Opponent: San Diego Chargers
2009 record: 2-3, with victories over Oakland and Miami, and losses to Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Denver. The Chargers are minus-12 in point differential.
Last year’s record: 8-8, first place in the AFC West. They beat Indianapolis in the wildcard round 23-17, then lost in the Divisional round to Pittsburgh 35-24.
Record for the last five seasons: 56-30 including the playoffs, with four AFC West division titles and a 2-4 record in the playoffs.
Last appearance in the playoffs: last season, going 1-1 with a victory at home over the Colts and a loss on the road at Pittsburgh.
Head coach: Norv Turner is in his third season as head coach of the Chargers (2007-09), 24-18 record at this point. Turner was previously head coach in Washington for seven seasons and Oakland for two seasons. His overall head coaching record in the NFL is now 83-101-1.
Coordinators: Clarence Shelmon, offense; Ron Rivera, defense and Steve Crosby, special teams.
Roster overview: Under GM A.J. Smith, the Chargers have not been big spenders in unrestricted free agency. In fact, they have only one on the roster right now, starting ILB Kevin Burnett who was signed this past off-season from Dallas. When you look at the team’s starting group, 14 are draft choices including both of the team’s kickers. There are 16 players on the roster this week who were a first, second or third-round draft choice for the Chargers. Overall it remains a fairly young group, as there are only two players on the 53-man roster who have 10 seasons or more in pro football. There are a dozen that have played two seasons or less. There are eight players who are 30 or older and 11 who are 23 or younger.
Quarterback: Philip Rivers has been the team’s starting quarterback since the 2006 season. He now has a record of 38-21 as the starter, including the playoffs. Over his six seasons, Rivers has thrown 85 touchdowns passes against 39 interceptions. His career completion percentage is 61.9 percent and he’s averaged 7.6 yards per attempt. That’s a career passer rating of 92.8. This season, Rivers has seven TD passes and three interceptions, with a healthy 8.3 yards per pass attempt.
Offensive threats: LaDainian Tomlinson has not come out of the chute with a bang, running for just 140 yards on 38 carries with only one touchdown. Darren Sproles also has 38 carries for just 90 yards. Combined the pair have only two runs for 13 yards or more. TE Antonio Gates remains the favorite receiver for Rivers, catching 29 passes for 419 yards. WR Vincent Jackson has three touchdowns among his 24 catches on the season.
Defensive stars: The San Diego defense has undergone some changes and they haven’t all paid off. OLB Shawne Merriman missed most of last season with a knee injury and he’s not come back with a bang. Merriman has 16 total tackles and he’s hit the quarterback just twice, with no sacks. Fellow OLB Shaun Phillips is struggling as well, with 24 tackles and no sacks. In the secondary, they have four interceptions in five games, topped by nickel back Antoine Cason with two, but he’s lost his job this week.
Special teamers: Nate Kaeding and Mike Scifers are one of the strongest kicking duos in the league. Kaeding has missed only one FG inside 45 yards and he’s 11 of 13 overall. Scifers has a gross punting average of 48.2 yards and a net average of 39.8 yards. The Chargers have gotten a 77-yard TD on a punt return by Sproles, who also h as a 66-yard kickoff return. But the San Diego cover teams have given up a touchdown on punt and kickoff coverage.
By the numbers: The Chiefs began the week ranked No. 14 in offensive yards per game, but tied for last in rushing yards per game at No. 31. They are No. 5 in passing yards. On the defensive side, t hey rank 23rd in yards allowed per game. That breaks down to 27th against the run and 13th versus the pass.
Top ‘09 draft picks: 1st-round choice LB Larry English has played 192 snaps with 12 total tackles and two sacks; 3rd-round pick G Louis Vasquez has worked his way into the starting lineup at RG; 4th-round C Tyronne Green has not played; 4th-round DT Vaughn Martin has played in all five games, getting 30 snaps and three tackles.
Familiar faces: On the active roster for the Chiefs are RB Michael Bennett, DE Alfonso Boone and TE Kris Wilson. Bennett has 12 carries for 37 yards and two catches for three yards. Boone has been on the field for 94 plays and he has eight tackles and one sack. Wilson has yet to catch a pass. On the coaching staff are former Chiefs assistants Jeff Hurd and Charlie Joiner, along with former short-time Chiefs CB Cris Dishman who is San Diego’s assistant secondary coach.
INJURY REPORT: Out – C Nick Hardwick (ankle); HAS NOT PRACTICED – LB Kevin Burnett (ankle), WR Buster Davis (illness), FB Jacob Hester (illness), LB Jyles Tucker (illness), RB LaDainian Tomlinson (illness). LIMITED PRACTICE TIME – CB Antonio Cromartie (knee).
alright guys this is it heres wher we continue our run to the playoffs we go whip these lil bitches asses we get a buy with 2 wins in a row and we come back alot more confident and we just start kickin ppls asses
Not going to win this game unless San Diego is much less of a team than everyone thought.
A talented team gone soft since Marty’s departure.
Just got done watching AFC playbook on NFL network, wow all of our big plays the last 2 weeks were b/c of our safeties.
Mcgraw was responsible for the long pass to santana moss getting sucked up on the fake reverse. He also was the only unblocked player and missed Portis inside the hole to give up the longest play of portis career. There were holes down the field as well but the redskins missed.
Week before that it was Brown, we need page back, and I still want to know exactly what happened between Pollard and the chiefs, there is no way Brown gives us a better chance to win no way.
We just look slow over the top, I hate to say it b/c we have so many needs on the offensive line and linebacker, but I can’t stop thinking what Taylor Mays from USC would look like in a chiefs Uniform, we need a speed cover saftey bad.
I expect a lot of throws down the field this week from San Diego.
Why did Marty leave and how much impact did it have on the team , the owner’s , and the fans .
Trying to get this whole thing back on tract agin is something else .
It did NOT have anything to do with football ,and this is the last of my coment’s on the closed door subject .
I think Todd Haley IS the closest thing to get’er done, in short order .
If you don’t step on someone’s foot— you MAY not have their attention and your going to waste a lot TIME in doing something in short order .
Just remmber one thing , Todd Haley was brought in here to fix it – whatever it takes – not to make friend’s .
San Diego is definately less of a team than everyone thought….but are they less enough that the Chiefs can handle them? I want to think they are but I just don’t think the Chiefs are good enough. I would be happy for the Chiefs to prove me wrong this weekend.
I think there is a good chance for us to win this weekend. On my birthday no less!
It is going to be a tough game. If there are few mistakes we win. SD is taking some serious hits to their talent through some injuries which helps us out significantly. Cromartie got hurt yesterday in practice. His knee or somethin of the likes. Which is going to be a huge help. Maybe slow him down a step or two.
Just wish I could be at Arrowhead, Military appreciation day, my b-day…it would be great! Instead, stuck out here in Cali…at least the weather is nice!
As per Josh Looney:
“Thursday wasn’t a good day for the San Diego Chargers. Pro Bowl CB Antonio Cromartie left practice with a knee injury and four other Chargers fell ill to the flu bug. Early reports indicate that Cromartie’s knee injury is not serious, but he will still undergo an MRI this morning.
RB LaDainian Tomlinson, FB Jacob Hester, WR Buster Davis and LB Jyles Tucker all missed Thursday practice with flu-like symptoms.”
They better not come to KC and get our guys sick!
Phooey….I was right.