Left Tackle McNeil A Big Part Of The Chargers Success

Protecting the Quarterback is one of the most important things for an offense to be successful. The Chargers are tied for first in sacks allowed with 5. Conversely, the Raiders are worst in protecting the quarterback, giving up a ridiculous 24 sacks. This is an interesting statistic because many felt that Chargers made a mistake by passing on the over hyped Tackle Robert Gallery and drafting QB Philip Rivers instead. It's interesting that Gallery has only just begun to start at Left Tackle this preseason. Marcus McNeil, the Chargers second round choice out of Auburn in 2006 has started at Left Tackle since drafted. McNeil has more than outplayed Gallery, and is a possible Pro Bowl candidate, as well as a potential Rookie of the Year. Sports Illustrated named McNeil to their rookie watch. He has rare size and ability, and has shown toughness by playing with two broken hands. His run blocking has also continued to improve – the Chargers are #2 in rushing as well as one of the top offenses in the league, and McNeil is a big reason why (pun intended).