Change Has Not Done Chargers Good

By Chuck LaRose
SportsTicker Staff Writer

Perhaps the San Diego Chargers never heard the phrase, "Don't mess with a good thing." The Chargers endured a frustrating 30-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday to fall to 1-3 in a season that began with lofty expectations. After going an NFL-best 14-2 last year, the Chargers were knocked out of the playoffs by the New England Patriots in the divisional round - and team officials wasted no time reacting to that disappointing defeat. Veteran coach Marty Schottenheimer was fired and replaced with Norv Turner, whose name hasn't exactly been synonymous with NFL success.

In three different coaching stints in the league, Turner owns an unimpressive career mark of 59-85-1. Additionally, while its relationship to the team's performance can be downplayed, the Chargers decided to go with new uniforms for the 2007 season. Neither Turner nor the fashion statement seem to be affecting the team positively as the Chargers are off to their worst start since 2003, when they began 0-5 and finished with a 4-12 overall mark. After grinding out an ugly 14-3 win over the Chicago Bears in their season opener, San Diego has lost three consecutive contests by an overall margin of 47 points - an average of nearly 16 per game. Sunday's loss was especially disheartening, considering the young Chiefs are anything but an elite team at this stage. The Chargers overcame some early sloppy play in this one and entered the break with a 16-6 lead. But the Chiefs completely dominated the second half, scoring the game's final 24 points and pushing Turner's career record vs. Kansas City to 0-6.

The fans at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium, who saw the Chargers' nine-game home winning streak snapped, voiced their displeasure with Turner's performance by chanting "Marty, Marty, Marty," during the waning moments of the contest. "There is nothing I can do about the reaction of the crowd," Turner said. "The things I've got to be concerned with and concentrate on are the things we can control as a football team." Quarterback Philip Rivers also heard it from the fans after committing three turnovers in the defeat. "(The crowd's response is) somewhat disappointing," Rivers told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "We understand to an extent their frustration. We're frustrated way more than anyone outside of the locker room, I can guarantee that. We certainly don't want to make bad plays." And there were plenty of those Sunday.

Trailing 23-16 in the fourth quarter, Rivers was sacked and fumbled the football, which was returned 50 yards for a back-breaking touchdown by the Chiefs' Tyron Brackenridge. Rivers, who looked particularly bad during the second half meltdown, finished 21-of-42 for 211 yards with two interceptions. "I take responsibility for every turnover, but there are certain situations where we're all involved in it," Rivers said.

The only silver lining in the loss was the play of running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who rushed for 132 yards and his third touchdown of the season. The reigning MVP had entered the game averaging just 2.8 yards per carry. Something else for San Diego to hang its new white hat on - Tomlinson also had three touchdowns through four games last year before finishing the season with an NFL-record 31 scores. One major difference, however is the fact that the Charges started 3-1 last season. Another positive the Chargers can take out of the first quarter of the season is the fact that, despite their struggles, they're only one game back in the AFC West - Denver, Kansas City and Oakland are all 2-2. "We've got a lot of ground to make up and lot of room to improve," Rivers said. "Obviously, we didn't think we'd be sitting here 1-3."

Things won't get any easier for the Chargers this Sunday when they travel to play Denver at Mile High Stadium. A fourth consecutive loss could have many Chargers fans longing for the days of Schottenheimer, and maybe even navy blue helmets.