For Chargers, The Time Is Now

In the NFL, the future always takes a back seat to the present. No matter how many young, talented a players a team may have on its roster, winning immediately is what sells in football.

The San Diego Chargers are a team that has been loaded with talent in all aspects of the game for several years now. Philip Rivers is a rising star at the quarterback position, Shawne Merriman is one of the best linebackers in the league, LaDainian Tomlinson is an all-time great running back — the list goes on and on. For all of their talent, the Chargers have yet to accomplish what all teams covet, winning a championship. They have had their fair share of chances, however.

When Marty Schottenheimer coached the team in 2006, the Chargers were one of the best teams in football. Tomlinson was at his peak, as he shattered the record for most touchdowns by a running back and total points scored. No player in the game was better, and Tomlinson was honored as the game’s most valuable player. Tight end Antonio Gates was also in his prime and made playing the position look easy. Rivers, still developing his game, didn’t just come along for the ride. He had multiple games of over 250 yards passing and had earned the respect of his teammates along the way. Everything was set up for the Chargers to make a run at winning the Super Bowl. They had the best record in football at 14-2 and therefore had home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Shockingly, the Chargers lost 21-24 in the AFC Divisional round to the New England Patriots. Losing left every Chargers player and fan with a bad taste, and the organization decided to fire Schottenheimer, whose record in the postseason was far from exemplary. Still, deciding to fire a coach after going 14-2 was a risky move for the Chargers.

They turned to offensive guru Norv Turner, whose previous stints as head coach of the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders were epic failers. His best work had come as a coordinator, and giving him another chance to be a head coach was gutsy. It quickly appeared to pay off the following season, however, as the Chargers once again won the AFC West. The team finally broke through and won a playoff game, defeating the Tennessee Titans in an AFC Wild Card game contest. A remarkable win over the Colts in Indianapolis followed. To reach the AFC Championship game against the Patriots, who were undefeated at the time, was impressive. It also said a lot about Turner’s ability to lead a team. Fate was not on the Chargers side, though, as Phillip Rivers was playing with a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Rivers gave a great effort, but the Chargers lost 12-21.

Last season, the loss of Merriman after the season opener derailed the defense. The Chargers struggled early in the season and had to scramble and win their final four games of the season to surge past the Denver Broncos and win the AFC West. An overtime win over the Colts was impressive, as Tomlinson was injured and clearly not himself. The emergence of running back Darren Sproles caught everyone’s attention — he had 105 rushing yards in the win. But Sproles was brought back to reality against the eventual champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Though he had 91 yards receiver, he managed only 15 yards on the ground.

Even with some of the most talented teams in the league over the past three seasons, the Chargers simply have not been able to overcome the biggest obstacles in the pursuit of a title. Sure, injuries have played a part the last two seasons, but that cannot be used as an excuse. San Diego was picked by many to go to the Super Bowl the last three years, but they have failed to live up to those lofty expectations.

Luckily for the Chargers, there talented roster is still in tact as the 2009 season approaches. But this may be the final season to capture a championship with the roster as currently constructed.

Tomlinson, the centerpiece of the franchise since he was drafted in 2001, is now 30-years-old. While 30 is a relatively young age for most people, the same rules don’t apply for running backs. 30 is typically is the age in running backs hit the wall — where their bodies no longer can take the punishment of playing in the National Football League. The signs of Tomlinson’s demise have already to started to appear. Last season’s rushing yards were the worst of Tomlinson’s career, and he has lost some of his effectiveness. One of the great things about Tomlinson is that he can run to the outside for 5 yards, then quickly cut back inside and gain an extra 10. That version of Tomlinson was gone in 2008, however. Instead of cutting back inside, he simply ran out of bounds, costing the Chargers valuable yards.  The Chargers used the franchise tag in order to retrain Sproles and also restructured Tomlinson’s contract. If he has a poor year in 2009, Tomlinson could be on the way out.

Gates has suffered a rash of injuries over the past few seasons, and it seems like he still hasn’t recovered from a toe injury he suffered against the Titans in the 2007 playoffs. Without him as a viable threat, the Chargers passing game takes a big step back. Then there’s Merriman, who is coming back from multiple ligament tears. Whether he can be affective in 2009 is a key question. Merriman’s contract is up after this season, but if the NFL and NFL Players Association do not reach a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, Merriman will only be a restricted free-agent since he will have only accrued five years of service (six is required in order to become unrestricted when there is no CBA).

Indeed, this may be the last chance this group has to a win a Super Bowl together.

Winning the AFC West should not be a problem this season, as the division will be considerably weak. Getting off to a fast start will be key for the Chargers, as they have struggled out of the gates early over the past several seasons. Trying to make up games late in the year can mentally drain a team, and that showed in San Diego. The defense should be much better if Merriman is healthy, and the offense should be very solid with Rivers and a receiving core that includes Vincent Jackson, who has the potential to be very good.

But it all has to come together now for the Chargers. If it doesn’t, changes will be made, and the a golden opportunity to win a Super Bowl will have been lost.