newest Rivers rumors:

[SDFan]

Do you think the Chargers are contending for a Super Bowl This season?

For the first season in a decade, I see little chance of that happening.

selective memory at work. I don't know ANYBODY that thought we were Super Bowl contenders for the last 2 seasons of NOrv Turner. I knew exactly what we were getting each of those seasons and wrote them off, no matter how many players we exchanged we still had a proven failure as a Head Coach and would have a fail season.

[QSmokey]

Do you think the Chargers are contending for a Super Bowl This season?

For the first season in a decade, I see little chance of that happening.

Absolutely not. I've said that in many posts. However, you've been much more optimistic than I have for the past 10 years, that's for sure. I never thought they'd contend last year (or the year before), particularly. I think they'll win 9 games in 2015. Same old, same old.

[TTK]

If this team can stay healthy, I don't see why it couldn't be a serious contender. They have the quarterback, which is the most important thing to have and if Gordon and the changes with the o-line pans out, they'll have a much improved run game.

[sandiego17]

selective memory at work. I don't know ANYBODY that thought we were Super Bowl contenders for the last 2 seasons of NOrv Turner. I knew exactly what we were getting each of those seasons and wrote them off, no matter how many players we exchanged we still had a proven failure as a Head Coach and would have a fail season.

Or the first season season of McCoy for that matter. More of a Superbowl contender than in the '11, '12 and '13 seasons, IMO anyway.

[Coachmarkos]

If this team can stay healthy, I don't see why it couldn't be a serious contender. They have the quarterback, which is the most important thing to have and if Gordon and the changes with the o-line pans out, they'll have a much improved run game.

I'd agree with this. I don't see them as "super bowl contenders...right off the bat. But playoff contenders? certainly.

And if you can get in the playoffs, and be healthy... who knows? Got to let the games play out. Forecasting is best left to the Vegas guys.

[UtahBolt]

Why can't they be SB contenders? This team had major injuries last season yet found a way to compete and win some tough games and still have a winning record. If just a few more plays were made in week 17, they could have finished 10-6 and would have been in the playoffs for the second straight season. With a bit more luck when it comes to health, the natural development of a few young players and more consistent play in a couple of areas, they are absolutely a contender to get back in the playoffs. We all know that once in the tournament, the hot team wins, no matter the record...so why not the Chargers?

[richpjr]

Why can't they be SB contenders? This team had major injuries last season yet found a way to compete and win some tough games and still have a winning record. If just a few more plays were made in week 17, they could have finished 10-6 and would have been in the playoffs for the second straight season. With a bit more luck when it comes to health, the natural development of a few young players and more consistent play in a couple of areas, they are absolutely a contender to get back in the playoffs. We all know that once in the tournament, the hot team wins, no matter the record...so why not the Chargers?

Agree 100%. Injuries have derailed the past two seasons and even with all of them last year, we missed the playoffs by a single game. Injuries can always derail us again this season, but some of the injured players have been replaced, we have a bit more depth at some spots and on paper an easier schedule. Not sure why we should expect a playoff run if Rivers stays healthy. And history has show you just have to get in to have a shot.

[Mister Hoarse]

This team was much better at the beginning of the 2014 season than at the end of the 2014 season. Injuries? Sure, but that is bottom line.
The improvent curve last year was poor, and that set us back futher from a SB than we were at this time a year ago.
Player development is huge. Anyone who suffered through the Norv era knows how important it is.

[captaind]

If this team can stay healthy, I don't see why it couldn't be a serious contender.

But we say this every year, and what happens? They'll start dropping like flies any day now.

I've based my season predictions the last few years on the fact that we'll have substantially more injuries than 95% of other teams in the league. It's just a fact we have to live with.

[UtahBolt]

So damn weird...isn't it? Frustrating too...

[Boltjolt]

But we say this every year, and what happens? They'll start dropping like flies any day now.

I've based my season predictions the last few years on the fact that we'll have substantially more injuries than 95% of other teams in the league. It's just a fact we have to live with.

We need to nutricianist to start feeding them Wheaties.

[Lightningwill_420]

But we say this every year, and what happens? They'll start dropping like flies any day now.

I've based my season predictions the last few years on the fact that we'll have substantially more injuries than 95% of other teams in the league. It's just a fact we have to live with.

Just looking at who we got this year, I think the Chargers have changed their philosophy toward injured players. Last year's first-round pick, Verrett, was already hurt when we got him, and our biggest free agent signing was Butler, who, until this past season, was the Ryan Mathews of the defense (Now he's the Porkchops of the defense -but that's a different topic.)

We opted not to re-sign the real Ryan Mathews. Instead, we used our top pick on a runningback (Gordon) who showed durability in college, and our biggest free-agent signing (Franklin) is a lineman who has proven to be durable in the NFL.

Now we just need a durable center, a durable guard to go opposite Franklin, and a backup tackle to fill in when one of our tackles goes down for a bit. The backup we had last year let us down.