I think the talented San Diego Chargers win in spite of having 59-year old head coach Norv Turner calling the shots.  The Chargers were 9-7 last year and they missed the playoffs despite having one of the best offenses AND defenses in the entire NFL.  The Chargers are 41-23 (64.1%) during the regular season in Turner’s four years in charge.  They are also 3-3 in the post-season on Turner’s watch.  I’m not a big fan of Norv Turner as I think they would have already won a Super Bowl with a legit head coach.

The San Diego Chargers would want to balance the offense a little bit more in 2011.  25-year old former fullback Mike Tolbert will be getting about a 50/50 split in carries with 24-year old Ryan Mathews in 2011.  Tolbert played in 15 games (4 starts) for the Chargers last year and he carried the ball 182 times for 735 yards (4.0 ypc) with 11 TD runs.  He also caught 25 passes for 216 yards (8.6 avg) last year.  Tolbert is a pure power runner who reminds me a lot of ex-Charger back Michael Turner.  Tolbert has now played in 44 games (14 starts) in his first three years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 220 times for 920 yards (4.2 ypc) with 12 TD runs.  He has also caught 55 passes for 579 yards (10.5 avg) with 4 TD grabs in his career.

24-year old Ryan Mathews played well as a rookie when he was healthy in 2010.  Mathews played in 12 games (9 starts) for the Chargers last year and he carried the ball 158 times for 678 yards (4.3 ypc) with 7 TD runs.  He also caught 22 passes for 145 yards (6.6 avg) last year.  Mathews has a nice upside but he’s going to have to fight Mike Tolbert for carries in 2011.

The Chargers picked 21-year old RB Jordan Todman out of Connecticut in the 6th round of the NFL draft last April.  He will likely be the #3 RB for the Chargers in 2011.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS RBS IN 2011:  B-

29-year old QB Philip Rivers is one of the most underrated QBs in all of football.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Chargers last year and he completed 357 of 541 passes (66%) for 4,710 yards with 30 TD passes and 13 INTs (101.8 QB Rating).  Rivers also carried the ball 29 times for 52 yards (1.8 ypc) last year.  Rivers might not look like the best QB around until he gets the ball in the air because it usually goes to the right guy.  Rivers has now played in 84 games (80 starts) in his first 7 years in the NFL and he has completed 1,564 of 2,455 passes (63.7%) for 19,661 yards with 136 TD passes and 58 INTs (97.2 QB Rating).  Rivers has also carried the ball 168 times for 262 yards (1.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs so far in his career.  Rivers is 55-25 (68.8%) as a starting QB during the regular season for the Chargers.

35-year old Billy Volek is back in 2011 to backup Philip Rivers at QB.  Volek played in 3 games (0 starts) for the Chargers last year and he completed his only pass attempt, good for 8 yards.  He also carried the ball 6 times for -5 yards (-0.8 ypc) last year for the Chargers.  Volek is one of the better backup QBs in the NFL so the Chargers are glad that he decided to return for 2011.  Volek has now played in 37 games (10 starts) in his 9 years in the NFL and he has completed 337 of 561 passes (60.1%) for 3,754 yards with 27 TD passes and 15 INTs (84.9 QB Rating).  Volek has also carried the ball 52 times for 33 yards (0.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs in his NFL career.  Volek is only 3-7 (30%) as a starting QB so far in his NFL career.  Don’t let the record fool you as Volek is a solid QB.

23-year old undrafted rookie Scott Tolzien out of Wisconsin will likely be the Chargers’ #3 QB in 2011.  They will just let him watch and learn from Rivers and Volek.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS QBS IN 2011:  A+

27-year old RB Darren Sproles might be on the small side at 5’6″, 181 pounds.  But he has great speed and moves as he can go the distance any time he touches the ball.  Sproles played in 16 games for the Chargers last season and he returned 54 kickoffs for 1,300 yards (24.1 avg).  He has now played in 62 games in his four years with the Chargers and he has returned 207 kickoffs for 5,212 yards (25.2 avg) with 2 TD returns. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  A

The Chargers will likely be without starting LT Marcus McNeill for a huge chunk of the 2010 season due to a contract holdout and he’s the best lineman on the team.  Philip Rivers won’t likely be near as comfortable in the pocket in 2010 as he was in 2009.  Brandyn Dombrowski, Tra Thomas, Tyrone Greene and Corey Clark will all battle in training camp for the LT job.  I think when the dust settles it will be Dombrowski covering Rivers’ blind side.  He played well last season at RT but LT is a harder position.  LG Kris Dielman has been to 3 straight Pro Bowls.  Dielman has good balance and he’s very aggressive in the running game.  Center Nick Hardwick gets by with his brains as he is a finesse position type of blocker.  RG Louis Vasquez is a good run blocker but he has issues with fast rushers in the passing game.  RT Jeromey Clary is a below average tackle but his competition would have likely been Dombrowski who is needed on the left side.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS O-LINE in 2010:  C-

As hard as I might try I can’t blame Norv Turner for last year’s playoff loss to the Jets as Nate Kaeding is the lone goat.  Turner led the Chargers to a 13-3 (81.3%) record during the regular season but they lost their only playoff game 17-14 at home against the Jets.  Turner now has a 32-16 (66.7%) record during the regular season for the Chargers and he’s 3-3 (50%) in the post season.  Turner now has a career record of 90-98-1 (47.9%) in 12 years as a head coach and he’s 4-4 (50%) in the post-season.  I have never thought that Turner was much of a coach and I still don’t.  The Chargers should have at least made it to a Super Bowl one of the years that Turner was here just based on the talent on the field.

28-year old kicker Nate Kaeding missed some key kicks in the 17-14 playoff loss to the Jets last season which overshadows his great regular season.  He played in all 16 games for the Chargers last season and he made 32 of 35 fields goals (91.4%) and 50 of 51 extra points good for 146 points.  Kaeding has now played in 96 games in his NFL career and he has made 150 of 172 field goals (87.2%).  He has also made 303 of 305 extra points as he has 753 points in his career with the Chargers.  Kaeding has a big and accurate leg as he will remain a solid weapon for the Chargers in 2010.

28-year old Nick Novak likely won’t have much of a chance to make the Chargers in 2010 unless Kaeding gets hurt.  Novak last kicked in a regular season game in the NFL in 2008 with the Chiefs.  Novak has played in 22 games in his NFL career and he has made 19 of 30 (63.3%) of his field goals.  He has also made all 32 of his extra point attempts as he has 89 points in his NFL career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS KICKERS in 2010:  A

27-year old WR Vincent Jackson is holding out right now and that could cripple the WR corps of the Chargers.  Jackson played in 15 games (all starts) for the Chargers last season and he caught 68 passes for 1,167 yards (17.2 avg) with 9 TD grabs.  He made his first Pro Bowl in 2009.  Jackson has now played in 70 games (54 starts) in his five years in the NFL and he has caught 198 passes for 3,400 yards (17.2 avg) with 25 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 10 times for 96 yards (9.6 ypc) in his time with the Chargers.  He is a player the Chargers can’t replace.

28-year old Malcolm Floyd will likely be the new #1 starter for the Chargers this year.  Floyd played in 16 games (9 starts) for the Chargers last year and he caught 45 passes for 776 yards (17.2 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 51 games (14 starts) in his five years in the NFL and he has caught 97 passes for 1,597 yards (16.5 avg) with 9 TD grabs.  Floyd has the potential to step up but he’s better as a #2 WR.

26-year old Legedu Naanee will likely start opposite of Floyd at WR this season.  Naanee played in 15 games (1 start) for the Chargers last season and he caught 24 passes for 242 yards (10.1 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  He has now played in 44 games (1 start) in his three years with the Chargers and he has caught 40 passes for 375 yards (9.4 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Naanee does have solid potential so don’t be surprised if he steps up in 2010 for the Chargers.

30-year old Josh Reed will likely be the Chargers’ #3 WR in 2010.  He played in 14 games (4 starts) for the Buffalo Bills last year and he caught 27 passes for 291 yards (10.8 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Reed has now played in 115 games (52 starts) in his 8 years in the NFL and he has caught 311 passes for 3,575 yards (11.5 avg) with 10 TD grabs.  He has also carried the ball 14 times for 57 yards (4.1 ypc) in his career to date.  He is a solid possession receiver but he lacks big time speed.

24-year old Craig “Buster” Davis could move up the depth chart if he gets off to a quick start in 2010.  Davis played in 1 game (0 starts) for the Chargers last season and he caught 6 passes for 52 yards (8.7 avg).  He has now played in 19 games (1 start) in his three years in the NFL and he has caught 30 passes for 299 yards (10.0 avg) with 1 TD grab. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS WRs in 2010:  With Jackson:  B+     Without Jackson:  C-

30-year old Antonio Gates has made six Pro Bowl in his 7 years with the Chargers.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Chargers last season and he caught 79 passes for 1,157 yards (14.6 avg) with 8 TD grabs.  Gates has now played in 109 games (105 starts) in his career with the Chargers and he has caught 479 passes for 6,223 yards (13.0 avg) with 59 TD grabs.  Gates is the best pass catching TE in the NFL and I don’t see that changing in 2010.  In fact, if Vincent Jackson sits out the season (a distinct possibility) then look for Gates to catch around 100 passes in 2010.

28-year old Kris Wilson will be Gates’ backup in 2010.  Wilson played in 16 games (0 starts) for the Chargers last season and he caught 4 passes for 28 yards (7.0 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 68 games (23 starts) in his 6 years in the NFL and he has caught 46 passes for 373 yards (8.1 avg) with 5 TD grabs.

Rookie 7th round pick Dedrick Epps will be #3 in line at TE in 2010 if he makes the team.  He would give Philip Rivers another big target as he is 6’3″, 246 pounds.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS TEs in 2010:  A+

25-year old Jacob Hester and 25-year old Mike Tolbert give the Chargers one of the best tandems at fullback in the entire NFL.  Hester played in 15 games (10 starts) for the Chargers last season and he carried the ball 21 times for 74 yards (3.5 ypc).  He also caught 9 passes for 24 yards (2.7 avg) last season.  Hester has now played in 31 games (13 starts) in his two years with the Chargers and he carried the ball 40 times for 169 yards (4.2 ypc) with 1 TD grab.  He has also caught 21 passes for 115 yards (5.5 avg) with 1 TD grab in his career.

Mike Tolbert is like a big tailback as he really has a lot of talent as a runner and a receiver.  Tolbert played in 16 games (3 starts) for the Chargers last season in which he carried the ball 25 times for 148 yards (5.9 ypc) with 1 TD carry and he also caught 17 passes for 192 yards (11.3 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Tolbert has now played in 29 games (10 starts) in his two years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 38 times for 185 yards (4.9 ypc) with 1 TD grab.  He has also caught 30 passes for 363 yards (12.1 avg) with 4 TD grabs in his career.  Look for Tolbert to get more carries and catch more passes in 2010 for the Chargers.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CHARGERS FBs in 2010:  A