Chargers' Breathing New Life

Liberation has it price. And the host Denver Broncos paid immensely for it on Sunday as the San Diego Chargers rendered the perennial AFC North powers their worse home field beatdown in more than 80-years.

 This wasn't simply another instance of two longtime rivals getting together to settle an old score, or one divisional foe sending a loaded message to another. For coach Norv Turner and his much maligned, downtrodden squad, it was all about preservation. Preservation of the spirit, state of mind, life as most of them essentially know it.

 In the minds of many, Norv Turner strutted into Invesco Stadium a dead-man walking. And, mind you, this had very little at all to do with all the high-altitude he and his 52 players undoubtedly struggled to adjust to.

  No, those in the know will tell you that Norv Turner brought much of this affliction all on himself. They'll tell you that it’s all about business, nothing personal and Turner's early penchant for spearheading more losses than victories doomed him to such disdain.

 But on Sunday, a light in the form of LaDainian Tomlinson went off on the Chargers’ heretofore dark and gloomy season. And just like that, their fortunes were instantly changed. In authoring yet another of those loaded messages--- only this time to his teammates--- Tomlinson let it be known that it was time to put up or shut up in terms of resurrecting the Chargers' season. 

“I'm not the kind of player where I feel a coach needs to come to me to explain what's going on,” Tomlinson told the San Diego Tribune. “But sometimes it redefines a sense of understanding. I came away from that meeting saying, 'OK, he understands.' ” 

Translation? The league’s reining MVP wants the ball in his hands early and often. He wants to be the one to determine the fate of the Chargers’ fortunes. And with that new understanding, Norv Turner and his men have new life. A destiny that again seems all in their hands.

  “We have a lot of work to do in terms of knowing everything we need to know about each other,” said Turner. “But we made progress today.”  And with it, may come preservation.

To post a comment, you need to login or sign up.	Fan Comments