When a team fires a head coach with a 14-2 regular-season record like the Chargers did with Marty Schottenheimer, we must admit that there is enormous pressure on Marty's successor.
Norv Turner has always received very high marks for his offensive strategy — he was Jimmy Johnson's coordinator for two Super Bowl wins in Dallas — but he takes a lot of heat for his 59-83-1 record.But word out of San Diego is that Turner has inserted quite a few new wrinkles to the Chargers' offense and this is good news for quarterback Philip Rivers, tight end Antonio Gates and running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Everyone knows that Turner, from his John Robinson and USC background, has a love affair with running the football. Turner may have introduced Troy Aikman at the Hall of Fame last summer, but Emmitt Smith had super seasons when he called the plays in Dallas. Tomlinson won't be ignored.
But if Turner has success opening up the San Diego passing offense, you tell me how much better this will make Tomlinson? It is difficult to imagine Tomlinson running against defenses that are not stacked up against him. There isn't a better game-breaker in the NFL than L.T.
The entire key to San Diego this year is how it fares in the first five games. They open against Chicago and then have road games against the Patriots, Packers and Broncos, plus a home game against Kansas City. If they go 4-1 in that stretch, the Chargers could gain home-field advantage once again; this was Marty's biggest blunder, blowing that opportunity.
FOX Sports on MSN - NFL - Norv has simple plan for his Bolts
06-19-2007, 07:52 PM
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