LT staying

LT is staying on in SD. Good news in that ...

News and notes: February 5

The NFL seems poised to pass the "Shawn Merriman rule" which would prohibit steroid cheats from being voted to the Pro Bowl, among other things. Murders and drug offenses league-wide and this is how the league gets tough.... Wade Phillips still has a shot at the Cowboys head coaching gig. One has to wonder if it's his last chance at getting one. However, after Marty leaves next year, he should certainly be a front-runner.... Going off on a tangent, it seems incredible Lane Kiffin can become a head coach while Norm Chow can't. If I'm AJ Smith, I'm doing my homework on Chow right now.

Coordinators on the run

As I write this, Cam Cameron has left for Miami and Wade Phillips has just interviewed for the top job in Dallas. Could the Chargers lose both coordinators this off-season?... Considering this, the early playoff exit, and Marty still being coach -- you think this is how AJ imagined January would be?.... It seems we'll never know if AJ would've made Cameron the head coach here or not.... Oh, and if you're not reading between the lines, this is Marty's last season in blue and gold, barring a brilliant Superbowl run next season.... So, what are the impacts of both coordinators bolting? Clarence Shelmon was named to head the offense, which I think is fantastic. He has been nothing short of brilliant in developing LT and Turner. He obviously knows how to teach.... What would happen to the defense if Phillips left, too? Like how the offensive system won't be changed, we could presume the 3-4 would be kept in place, too. Figuring an in-house candidate would get first shot, I would throw my hat out for Wayne Nunnely who now leads the D line. He, too, is a first-rate teacher.... What I found interesting was all the assistant coaches being offered one-year extensions, which puts all their contracts one year past Marty's. My take is that if/when Marty leaves after this season, AJ will try to keep as many assistants in place as he can, and the best way to do that would be to find his next head coach from among his current coaches. Now that Cameron is gone, Phillips would be the logical choice. He has head coaching experience and had a winning record. But if the Cowboys hire him, it's a moot point. The next in line would be one of the coordinators.

Playoff thoughts 1: Loss

• Don't you get the feeling Marty went overboard trying to prove he wasn't going to be conservative? Going for it on 4th-and-11 in the first quarter? I don't care how good you are, there is not play in your book you can realistically hope to get a first down with from that spot.
• Tony Dungy thought the Chargers tried to do too much. Maybe he's right. My feeling is that you have to take a few chances in a playoff game but they should be in the flow of the action and be strategically sound.
• My long-held theory on playoffs is that teams struggle when it's their first time there in awhile. This might explain the lapses in the Chargers part but who do you account for their playoff game 2 years ago? That should have given them much-needed experience. Perhaps this team has changed so much in 2 years.... Or perhaps the Patriots are just such a solid team that they make you have to play your best to beat them.
• The Chargers obviously did a lot of things wrong in this game, both players and coaches. But they did a lot of things right. Tom Brady really had a poor playoff game. So you could say that Wade Phillips did a great job game-planning him. But then you can make the argument that even though Brady had a poor game, the Chargers still lost. Which is it?

A burning question

Perhaps this should wait until after the playoffs but how about Michael Turner? The guy has shown nothing but brilliant potential. He is as good a backup to LT as the Chargers could ever find. In fact, he may be too good. I say that because of this question: At what point should you do what's best for the player and give him a chance to be a starter in this league? Rumors about the Jets wanting to trade for him have been going around all season. He was like Steve Young behind Montana all those years. The guy deserves his shot, and probably sooner than later, because of the average shelf life of RBs in the league. Doing the best thing for Turner, AJ should not worry about wringing the most compensation from another team.

Playoff thoughts 3: New England

The Patriots are a popular pick this week by the folks over at SI.com. Can't blame them when you line up Marty's playoff record against Bellichik's, which one has to do this time of year. That said, Marty will unquestionably have the Chargers mentally prepared.

This game may come down to Cameron's ability to counter Bellichik's schemes. It seems logical the Patriots would stuff the box, limiting LTs area to run as well as trying to take away the short pass. Cameron will want to keep Rivers confident and in a good flow, so short passes would seem in order. Rivers always takes deep shots down the field so if the line can buy him time, he may be able to hit a few and that could really change the momentum and strategy of the game.... Another thought I have is that if the Chargers can get by the Patriots then they should win the Superbowl. The Patriots will be the toughest test they face in the playoffs.

Getting defensive about the backs

A couple articles today about the DBs which I'm going to discuss in a moment. But while I'm on the subject of articles, why is it that the Union-Tribune and the North County Times almost always run articles on the same day about the same Chargers topics?

Actually, today's articles are both about Jammer and his improvement this year. The entire defensive backfield has improved and everyone credits it to: working harder, being more consistent, and increased film study. I'll buy that but I have to add that Marlon McCree's addition to the backfield might be the second biggest reason for their improvement. The No. 1 reason? It has to be increased qb pressure the front 7 has gotten. The Chargers led the league in sacks this year and so it's no coincidence the DBs have played better. Merriman, by himself, might be the biggest reason they've stepped up their play. Notice also how the DBs have been shaky when the line hasn't been able to get huge pressure on the qb.

Finally, the Chargers are getting no help whatsoever from their DB coach, Brian Stewart. Now, as a group, the Chargers have outstanding assistant coaches - perhaps the best in the league. If you're unsure about the role of the coaches, judge the play of this year's OL (coached by Jack Henry) versus last year's (coached by Carl Mauck). Much improved this year, thanks to Henry. Also, look at the play of their DL, coached by Wayne Nunnely. Castillo and Olshansky have quickly become big contributors to the defense. Cesaire has also stepped up after being signed as a rookie free agent. And of course, Jamal Williams became a perennial all-pro under Nunnely. However, despite numerous high draft choices, the DBs have be inconsistent in their play. Stewart has not helped.

Playoff thoughts 2: New England

So the Chargers drew New England, which is about the toughest team they could have asked for. Baltimore and Indy may be ranked higher but I think the Patriots are more playoff-capable. Gotta feel LT will have a tough day running it. And Belichick will do all he can to confuse Rivers. Cameron has to keep the passing game simple but creative and Gates will have to have a big day. Another receiver is going to have to step up, too. The defense should stop the run but if they cannot, it may be the beginning of the end. Merriman and Phillips have to get consistent pressure on Brady. The backs are what they are. They never seem to do more than they are supposed to.

News and notes: January 7

• Dr. Z at Sports Illustrated posted his list of All-Pros and not surprisingly, 4 Chargers made it. But what was surprising was to see Mike Goff on the list. Z does his list from a scoring system and said Goff was a 'battler' who scored well on pass protection.
• This link at NY Times probably won't last long but an interesting piece on LT and a hill in Texas named after his family's descendants, Tomlinson Hill. The population is around 100 and LT's father still lives there.

Playoff thoughts 1

Perhaps the most important key is whether Marty will continue to give Cameron his freedom. I pray so but the old cliche about 'teaching dogs' and 'tricks,' surely seems apt . That said, I am almost as fearful about the DB play. Perhaps it is something inherent in all Charger fans regarding the lack of trust in the DBs. Even with their improved play this year, they can still be beat. Especially when the line isn't getting monster pressure on the QB.