NFL FanHouse

Chris Chambers Released by Chargers

Tom Herrera — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers

Update (11/3/09): Chris Chambers has found a new home. The Kansas City Chiefs announced Tuesday they have been awarded Chambers via waiver claim.

San Diego decided to cut ties with Chambers on Monday, just one day after he had a 20-yard grab in a 24-16 victory over the Raiders. Even with the big catch his receiving total for the season was only 122 yards, and considering his base salary is $4.55 million, it didn't quite make sense for the Chargers to keep him.

However, Norv Turner stated it was also about the emergence of Malcom Floyd, who had recently overtaken Chambers' starting spot, and the need for roster flexibility on the defensive end.

"There are a number of things that went into the decision," coach Norv Turner said in a team-issued release. "The reason we're able to do this is the play of Malcom [Floyd] and the way Legedu Naanee is performing. Certainly there are a number of other things in terms of our football team that we need to address. Defensively and in the kicking game . . . we need to get some help."

In an article that ran in the San Diego Union-Tribune, however, Chambers said he felt the team released him over reasons that didn't have to do with football.

But, in a phone conversation after he was released, Chambers (who is recently divorced) said he believes some off-field issues played into his release - specifically a relationship with a woman sources on the team believed may have had a negative impact on his performance. Chambers thinks any such determination would be unjust.

"I thought the team gave up on me a little quick -- for factors that don't have to deal with football," (Chambers) said. "I guess it created a distraction upstairs. I kept my head on straight. We all go through things. I did my best to not have my personal life and football clash. They know a little too much of my life, and they used it against me."

On the field, San Diego could look to fill Chambers' roster spot with a linebacker. Tim Dobbins suffered a knee injury in Sunday's victory and was taken to the locker room on a cart. Dobbins had been starting in place of right-inside linebacker Kevin Burnett, who missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle.

Chambers was obtained at the trading deadline in 2007 for a second-round draft pick and played a big role in the Chargers' march to the AFC championship game that year. But his production had fallen off over the past couple of years, as he totaled 462 yards receiving last season and had hauled in only nine catches through seven games in 2009. That's a long way down from his impressive 82 catches, 1,118 yards, and 11 TDs just a few years ago.

As Pro Football Talk mentions, any team that lands Chambers on waivers will have to pick up the balance of his hefty salary, and if he clears waivers by late Tuesday afternoon, he'll be entitled to collect the remaining $2.4 million as termination pay.

There are a few teams that could be interested in picking up Chambers, such as the Ravens, Dolphins and even the Patriots, since they recently cut Joey Galloway and lost Julian Edelman to a broken arm.

And if the receiving thing doesn't quite work out, at least a Redskins cornerback job may be in his future, according to mischievous Wikipedia page pranksters.

Fantasy Football Spin:
Malcom Floyd was plugged in our waiver-wire post and for good reason. He's a tall deep threat and should carve out a bigger role moving forward. He caught a 53-yard pass against Oakland and scored his first TD a week prior at Kansas City. In deep leagues I think he's worth a pickup, especially with some appealing matchups down the stretch. Over Weeks 12-14, the Chargers play Kansas City, Cleveland, and Dallas, while a Week 16 fantasy championship game with Tennessee also looks very appealing.

Chris Chambers Released by Chargers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chargers Staff Member Dies After Fall

Chris Burke — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:52:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers

Walt Daniels, a 66-year-old member of the San Diego Chargers staff, died Tuesday from injuries sustained when he fell out of a Qualcomm Stadium booth prior to Monday night's Denver-San Diego game.

""The San Diego Chargers' family is greatly saddened by the loss of Walt Daniels," the team said in a statement. "Walt loved the team and loved working in the press box on game days for more than 20 years. Our prayers are with his family and friends during this most difficult time."

Approximately three hours prior to kickoff of the game between San Diego and Denver on Monday, Daniels appeared to to sustain a head injury after falling about 25 to 30 feet out of a booth that was to be used by Broncos assistant coaches, and landing on the loge level. He was administered CPR before being taken to the hospital.

The stadium gates were closed -- including to the media -- for nearly an hour as workers cleaned up blood from the area where Daniels landed.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office said that Daniels died at 2:30 AM at Sharp Memorial Hospital.

- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Chargers Staff Member Dies After Fall originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:52:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zebra Report: A Good Ejection, Bad Reviews and Seeing the Whole Play

Matt Snyder — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Buccaneers, Chargers, Jaguars, Panthers, Rams, NFL Referees

Zebra Report is FanHouse's analysis of actual NFL rules and how they are to be applied ... because most fans think they could do a better job than the NFL officials, yet definitely could not. Click here for an introduction as to how we do things.

I'll agree with the defenders of Dante Wesley on one front, but just one: he hasn't made a career out of being a dirty player. Sunday, though, he was. What Wesley did, whether intentional or not, was one of the most egregious things I've ever seen done on a football field. Honestly, I didn't even think I'd have to cover it for Zebra Report, but I've seen so many absolutely appalling arguments in defense of Wesley on comment boards across the internet, that I feel I have to. It's simply mind-boggling (and, as a football fan, a bit embarrassing) that some people seriously think his hit was, or should have been, legal.

The kick-catching interference call by the officials was a no-brainer. They'll never have to make an easier call. I want to give them kudos for ejecting him. That's a total judgment call and I believe it to be the right one. I don't care if he "didn't mean to" hit Clifton Smith before the ball arrived or not. That's like saying you didn't mean to punch someone in the face. He still did it.

Anyway, on to the rules. I can't believe I have to do this, but the fact that Smith didn't call a fair catch is irrelevant. I keep seeing Wesley defenders post some derivative of "he should have called fair catch" or "the referees called fair catch infraction" Um ... he has protection anyway and no they didn't. If that's what the official said, he misspoke. The penalty is called "kick-catching interference." Here:

Rule 10-1: Article 1 During a scrimmage kick that crosses the line of scrimmage, or during a free kick, members of the kicking team are prohibited from interfering with any receiver making an attempt to catch the airborne kick, or from obstructing or hindering his path to the airborne kick, and regardless of whether any signal was given.

Item 1: Contact with Receiver. It is interference if a player of the kicking team contacts the receiver, or causes a passive player of either team to contact the receiver, before or simultaneous to his touching the ball.

As far as the ejection, you can use these two items:

Rule 12-2-8 (it is unnecessary roughness for ... ) (e) unnecessarily running, diving into, cutting, or throwing the body against or on a player who (i) is out of the play or (ii) should not have reasonably anticipated such contact by an opponent, before or after the ball is dead; or throwing the runner to the ground after the ball is dead;

Rule 3-6 (players can be disqualified for ... ) (b) flagrant roughing of a kicker, passer, or any other opponent (12-2-6 and 12-2-12);

I know this is technically a judgment call and I've said I won't be making these statements this year, but this play was so flagrant I feel compelled to break my own rule and say it was the correct judgment.

Finally, the worst argument in the history of arguments is the whole "this is football, not soccer" one. Punt returners have always had protection against a hit like this. Go whine about how "real men" played football back in the 1970s if you want, but you need to ask punt returners from the '70s if they were protected against hits like this: because they were. This isn't an opinion, it is a fact. Thus, if you disagree, you are wrong. There are no two ways about it. Period. Are we clear?

There, now that I've got that off my chest, we can move on.

- Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch posted this paragraph on the Rams-Jags game's officiating in his post-game thoughts.

* The officiating was incoherent Sunday. They got it wrong on a couple of pass interference calls against the Rams. Even when referee Jeff Triplette had a chance to review an onfield mistake - the sideline catch by Holt - he still got it wrong and didn't reverse the ruling on the field. NFL officials, for the most part, are frontrunners. (I apologize to the many good officials out there, including my friend Joe Larrew, because I know it isn't true of all officials.) They know who is good, they know who is bad, and they know who the "name" players are. It may not be something that they're even aware of outwardly, but it's always been my belief that the zebras give the benefit of the doubt to good teams and name players. Look, the Rams didn't lose the game because of the officials. But it's hard to imagine a more poorly officiated game than the one I saw Sunday.

First of all, I'm not going to dispute or reinforce his opinion about officials subconsciously favoring the better teams. I know it doesn't happen for me in high school games, but those aren't famous players. Of the two NFL officials I've met, I don't know either one well enough to say if they do this -- especially if it is subconscious -- so we'll just leave that part alone.

I will dispute his argument on the pass interference calls -- at least the one I saw. First, remember the seven principles of pass interference, which were covered in the third incident in a past Zebra Report. The first one (a) says that it is interference when contact by a player "who is not playing the ball restricts the opponent's opportunity to catch the ball." In the fourth quarter, James Laurinaitis was called for interference. He was running toward the receiver. Without turning his head back around toward the ball, he held up his hands. The receiver tried to get back to the pass and ran into Laurinaitis. Like it or not, he restricted the receiver's ability to catch the football while he wasn't playing the ball. It's a simple call. This is the only interference call I saw, so I'll apologize in advance to good ol' Bernie (whose writing I really enjoy) if he wasn't disputing this particular call.

Of course, the replay review Miklasz mentions was egregious. It was very clear for anyone who had a television set that Torry Holt's second foot was out of bounds. It wasn't a toe, either, it was half of his foot. I'm not sure if the referee, Triplette, didn't see the same replay the fans did or what. If not, this was a mistake by the replay system as a whole. This wasn't even a judgment call, in my opinion. It was an absolute fact that half of Holt's foot was out of bounds. I'm usually a defender, of sorts, of the officials, but this is unacceptable. I would hope Triplette himself would agree with me after seeing further replays.

- Speaking of botched replays, I'm not sure how the officials could change the Brandon Stokley touchdown late Monday night and still give him a touchdown (watch it on youtube by clicking here). The initial call was clearly that Stokley didn't get into the end-zone until after he was on the ground and rolled in. That much was evident because the line judge waited to throw his hands in the air until after Stokley rolled in from the ground. If the call on the field was that he caught the ball in the end-zone, we would have seen an immediate signal.

The replay clearly showed Stokley was touched by Antonio Cromartie when on the ground and not in the end-zone. If you need conclusive evidence to overturn a call, they had it there. However, the officials then awarded the touchdown on the grounds that he caught the ball when it was breaking the plane of the end-zone. It seems as though they found conclusive evidence to call it a touchdown in a different manner than the on-field call awarded one. You can't find a single angle where the ball was conclusively breaking the plane of the end-zone on the catch, at least as far as I could tell. It seems to me the only conclusive part of the replay was the touch, thus, they should have placed the ball on the half yard line. That's my judgment, though, so I guess I shouldn't say it (damn these self-imposed rules).

- In that same game, the officials got together and got a tricky enforcement correct. There was a pass interference call in favor of Brandon Marshall, but Marshall -- being the lovable, level-headed guy he is -- went ballistic because he didn't see the flag. He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Since one foul was during the play and the other was after, how could the penalties offset and mean the down should be replayed? Here you go:

Rule 14-9: If there has been a foul by either team during a down and there is a dead ball foul by the other team in the action immediately after the end of the down, it is a double foul, and all rules for enforcement of double fouls apply (see 14-3-1). Exception: If the scoring team commits a dead ball foul after a score, the score counts,
and the penalty is enforced on the kickoff.

And 14-3-1: If there is a double foul (3-11-2-c) without a change of possession, the penalties are offset and the down is replayed at the previous spot. If it was a scrimmage down, the number of the next down and the necessary line is the same as for the down for which the new one is substituted.

Say what you will about judgment calls, but it's pretty amazing how the officials rarely mis-enforce tricky stuff like this. With a 136-page rule book, that's good work to go from memory out there and always get it right.

- Finally, we don't usually cover college plays, but this was submitted to me and I thought it was a good time to talk about a general guideline for officials of all levels. In order to make a call, you have to see the entire act. You cannot get into assuming things.

For example, if you are behind a player and see his head turn to the side really fast, you cannot throw a flag for facemask. It might have happened, but it may not have. You can't just assume penalties. People in the crowd, by the way, do this with alarming frequency. It's actually a running joke among officials. If you see someone sprawling out like superman and landing on his stomach, he must have gotten blocked in the back, right? But what if he just tripped? Do you want to flag the offense for a clumsy defender?

Anyway, the reason I bring this up is that it appears in a college game this past weekend, an official violated this premise. Watch this play:

I think it pretty well speaks for itself. No. 96 for Arkansas got blocked and got flagged for unnecessary roughness -- basically for shedding a block. It's obvious the official who made the call didn't see the entire play. Thanks to reader Robin for the submission. A final note: the SEC did admit the call was incorrect -- not that it helps the Razorbacks in coping with the egregious call.

Got a rules-related question? Whether it's elementary, high school or NFL, email TZR and he'll see what he can do.

Zebra Report: A Good Ejection, Bad Reviews and Seeing the Whole Play originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Broncos Take Total Control of AFC West

Nancy Gay — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Chargers, NFL Analysis

SAN DIEGO -- Monday night featured perhaps the NFL's best quarterback battle this season, the duel between Philip Rivers and Kyle Orton, and it all but determined the balance of power in the AFC West, despite the fact that it's only mid-October.

Seriously -- who would have thought that Orton, once mistake-prone and reviled and probably still being burned in effigy by Bears fans, would now sit among the league's elite passers while guiding a 6-0 Denver Broncos team?

Make that the utterly dominant, AFC West-leading Broncos, who rode the franchise record-setting momentum of Eddie Royal returning both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the first half to preserve a 34-23 victory over the foundering San Diego Chargers (2-3).

Royal busted through San Diego's coverage teams for a 93-yard kickoff return in the first quarter -- "I think someone may have touched me on that one," he said -- and then went completely unmolested into the end zone on the 71-yard punt return with 5:53 remaining before halftime.

"This was just a total team effort. The guys just did a great job of blocking; I have to give them a lot of credit. They opened up the seams and it was a home run," Royal said. Twice. That made him the 11th player in NFL history -- and first in Broncos history -- to perform the dual-return touchdown feat, and the sixth since the merger.

But Royal said it best: This was a total team effort for Denver, which secured what amounts to an insurmountable 3 1/2 game lead over San Diego at a very angry Qualcomm Stadium.

"We were fortunate to have two big returns there by Eddie in the first half and that kind of kept us in it," said rookie coach Josh McDaniels, whose team still trailed 20-17 at halftime despite Royal's heroics. "Our guys fought and made a few adjustments in the second half and played better football."

Orton was unflappable and almost perfect behind his superb pass protection, completing 20 of 29 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns -- one, a 19-yard tiptoe catch in the corner of the end zone by tight end Tony Scheffler late in the third quarter; the other, a 5-yard scoring strike to receiver Brandon Stokley in the waning minutes.

The Chargers' once-feared pass rush led by Shawne Merriman no longer exists, and that's a big problem. Merriman played like someone who is still injured, and San Diego got no pressure on the quarterback. Orton had ample time to make his checkdowns and find open receivers.

"It's nice to go into the bye 6-0," said Orton, who concedes he's a better player in Denver than he was in Chicago. That offseason trade, which sent Jay Cutler and a fifth-round pick to the Bears for Orton and first-round picks in 2009 and '10, along with an '09 third-round selection, seemed to guarantee a playoff berth for Chicago.

Instead, it's made Cutler mortal (10 touchdowns, seven interceptions) and completely transformed Orton (nine touchdowns, one interception) into a playmaker.

"It's a spread passing game that gets people into space," Orton said of McDaniels' scheme. "It puts a premium of being accurate and making the right decisions."

Orton got the ball to seven receivers. "He never throws that ball to me," said Stokley, who rolled into the end zone with 2:55 left for the final Broncos' score. "But that just shows you how great Kyle has been this season. He finds us, and he puts the ball in the right place for us to make the catch."

Defensively, the Broncos' fortified pass rush and blitz sacked Rivers five times, forcing a fumble that Denver converted into one of two Matt Prater field goals. NFL sacks leader Elvis Dumervil got to Rivers twice to push his season total to 10, on the second occasion using an overhand right to drop the powerful Rivers to the turf

The Chargers' quarterback and emotional leader avoided the pressure through much of the first half, but finally succumbed to the rush in the second.

"It occasionally had an impact," said Rivers, who completed 20 of 33 passes for 274 yards, including a 3-yard scoring pass to Vincent Jackson in the first quarter. "There were times when we held it really well and we were able to get good gains on them."

The Chargers also got a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown from Darren Sproles in the second quarter to give them their halftime lead. But there was an uneasy feeling throughout the stadium in San Diego, where people have come to expect the worst.

And seriously -- who would have thought the Chargers would disappoint again? The locals, apparently. It's becoming a national pastime, calling for coach Norv Turner's scalp wherever he runs the shop. In San Diego, boozed and bitter Chargers fans let the embattled Turner -- who's getting little support from his porous offensive and defensive lines -- have it with all their might as he ran into the locker room tunnel after the final gun.

"NORV'S GOTTA GO!" a group of angry customers screamed in unison from the concourse above the locker room entrance.

Said Turner, whose team was coming off a bye: "It's disappointing. We talked a lot with our football team and talked about it this week a great deal -- you can't take anything for granted."

The vitriol is swirling in a frustrated Chargers' locker room, directed toward Turner and general manager A.J. Smith for not addressing needs in the trenches during the offseason. Guys like Merriman are furious with Smith for saying the defense has been "soft and bewildered" at times.

There is outrage everywhere, and it's overshadowing the efforts of Rivers, who continues to play at a high level each week.

"Denver came out and played well," Chargers tight end Antonio Gates said, "but there are things we could have done to enhance our chance of winning. Obviously on offense, we have to score touchdowns. We got down there and kicked three field goals. That is just not who we are offensively."

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Denver Broncos Photos

SAN DIEGO, CA - OCTOBER 19: Quarterback Kyle Orton #8 and the rest of the offense of the Denver Broncos in huddle against the San Diego Chargers during Monday Night Football on October 19, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Orton

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Denver Broncos Photos

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers losses the ball while being sacked during the fourth quarter of the Chargers 34-23 loss to the Denver Broncos in an NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. The Broncos recovered. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is wrapped up and sacked by Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams during the fourth quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. Rivers fumbled and Williams recovered the ball. The Broncos won 34-23 over the Chargers. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Denver Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler dances through the end zone after his 19-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. Scheffler had six receptions for 101 yards. The Broncos won 34-23 over the Chargers. (AP Photo/Chris Park)

Denver Broncos linebacker Andra Davis points to the San Diego fans as walks off the field while the San Diego Chargers offensive line leaves the field during the fourth quarter quarter of the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. The Broncos won 34-23 over the Chargers. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

The San Diego Chargers players hang their head during the fourth quarter of their 34-23 loss to the Denver Broncos in the NFL football game Monday, Oct. 19, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers gets ready to walk on the field before a game against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Philip rivers

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SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Andra Davis #54 of the Denver Broncos walks of the field after defeating the San Diego Chargers 34-23 at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Andra Davis

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SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers congratulates Champ Bailey #24 of the Denver Broncos after the game at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** philip Rivers;Champ Bailey

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SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Ronald Feilds #91 of the Denver Broncos celebrates a victory against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ronald Feilds

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SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 19: Tony Scheffler #88 of the Denver Broncos runs the ball for a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on October 19, 2009 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Scheffler

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Broncos Take Total Control of AFC West originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qualcomm Stadium Worker Hurt in Fall

FanHouse Newswire — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:35:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers

SAN DIEGO (Oct. 19) -- A worker at Qualcomm Stadium has been taken to a hospital after falling out of the press box about three hours before the Denver Broncos played the San Diego Chargers.

The man was identified as Walt Daniels, a member of the Chargers' game-day staff.

Daniels appeared to sustain a head injury after falling about 25 to 30 feet out of a booth that was to be used by Broncos assistant coaches, and landing on the loge level. He was administered CPR before being taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital.

The accident delayed the opening of the gates by about 40 minutes. Members of the press were also kept out of Qualcomm until approximately 90 minutes prior to Monday's kickoff.

There has not been any update of Daniels' condition yet.

- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Qualcomm Stadium Worker Hurt in Fall originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday Night Football Live Chat: Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers

Adam Gretz — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Broncos, Chargers

Before the season started, the San Diego Chargers were a sexy pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, while the Denver Broncos were a sexy pick to have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. The two teams meet on Monday night in San Diego, and the Broncos are 5-0 -- shocking everyone, except for Rod Smith -- while the Chargers are toiling along at a 2-2 pace.

Join us at 8:30 PM ET for our weekly Monday night football live chat as we discuss all of the action.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;altcast_code=a25d0bcf0a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Monday Night Football Live Chat&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Monday Night Football Live Chat: Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rashard Mendenhall: One-Week Wonder, or Sign of Things to Come?

Dan Graziano — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:25:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Steelers, NFL Analysis

PITTSBURGH -- Mike Tomlin wouldn't play along. Oh, it sounded like a good story. Rashard Mendenhall, the Steelers' young backup running back, was benched in Week 3 because Tomlin didn't think he was paying close enough attention to his playbook. Mendenhall was contrite, and spent the week telling folks he hoped he'd get a second chance because he knew what he'd done wrong and was determined to make up for it. Willie Parker, the starting running back, went down with a toe injury, and Mendenhall stepped in and shredded the Chargers on national TV. Great story, but Tomlin says he isn't buying.

"I'm not going to take any credit for that," the Steelers' coach said when asked if he felt he'd motivated Mendenhall. "I didn't rush for a yard tonight."

More Coverage: For at Least One Night, Pittsburgh Offensive Line Dominant

That put Tomlin 165 yards behind Mendenhall, who had more rushing yards than anybody else in the NFL on Sunday. He posted the highest rushing total by a Steeler since Parker had 223 on Dec. 7, 2006, and he became the first Steeler not named Ben Roethlisberger to run for a touchdown this year. And while all anybody wanted to talk about Sunday was the big night the kid had and the crucial victory that moved the defending champs back to .500, those 165 yards could mean a lot more to the Steelers than one early-October win.

"I was able to be me and be comfortable," Mendenhall said. "All I wanted was a chance to be out there and for people to see me and who I am, because people haven't seen me play too much to this point."

Rashard Mendenhall, you may or may not remember, is supposed to be a star. He was a first-round draft pick. The Steelers selected him 23rd overall in 2008. With the very next pick after that, the Tennessee Titans took a guy of whom you may have heard. Guy by the name of Chris Johnson . Coming out of the University of Illinois, Mendenhall struck the Steelers as a back around whom they could build the future of their running game.

But "future" doesn't have to mean "distant future," and in the NFL the smart teams know that. The Steelers are 2-2, looking up at both the Bengals and the Ravens (one of whom will be 4-1 this time next week) in the AFC North. If Parker's toe injury is going to linger, or if Parker has simply lost a step, and if Mendenhall is healthy and with the program, there's nothing that's going to stop the Steelers from giving him the ball. Maybe he and Parker split touches when and if Parker comes back. Maybe he leaves Parker in the dust and finishes the season as the feature back. Anything's possible, and the fact that Mendenhall played the way he did Sunday night against the Chargers shows you that he's capable of handling the job.

"Rashard definitely proved himself tonight," Pittsburgh tackle Max Starks said. "He was toting the rock with authority."

Which is what the Steelers and their fans have been waiting to see for the past year and a half. For one night, he showed everybody a glimpse of what he was supposed to be. He made the much-maligned Steelers offensive line look all-world. He led an offense that couldn't be stopped when the other team was desperate to stop it. He backed up a confidence his coach claims has not wavered.

"I don't lack confidence in Rashard, even prior to tonight," Tomlin said. "He's a very talented young man, a good guy. He went through what some guys go through. He addressed it and moved forward, and tonight he showed what he's capable of doing. He needs to continue to do that and build off of that as we move forward. I'm sure that's his mindset, but we're going to make sure that our actions match our mentality."

Translation: Mendenhall is still young, and he's still learning. But he's also very, very good. And if he's going to be that, then he can help the Steelers, this year, right now. And the Steelers aren't going to be afraid to let him.

Rashard Mendenhall: One-Week Wonder, or Sign of Things to Come? originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Still Not Tough Enough: Chargers Pushed Around by Champs

Dan Graziano — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:22:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Steelers, NFL Analysis

PITTSBURGH -- They watched, and they kicked at the grass and thought about how it all could have been different. The players on the San Diego Chargers defense watched their brilliant, tough, never-say-die quarterback, Philip Rivers, move the ball with ease on the Steelers late in the game, making a game interesting when it had no business being such. They watched, and they thought, "If only."

If only they hadn't put Rivers in that 28-0 hole. If only they'd been able to get a first-half stop on third down -- on fourth down, for that matter.

"One stop!" Chargers safety Eric Weddle said after Pittsburgh's 38-28 win. "If we could have just got one stop. Our offense is going to keep us in games, and for us not to be able to get stops, it hurts. I mean, they're converting third down after third down after third down. That's hard to handle."

More: Check Box Score | Romo, Sanchez Struggle on Sunday

The Chargers do care. It did hurt their pride that the Steelers held the ball for 77 percent of the first half -- that midway through the third quarter the score was 28-0 and everybody in the building was wondering why the Chargers had even made the 2,100-mile trip if they weren't going to actually play the game.

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"It was turning into something of an embarrassment," Chargers running back LaDanian Tomlinson said.

So yeah, in case you were wondering, the Chargers do feel shame. They feel the sting of their own underachievement. They don't like being the butt of jokes -- the team that chokes in December and January, the ultra-talented roster that never puts it together. It bothers them that they can fly all the way out here and play an NFL football game on national TV and, when it's over, have to answer questions about why Rashard Mendenhall, a second-string running back who spent last week's game on the bench because his coach didn't think he could learn the playbook, barely even noticed that they had a defensive line.

The problem is, they don't do anything to make the jokes stop.

The Chargers were a popular preseason Super Bowl pick this year. You looked at their roster and you thought, yeah, maybe they were the best team in terms of overall talent, quite possibly in the whole league. You looked at their division (before you knew Denver was a juggernaut) and you figured they'd roll up a bunch of wins, coast into the playoffs and have a real shot to hold up that Lombardi trophy in early February.

But you forgot something. Namely, that these are the Chargers, who have proven nothing. The Chargers, who have always let you down. The Chargers, who got punched in the mouth by one AFC North team at home in Week 2 and then got bludgeoned by another on Sunday night at the confluence of the Ohio, the Allegheny and the Monongahela.

"We've played some very physical football teams over this first couple of weeks," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "But I don't think you ever want to get into a situation where people are able to run the ball the way they were able to tonight."

Holy Understatement, Batman. The Steelers don't run the ball this easily in practice. With starting running back Willie Parker out, Mendenhall rolled up 165 rushing yards on 29 carries. Pittsburgh ran 36 rushing plays to the Chargers' 8. They had 32 first downs to San Diego's 17, and they got 11 of those 32 by running the ball.

"That's any defense," Chargers linebacker Kevin Burnett said. "The first thing you do, any defense, any day, you stop the run. You have to."

But the Chargers couldn't, and the Steelers knew it. In the ultimate indignity, the Steelers had a 4th-and-1 on their own 30 yard line, up 14-0, with six minutes left in the first half, and they went for it.

"Wouldn't you?" Burnett asked. "I think the stats speak for themselves. They ran for about 400 yards on offense. We couldn't stop them. They couldn't be stopped. They went for it on 4th and 1."

And they got it, of course. Ben Roethlisberger blew through San Diego's tissue-paper defensive front for three yards and a cloud of humiliation, and the Steelers rolled along. Ten plays and five minutes later, Mendenhall rambled into the end zone for his second touchdown and a 21-0 Steelers lead.

"We have to play better to beat the top teams in the AFC," said Rivers, who threw for 169 yards and three touchdowns in the final 23 minutes of the game to help fantasy leaguers everywhere win the week and NBC hold its audience. "We played two in the last couple of weeks, in Baltimore and Pittsburgh, that we didn't win either of."

And so they're 2-2, and two games back of Josh McDaniels' Told-You-So Broncos in the AFC West. And their veteran defensive tackle, Jamal Williams, is out for the year and appears to have been replaced with some sort of cardboard cutout. The Chargers have issues, and a bye week, and so now they're going to spend two weeks waking up in a cold sweat from Rashard Mendenhall nightmares.

"We've just got to, collectively, man for man, as a whole, everybody in this room, play better on defense," Burnett said.

If they don't, they're not going to be able to stand toe-to-toe with the Rust Belt beasts of the AFC. And somebody like the Steelers or the Ravens or Bill Belichick is going to go the Super Bowl while the Chargers watch on TV. And everybody's going to make those same old jokes about the Chargers being California soft, even though their quarterback is tougher than calculus and their offense has a chance to be as good as any in the league.

And their defense knows it. Which is why they were kicking themselves late Sunday night.

"It just kills you, is all," Weddle said. "I mean, you get down 21-0, 28-0, this is the NFL. You're not going to be able to come back from that."

The Chargers, along with the rest of us, have identified the problem. Now, the question is: Can they fix it?

Still Not Tough Enough: Chargers Pushed Around by Champs originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday Night Football Live Chat

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Steelers, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

The defending Super Bowl champions may be facing a must-win situation Sunday night. The Pittsburgh Steelers host the San Diego Chargers in a rematch of last year's AFC Divisional Playoffs. This game, which is likely to be played in warmer weather than the last meeting, means a lot to the homestanding Steelers.

Pittsburgh is 1-2, thanks to back-to-back fourth quarter meltdowns. The heat is on with a Charger team that is trying to keep pace with unbeaten Denver atop the AFC West. Join us starting at 8:15 P.M. Eastern for a live chat, as we follow the events in Pittsburgh tonight.

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=108074ebb4" >Sunday Night Football Live Chat</a>

Sunday Night Football Live Chat originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Live Chat: Week 4 Preview

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Bengals, Browns, Buccaneers, Chargers, Jets, Lions, Packers, Redskins, Saints, Steelers, Vikings, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

It's a week headlined by some old guy facing his former team, but there are other storylines in Week 4. The Browns and Buccaneers start new quarterbacks, the Lions try for their second straight win, unbeatens clash in New Orleans, and the defending Super Bowl champions arguably face a must-win Sunday night. We'll talk about all these topics and more in our weekly get-together. Read the recap.

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FanHouse Live Chat: Week 4 Preview originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brady Quinn Pulled at QB for Browns

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:55:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Ravens, AFC North, NFL Quarterbacks

Trailing 20-0 at halftime, and seeing that his offense had done virtually nothing productive, Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini decided he'd had enough.

Quarterback Brady Quinn, who has struggled mightily over the season's first two weeks, was pulled from Sunday's 34-3 loss to Baltimore in favor of Derek Anderson. The two staged a battle throughout training camp for the starting job, which was eventually won by Quinn.

More Coverage: Browns-Ravens Recap | Full Scoreboard

Quinn has not been effective throwing the ball downfield, and he didn't get off to a good start Sunday. He threw an interception on the Browns' first drive, and threw for just 34 yards in the first half.

Anderson came on to start the third quarter for Cleveland, and that didn't do work out better. Flushed out of the pocket, he threw a pass into coverage along the sideline, and it was intercepted. It was one of those plays where Anderson needed to throw the ball away, instead of trying to make a play -- and the first of three Anderson interceptions on the day. He finished 11 of 19.

"Nothing ever comes easy here in Cleveland," said linebacker D'Qwell Jackson. "I've learned that the last few years. This is as low as we can get right now. We're 0-3 and we can't be any worse than that."

Looks like it's going to be a long season in Cleveland, one wrought with quarterback questions.

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 27: Ray Rice #27 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball into the endzone for his first career touchdown against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Browns 34-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ray Rice

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 27: Dawan Landry #26 of the Baltimore Ravens laterals the ball after an interception against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Browns 34-3. The lay was called back because of a penalty but the Ravens kept the ball. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dawan Landry

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 27: Dawan Landry #26 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball after an interception against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Browns 34-3. The lay was called back because of a penalty but the Ravens kept the ball. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dawan Landry

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 27: Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens speaks to the referree during the game against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Browns 34-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** John Harbaugh

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 27: Ray Rice #27 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates his first career touchdown against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Browns 34-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ray Rice

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 27: Ed Reed #20 of the Baltimore Ravens comes off the field after an interception against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Browns 34-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ed Reed

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 27: Antwan Barnes #50 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a play against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Browns 34-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Antwan Barnes

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BALTIMORE - SEPTEMBER 27: Todd Heap #86 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium on September 27, 2009 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens defeated the Browns 34-3. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Todd Heap

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Brady Quinn Pulled at QB for Browns originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philip Rivers Keeping Fiery Attitude in Check, Stabilizing San Diego

Nancy Gay — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, FanHouse Exclusive, NFL Quarterbacks

SAN DIEGO -- It's Week 3 in the NFL, and already the anger is spewing across San Diego over the Chargers' inglorious 1-1 start. Whether it is frustration over coach Norv Turner's play calling, uneasiness over the team's myriad injuries or overall disappointment with a franchise expected to dominate a weak AFC West, there is one player who is holding it all together.

The glue is no longer running back LaDainian Tomlinson's team -- the one-time NFL Most Valuable Player is sidelined a second consecutive week because of a sprained ankle.

Now, the burden of leading this locker room, this franchise, has fallen to quarterback Philip Rivers.

And Rivers appears perfectly comfortable shouldering that load and being the bedrock for his teammates, doing just that in during and after a crushing Week 2 loss at Qualcomm Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens, one that left a sour taste in the Chargers locker room.

Twice against Baltimore, Rivers tossed interceptions. Three times, Rivers and his offense were flagged for delay of game penalties. Five times, the Chargers ventured into Baltimore's red zone, trips that only generated four field goals.

Then there was the signature stamp of frustration that overshadowed an otherwise stellar day personally for Rivers, who passed for 436 yards and two touchdowns: Turner decided to ignore his tight ends and send running back Darren Sproles up the gut on a fourth-and-2 call at the Ravens' 15-yard line. Sproles was laid out for a loss by linebacker Ray Lewis, who shot the gap untouched for a game-saving stop in a 31-26 Baltimore victory.

In years past, such a finish might have sent the emotionally charged Rivers into a post-game rant. In the heat of the game, he likely would have engaged in a regretful mouthy exchange with Lewis, just as Rivers famously did in his often contentious exchanges with former Denver quarterback Jay Cutler during the years in annual meetings against the Broncos.

But a seemingly matured Rivers has remained resolute and calm during a rough week for his team, taking on the role as rock for his franchise.

"In one sense, I think it's the natural progression of a quarterback and a leader," Rivers told FanHouse during an interview at the Chargers' practice facility in Kearny Mesa. "I'm in year six [of my NFL career] now and it just grows, each and every year. And you just understand, when you are faced with some adversity and injuries, that you have to step up and keep the guys going, rally the guys and try to will some wins."

He's still got it in him to let loose verbally -- in Week 1, Rivers got into it with Raiders defensive tackle Gerard Warren, which resulted in the quarterback being penalized and later fined $7,500.

"I do have those two sides," Rivers admitted. "Certainly there is that passionate, fiery side. But I've learned over the last five years that, if you take all these games so hard and you're so wound up all the time, you just won't make it. You won't make it through a season.

"I'm trying to find that happy medium, to push forward in games where I had some critical errors or the team didn't come through. I've figured out how to manage those better."

As a result, Rivers said he's learned to cope with adversity. And the Chargers certainly are facing plenty of that Sunday when they play host to the Miami Dolphins.

Tomlinson, 30, is starting to buckle to the wear-and-tear: Sunday's game will mark the third time he's sat out in the Chargers' last four games, following eight regular seasons without missing a game due to injury. A groin strain kept Tomlinson out of San Diego' 2008 playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Chargers also will face the Dolphins without center Nick Hardwick (ankle surgery, out eight weeks) and backup defensive end Travis Johnson (groin). Assorted other regulars are badly nicked -- rookie right guard Louis Vasquez (knee) and reserve outside linebacker Antwan Applewhite (hamstring) are listed as doubtful.

On Thursday, seven Chargers missed practice, including linebacker Shawne Merriman.

"It's hard, because you'd like to have all your guys," Turner said Friday. "It's crazy, because on Sept. 1, when people were asking me what I thought about camp, I said it was great that we were healthy and had all our guys, because that's something we haven't had in awhile."

This is where the quarterback projects his role of steely leader. Rivers' fiery nature, which once defined him as an obnoxious young player prone to taunting, has matured and mellowed, like a Beaujolais nouveau eventually gives way to a fine Cabernet. And it's given his teammates an anchor in rough seas.

"I still think the overall feel with this team is very positive," Rivers said of his 1-1 Chargers. "The odds are we aren't going to win all 16 games, and the way we react is going to be important."

The 2008 Chargers were all over the map, losing five of their first eight games before storming back to win all four games in December to salvage a playoff berth. That experience helps put this year's rocky start into perspective, Rivers said.

"I think it also drives us to not let that happen again, so we can say we can overcome a bad start, but let's not let that happen," Rivers said. "We have another game this week against a playoff opponent [Miami], so let's get us to 2-1 before we head off to Pittsburgh."

Philip Rivers Keeping Fiery Attitude in Check, Stabilizing San Diego originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battered Chargers Will Be Without Starting Center Until December

Chris Burke — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:20:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, NFL Injuries

San Diego came into the 2009 season as one of the heavy favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. Those expectations relied heavily on the ability of the Chargers' running-back tandem of LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles to dominate.

But two games into the season, Tomlinson's already dealing with injury, and San Diego is 30th in the league in yards rushing at 60.5 per game.

The situation doesn't appear to be on the verge of getting better, either -- Wednesday, the Chargers announced that starting center Nick Hardwick, a first-teamer on the San Diego offensive line since 2004, will be out for up to eight weeks after left ankle surgery.

Hardwick was injured in San Diego's 24-20 Week 1 win over Oakland when his left leg was rolled up on during a pass play. He spent several minutes on the ground before being carted off. Scott Mruczkowski, who's been with the Chargers since 2004 -- and started in Week 2 against Baltimore -- will likely stay in the lineup with Hardwick out.

The sudden loss of offensive clout is a major change for the Chargers. San Diego's finished in the top eight in points scored for every season since 2004, with Tomlinson leading the way. The 1,110 yards he rushed for last season were the lowest total of his career -- though he's well of that pace with 55 yards through two weeks this year.

Even with no semblance of a rushing attack, San Diego's managed to average 25 points per game thus far. With Philip Rivers at QB and a healthy complement of weapons, it's not unthinkable that the Chargers could keep up that pace. On the other hand, Rivers has been sacked five times already this season. And the lack of a ground threat cost San Diego at the end of its loss to Baltimore when, on a critical fourth-and-one, the Ravens stuffed Sproles for a five-yard loss to clinch a win.

San Diego signed Dennis Norman last week to backup Mruczkowski, and he'll likely hold that spot for the time being.

Battered Chargers Will Be Without Starting Center Until December originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ray Lewis Saves Baltimore With 'One of The Greatest Plays' of His Career

Nancy Gay — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:50:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Ravens, NFL Quarterbacks

SAN DIEGO -- Ray Lewis waited 59 1/2 minutes Sunday to make a spectacular play he had created in his mind's eye, a scene crafted through hours of film study dissecting the Chargers' prolific offense. But the play was no fluke: That same game film all but promised the Ravens linebacker that San Diego would give the ball to spark-plug running back Darren Sproles in a short-yardage situation.

And with the ballgame on the line.

With 37 seconds remaining and Baltimore trying to hold off a Chargers' game-winning scoring threat, there it was -- quarterback Philip Rivers, on 4th-and-2 at the Ravens' 15-yard line, handing off to Sproles on a counter-draw play.

Lewis had envisioned shooting the gap untouched and completing the body-slamming tackle for a loss he knew was possible from watching all that video. And when he made that dream play happen to secure a Ravens victory at Qualcomm Stadium, Lewis called it one of his all-time bests.

"That was probably one of the greatest plays of my career, because of my team -- because of what we did as a team," said the six-time All-Pro linebacker, whose repertoire of game-breaking stops could fill a DVD collectors' series.

How great was it?

Said Ravens coach John Harbaugh after his team's 31-26 win: "He made the greatest football play I've ever seen. Ray Lewis made the last play of the football game to win a football game when you have to."

Five times on Sunday, the Chargers (1-1) reached the red zone against the NFL's third-ranked defense. Five times, the Ravens (2-0) kept them from scoring a touchdown, limiting San Diego to four Nick Kaeding field goals.

On the last try, Lewis blasted through a center-guard gap -- totally unblocked -- and leveled Sproles for a 5-yard loss.

"It's just amazing -- you go from film study, and nothing changes. They stayed to their form. And early in the game, that same play ... he just kept bouncing, just bouncing outside. But you know, when the game was on the line, as soon as Philip dropped down, I shot [the gap]," an adrenaline-pumped Lewis recalled minutes later. "And [Sproles] was there. He was there."

That tackle did not come off one of the many blitzes the Ravens had used all day to harass Rivers, which he shrugged off, for the most part, to pass for a career-high 436 yards. Rivers turned in the fourth-most productive passing day in Chargers' history, tying him with Dan Fouts.

"No, it wasn't a called blitz at all. I just read the play, and when I read it, it's either I make it, or they make it. Bottom line," Lewis recalled. "And in that situation, I tell my team, 'I'm never gonna ask you to do nothing that I won't do myself.' And that is to take a risk.

"So I took a risk. And I shot it ... game's on the line -- shoot it. Here we go."

And if you're a Chargers fan, you're probably asking: Norv Turner, why would you take the ball out of the hands of your hottest player, Rivers, on such a crucial 4th-down play? Why go with a running play, one that may have worked in the fourth quarter in Week 1 against Oakland, but hadn't gone far in Week 2 against the Ravens' fortified front seven?

"It didn't look like a 4th-and-2 to me," the Chargers coach explained. "I thought it looked more like 4th-and-1 to me. We threw the ball and they were very soft on the third-down play.

"If you look at the play, we got great movement on the outside. Ray made a great play."

The injury-ravaged Chargers came into this key AFC matchup without two of their biggest stars on offense and defense -- running back LaDainian Tomlinson was inactive (sprained ankle), and the team lost nose tackle Jamal Williams for the season because of a triceps injury.

Two starting offensive linemen, center Nick Hardwick (ankle) and right guard Louis Vazquez (knee) also were out after sustaining injuries in a Week 1 victory over the Raiders in Oakland.

So while San Diego was limited on the ground all day, rushing for only 53 yards, Rivers looked to Sproles through the air, connecting with him seven times for 124 yards. That included an 81-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, in which Rivers dumped a screen to Sproles to defeat a Baltimore blitz. Rivers also completed six passes to wide receiver Vincent Jackson for 141 yards, including a 35-yard scoring catch.

The Chargers put up 474 total yards against the Ravens' aggressive defenders. But once San Diego ventured inside Baltimore's 20-yard line, trouble followed.

Three times, Rivers and his crew were penalized for delay of game in the red zone, including a crushing mistake on 1st-and-inches at the Ravens' goal line with 19 seconds remaining before halftime. Pushed back five yards, Rivers threw two incomplete passes. Turner then called for Kaeding on third down, and he nailed a 23-yard field goal eight seconds before the break, cutting Baltimore's lead to 21-16.

The choice to go for a field goal on third down rather than try for seven points didn't bother Rivers at all.

"I wasn't really surprised. They blitzed us every play before that," said Rivers, who completed 25 of 45 passes but also threw two interceptions. "If something happened and I don't get to throw it away, or I throw it away and they call intentional grounding ... They were bringing everybody so there is going to be someone unblocked, and there is no way we could have blocked them all.

"We had to make sure we got some points there."

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SAN FRANCISCO - SEPTEMBER 20: Cornerback Allen Rossum #20 of the San Francisco 49ers tries to break a tackle by cornerback Kelly Jennings #21 and linebacker David Hawthorne #57 of the Seattle Seahawks in the first quarter action during the home opener at Candlestick Park on September 20, 2009 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by David Paul Morris/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Allen Rossum;Kelly Jennings;David Hawthorne

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Fans wait for a game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on September 20, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: An American flag on the field before a game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on September 20, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Running back Felix Jones #28 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates his touchown with Leonard Davis #70 in front of Corey Webster #23 of the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium on September 20, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Felix Jones;Corey Webster;Leonard Davis

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Running back Felix Jones #28 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates his touchown in front of Corey Webster #23 of the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium on September 20, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Felix Jones;Corey Webster

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NBA basketball player LeBron James prepares to pass as he plays catch with friends on the field following an NFL football game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

NBA basketball player LeBron James plays catch with friends on the field following the NFL football game between the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) walks off the field following their NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. The Giants won 33-31. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Running back Brandon Jacobs #27 of the New York Giants runs the ball against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on September 20, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon Jacobs

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Running back Marion Barber #24 of the Dallas Cowboys runs the ball past Bruce Johnson #25 of the New York Giants at Cowboys Stadium on September 20, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marion Barber;Bruce Johnson

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Ray Lewis Saves Baltimore With 'One of The Greatest Plays' of His Career originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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End of an Era for Patriots? Maybe Not, But NFL Is Changing

Dave Goldberg — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:20:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Patriots, Redskins, AFC East

The New England Patriots slipped back into the pack Sunday.

Yes, the Pats are a good team. No, they are no longer a dominant one. Their 16-9 loss to the Jets is more indicative that their dominance has ended than last season, when they missed the playoffs.

That was a "good'' miss -- they were 11-5 and could attribute their "failure'' to Tom Brady's absence. Now their failures are the result of the inevitable aging of their defense and an offense that, with injuries, had to rely Sunday on 37-year-old Joey Galloway and Julian Edelman, a rookie who played quarterback in college, to supplement Randy Moss at receiver.

It was, in fact, a day of change in the NFL.

More Coverage: Sanchez Takes Jets to 2-0 | All Week 2 Scores

Tennessee, which started 10-0 last season, is now 0-2 after allowing 34 points at home to Houston. Only three teams that started 0-2 in the Super Bowl era have won the title, the last being the Giants of two years ago, who allowed 80 points in two early losses.

On the plus side, New Orleans is 2-0 and has scored 95 points in two games -- although the 48-22 win in Philadelphia was over a team with Kevin Kolb making his first start at quarterback, in place of Donovan McNabb, who sat with a rib injury.

San Francisco, a doormat since 2002, is 2-0 with wins over Arizona and Seattle, the two teams it will have to beat to win the NFC West -- although this version of the 49ers, which uses a grind-it-out offense with a pounding defense, has a long way to go to emulate the Joe Montana-Steve Young-Jerry Rice-Ronnie Lott teams that won five titles between 1981-94.

But the clearest indication of a changing of the guard was at the Meadowlands, where the Jets made all their pre-game mouthing-off stand up by holding New England without a touchdown. Chalk one up for Rex Ryan, who said when he was made the Jets' coach last winter that he hadn't come to kiss Bill Belichick's rings.

"We're not really flying on all cylinders now. To not get the ball in the end zone is unacceptable,'' Brady said.

"We didn't do a good enough job,'' deadpanned Belichick, who rarely says more than that.

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CHICAGO - SEPTEMBER 20: Danieal Manning #38 and Nick Roach #53 of the Chicago Bears bring down Willie Parker #39 of the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 20, 2009 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears defeated the Steelers 17-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Danieal Manning;Nick Roach;Willie Parker

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SAN DIEGO , CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Darren Sproles #43 of the San Diego Chargers is pursued by Fabian Washington #31 of the Baltimore Ravens before scoring a touchdown in the first half at Qualcomm Stadium on September 20, 2009 in San Diego, California. The Ravens defeated the Chargers 31-26. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Darren Sproles;Fabian Washington

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SAN DIEGO , CA - SEPTEMBER 20: Quarterback Philip Rivers #17 of the San Diego Chargers is pressured by Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens in the first half at Qualcomm Stadium on September 20, 2009 in San Diego, California. The Ravens defeated the Chargers 31-26. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Philip Rivers;Terrell Suggs

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 20: Brandon Manumaleuna #86 of the San Diego Chargers runs the ball as Dawan Landry #26 of the Baltimore Ravens trys to tackle him at Qualcomm Stadium on September 20, 2009 in San Diego, California.The Ravens defeated the Chargers 31-26 (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brandon Manumaleuna;Dawan Landry

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 20: Both the San Diego Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens prey after the game at Qualcomm Stadium on September 20, 2009 in San Diego, California.The Ravens defeated the Chargers 31-26 (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images)

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 20: Eric Weddle #32 of the San Diego Chargers hugs Antwan Barnes #50 of the Baltimore Ravens after the game at Qualcomm Stadium on September 20, 2009 in San Diego, California.The Ravens defeated the Chargers 31-26 (Photo by Jacob de Golish/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Eric Weddle;Antwan Barnes

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Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Brad Butler is helped from the field after an injury in the first half of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009. Buffalo won 33-20. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Green Bay Packers Aaron Kampman tries to stop Cincinnati Bengals Andre Caldwell during the second half at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Ryan Grant scores a touchdown in the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers Aaron Rogers gets off a pass in the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers is sacked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, September 20, 2009. (Rick Wood/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MCT)

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But it goes much deeper.

If Ryan had unleashed Mark Sanchez, who threw for just 15 yards in the first half, New York might well have scored more in their first win over the Patriots at the Meadowlands since Sept. 11, 2000. In hindsight, it was inevitable -- you can't take Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi and Richard Seymour off the defense and out of the locker room, especially when the new linchpin of the defense, Jerod Mayo, is out for a while with a knee injury.

Offense? Wes Welker rested a sore knee and was replaced by Edelman, a seventh-round pick who used to be Kent State's QB. He had a nice game -- six catches for 98 yards. But Moss, blanketed, was taken out of the game, and Galloway, the kind of pickup who has helped in the past, did little.

In fact, if Buffalo's Leodis McKelvin had stayed in the end zone with that late kickoff on Monday night, the Patriots would be 0-2. Instead he fumbled, allowing Brady to put up two touchdowns. The five minutes in which he did it are the only five minutes in two games when he has looked like the old Brady.

He will shake off the rust.

But he may not be surrounded by enough talent for that to make a difference.

CURIOUS COACHING

"Everyone was a little down in here," Redskins tight end Chris Cooley said after Washington barely eked out a 9-7 win over St. Louis, a 2-14 team in 2008 that they should have beaten easily at home. Instead, they could have lost if the Rams had enough offense to take advantage of a strange late decision by coach Jim Zorn.

With 3:47 left, Zorn eschewed a 37- or 38-yard field goal that would have given the Skins a 5-point lead to go for it on fourth-and-1. OK, that's understandable -- and Clinton Portis got the first down.

But doing it again at the St. Louis 2 with 1:40 left? That failed, leaving the Rams a minute-and-a-half to get into range for a game-winning field goal. Given St. Louis' offensive deficiencies, might it have been safer to not leave them within a field goal of winning? Yes, Zorn left them backed up instead of kicking off and giving them reasonable field position. But if they'd somehow gotten out of the hole and kicked a field goal, Zorn might have been looking for a job on Monday.

Better to leave them needing a touchdown.

Then there was San Diego's Norv Turner, whose team lost 33-28 to Baltimore.

Trailing 21-13 in the final seconds of the first half, the Chargers completed a pass to the Ravens' 1. After a roughing-the-passer penalty was enforced, they got the ball at the 1-inch-line and 19 seconds were put on the clock.

Then the game was delayed while replay officials checked to see if Vincent Jackson had gotten into the end zone on the play that got the ball down deep. He hadn't. The Chargers lined up, and 12 seconds later, were whistled for delay -- Philip Rivers or Turner or someone apparently didn't know that when there is a replay, the play clock stops where it had been, in this case at 12 seconds.

After two incomplete passes from the 6, there were 10 seconds left and it was third down. Rather than throw in the end zone, Turner elected to have Nate Kaeding kick a field goal. Ten seconds and a down left? That made it 21-16 and they ended up losing by five, a margin that could have been erased with a TD at the end of the half and a 2-point conversion somewhere down the line.

Curious.

End of an Era for Patriots? Maybe Not, But NFL Is Changing originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Premium Previews: Week 1 Highlighted by Young (And Old) Quarterbacks

Dave Goldberg — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Bills, Browns, Chargers, Jets, Lions, Giants, Packers, Patriots, Raiders, Redskins, Saints, Texans, Vikings, FanHouse Exclusive

Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco started a trend last season: rookie quarterbacks who started from Week One and led their teams to the playoffs.

So the Detroit Lions and New York Jets are trying it this year with Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. Although if Stafford gets the Lions from 0-16 to the postseason as a rookie, he probably should go directly to Canton.

In any case, Stafford and Sanchez will start Sunday in New Orleans and Houston as the NFL season finally gets under way after what seems like an eternal offseason.

There are other QB story lines the first week (although folks often forget there are 21 other guys on the field).

They include the return of Tom Brady to New England after a 2008 season that ended with a torn-up knee in the first quarter of the first game.

They include Jay Cutler's first game with the Bears -- in Green Bay against the hated Packers -- after an acrimonious exit from Denver.

And they include the re-return of Brett Favre -- this time to Minnesota -- after what has become an annual Favre Watch in Hattiesburg, Miss.

One more Favre item: Brett's first game will be in Cleveland, where he played his first exhibition game last year after joining the New York Jets. The Browns' coach is Eric Mangini, fired by the Jets after starting 8-3 and finishing out of the playoffs at 9-7, largely because Favre fizzled late with a shoulder problem that required offseason surgery.

Mangini, like the Bill Belichick offspring he is, spent the week trying to hide his QB choice from the Vikings -- Brady Quinn of Derek Anderson. But he told Quinn and Anderson his choice Tuesday night and it leaded out Wednesday -- Quinn's the man. More proof that Eric isn't Bill, who's a lot more feared by his players.

Here are some games of note for Week 1:

Chicago (9-7) at Green Bay (6-10)

The NFC North looks like a three-way contest among the Bears, Packers and Vikings. So the winner gets an early edge over the loser in the tiebreaker scenarios.

Two important new guys: Cutler for the Bears and Dom Capers, the defensive coordinator, for the Packers. Capers, who as Carolina's head coach got the Panthers to the NFC title game in their second year, has installed his 3-4 defense. Aaron Kampman, Al Harris and Charles Woodson seem especially pleased.

It's also obligatory to note that this is the NFL's oldest rivalry, the 177th game in the series. The Bears lead it 90-80-6 and have outscored the Packers 3,008-2,879.

Washington (8-8) at New York Giants (12-4)

A late Sunday game. And another division opener in what could be a four-way battle. Most prognosticators seem to think the Giants and Eagles are better than the Cowboys and Redskins but potential injuries make that subject to change.

This one has the silliest of subplots.

It involves Andre Woodson, a marginal quarterback cut by the Giants last Saturday and signed to the Redskins' practice squad the next day. On Monday, Tom Coughlin laughingly suggested (as had others) that the Skins only signed him to pick his brain about New York's offense.

Folks in Washington didn't hear Coughlin laughing and took him literally, prompting a Jim Zorn speech about Woodson's potential. Actually, the way Woodson played in exhibitions suggests he didn't know much about the Giants' offense and doesn't have much potential.. But Woodson ran the Redskins' scout team this week, presumably with more knowledge of the Giants' plays than, say, Chase Daniel, who the Skins cut. .

Detroit (0-16) at New Orleans (8-8)

With Stafford starting his first NFL game, the Lions will attempt to break a 17-game losing streak and a run of 23 losses in 24 games.

He will face a defense that allowed 28.9 points a game last season, most in the league, negating Drew Brees' near record-breaking year. So Gregg Williams is now the defensive coordinator. Changing coordinators seems to be the new fix-it method of choice in the NFL. Three offensive coordinators were fired in preseason.

Detroit could be heir apparent to New Orleans as the league's worst defense. There just aren't enough good players there even though Jim Schwartz, the new head coach, is a very innovative mind who made the Titans into one of the league's consistently good defenses.

New York Jets (9-7) at Houston (8-8)

If we're going to promote Stafford's first start, we should also promote Sanchez and the debut of Rex Ryan as the Jets' head coach.

But it's also a chance for the Texans to make a statement. They've never been better than 8-8 and now's the time to improve. Matt Schaub is limping, but probably will play. And Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton and Owen Daniels make the offense potent.

The defense has Mario Williams, who has proven more worthy than Reggie Bush and Vince Young after being picked No. 1 over them in the 2006 draft. And it has DeMeco Ryans, one of the NFL's best linebackers. But it was 29th in yardage allowed last season. It won't help that the best DB, Dunta Robinson, won't play after finally signing his franchise tender and reporting Sunday.

Buffalo (7-9) at New England (11-5)
San Diego (8-8) at Oakland (5-11)

In the first Monday night game, Brady returns for the Patriots against a team so punchless in preseason that it fired offensive coordinator Turk Schonert. ESPN has its first string crew there and will clearly play up the names: Randy Moss and, of course, T.O. Heck, they'll probably figure out a way to mention Shaq, Kobe, LeBron, Manny and the rest of their staples -- at least during the pregame hype.

The game? The Pats have beaten the Bills 11 straight times and 16-of-17, including by a combined score of 84-17 two seasons ago. The Bills have no offense and RB Marshawn Lynch is suspended.

But this still figures to be more competitive than the second game. The Chargers are prohibitive favorites in the AFC West and they should do a lot better than last year's 8-8. Ed Hochuli sent them into a spin in Week Two that it took all year to get out of. The Raiders were awful in preseason, and the most notable event in Napa, Calif., was a dust-up between coach Tom Cable and assistant Randy Hanson.

Premium Previews: Week 1 Highlighted by Young (And Old) Quarterbacks originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jimmy Johnson and FanHouse Preview The 2009 NFL Season

Will Brinson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Redskins, NFL Coaching, NFL Media Watch, FanHouse Previews, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Predictions, NFL Analysis

Jimmy Johnson is a talented gentleman; it's rare when you see someone in the sport of football achieve success at the college level (Miami), the professional level (Dallas) and in the announcing booth (tell me you don't think Fox is easily the No. 1 preview show on Sundays. Go ahead. I dare you.)

So when given the chance -- courtesy of the fine folks at Proctor & Gamble, who make Old Spice (the official deodorant of NFL locker rooms) and Gillette (same but for the razor) -- to speak with him, podcast-style, about the upcoming season, I didn't flinch. Jimmy and I kick around the 2009 NFL season after the jump and debate whether the Steelers are underrated, if Carolina can win the South, who his sleepers from the NFC are, what he thinks of Emmitt Smith pitching pork and taking a jab at Wade Phillips, among other stuff. Enjoy.

Jimmy Johnson and FanHouse Preview The 2009 NFL Season originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chargers GM Ambiguous About Shawne Merriman While Tila Tequila Tweets

Nancy Gay — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:25:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, NFL Police Blotter

As the NFL and celebrity worlds await word from Shawne Merriman battery accuser and MySpace/Playboy/TMZ/Perez Hilton luminary Tila "Tequila" Nguyen, San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith offered more insight Tuesday into whether he is disappointed by the alleged altercation last weekend at the linebacker's home.

Longtime San Diego Union-Tribune beat writer Kevin Acee wrote:

Asked specifically whether Merriman would be here through the 2009 season, Smith neither answered the question nor denied the possibility Merriman wouldn't.

"I've already addressed the Shawne Merriman situation," Smith said. "I'm sure when the legal process runs its course, Shawne will update you. As far as his future with the Chargers, which appears to be an ongoing debate, we will let you know right away if his status should change."

Is Smith implying the "ongoing debate" about Merriman's future is taking place within the walls of the Chargers' headquarters, or around NFL circles and in the media? That's not clear. The ambiguity is interesting, though.

All the while, Nguyen, aka Tequila, promised Monday night through a rapid-fire succession of Twitter updates that "tomorrow [Tuesday] the truth comes."

Tequila also offered ominous previews of allegations she might make against Merriman, her erstwhile boyfriend -- all of which have been since been deleted from her Twitter page. She alluded to Merriman's four-game suspension in 2006 for violating the NFL's steroid's policy -- "Steroid use makes people act aggressive.....known fact," Tequila wrote on her Twitter page.

In response to a club owner's statements that Tequila was intoxicated earlier in the evening when she and Merriman visited his establishment in San Diego's popular Gaslamp district, Tequila tweeted that she is allergic to alcohol and discussed that on a 2007 episode of the "Tyra Banks" show.

Sheriff's deputies were summoned to Merriman's home at 3:45 a.m. Sunday in response to a 911 call placed by Tequila. She told deputies that Merriman choked her, threw her to the ground and physically restrained her from leaving his home.

Merriman has explained he was trying to prevent intoxicated Tequila from driving and claims to have almost a dozen witnesses to back his story.

"I was trying to help her, not hurt her," Merriman told the Union-Tribune. "I'm still glad that I did."

Merriman has been charged with battery and false imprisonment, but has yet to be formally charged by the District Attorney's office.

As Acee points out, Merriman's contract expires at the end of the 2009 season and this incident, regardless of the legal outcome, won't help the pass-rushing linebacker's chances of remaining with the Chargers. Smith places an emphasis on high-character players and has been quick to sever ties with high-profile players, even highly paid ones still under contract, who run afoul of the law.

Chargers GM Ambiguous About Shawne Merriman While Tila Tequila Tweets originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Diego Chargers 2009 Preview: It Just Seems Like Phil and Norv's Time

Will Brinson — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, AFC West, FanHouse Previews, NFL Analysis

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

With the return of Tom Brady, it made sense that people might not be high on the Chargers in the AFC. But (spoiler alert!) it seems from the predictions of folks around the old House of Fan that Philip Rivers' team is actually quite popular. Anyway, there's good reason for that: LaDainian Tomlinson is due for an improved performance this year, Shawne Merriman is reportedly healthy and ready to choke out some opponents (too soon?) and Rivers is, of course, the best quarterback in the NFL*.

Offense: Again, Rivers = awesomeness. I don't care what Ape says. Also awesome? Antonio Gates. And Vincent Jackson. And Tomlinson. And Darren Sproles. And, well, you get it, right? The Chargers are freaking stacked on offense. But what about the offensive line, you say? Well, the left side is elite with Marcus McNeil and Kris Dielman. Nick Hardwick is a spectacular center as well. The right side could use some work, but, hey, if that's your biggest concern on offense, you're feeling pretty good about the offense heading into 2009, right? Heat Index: 10

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San Diego Chargers Photos

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman runs during the Chargers NFL football practice held in San Diego Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman says 27-year-old Tila Tequila signed a citizen's arrest warrant early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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San Deigo Chargers Photos

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, left, takes a break with teammates, Larry English, center, and Antwan Applewhite, right, during the Chargers NFL football practice held in San Diego Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman says 27-year-old Tila Tequila signed a citizen's arrest warrant early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman hits a blocking dummy during the Chargers NFL football practice held in San Diego Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman says 27-year-old Tila Tequila signed a citizen's arrest warrant early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, left, drills with teammates during the Chargers NFL football practice held in San Diego Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman says 27-year-old Tila Tequila signed a citizen's arrest warrant early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman cools down during the Chargers NFL football practice held in San Diego Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman says 27-year-old Tila Tequila signed a citizen's arrest warrant early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman tosses a towel to a teammate during the Chargers NFL football practice held in San Diego Monday, Sept. 7, 2009. Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman says 27-year-old Tila Tequila signed a citizen's arrest warrant early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Chuck Liddell, a mixed martial artist, gets a hug from San Diego Chargers' Kassim Osgood prior to the NFL preseason football game between the San Diego Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers at Qualcomm Stadium on Friday, Sept. 4, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 4: Quarterback Alex Smith #11 of the San Francisco 49ers watches from the sidelines during the game with the San Diego Chargers on September 4, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chargers won 26-7. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Smith

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SAN DIEGO - SEPTEMBER 4: Head coach Mike Singletary of the San Francisco 49ers talks on the sidelines during the game with the San Diego Chargers on September 4, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chargers won 26-7. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mike Singletary

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Defense: Merriman's return is the biggest boost to this team's defense, naturally, because, steroids or no, he's a Pro Bowler and a game-changer who wrecks havoc. He immediately makes Luis Castillo and and Jamal Williams more effective on the defensive line while simultaneously improving the play of Quentin Jammer and Antonio Cromartie on the back end. The pass defense stunk the joint up in 2008, which gives some cause for concern, but if Merriman's healthy, the secondary will end up in the top end because opposing quarterbacks will have significantly less time to pick them apart. Heat Index: 8

Special Teams: Did I mention that Sproles was awesome? Yes. Yes, I did. What I didn't mention is that Sproles' awesomeness is only magnified by the fact that he can return punts and kicks. You know who else can do that well? That's right -- Cromartie. (He won't, of course, but if Sproles got hurt, he's destructive.) Nate Kaeding had a bit of a down year last year, but he's still one of the better kickers in the league, even if he's had struggles from long range and in the playoffs during previous seasons. Mike Scifries is also an excellent option at punter. Heat Index: 9

Coaching: Now, here's where it gets a little tricky; I've even gone so far as to name Norv Turner "Neckskin" (when not calling him "Norvell") because his sixth and seventh chins hang so low. I've always presumed this is because he usually coaches the second half of games and all playoff games with both hands firmly planted around his neck. However, it's worth noting that in the past few years, Norv's kind of kicked his "choker image" -- it's not that anyone thinks he's Bill Belichick, but Turner's losses with the Chargers haven't been primarily centered around his inability to coach the big game. Heat Index: 8

Intangibles: You've got to LOVE the division the Chargers come out of -- their only competition last year, the Broncos, pulled the biggest implosion in the history of sports this offseason. Aside from that? There's the rebuilding -- but potentially dangerous -- Chiefs and the Raiders, who need no introduction. Add in the fact that everyone seems to think it's "the Chargers time" based on losses in the playoffs the last few years, as well as the mental and physical toughness that this team has adopted because Rivers is a bigger badass than Chuck Norris and Jack Bauer combined* and it just seems like it's the year for the Chargers. Of course, sometimes that can be a negative thing, but even the team seems to be taking a different approach to 2009, with regard to expectations. Heat Index: 9

Total Heat Index: 44/50 -- And yeah, it's entirely possible that I'm only hurting the Chargers with these increased expectations, but really, find someone who follows the NFL and who hasn't already penciled them in for a playoff spot. They're almost locked in that sense, barring a horrible bad-luck-fueled start, and that will mean that, unlike previous years, they should be rested heading into the postseason and ready to rumble. If LdT comes back like many folks think he will, and Merriman stays healthy, this is one of two or three teams who should win the Super Bowl. And, no, those aren't even that big of if's either.

*Rampant NCSU homerism may apply

San Diego Chargers 2009 Preview: It Just Seems Like Phil and Norv's Time originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shawne Merriman Proclaims Innocence

Tom Herrera — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chargers, NFL Police Blotter

It was only a matter of time before Shawne Merriman spoke out against the allegations he choked and restrained reality TV star Tila Nguyen (aka Tila Tequila). Merriman was accused of battery and false imprisonment through a citizen's arrest warrant signed by Nguyen, but the Chargers star claims he is innocent and says he "in no way caused any harm to Ms. Nguyen."

More Coverage: Merriman Arrested in Domestic Dispute
More From TMZ: Photos of Couple at Nightclub

In a statement e-mailed to The San Diego Union-Tribune late Sunday night, Merriman tried to clear his name in light of the serious accusations by Nguyen.

On September 6, 2009 the San Diego Sheriffs Department responded to a citizens complaint that was initiated by Tila Nguyen (aka Tila Tequila). I was taken into custody based upon that complaint. At the time, I was concerned about her welfare given the intoxicated state she appeared to be in and I encouraged her to stay until safe transportation could be provided. We would all do our best to help a friend if we considered their actions to be detrimental to their personal safety. I in no way caused any harm to Ms Nguyen, however, paramedics were called and she was examined but no injuries were reported. She was released and has since returned to Los Angeles, California.

There have been no charges filed against me. I want to thank the San Diego Sheriffs Department for their professionalism. I will continue to cooperate fully with the Department and I look forward to clearing my name regarding these false allegations. I want to put this behind me so I can continue to focus on a successful season for the San Diego Chargers.

On her Twitter account, Nguyen told her followers Sunday night: "I am allergic to alcohol. It has been publicly known for years. That is how I got the name Tila "Tequila" cuz the irony. I cant drink." She later put a lock on her account, only allowing new followers through her approval.

Merriman also said that Nguyen is not his girlfriend. According to reports, the couple had been at the Stingaree nightclub on Saturday night and stayed until closing in the early hours Sunday morning. "They seemed in good spirits throughout the evening and were enjoying themselves," the statement said. "There was no outward indication of any problem between the two of them."

From the looks of things, Nguyen spent a good portion of the weekend with Merriman, even attending the Chargers-49ers preseason game on Friday night. She sent out messages throughout the past few days, professing on Twitter how smitten she was.

Jan Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, said that Nguyen wasn't seriously hurt. "She was able to talk," Caldwell said. "She was able to walk. She was mobile. She did not have any serious injuries that our deputies saw."

While detectives are investigating the alleged assault, Merriman is correct that no formal charges have been filed against him. Additionally, since Merriman has never had a prior run-in with the law, he's not subject to an NFL fine or suspension until the legal matter has been resolved.

And from the looks of the early details, it might be a while before we know exactly what happened in this romantic fling gone wrong.

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Tila Tequila Photos

(C)BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation's 10th Anniversary Art For Life Benefit at the SimmonsÕ East Hampton Estate. Pictured: Tila "Tequila" Nguyen www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com NON-EXCLUSIVE July 18, 2009 Job: 90720NB2 East Hampton, New York www.bauergriffiffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

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Tila Tequila Photos

FILE - In this Dec. 31, 2007 file photo, TV Personality Tila Tequila makes an appearance at MTV Studios in New York. Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman has been arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman says 27-year-old Tila Tequila signed a citizen's arrest warrant early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)

FILE - In this Aug. 15, 2009 file photo, San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman stands on the sidelines before an NFL pre-season football game against the Seattle Seahawks in San Diego. Authorities say San Diego Chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman has been arrested on suspicion of choking and restraining his girlfriend, a reality TV star, as she tried to leave his Southern California home. San Diego County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Steadman says 27-year-old Tila Tequila signed a citizen's arrest warrant early Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009, charging Merriman with battery and false imprisonment. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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EAST HAMPTON, NY - JULY 18: Tila Tequila, Kevin Saer and Rajiah Williams attend Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation's 10th Anniversary Art For Life Benefit at Russell Simmons' East Hampton Estate on July 18, 2009 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tila Tequila;Kevin Saer;Rajiah Williams

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EAST HAMPTON, NY - JULY 18: Tila "Tequila" Nguyen attends Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation's 10th Anniversary Art For Life Benefit at Russell Simmons' East Hampton Estate on July 18, 2009 in East Hampton, New York. (Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tila Tequila

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BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JULY 04: TV personality Tila Tequila at the White Party hosted by Sean "Diddy" Combs and Ashton Kutcher to help raise awareness for Malaria No More held at a Private Residence on July 4, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images for Blueflame) *** Local Caption *** Tila Tequila

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Shawne Merriman Proclaims Innocence originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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