 yards, TD) and rookie Chris Davis (4 rec, 31 yards, TD) both finally showed up for the season and contributed.  The Chargers finished up with 73 yards rushing on 28 carries (2.6 ypc) and they also completed 27 of 36 passes for 291 yards. 

With the exception of OLB Shaun Phillips (6 tackles, 1.5 sacks) the Chargers defense was pretty bad.  They did hold the Packers to only 42 yards rushing on 13 carries (3.2 ypc) but the Pack also completed 28 of 45 passes for 363 yards.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=270923009

The Chargers really need to win this football game as they are 1-1 on the season and have not looked too good doing it.  The Packers are off to an outstanding start of the season as they are 2-0 having outscored their opponents 51-26 in those games.  Look for the Chargers to attack the Packers defense with the running game.  The Packers have allowed 98.5 yards rushing per game and 4.4 yards per carry so the Chargers should find some success there.  LaDainian Tomlinson is off to a rough start as he has carried the ball 35 times for 68 yards (1.9 ypc) with 1 TD run in his first two games.  In his defense the Chargers played the Patriots and the Bears who have two of the better defenses in the entire NFL.  The Chargers must get the running game going against the Packers so they can slow the Packers pass rush a little bit.  The offensive line must keep DEs Aaron Kampman and Cullen Jenkins out of the backfield or Philip Rivers could be in for another long day as the Chargers have already allowed 6 sacks this season.  TE Antonio Gates (16 rec, 184 yards, 2 TDs) and RB LaDainian Tomlinson (11 rec, 66 yards) have been the top receivers for the Chargers this season but the Packers will be focusing on them so WRs Vincent Jackson (7 rec, 81 yards) and rookie Criag Davis (2 rec, 15 yards) must step up for the Chargers offense to be effective.

The Packers will need to run the football better than they have all season long against the Chargers or they will bring the house on the pass rush against Brett Favre.  Rookie running backs DeShawn Wynn (11 car, 58 yards, 2 TDs) and Brandon Jackson (32 car, 75 yards, 2.3 ypc) must balance the offense against a Chargers defense that is allowing 112.0 yards rushing per game.  The Packers must get good protection from the OTs because the Chargers will be bringing the heat with OLBs Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman.  If the Packers get good pass protection from the O-Line, Brett Favre should be able to cut up the Chargers’ secondary that is allowing 68.5% completions and 192.5 yards passing per game.  Look for Favre to use Donald Driver (14 rec, 139 yards, TD) and TEs Donald Lee (8 rec, 62 yards, TD) and Bubba Franks (6 rec, 37 yards, TD) a lot on short passes.  WR James Jones hurt himself in practice this week and he will likely be a gametime decision.

PREDICTION:  The Chargers will play much better than they have all season long and they will beat the Packers in a close game that will likely be decided late on a Nate Kaeding field goal.

Philip Rivers is off to a rough start to the 2007 season.  I think it’s more a product of playing against the Chargers and Patriots than it is his poor play.  I also think that the running game has hurt Rivers this season.  The Chargers are only averaging 64.5 yards rushing per game and 2.3 ypc which is putting severe pressure on Rivers.  Rivers has completed 41 of 61 passes (67.2%) for 369 yards with 2 TD passes and 3 interceptions (73.7 QB Rating) so far this season.  Look for him to start playing like he can in the next few weeks as he is too good to be playing like he is right now.

All you SD hypocrites sure know how to be fair weather fans & its not because San Diego has such beautiful weather.

The only thing super about the Chargers is LT’s character.

The biggest problem the Chargers have isn’t their inability to win in the playoffs. It’s their worthless fans. All you Charger fans are heartless front-runners. You didn’t even notice San Diego had a football team until a few years ago.

I hate the Pats as much as anyone. Everyone knows they’ve cheated & “tuck ruled” their way to Super Bowl victories. But at least their prick fans are willing to root for them when they win, lose, cheat, or suck. The Chargers don’t know how to dominate a game, & their fans get outnumbered in their own town. They skimmed their way to a 14-2 record, but they haven’t won a playoff game since 1995.

The Chargers are an “overrated, go nowhere, done nothing” football team. But even they deserve some decent fans. San Diego will never win a Super Bowl, The Patriots only succeed through cheating, & the when the Raiders come to San Diego, silver & black will take over the stadium. Just like we have, so many times before. Qualcomm is Oakland’s home away from home. And that’s because the Charger fans have no heart.    

Ha ha ha.We don’t need to cheat to smoke you chumps! Lt- he’s the best isn’t he? What does the little baby have to say now? Whose he going to blame this one on? I’m sure the little baby will come up with someone other to blame than his own underachieving pack of losers.Hopefully the Pats will get another chance to smoke you chumps in the playoffs,if you make it !!

The Chargers ran into a buzzsaw last night as the Patriots kicked their butts all over the football field.  It’s amazing that the Chargers came out this flat against a team they claimed they were going to get revenge against for dancing on there football field last season after knocking them out of the playoffs.  I point to one big factor…….Norv Turner is an awful head coach.  The Chargers seemed unprepared for the Patriots who seemed to run the same exact offense that they did last week against the Jets.  Philip Rivers did not have his best game as he completed 19 of 30 passes for 179 yards with 2 TD passes and 2 interceptions (one of which was returned 65 yards for a TD by LB Adalius Thomas).  LaDainian Tomlinson was bottled up for the 2nd straight week as he carried the ball 18 times for 43 yards (2.4 ypc) and he also caught 4 passes for 15 yards.  TE Antonio Gates was the one offensive player on the Chargers that had a good football game as he caught 7 passes for 77 yards and a TD.  Vincent Jackson pitched in with 4 catches for 53 yards.  The Chargers threw fullback Lorenzo Neal a bone as he caught a 1-yard TD pass.  The Chargers finished up rushing for 52 yards on 20 carries (2.6 ypc) and they completed 19 of 30 passes for 149 yards.

The Chargers defense just couldn’t stop the Patriots offense.  The Patriots held onto the football for 35:46 of the football game!  MLB Stephen Cooper led the Chargers with 12 tackles.  DE Shawne Merriman pitched in with 5 tackles and 2 sacks.  The Chargers allowed the Patriots to rush for 144 yards on 35 carries (4.1 ypc) and the Patriots completed 25 of 31 passes for 263 yards.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=270916017

LT he’s so full of class isn’t he what does he have to say about that cheater Merriman.Nothing does he? That’s a little hypocritical wouldn’t you say. Of course you probably wouldn’t agree with that, try taking the blinders off. Nobody has a problem with Merriman standing over someone doing his little steroid  dance. It’s all right if  LT’s teammate shows someone else up but nobody better do it to him. What a baby!!! Score more points next time.

Both of these football teams got off to good starts to the 2007 football season.  The Chargers disposed of the Bears 14-3 at home and the Patriots beat up on the Jets 38-14 in New Jersey.  The Chargers have likely had this game circled on their calendars the day the NFL schedule came out.  The Chargers were very upset at how the Patriots were acting on there football field after defeating them 27-24 last January.  It was a game that cost head coach Marty Schottenheimer his job despite going 14-2 last season.

It will be interesting to see how the Patriots play on offense without knowing the defensive calls of the Chargers before the play.  It looked like they knew whatever the Jets were going to do last week because of video cameras watching the Jets defensive coaches signal in formations and plays.  Still, Tom Brady was spectacular as he had all day to throw the football and he wasn’t even sacked once.  He completed 22 of 28 (78.6%) of his passes for 297 yards with 3 TDs and 0 INTs (146.6 QB Rating).  The Chargers will bring heat from the edges as OLBs Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips will try to get to Tom Brady.  The Chargers better hope they can rattle Brady a little bit because he has the weapons on offense to burn the Chargers corners if he has time to throw the ball.  WR Randy Moss looked like he went back 5 years in a time machine as he caught 9 passes for 183 yards (20.3 avg) with a long TD.  Wes Welker and Donte’ Stallworth will also put big time pressure on the secondary of the Chargers.  Also, look for the Patriots to challenge MLBs Stephen Cooper and Matt Wilhelm in the running game.  Both of them had outstanding games against the Bears but the Patriots have a much better offense than they do.  2nd year running back Laurence Maroney and veteran Sammy Morris will likely share the running load.

The Chargers will likely ride the horses that get them in the win column on offense against the Patriots and those guys are RB LaDainian Tomlinson, QB Philip Rivers and TE Antonio Gates.  The Patriots have questions in the secondary so don’t be surprised if the Chargers come out of the locker room throwing the football against the Patriots.  Afterall, the Jets completed 67.7% of their passes against the Patriots last week and they tossed 2 TDs so it’s worth a chance.  To do that though the Chargers need WR Vincent Jackson to hold onto the football as he dropped an easy TD last week against the Bears.  Gates will cause a huge matchup problem for the Patriots’ safeties so look for Rivers to be looking for him often.  Don’t think for a minute that the Chargers won’t run the football as LaDainian Tomlinson is still the best running back in the NFL despite his rough week against the Bears.  It will be fun to watch the Patriots linebackers trying to keep up with LT in both the running game and the passing game.

PREDICTION:  These teams are so evenly matched in terms of talent on the field that the tiebreaker will probably be at head coach and quarterback.  With that in mind I like the Patriots to win a close, exciting football game.

The Chargers got a satisfying, hard hitting win in Norv Turner’s debut as a head coach.  But, the offense had a rough time moving the football against the Bears stellar defense.  Philip Rivers completed 22 of 31 passes for 190 yards with 1 interception and he also lost a fumble….it was not his brightest hour.  LaDainian Tomlinson didn’t have his best game ever but he made some big plays.  He only rushed for 25 yards on 17 carries (1.5 ypc) with 1 TD run and he also caught 7 passes for 51 yards (7.3 avg).  Tomlinson’s biggest play however was a 17-yard TD pass to TE Antonio Gates.  Antonio Gates had an outstanding game with 9 catches for 107 yards (11.9 avg) with 1 TD grab.  The Chargers finished up with only 77 yards rushing on 36 carries (2.1 ypc) and they completed 23 of 32 passes for 186 yards.

The defense was outstanding for the Chargers today led by MLB Stephen Cooper who led the team with 8 tackles.  The Chargers stuffed the Bears running game holding them to 80 yards rushing on 26 carries (3.1 ypc) and they also stripped the ball away from the Bears’ backs twice.  The Bears only completed 12 of 23 passes for 122 yards today against the Chargers.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=270909024