The Chargers have signed 29-year old C/G Dennis Norman.  Norman is a big guy at 6’5″, 313 pounds and he can definately handle the interior of the offensive line.  That’s good because the Chargers suffered injuries at both guard and center Monday Night against the Raiders.  Norman played in 16 games (14 starts) for the Jaguars last season.  He has now played 8 years in the NFL in which he has played in 64 games (24 starts).  The Chargers did good finding a player like Dennis Norman sitting at home on his couch.  They may need him as soon as this week against the Ravens.

It took all the way until the final 18 seconds of this game for the Chargers to put the Raiders away on a 5-yard TD run by Darren Sproles.  That’s how hard the Raiders fought last night.  Philip Rivers had a so-so game as he completed 24 of 36 passes for 252 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 interception.  LaDainian Tomlinson looked good before he got injured carrying the ball 13 times for 55 yards (4.2 ypc) with a TD run.  Darren Sproles was also busy carrying the ball 9 times for 23 yards (2.6 ypc) with a TD run.  He also caught 5 passes for 43 yards (8.6 avg) in this game.  Antonio Gates (83 yards) and Vincent Jackson (56 yards, TD) each caught 5 passes apiece in this game to lead the way for the Chargers.  The Chargers finished up with 317 total yards of offense in this game (77 rushing, 240 passing).

The defense had a lot of issues in dealing with the physical Raiders.  LB Stephen Cooper led the way for the Chargers with 13 tackles and a fumble recovery in this game.  CBs Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason each picked off a pass in this game.  The Raiders finished up with 366 total yards on offense (148 rushing, 218 passing) in this game.

The Chargers are coming for a visit to the Black Hole tonight.  The Raiders are hoping to turn this series around starting tonight as the Chargers have beaten them 11 times in a row.  The Raiders are a running team but if they want to win this game they will have to mix in some passing.  JaMarcus Russell does have a great arm and he will be looking to throw the ball downfield.  For that to happen the Raiders must be able to give him time to throw the ball and even then Russell will have to be careful with the ball against the playmakers in San Diego’s backfield.  Darren McFadden will be starting this game as he has the speed to score on any play so the Chargers could have their hands full with him.

The Chargers will probably come out throwing in this game with the idea of getting a quick lead and taking the Raiders out of their gameplan.  Philip Rivers has a lot of nice targets in Antonio Gates, Chris Chambers, Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Jackson so the Raiders must mount a pass rush against the Chargers or Rivers is going to carve them up.  The Chargers won’t forget L.T. as he will get his carries against a Raiders’ D that allowed 159.7 yards rushing per game last season.

PREDICTION:  SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 34, OAKLAND RAIDERS 17

The Chargers didn’t have to use to much effort to dominate the Niners last Friday Night.  Billy Volek started the game at QB and he was efficient as usual completing 8 of 13 passes for 103 yards with 1 TD pass.  Charlie Whitehurst finished things up by completing 10 of 14 passes for 98 yards with 1 TD pass.  Rookie RB Gartrell Johnson was the workhorse in this game for the Chargers as he carried the ball 20 times for 85 yards (4.3 ypc).  12 different receivers caught passes in this game but no one had more than two catches or 39 yards.  The Chargers finished up this game with 346 total yards on offense (161 rushing, 185 passing) as they hogged the ball for 40:14!

Linebacker Antwan Applewhite led the way for the Chargers in this game with 4 tackles and a sack.  The Chargers only allowed 188 total yards in this game (60 rushing,  128 passing)!   The Chargers finished the pre-season with a 2-2 record.

Reality TV personality Tila Tequila’s charges she brought against Shawne Merriman have been dismissed by District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.  Tequila claims that Merriman choked and physically restrained her at his home early in the morning on September 6th.  Merriman claimed that he was only trying to stop the drunk Tequila from driving drunk and/or harming herself and others.  The DA announced today that there was “insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that any crime was committed.”  So it looks like Merriman was not at fault in this situation and Tequila was just trying to stir up some controversy.  She probably was just trying to do anything to cling to her joke of a career.  Although it looks as if Merriman did not do anything wrong, he needs to realize that he has a target on his back and he should surround himself with people he knows are with him for the right reasons.

San Diego Chargers linebacker, Shawne Merriman, has now began to comment about the recent incident he had with reality TV star, Tila Tequila.  Merriman, who was accused of choking and physically restraining Tequila, says he was only trying to stop Ms. Tequila from driving drunk.   It seems many people may have prematurely attacked Merriman (including myself) as Tequila was drunk and showed no signs of any serious injuries, according to a San Diego Sheriff’s Department spokesman. 

We do need to wait for all the facts to surface and if Merriman did physically harm Teqiulla then he deserves a lengthy suspension and a some time behind bars.  The Chargers GM A.J. Smith is always aware of his players actions off the field and according to the San Diego Union Tribune’s Kevin Acee he keeps a file on each individual player and any incidents they have had.  Apparantly Merriman’s file has gotten pretty thick and a long term deal with the Chargers will probably not happen as he becomes a free agent next year.

The San Diego Charger’s three-time Pro Bowl linebacker, Shawne Merriman, was arrested early this morning after apparently choking his girlfriend, Tila Tequila.  Tequila, who is famous for her reality TV show “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila” as well as modeling for Playboy, pressed charges against Merriman for battery and false imprisonment.  The linebacker is known for his tenacity and temper on the field and seemed to bring some of that home with him as Tequila is claiming that he physically restrained her after she attempted to leave his home.  Merriman, who was suspended four games in 2006 for testing positive for steroids, had himself a roid raging moment and is sure to get a lengthy suspension from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.  Hopefully he sees some jail time, as the beast of a linebacker is 6’4” 270 lbs and could, and probably did, do some major damage to the petit Tequila, who was taken to the hospital after the incident.

The Chargers have placed rookie CB Brandon Hughes on the Injured Reserve List due to a knee injury.  Hughes was a fifth round pick of the Chargers this season out of Oregon State.  He played in 3 pre-season games for the Chargers making 8 tackles and he defensed 1 pass.  This hurts the Chargers’ depth in the defensive backfield.

The Chargers have acquired 27-year old DT Travis Johnson from the Texans for a conditional sixth round pick.  Johnson played in 15 games (14 starts) for the Texans last season and he made 28 tackles, had 1 sack, defensed 2 passes and he forced a fumble.  In four years with the Texans, Johnson played in 54 games (38 starts) in which he made 106 tackles, 2 sacks, defensed 8 passes, forced a fumble and he picked off a pass.  This was a great trade for the Chargers as Johnson should give them a run stopper that they need in the middle of the D.