The PFW Spin
Rallying at home to beat a below-average Vikings squad led by an aging Donovan McNabb is one thing. It was a game the Chargers had to win, one that a division favorite should be able to handle early in the season.
Beating Tom Brady and the Patriots next Sunday in Foxboroughwill be completely different. The Bolts have struggled vs. the Pats in recent years, losing four of the five meetings since Rivers became starting quarterback in 2006, including two in the playoffs. The most recent of those defeats came last season in San Diego when the Chargers fell behind 20-3, then tried to rally late but came up short in a 23-20 loss. Traveling across the country to face a serious conference contender in a game shown on national TV will require an improved performance from the Chargers.
Several units will need to elevate their games. The offensive line, which too often was pushed around by an undermanned Vikings front four, allowing a pair of sacks, six tackles for loss and four plays that went for no gain, has to do a better job. The Patriots have size up front with Vince Wilfork and Albert Haynesworth, and the San Diego front five will have to give Rivers and the running backs some room to operate.
At the same time, the Chargers' wide receivers have to be more involved in the action. Minnesota played nearly the entire game with two deep safeties, forcing Rivers to throw underneath instead of stretching the field vertically in the passing game. That allowed for plenty of work for TE Antonio Gates (eight catches, 74 yards) and RBs Ryan Mathews and Tolbert (combined 12 catches, 131 yards, two TDs), but very little for WRs Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd (combined five catches for 76 yards). Jackson had a chance at a long TD in the second quarter, but the receiver appeared to not be running at full speed and missed the catch by a yard or so.
Then there's the special teams, a group that, like the smog in Southern California, is a problem that never seems to be fixed. Harvin's kickoff-return touchdown came because multiple players failed to stay in their lanes and they couldn't bring the returner down even when they got their hands on him. The last player who had an angle was Kaeding, who tore up his knee attempting to stop the touchdown. P Mike Scifres handled the kickoffs and placekicking for the remainder of the game, but there are loads of issues this group still needs to figure out.
The 2010 Chargers would be facing the New England matchup with an 0-1 record and mountains of pressure upon them. Not so for this year's team, which rallied and won the opener and now can be focused heading into a big game. It wasn't pretty, but an ugly win sure beats the alternative. Now the question is: Can the Chargers build an early-season winning streak?
