Norv Turner's Offensive Ingenuity

This epidemic of attaching the word “wild” to a particular formation and then inserting a mascot’s name after is getting out of hand. Now that the Bolts have turned the page from the “Wild Frog” days with former TCU Horned Frog LaDainian Tomlinson in the backfield, the team has replaced that element with the “Wild Dog” in honor of rookie Ryan Mathews’ collegiate stomping grounds with the Fresno State Bulldogs. Mathews is such a dynamic player with the ball in his hands that it only makes sense for Head Coach Norv Turner to look for more opportunities to do just that.

Ronnie Brown of the Miami Dolphins is perhaps the most famous executioner of the “Wildcat” offense ripping off chunks of yardage between the tackles, having the speed to hit the edge, or even dropping back in the pocket and throwing a pass or two on occasion. Even though he was a running quarterback in high school, it remains to be seen whether or not Mathews possesses the arm for the quarterbacking half of the “Wild Dog” formation. His Head Coach Norv Turner believes that Mathews has a solid enough arm to catch some defenses off guard, but it would be crazy to expect many planned throws from the “Wild Dog” formation in the near term.

What this formation could afford to the Bolts is an even more diverse offensive attack with three solid tight ends on their current roster in Antonio Gates, Kris Wilson, and newcomer Randy McMichael. Fans are already well aware of what kind of weapon Gates can be in the Bolts wide open offense, but the team’s other two tight ends are no slouches either. Both have proven to be highly productive at the position in years past and the Bolts feel that 2010 could be another repeat of those numbers.

As if the “Wild Dog” idea isn’t off the cuff enough for the team’s innovative offensive guru/head coach in Turner, he claims to have a new package installed in the team’s playbook where all three tight ends are on the field at one time. This heavy personnel look could add yet another scary dimension to the Chargers offense even without Vincent Jackson in uniform. Running and passing are both legitimate threats with three capable blockers on the field disguised as receivers, the Bolts could have potentially eight offensive linemen on play for Mathews to run behind. The team’s most versatile player at tight end is unquestionably Gates who has more than enough athleticism to split out into a wideout position and run routes with precision rivaling plenty of receivers in the league. This could help to nullify the loss of a big bodied target on the outside for quarterback Philip Rivers by simply shifting some bodies around.

The fact that the Bolts informed both V Jack and offensive tackle Marcus McNeill that they intend to take the recourse necessary to force both onto the field by week 7 in order to be eligible for free agency in 2011 shows that the team would still rather have both players in uniform for the bulk of the 2010 season. As required by the league, the Chargers organization sent written notification to both players informing them of the team’s intent to place both on the “roster exempt” list if they don’t sign their restricted free agent tenders by August 20th. This seems more like an announcement rather than a threat as neither McNeill nor Jackson plans to sign their respective tenders at any time in the future. The team’s beat writer Kevin Acee expects both players to stand by their word and sit out the entire year ahead.

Obviously this isn’t the ideal scenario for a team with Super Bowl aspirations like the Chargers, but the team has rallied together from adversity in the past and this is yet another opportunity to do just that. The good news is that linebacker Shawne Merriman has decided to end his hiatus from the team and sign his tender offer joining the Bolts after their preseason opener with the Chicago Bears. As for the bad news, well that remains rather self-explanatory as any team without their number one offensive weapon on the outside and blindside protector is one with issues. The real question is will these problems be overcome by the ingenuity of Turner’s offensive mind during the course of a sixteen game season?

So what do the fans think, is Ryan Mathews the right fit to quarterback the “Wild Dog” offense? Will Antonio Gates bring enough versatility to the wide receiver position to overcome Vincent Jackson’s absence? Could the Chargers actually be better off without these two players (Jackson and McNeill) during the 2010 season? Sound off in the comments section below with your take.

Chargers Extend Head Coach Norv Turner Through 2013

The San Diego Chargers have extended Norv Turner's contract by three years; Turner is now signed through the 2013 season.

Says team owner Dean Spanos:

“I’m extremely proud of the job Norv has done with this team. In three seasons he’s led the team to three division titles. I’m confident that if we strengthen our roster and continue to provide Norv the assets he needs, this team will have continued success.”

Source: Chargers.com (Chargers sign Turner through 2013)

YOUR TAKE

What's your take on this signing? Was this the right move? Turner's .648 winning record is the highest in team history. He's helped the development of Philip Rivers and has really opened up the passing game. On the other hand, Turner has yet to win an AFC Championship and has shown at times to no disciplinarian, instead relying on the coaching staff and team captains to address locker room issues. Use the comment section below and contribute to the discussion!

In Norv We Trust

It's time Norv Turner gets the credit he is due, says BOLTHYPE's Jeff Williams. Turner has taken a beating from the fans and the media, and yet through it all Norv has his Chargers playing their best football as they roll into the playoffs.


When are we going to learn? For a third straight year, the Chargers got off to a rocky start, and Norv Turner was believed to be a failure. For the third straight year, the Chargers fought back from that rocky start to make the playoffs. Each of the last three years I picked the Chargers to win the Super Bowl (I know, big surprise), and in the previous two years they came close but not close enough. Through it all Norv has taken a beating from the fans, and I’ll admit to leading the charge against him more than once. But it is past time to give Norv his due credit. He has coached through an incredible number of injuries and poor defensive schemes yet still manages to have his team playing their best football in December and January. This season more than ever, he has been passionate on the sidelines, he has been incredibly focused, and most importantly he has Philip Rivers playing like an MVP.

Norv Turner was brought in for a number of different reasons, including his familiarity with the offense, and his ability to get along with others (like his GM), but primarily he was brought in to mentor Rivers. After their first year together back in 2007, Rivers performance really took off. In 2008 he posted career highs in passing yards, TD’s, completion percentage, and QB rating. This year he has already set a new career high for passing yards with 4155, and tied his career low for interceptions with just 9 (in a full season, assuming he doesn’t play enough Sunday to throw for another one).

Back in 2007 I wrote about Turner’s expert handling of QB’s, and compared the numbers put up by Troy Aikman early in his career to what Rivers might be able to accomplish under Turner’s tutelage. Turner was offensive coordinator for the Cowboys from 1991-1993, when Aikman threw for career highs in yards, touchdowns, completion percentage, and QB rating. As previously mentioned, Rivers has already thrown for career highs of his own under Turner, and has greatly exceeded the numbers put up by Aikman in that same time span. In fact, the only stat that Rivers has not topped Aikman in is Super Bowl victories.

Aikman won two Super Bowls while Norv was the offensive coordinator for the Cowboys, and he was named MVP of Super Bowl XXVII. Rivers is still waiting for his first opportunity to play in a Super Bowl. After so many chances and missed opportunities, will this be his year? I’m going to stick to my prediction and say yes, and this year I really believe it. And I really believe in Norv.

Norv Turner In Danger Of Losing His Locker Room?

San Diego Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner made arguably his most questionable playcall this past Monday against division rival Denver Broncos.


In the first quarter on third and goal, the Chargers lined up in a goalline formation with their heavy personnel package, determined to run the ball for a touchdown. The Broncos, caught in a mismatch defensively, called a timeout. Norv Turner, perhaps losing faith in his running back Ladainian Tomlinson, or perhaps losing faith in the ability of the 6 offensive linemen and 3 tight ends lined up to block, decided to take advantage of Denver's timeout. Turner decided to switch the play up, going to a three wide, single back set with Darren Sproles substituting for LT. Turner hoped to lull the Broncos defense into giving up an easy touchdown through the middle, but Denver had seen this play many times before.

A visibly annoyed Tomlinson was seen on the sideline, tossing his helmet in desperate frustration as he watched helplessly from the sidelines. Nick Hardwick and Antonio Gates offered their condolences, but it was clear to everyone that Tomlinson should have been on the field. Norv Turner made a bad call, and he cost his team 7 points.

LORENZO NEAL PUTS NORV TURNER ON BLAST

Former San Diego Charger Lorenzo Neal, one of Ladainian Tomlinson's best friends, came on to local radio station XX Sports Radio with host Darren Smith after the Chargers' heartbreaking loss. Lorenzo Neal is one of the most straight-shooting guys in or around the NFL, and he held nothing back in what has quickly become an almost legendary rant:

"Let’s start with 21 (LaDainian Tomlinson). He’s got to be frustrated. I’m looking at that game watching it, it’s first and goal on the seven yard line, he picks up two yards. The next play he picks up three yards. Its 3rd down and goal from the two. You have a guy who has arguably the best nose for the end zone in the history of the game; one year he’s had over 29 touchdowns. From one to two yards, I think if you look at his rating, he must be in the 90 percentile. No disrespect to Darren Sproles. Darren Sproles is arguably one of the best return men in the league. The guy is a phenomenal athlete, he’s got great feet, quick, tough guy, has shown what he can do in this league. Let’s not take anything away from Darren. I love him like a brother, great guy, but if you’re riding in the car with somebody, if you’re willing to ride with them, you gotta be willing to die with them. If you’re gonna ride with LaDainian Tomlinson, you’re willing to die with this guy. This guy has been a leader, he’s been a pillar in this community, you don’t do that to L.T. You do not do it. I don’t care how it is. I don’t care what you say. You don’t take out the guy and put in anyone else in that situation when that guy is running the way he is running last night.”

“Yeah, LT has lost a step, but losing a step for L.T. is still as good as anybody in the league. Last night he was focused, he was ready to run and when you took that away from L.T, you might’ve lost your leader. You might have lost a guy that has been a pillar in this community, a guy that has been a diehard Charger that will bleed and die for that team. When you send that kind of message to L.T, I think you hurt your team. That’s not A.J. calling down, that’s not Dean (Spanos) calling down to say ‘hey take LaDainian out.’ That’s not them. That comes from the top. That’s the coaching staff. And Norv needs to nip that in the bud, call L.T. in the office and let him know how he feels because you don’t want L.T. disgruntled and I know that’s not L.T’s makeup, he’s always been classy, but you cant do that to that type of guy. What kind of message did you send to LaDainian Tomlinson last night? What type of message did you send to the fans last night? A guy that has a nose for the end zone, to take him out on that particular play. That should have never had happened. People are frustrated. Players need to be held accountable and so do coaches. When the Chargers started three years ago (with Norv Turner) their record was 9-7, the next year 8-8 and what is our record right now? (Host: yup under .500) Same guys, same players. There has to be accountability on every level. Norv’s got a tough job, coaches have tough jobs, players have tough jobs too because when players don’t do their job, you know what it is. Send them packing. Ask Clinton Hart. There were a lot of things in that game that got exposed, but you lose as a team and you win as a team and people gotta take responsibility where responsibility needs to be taken.”

Interview via: XX Sports Radio

Transcription via: SportsRadioInterviews.com

Norv Turner Chats With BoltHype

BoltHype, the San Diego Chargers blog, had a recent opportunity to chat with Head Coach Norv Turner. In the interview, we asked a number of questions including the status of the offensive backfield, the battle at right guard, and if the Chargers will show any Wildcat formations during the regular season. Click on to read the interview in it's entirety:

Philip Rivers had an MVP-type season last year as far as I'm concerned. He is certainly one of the better QBs in the AFC, if not the entire NFL. Could you see Philip getting more opportunities to throw the ball this season? Could he have 500-600 attempts this year, or does the commitment to the running game take those opportunities away?

"We want to be balanced. We want to be able to run and throw the ball with equal proficiency. The perception is that we became a passing team because we threw the ball extremely well last year. We were in situations where we needed to throw the ball and our quarterback had a great year."

Speaking of the running game, is it safe to say that LT will get 300 carries this season?

"That wouldn’t surprise me. We expect LT to be 100% and have an LT kind of year."

If LT goes down for an extended period of time, who steps up and fills that role?

"Darren Sproles would step in as he did last year. Michael Bennett is a veteran who was here part of the season last year and will compete there as well. Jacob Hester is in the mix, and Gartrell Johnson has been impressive this spring and will compete."

Is Jacob Hester a fullback or a tailback?

"Jacob is focusing on fullback, but he can also carry the ball.

Does Darren Sproles have a defined role in the system or will his role in the offense continue to expand?

We’d like to continue to expand Darren’s role. He’s really improving as a runner. He’s using his eyes, finding soft spots in the defense and has developed much better patience."

How many running backs + fullbacks will the final roster contain?

"That won’t be determined until training camp."

For the arm-chair coordinators out there, what position does Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers play (X, Y, Z)?

"Chris is the X, Vincent plays Z."

Speaking from a fan's perspective, it seems to me that Jackson is a vertical, deep ball type receiver, whereas Chris Chambers can also be that guy but he is much more polished as a route runner and does some different things with more breaks in his routes. Is that an accurate observation? What are the biggest strengths that Jackson and Chambers posses?

"Both players possess similar abilities. They both run well, are outstanding route runners, have excellent ball skills and will go up and get the ball at its highest point. Chris plays bigger than he actually is and he had several big plays for us last year. I think Vincent is really under-appreciated outside of San Diego. He had seven catches of 40-plus yards last year and is a dangerous deep threat."

In terms of evaluation offensive lineman, what goes in to determining who the starter will be, and who will be the backup? Specifically, I'm curious about the process that you and the coaching staff will go through in deciding who will start at right guard. Is the top criteria strictly playbook knowledge, or does physical ability also factor in? Could a guy who is a bit raw have the chance to start if he was physically dominant?

"The main thing we do in the spring is get guys ready to compete for jobs in camp. The real evaluation comes when we get to camp and get the pads on. It’s about endurance, understanding leverage and angles, your ability to work with the guy next to you. The right guard battle is shaping up to be a good one, but we’ve got several guys who will compete for backup spots, for roster spots and for the opportunity to be one of the 45 guys that dress on Sunday."

Will the Chargers show any Wildcat looks this season (please!)?

"We have practiced it mostly for the benefit of our defense. However, if we get good at it, who knows."

Thanks so much for the time Coach Turner, and good luck this season!

Norv Turner Could Have More Wins In Playoffs Than Any Other Chargers Head Coach

Subscribe to this Chargers blog Go to the front page

Make no doubt about it; Norv Turner has faced more than his fair share of criticism. Turner gained, somewhat unfairly, a reputation for making good teams mediocre and failing to help bad teams get better. After watching the Chargers soar to a 11-5 record in 2007 followed by a nice run in the playoffs, expectations were for nothing short of a Super Bowl in 2008. But the Bolts struggled with consistency all season long, and Norv Turner was taking the brunt of the blame. Rallying his team to an 8-8 finish, and unapologetically finding themselves in the playoffs once again, Norv Turner is now earning some respect.

While Turner's career head coaching record in the regular season is nothing to be particularly proud of (his average is less than 8 wins a season), the fact of the matter is Norv Turner wins in the playoffs. With a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, Norv Turner will have earned more playoff wins than any San Diego Chargers head coach in history. With the way his team has played in December and into January, does Turner feel a sense of vindication from the criticism?

“No. I really believe that it is always about next week. For me it’s always going to be about what happened in this game and now what’s going to happen in next game. That’s not a bad thing because it does help motivate you.”

“It’s part of what this profession is and it’s part of this business. If you’re affected by it and you let it keep you from doing your job or doing a good job then I think that would be the biggest error you could make. I’ve got strong beliefs, I’ve been fortunate to be around great coaches and great players. I do believe our staff knows how to coach and we know how to get some things done. Are we perfect? No. No one is perfect in this league. We had a great plan, we had guys running open about three times and big number 93 on Indianapolis had something to do with some of those plays being good or bad. This game still is about players competing and players making plays. We take a great deal of pride in putting those guys in the best position to do their job and the people we’re coaching against do the same thing.” - Norv Turner

Norv Turner's Career Head Coaching Record

Subscribe to this Chargers blog Go to the front page

Norv Turner's Career Head Coaching Record (regular season) = 0.442

San Diego Chargers (.593)
2008: 08-08 (.500)
2007: 11-05 (.688)

Oakland Raiders (.281)
2005: 04-12 (.250) Fired after season
2004: 05-11 (.313)

Washington Redskins (.454)
2000: 07-06 (.538) Fired during season
1999: 10-06 (.625)
1998: 06-10 (.375)
1997: 08-07 (.533) One game ended as a tie
1996: 09-07 (.563)
1995: 06-10 (.375)
1994: 03-13 (.188)

It's The Coaches, Stupid?

Subscribe to this Chargers blog Go to the front page

In the beginning of 2007, most Charger fans were screaming for Marty Schottenheimer's head after the debacle against the New England Patriots. Fans had enough of "Martyball" and wanted a change of guard. Sure, Marty was somewhat an inspirational coach, with his "One play at a time" mantra. But that can only take a team so far. So, we saw that the team was capable of execution, but poor coaching decisions in the playoffs showed Schottenheimer the exit. But like many will argue, exactly how much responsibility should fall on the coaching staff?

Enter Norv Turner. Last season, the team sputtered at the start, no doubt the regime change contributed to this. And if one made a case to argue that coaching was to blame, they would be hard pressed to find someone to counter them. But they eventually found their stride with good offensive plays called which lead to a respectable playoff run. The defense, anchored by Shawne Merriman, was stalwart through most of the season. Forced turnovers were aplenty, interceptions were bountiful and sacks were volumenous. And the offense (when everyone was healthy) was banging on all twelve (eleven?) cylinders.

But something about this season is appallingly different. The most glaring being the absense of Merriman. The D has lost it swagger, its tenacity. To me, some players are going through the motions. It looks like new defensive coordinator Ron Rivera is trying to right the ship, and he did to some degree by keeping the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the endzone and calling some plays to put pressure on Ben Roethlisberger. But every single team we've played this year has thrown for over 200 yards, with many over 250 and 300. Completely unacceptable and thus prompting the departure of Ted Cottrell. But now that Cottrell is gone, the last 2 games showed more of the same pass defense. So, while a coaching change might have been necessary, what about the players? When are some of these guys going to be held accountable? If Chargers GM AJ Smith says the players are "On Notice", then its time to act and call these players out. And they know who they are.

Offensively, execution is the sticking point. I think Turner is calling the right plays, though I would like to see him mix it up a bit more. We are at times too predictable and when a defense knows exactly what you're going to do, its nearly impossible to execute a play to the best of your abilities. To Phillip Rivers: Like it or not, you are the leader of this offense. So when you have a bad day, the O has a bad day. LT has become relegated to a support role. And while teams still respect him, its apparent he's not the #1 priority anymore as simply containment is the key to defending him. Bottom line is you can't turn the ball over deep into an opponent's territory, or anywhere on the field for that matter. So until Rivers can manage the game like he has in seasons past, the offense will continue to struggle.

All of the players need to ask themselves "Am I doing everything I can on each and every play to help this team win?". I'm tired of seeing such a talented team underachieve.

A Pro Bowler Who Doesn't Even Start

AFC Special Teams Player of the Week and likely Defensive Player of the Week, Antonio Cromartie has established himself as an elite playmaker. His six interceptions on the year lead the entire NFL, and yet the only player in the Chargers secondary who has half a chance of making the Pro Bowl can't even earn a starting spot on the defense.

Quentin Jammer is expected to be healthy soon, and will resume his starting role. Opposite Jammer is Drayton Florence who, while a solid player and good tackler, is more likely to get called for a penalty than create a turnover.

Coach Turner was asked how much longer Cromartie will be kept out of the starting lineup:

"We'll deal with [that] when Jammer is ready. Its hard for me to get into 'ifs' [When Jammer is healthy] is when I'll answer that question."

Why avoid the question, Coach Turner? Maybe Cromartie might not seem ready when in the filmroom or on the practice field, but the fact of the matter is, Cromartie makes plays on the football field. Isn't the game about putting your best players on the field, and maximizing their ability to be successful? You could be the smartest football player in the world, but at the end of the day you have to make plays and Cromartie does it whenever he gets the opportunity.

Subscribe in a reader

san diego chargers

Dazed And Confused

Watching the Chargers hang on for a win against the Colts left people with a somewhat dumbfounded and fatigued feeling. Here was a game in which just about anything that could happen did happen. Interceptions galore, crazy referee calls, terrible Quarterback play (both sides of the ball), sub-par running back play (both sides of the ball), and some huge special teams plays.

If you're a football fan in general, you'll never forget that game and as a Charger fan, you'll hope to never experience a game like that again.

In the Chargers locker room after the game, the players shared (anonymously) some of their feelings to Yahoo Sports reporter, Michael Silver:

"We have the best running back in football, and yet we don't sense a commitment to the running game," one veteran said Sunday night. "Last year, teams put eight in the box against us, and we ran anyway – and found a way to be successful. That set up the play action, which fueled our passing game. This year, it seems like we run because we're supposed to; it balances out our passing attack. But it's not like being physical at the point of attack and running the ball is our personality."

Meanwhile, eight days ago in Minneapolis, the Chargers' once-vaunted defense got pushed around and gave up 296 rushing yards – to one player, the Vikings' Adrian Peterson. "A lot of guys were wondering how we could sit back and play zone all game while he was doing that to us," another Chargers veteran said. "It's like Cottrell is going to do it his way, and that's the only way he knows, and he won't come off of it. If you look at it, he's been fired from his last two jobs, and guys are questioning whether he's the right man for this one."

"Norv's not going to give you a Knute Rockne speech," said one Chargers player, "so you're going to have to find a different way to get yourself up. Look at it this way: We had a lot of young guys who came straight from college and then played for Marty. In some cases, they had eight consecutive years of a coach screaming at you and telling you what to do and how to do it. Now you're all of a sudden supposed to be a professional and do it on your own? Also, a lot of the key veterans who were here before (Donnie Edwards, Randall Godfrey, Keenan McCardell) are gone now. So it's going to be an adjustment."

"I'm happy with a win, of course, and it puts us in first place, but we know we've still got a long road ahead," All-Pro nose tackle Jamal Williams said. "You've got to understand, we got a new coaching staff. They've got to get used to us, too, and it takes time. But we've all got to get it together, man. It's not last year. I'm tired of hearing guys say that – 'Last year, last year.' That's over. We need to figure out who we are now."

Read: Empty Message

Subscribe in a reader

san diego chargers

Norv Turner: Worst Coach Of The Half Season

I blogged for AOL Fanhouse last season as their Chargers guy, but this season they are going with guys a little less biased, I guess. As such, they have named Norv Turner as the worst coach of the half-season.

Worst Coach of the Half-Season nominees:

Cam Cameron, Miami Dolphins: His team is not just winless, but so bad that the owner is conducting a study to determine why it's so bad.

Scott Linehan, St. Louis Rams: I almost feel bad putting Linehan on this list, given how many injuries the Rams have suffered. But when your quarterback is rolling his eyes at your directions, that's not a good sign.

Mike Nolan, San Francisco 49ers: Yes, he took over a lousy team three years ago. But all those high draft picks later, they're still lousy -- and he's the one who makes the decisions in the draft room.

Norv Turner, Chargers: He's allegedly an offensive mastermind, but he can't seem to figure out how to take a talented young quarterback, a future Hall of Fame running back, an outstanding offensive line and the best tight end in the game and build it up into a point-scoring machine.

And the winner is ...
Turner. The Chargers have already lost twice as many games this year as they lost last year. How much do they miss Marty Schottenheimer? The other three coaches can argue that their team doesn't have the talent to be a contender. No one can say that about the Chargers -- we know coaching is the problem.

Personally, I don't know if I'd go that far but in the offseason the feeling among the national media was that Turner would be a major downgrade from Marty Schottenheimer and so far the Chargers, at 4-4, sit uncomfortably in first place in a bad AFC West.

READ: NFL FanHouse Midseason Midtacular: Worst Coach of the Half-Season

Subscribe in a reader

san diego chargers

Is AJ Smith On The Hot Seat?

The Chargers getting off to a shaky start has been a huge disappointment for Chargers fans and the San Diego community. Expectations were extremely high after three winning seasons without a playoff victory to show for it. This year, not only are the Chargers playing for a third playoff birth in four years, but they are in many ways playing to gain the favor of the greater San Diego community, in hopes that the community would support the Chargers' search for a new stadium.

The rocky start to the season may have led to Oceanside withdrawing it's bid to host a stadium.

Dean Spanos can't be pleased with the city of Oceanside's decision. Losing them as a bargaining chip is a huge blow to their abilities to negotiate with other cities such as Chula Vista. Blame can't be place soley on the team's current 1-3 record, but who's to say that a dominating 4-0 start wouldn't have impacted Oceanside's decision?

Joel 'DiG' DiGiacomo of FootballForBreakfast.com has some thoughts about AJ Smith's ego, and believes karma is bad in San Diego right now because of him.

Smith has carefully and successfully fostered an image in the media of being a brilliant judge of talent. So much so that he has been able to leave the impression that he is more responsible for the Chargers success last year than the coaching staff. Smith honestly believes that Marty had nothing to do with the Chargers winning last year.

In fact, it seems he believes that a coach who kowtows to the all-mighty GM would have more success than someone with 200 career victories. How dare Marty disagree on such personnel decisions as getting rid of Drew Brees, Donnie Edwards or hiring Ted Cottrell as defensive coordinator.

Just think if Norv Turner, with a career 58-82-1 record, won a championship. What would simultaneously validate A.J. Smith and invalidate Marty Schottenheimer more than that?

So I eagerly watched the Chargers this season to see if A.J. Smith might get some well-deserved comeuppance, at least temporarily. I mean the Chargers are loaded with talent. Norv Turner couldn't possibly keep that Ferrari in neutral for the whole season, could he?

Check out Football For Breakfast for more

Subscribe in a reader

san diego chargers

Marty Says The Team Will Be 'OK'

There are people who are calling for a return to Marty ball, and while that might be a bit hypocritical, Marty did have the ability to right a wayward ship. Can Norv Turner regain control of the team and get his players to focus on winning 'one game at a time?'

"I really think that they'll be OK," Schottenheimer said Tuesday from his home in Charlotte, N.C. "It's a good football team, and they've only played three games. The margin between winning and losing is so small; that's what makes the NFL so great. It's a long season, and I really do think they'll get it together."

Read: 32 Questions: Stay classy San Diego

Subscribe in a reader

san diego chargers

Time To Run More Spread Offense?

Having just faced two great defenses in Chicago and New England, the Chargers have seen first hand what eight and nine men in the box is doing to our run game and ability to score points. Teams are overloading up front, and the Chargers could do a better job at making adjustments.

The Chargers offense utilizes many two tight end sets and will often times have two backs in the backfield. All this does is play exactly into the hands of the defense. When the entire offensive is lining up inside the box, the defense is going to have a much easier time keying in on the one man who can hurt them most; Ladainian Tomlinson.



What the team needs to do is to take a page from the way the New England Patriots dominated them and run more spread-type offense. I want to see more single back formations, single tight end formations. Put all three receivers in the game and put Philip Rivers in the shotgun. Punish the defense when the blitz comes by hitting an open man and gaining some yards. Put Michael Turner in as the lone back and have him block. Or use LT on routes coming out of the backfield. Use the spread to force the defense into 3 deep zones and pull that safety out of the box.

The Chargers are heading into Green Bay this week and are going to be facing a talented but young defense. The Packers have made improving their defense a top priority the past few seasons, and it is paying off for them. The Pack are enjoying a six game win streak (dating back to last season) and are gaining some respectability back. But they are still very young, and are prone to mistakes. The Chargers can exploit the Packers D if they mix things up enough on offense, and I think running more no-huddle, spread-style offensive plays will help them in this way.

Subscribe in a reader

san diego chargers

Bears At Chargers Post-Game Impressions

The Chargers won a slugfest on Sunday in a game that feature two of the NFL's elite defenses. Not the easiest game to watch, the Bolts nonetheless came away with a victory. There were a number of players that caught my eye and I'd like to share my impressions of their performances in my post-game thoughts and impressions. Click on to read part one of two.


Eric Weddle continues to impress. While only credited with one sack, Weddell had two sacks in my eyes. He is a game changer and its only a matter of time before he starts opposite Marlon McCree on the base defense. Ted Cottrell and Ron Rivera are dialing up safety blitzes left and right and it’s a pleasure to watch. Using the defensive backs to blitz was something I would have loved Wade Phillips to do, and I called for them often last year. This is just another clear difference in philosophy that the defense under Cottrell/Rivera has versus the old Wade Phillips style of defense.

While he unquestionably has the physical tools to dominant in this league, it’s the mental aspect of the game that hinders Vincent Jackson’s ability to prosper. Jackson was called for a couple of penalties; one was an acceptable offensive pass interference that prevented a possible interception, but on the same drive Jackson was again flagged, this time for a costly false start. The knock remains against him about using his hands to catch so watching a football hit him directly in the chest and bounce off was both expected and yet heart-breaking. Jackson is expected to have a breakout year this season, and Coach Turner is certainly using him in a variety of roles – including lining him up in the backfield as a blocker. If Vincent can just wrap his head around the game, he is going to be a good one. He will never have a better opportunity than this season; no veterans ahead of him on the depth chart, and a thorough knowledge of the offense. He needs to have a nice season if he is going to have any shot at remaining the number one receiver. C’mon VJ!

The offensive playbook has certainly expanded, and if you were seeing the Chargers run plays that you never saw in years past, you weren’t alone. Its not too early to see why Norv Turner carries to reputation for being an offensive mastermind. The way the Bears defense was playing on Sunday, it’s a marvel the Chargers scored at all, let along two touchdowns in the second half. Its going to be awesome watching the Bolts run more of these new plays throughout the year. I’d expect a reverse play for next week’s matchup against New England.

Keep pounding the rock. Last year when the run game wasn’t there, Cam Cameron stopped calling it. Not so with Norv Turner. The Chargers kept running the ball, knowing they were facing eight and nine men in the box. The running backs accounted for 31 rushes in total, for only 78 yards. But the important thing is that the team remained committed to their bread and butter and forced the Bears defense to respect the run. LT didn’t gain but 25 yards rushing, but he needs his carries to thrive. He is still getting into his game-shape after sitting out the entire preseason as a precautionary measure. There is no better tune up than facing those Bears and their D-linemen. Especially considering Tomlinson will be taking the team into Foxboro next week where he is going to be counted on to lead the offense in hostile territory.

I have always liked Stephen Cooper, and I eagerly anticipated the day where he would take the reigns as a full-time starter. Cooper was forever around the ball, and hits with tremendous force. He has a compact and punishing build, similar to Michael Turner and Lorenzo Neal. Those two players are renowned for the blows they deliver to opposing teams, and Cooper is no different. He led the team in tackles and had a forced fumble to boot. Cooper will be more than an adequate replacement for Randall Godfrey and will bring a menacing presence to the middle of the field.

Subscribe in a reader

san diego chargers

Bolts Coaching Staff One Of NFL's Worst Says FOX Sports

There are going to be plenty of people who will say it was a mistake of epic proportions for the Chargers to have canned Marty Schottenheimer, one of the winningest coaches in history, just as the team has reached the cusp of a championship. To these people, the thought of replacing Marty Schottenheimer with Norv Turner is downright ridiculous. Nevermind the fact that Turner is an offensive genius; he failed to win with bad teams, and for that he should be limited to coaching quarterbacks only...or something. Nevermind the fact that Schottenheimer was notorious for losing in the playoffs, and proved twice he can't coach in the postseason. Nope, none of that matters. The Chargers should have either stuck with Marty, or convinced Pete Carroll to stop winning National Championships.

The people that would tell you this are not Chargers fans.

Case in point:

The highly respected Football Outsider boys are frequent contributors to FoxSports.com and in their recent submission, they rank all 32 NFL team's coaching staffs.

Philadelphia Eagles are tops. New England Patriots, the second best.

The Chargers?

30th.

Whaaa??

30. Chargers (Last Year: 6)

Norv Turner has a 58-82 record as a head coach. His teams made the playoffs just once in his nine seasons as a head coach. Turner has a rep as an offensive guru, but his teams rarely finish in the top half of the league in points, yards or DVOA. Take away his success with the 1990s Cowboys, and his record is abysmal. Yes, he often accepts jobs with terrible teams, and he is very good at nurturing young quarterbacks and receivers. But Turner gives the clubhouse malcontents too much leeway, and his teams habitually under-perform in important games. If Chargers fans hated Marty Schottenheimer because he couldn't win in the playoffs, wait until they see the guy who never even reaches the playoffs — yet somehow keeps getting coaching opportunities.

Sure, the Chargers lost coordinators to head coaching gigs with other teams. But they also have some guys who are the best at what they do.

Jack Henry is widely regarded as one of the best coaches of offensive lines.

John Ramsdell is a quarterbacks guru who worked miracles with Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger in St. Louis.

Ron Rivera, defensive coordinator last year of the NFC Champions, the Chicago Bears, is coaching the Chargers' linebackers.

Wayne Nunnely and James Lofton are two of the most underrated coaches in the entire league. Nunnely has been golden for the Bolts, coaching up his d-linemen into perhaps the deepest and most talented in the league. And Lofton has been working with virtually nothing for years now and yet still manages to squeeze the most out of his receivers.

Norv Turner has never had the weapons he now controls in San Diego. This is his best opportunity of his career, and he won't mess this up. When the Chargers start rolling and are winning games week in and week out, people will point to Turner and say 'Of course he is winning! He is an offensive genius and has the best player in the league! But wait till they get to the playoffs'

And then the Chargers win in the playoffs and get to the Super Bowl, and Norv adds another ring to the two he already has, and they'll be left with nothing to say.


san diego chargers

Subscribe in a reader

Don't Look For A 1000 Yard WR In San Diego

Its become somewhat of a recent trend in the NFL where teams are featuring two-back rushing attacks and a more opened up pass attack. Teams are throwing it around a lot, and this means the wide receiver position has become something to focus on when it comes to compiling your fantasy football draft board.

Michael Fabiano from NFL.com knows the Chargers will have one of the most potent offenses in the league, but he isn't too enamored with the Bolts' wide receivers fantasy potential:

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Keenan McCardell's release has opened the door for Vincent Jackson, who is now the team's top wide receiver and a terrific sleeper candidate for fantasy football owners. Eric Parker is the current No. 2, but he'll receive competition from rookie Craig Davis. Neither is worth more than a late-round flier in larger formats. Malcolm Floyd and Kassim Osgood are in the mix for the fourth spot, but neither has draft value. Antonio Gates will be the first tight end taken in almost all formats.

Who will emerge as the team's go-to guy? It's totally up in the air at this point. Vincent Jackson is the default number one right now. While Jackson is clearly the most physically gifted and has tremendous upside, Malcolm Floyd is the more talented and natural pass catcher. The Chargers spent a first round pick on Craig Davis, so there is certainly nice mix of youth and talent in the group.

The Chargers passing offense and the 49ers passing offense that Norv Turner ran last year is very similar. There is a nice distribution of catches among a number of players. The running back catches lots of balls in both offenses, and neither team featured a 1000 yard receiver. The main difference is that the Chargers were more efficient and generally had better production among a similar number of opportunities.

Bottom line? Don't expect any wide receiver on the Chargers to be a 1000 yard guy. Its just not a very likely scenario with Antonio Gates, LaDainian Tomlinson, and a nice mix of similarly talented young wide outs all on the roster.

If you look back to the 2005 season, the team featured an 1100+ yard Tight End (Gates), as well as a 900+ yard receiver (Keenan McCardell). So why would I claim that in 2007, its pretty unlikely a receiver reaches the magically 1000 mark?

In 2005, Drew Brees had an amazing 500 attempts passing...and the team went 9-7. The team had to play from behind at times, and did not do a great job of controlling the game. Also, in the 2004, 2005, and 2006 seasons, 2005 was the lowest rating for the Chargers starting QB. So for a receiver to get to 1000 yards, Philip Rivers will need to throw the ball in excess of 500 times this season.

Is it possible that Rivers is unleashed to that extent? Sure. Manning, Brady, Brees...those guys throw it more than 500 times a season. But neither of those QBs have, or are, the best player in the game. And neither of those QBs has the best tight end in the game. With the way the Chargers are built, its the LT and Gates show and the wide receivers just need to help take the pressure off of those guys.

I'll get some better insight when seeing the guys practice, but at this point I can confidently predict that because of the excellent dispersion of talent on offense, I can't foresee a wide receiver on the roster gaining 1000 yards receiving in 2007.


san diego chargers

A Variety Of Elite Weaponry

I've been thinking about what this season has in store for the offense, and there are a couple of things I think are going to happen, or at least have a good chance to happen.

The first is that Philip Rivers is going to pass for 4000 yards. His handcuffs will be removed, and he is going to have the most talented group of receivers in San Diego since I can remember. Norv Turner is going to experiment all offseason with ways to use his weapons, and we will see new things in terms of players running different types of routes.


Gates will be moved around more; not just in motion, but in where he lines up on the line of scrimmage. He'll act as a slot receiver at times, he'll work the sideline and get deep, and he'll of course chip block and release.

Vincent Jackson could be more of a deep threat, but he could just as easily line up like a tight end. Malcolm Floyd has shown he can get down the field, and certainly new rookie Craig Buster Davis has deep-threat speed. Davis can also release from the slot, and he'll be given the opportunity to take a reverse like Keenan McCardell did in his time here.

Of course Tomlinson will also get out into the flats more often because Norv Turner is going to find ways to get both of his top running backs on the field at the same time in LT and Michael Turner. Since Tomlinson is so dangerous when catching the ball out of the backfield, its likely that in cases where Turner and Tomlinson are on the field, it will be Tomlinson playing the role of a receiver and Turner as the pure running back.

The Chargers will also be using their tight ends not named Gates. Legedu Naanee and Scott Chandler are natural receivers who have, because of their body frame and size, have converted to tight ends / H-Backs. These guys are big, athletic, and excel at running routes and catching the ball. Where they will need to improve most as NFL players is their blocking abilities. I certainly expect to see Naanee and Chandler catching plenty of balls in preseason games. Whether or not that happens during the regular season, we will wait and see.

One thing is for certain, and that is that Norv Turner has arguably the most explosive offense he has ever had the opportunity to coach, and because of the talent level at so many positions on the offense, he'll have the unique opportunity for experimentation. No other offense in the NFL has the variety of elite weapons like the San Diego Chargers.


san diego chargers

Is Rivera Next In Line For Head Coaching Gig In San Diego

It would be tough to find two teams who have more in common with each other than the San Diego Chargers and the Dallas Cowboys. Both have great young Quarterbacks (Philip Rivers - Tony Romo), great RB duos (Tomlinson/Turner - Jones/Barber), great young pass rushers (Phillips/Merriman - Spencer/Ware), underrated corners (Jammer/Florence - Newman/Henry), Both teams made head coaching changes following playoff seasons and here is the kicker, the Chargers hired a former Cowboys coordinator and the cowboys hired a former Charger coordinator.

But could there be something else in common between the two teams? This year, the Dallas Cowboys brought in Jason Garrett to be the apprentice to Wade Phillips and learn how to run a team before taking over in a couple years. Jerry Jones really liked what he saw in Garrett but figured he wasn't ready to be a head coach, and probably thought that while Garrett knew enough about the offense, he should learn about how to run a defense, and what better way to do that than with the league's best 3-4 defensive mind.

This got me to thinking; could the chargers be planning something like this themselves? For the past two offseasons, Ron Rivera has spent the first month of the offseason interviewing for head coaching positions and had missed out on over 10 head coaching jobs. Rivera felt he missed out on many of those jobs because of his lack of 3-4 experience, and so he ultimately took the Chargers Linebacker coach position to get a chance to learn about the nuances of the 34 defense.

Now why would he come to San Diego to be the Linebacker coach when he could of easily went to Dallas and became the LB coach or even defensive coordinator and learn from the best?

Here is my thought; When Rivera came to interview for the head coaching job here in San Diego, he supposedly had a great interview with AJ Smith and was said be the only candidate who interviewed that came to AJ with a "plan". Could this all be part of "the plan"?

Everything he has done the past 4 years has suggested that AJ Smith believes the old saying "Defense wins championship" and many believe that he wanted Wade Phillips to be Marty Schottenheimer's replacement. So why would he hire an Offensive coach like Norv Turner? Could it be that AJ didn't believe Rivera was ready and wanted him to learn the 3-4 defense first from a Wade Phillips understudy (Ted Cottrell)? Also could it be, that much like Jason Garrett, AJ Smith didn't think he was ready to handle the other side of the ball and wanted him to learn from one of the best in the business?

Now, there are no facts to prove this theory, but hey, its the offseason, what else is there to talk about??

Antonio Gates Could Headed For A Career Year In 07

The forgotten man. Not really a title you would bestow upon a player of Antonio Gates' caliber. The guy has emerged as the top player Tight End in the game, and has had three straight seasons of 900+ yards with 9+ touchdowns. So where does the forgotten man come from?

The Sporting News has a theory, and that theory has to do with Cam Cameron not calling as many plays for Gates as he had in years past. In their offseason report on the AFC West, they mention Gates has been running more routes as a receiver, and will become a focal point for what Norv Turner will do on offense:

It was clear in the first minicamp under coach Norv Turner that tight end Antonio Gates will not be the forgotten man, as he sometimes was under former offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Turner, who will call offensive plays, broadened Gates' repertoire of routes. Turner seems intrigued by how good the offense can be, and Gates is at the center of his plans for making it more potent. Creating options for Gates will confuse defenses and should add a dimension to the offense, which led the league in points in 2006. Turner is intense, demands excellence and pushes players beyond what they were doing.

Indeed, Gates had a lower output last year in catches, with only 71 compares to 80+ like that past two years. Four times he went over 100 yards in 2005, but he only reached that mark once in 2006. Obviously any good coach tries to get the best out of their players, but Norv Turner will be extra creative with Gates on the field.

“He runs the routes so well. He can run all the wide receiver routes,” Turner said. “It’s something that we want to incorporate. How much we do of it depends on who we’re playing and how they’re playing us. Every time you can add a wrinkle and do something different, it gives a defense a problem. He’s a guy you can really create some mismatches with.”

To imagine Antonio Gates as an even greater threat to opposing defenses could mean the establishment of new tight end records. Gates will have the opportunity to not only reach his own record of 10 touchdowns with 1000 yards receiving, but to actually shatter that record. Watching the success Antonio Gates will have this upcoming season should be extremely exciting not only for fans, but for Mr. Gates as well:

“It’s been challenging but it’s been fun,” Gates said. “That’s what Norv is known best for. When he has weapons, he finds ways to use them and get them the ball. I can’t help but be excited about what we’re going to do.”