Problems in San Diego

An up-and-down season has fans asking: what’s going on in San Diego? By Danielle Berman

(AP Photo/Stephen Savoia)

QB Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers are 4-4 at the halfway point of the season. How did that happen? The Chargers aren’t even sure themselves. After losing to the Green Bay Packers 45-38 at home, the Chargers are asking why.

According to Rivers, turnovers have been a killer. ''Obviously, you can't turn the ball over. That was the difference in the game, turning it over,” he said in a postgame interview with the Associated Press. “That's something I need to keep working on and do a better job of. We gave ourselves a chance and never quit. But there's no consolation when you lose.''

The fans agree with you, Philip. The Chargers are now in a three-way tie for first place with the Oakland Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Denver Broncos with QB Tim Tebow at the helm are close behind at 3-5. We wouldn’t be happy either.

You might think the defense is the obvious problem. San Diego has allowed every one of their opponents to score 20 plus points against them this season. But when you factor in a QB that has 14 interceptions and 17 turnovers, it seems like the defense is struggling to overcome the offensive mistakes. 

San Diego is now faced with a daunting challenge: to win as many games as possible with little to no room for error. Next week, the Chargers face the Raiders in a divisional match up with potential playoff implications. The Chargers especially need to win division games to inch closer to their playoff goals. But Oakland has the same mission. The Chargers haven’t beaten the Raiders since 2009 and were swept by the black and silver last season.

Another twist? The game is on Thursday night. A short week for an offense that played hard last weekend against Green Bay. Those of you who have NFL Network might want to tune in. Both teams will be fighting hard for a leg up in the division, especially under the prime time spotlight. Then, on Sunday afternoon, Kansas City takes on Denver. If you’re a Chargers fan, Week 10 is a big one. With eight games to go, it’s time for the offense to batten down the hatches and prepare for the rest of the season ahead.