Chargers suffer, Patriots act
Sports Editor
The New England Patriots embarrassed the San Diego Chargers by sending them down the rankings of the poorly performing AFC West conference on Sunday. The game was filled with more atrocious turnovers and terribly executed offense than a bottom ranked high school ball club.
Big mouth LT rushed for about 20 percent of the Chargers’ total offense averaging two and a half yards per carry. Unfortunately the 2006 MVP has a diminutive regular season rushing total of 68 yards.
As if San Diego fans weren’t bitter enough about the loss, it gets worse. Last weekend’s Patriots match-up was unquestionably a game the Chargers wanted to win and it was one they wanted to win forcefully. No doubt that LaDainian Tomlinson is still bothered by last year's season ending playoff loss to the Patriots, which ended in a classless field display and a few equally expressive post game interviews.
LT referred to the entire New England team as having “no class” and even suggested that the head coach, Bill Belichick, was the cause of the team’s disrespect. No doubt Ellis Hobbs had no place mocking Shawne Merriman’s “lights out” sack celebration; then again, the Chargers practically handed the Patriots the game.
In the final four and a half minutes San Diego allowed 11 points, managed two turnovers and nearly doubled their penalty yardage for the game. It’s tough to justify a season ending loss, especially one of this magnitude.
So, even after having eight months to think about that disappointing January afternoon, what it came down to was that the Chargers just couldn’t execute. The severity of last Sunday’s loss is leaving sports analysts puzzled and doubtful. It will be interesting to see how the Chargers respond to such a spirit thrashing loss when they take on a hot Green Bay Packers team next weekend at Lambeau Field.
Come January the Chargers could once again be lining up against the Patriots with a chance to put the lights out on their season.
The Vista, September 20, 2007