My Philip Rivers Blog

If all of you were like me, you thought for sure that Indianapolis would have absolutely no problem beating the San Diego chargers. It just seemed that throughout the season the Chargers were too on and off. Their non-consistent ways, plus if you've ever been in the RCA dome you know how loud that place can get, plus the Colts being healthier and of course PEYTON MANNING!!!

Well then the game started, and it was a slow first half. I just knew when Manning got the ball next he was going to score a touchdown and I'd be twenty minutes of game time left till I cashed my betting ticket. But no that didn't happen because Rivers had to hit Chambers for a 30 yard touchdown pass in the first 4 minutes of the 3rd quarter. Still no need to worry plenty of time on the clock and it looks like Indianapolis is driving. In fact they drive all the way to the two yard line and a tipped ball is intercepted for the second time today. This just doesn't seem like my day or Mannings. Maybe I under estimated the Chargers defense as I watched them hit Addai so hard he had to leave the game for a few plays. Then on the same drive hit Keith hard enough to send him to the sidelines. And even after the interception Bob Sanders gets hit hard in the hand while trying to tackle Michael Turner. It was only a matter of 3 minutes of game time and 3 big names on Indianapolis were sucking wind on the sidelines, thanks to the hard hitting Chargers.

Well finally we get our first three and out in this game at 6 minutes left in the third quarter. So things are again looking good for my Indy -9 bet, but everything has to go right. And it does on this drive, when Reggie Wayne defies gravity at just the right moment to score a touchdown putting the Colts up 17-14. Well at this point I am pretty pleased with my Indy -9 bet ticket and I actually start to think about how I'm going to spend this money. Then 3 minutes and Rivers toss a short pass to Sproles who turns it into a 56 yard touchdown. This put the chargers up 21-17 and me further away from a winning bet ticket.

At this point I am wondering when the Chargers are going to let up and the Colts will just take off with the lead and eventually the game. My prayers seemed answered when Peyton hits Gonzalez for a 55 yard touchdown pass, putting the colts only 10 minutes away from an AFC championship game and me that much closer to my glorious win. But unfortunately no told Volek, who came in to replace Philip Rivers, my plans as he marched down the field executing a great drive before he ran it himself into the end zone from the one.

There goes any hope of my betting ticket being a winner. And with the way that the chargers played out the last 4 minutes of the game I am not sure my ticket ever had a chance. So I have been sitting here trying to think of the reasons I was so confident in a Colts victory and by more than nine. And it seemed that turnovers were the death of my betting ticket, and Indy's chances at repeating the Super bowl victory dance. Any time a team is expected to win by a number greater than six in the NFL they can not turn the ball over 3 times, it is impossible to score enough points to cover a spread like that, when you keep shooting yourself in the foot.

Now do the Chargers have what it takes to beat the undefeated Patriots?

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The San Diego Chargers have been at the top of their game over the course of the last four seasons, winning the NFL's AFC West crown in each campaign. This four-season romp through their division has marked the team's best string of success since the early days of the franchise in the first half of the 1960s. As fans of the team know, however, their appearances in the playoffs have been less than spectacular. Much of the blame for the team's inability to go deeper into the postseason and win that elusive first Super Bowl trophy has fallen squarely upon the shoulders of the Chargers' otherwise flawless kicker, Nate Kaeding.

The Iowa Native

Kaeding was selected by the Chargers in the 2004 Draft. They were only able to get him due to receiving several favorable lottery picks as part of the Eli Manning and Philip Rivers draft/trade deal done that year, and there was quite a bit of excitement surrounding his selection. After all, the Iowa City, Iowa native had earned a national reputation during his college career with the Hawkeyes - even winning the Lou Groza kicking award after the season of 2002. As a Hawkeye, he was known as "Mister Automatic", for his ability to seemingly always make his team's field goals when they were needed most. He was particularly deadly from long range, as he had a career record of 24 forty-plus yard field goals made out of the 29 he attempted. That included twenty out of twenty one made during his senior campaign.

Winning records

Even as a Charger, Kaeding has gone on to set records. During the 2009 season, he became the most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League with an overall percentage of field goals made that is in excess of eighty-seven percent. Throughout the regular season campaigns in San Diego, his performance in many ways mirrors what he did while at Iowa City. In one season, he missed only three total field goals throughout the sixteen-game season. Unfortunately, all of that is easily overshadowed in the minds of many Chargers fans by his inability to make the important field goals when they matter most: the playoffs.

Missing the big ones

For example, Kaeding missed a 54-yard field goal against the Patriots during the 2006 playoffs. Had he made it, he could have tied the game. Then, in 2007, a missed field goal against Tennessee and one against the Colts could have easily ended the Chargers' season. They eventually lost to the Patriots that year in the AFC title game. The worst postseason performance came in the 2009 playoffs against the Jets. In that performance, Kaeding missed the only three field goals he attempted. Had he made just one, the game would have gone to overtime - two out of three would have won it.

In the end, Kaeding is now best known by Chargers fans as the kicker who can't make the big kick when his team needs it most. Fairly, or unfairly, that reputation will continue to dog him throughout his time with the team until he once again earns the title "Mister Automatic" by making his field goals in the postseason.

Writer and editor, Freddie Brister, is a former high school coach. Check out his San Diego Chargers Watch or his New York Yankees Watch

Opening week of the 2010 NFL season has come and gone and it included everything a football fan has come to expect from the National Football League.  There were controversial plays, upsets, teams that had trouble

getting their offenses going, teams that had their defenses picked apart, and teams that started the season out right on track and ready to play.

Let's take a look back at all the games played in week one of the 2010 NFL season.

New Orleans Saints 14 - Minnesota Vikings 9

The Saints defeated the Vikings in one of the most anticipated games of week one.  Drew Brees marched his team down the field for an easy score on their first possession of the game and it looked like it would be a route, but both defenses tightened up from there on out.  In the end, the Saints defense was a little too much for an aging Brett Favre and a Vikings team missing wide receiver Sidney Rice.

Miami Dolphins 15 - Buffalo Bills 10

The Dolphins won a low scoring contest, and did so by scoring nearly every way possible, including a touchdown, extra point, field goal, and safety.  Both offenses were somewhat ineffective as neither starting quarterback, Chad Henne for the Dolphins and Trent Edwards for the Bills, were able to break the 200 yard mark in passing.  Neither team had a 100 yard rusher either.

Chicago Bears 19 - Detroit Lions 14

The Bears and Lions have played a number of times over the years and they kicked off the 2010 season together.  This was a tough battle that ended with a controversial play as the Lions thought they'd scored a go ahead touchdown but the referee's saw it differently.  Jay Cutler of the Bears also starts the season off with a 300 yard game.

Tennessee Titans 38 - Oakland Raiders 13

The Titans jumped out to a 24-6 halftime lead and never looked back.  Chris Johnson had his way with the Oakland defense as he put up 142 yards rushing.  Oakland's Darren McFadden didn't do too badly himself either as he had 150 combined yards.  The Titans added two second half touchdowns and the Raiders scored one in the fourth quarter.

New England Patriots 38 - Cincinnati Bengals 24

The New England Patriots were in complete control of their week one matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, even being ahead 24-3 at halftime.  The Bengals did get some offense going in the second half, but by then it was too little too late.  Carson Palmer finished the day with 345 passing yards and the other big star of the day was Chad Ochocinco who racked up 159 yards receiving.

New York Giants 31 - Carolina Panthers 18

Eli Manning hooked up with Hakeem Nicks for three touchdowns, yes three touchdowns, including one each in the first, second, and third quarters.  The duo took the fourth quarter off, with New York getting a rushing touchdown from Ahmad Bradshaw.  The Panthers got three field goals from the ageless John Kasay and a touchdown pass from the great Steve Smith.

Pittsburgh Steelers 15 - Atlanta Falcons 9

All eyes were on Pittsburgh as they started the season without two time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.  His replacement, Dennis Dixon, finished with a very respectable 18 completions on 26 attempts for 236 yards.  This was a real defensive battle as neither team's offenses could get started.  At the end of the fourth quarter it was 9-9 and the game ended on a 50 yard touchdown run in overtime by Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17 - Cleveland Browns 14

Both the Buccaneers and the Browns started the game off scoring points and the 14-10 halftime score made it appear that each team was being at least somewhat successful.  The Bucs would shutout the Browns in the second half and would score a late fourth quarter touchdown of their own to take the lead and the win.

Jacksonville Jaguars 24 - Denver Broncos 17

Last season saw the Denver Broncos start out 6-0, but this season it didn't take too long for the team to lodge it's first loss.  This was a very even game that saw Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jaguars miss a 100 yard game by two yards and Denver's Kyle Orton missing a 300 yard game by five yards.  In the end, the Jaguars fourth quarter score put them over the top.

Houston Texans 34 - Indianapolis Colts 24

In what was one of the biggest upsets of the day, Matt Schaub who was the leading passer in the NFL last season, hardly had to throw the ball at all.  Schaub would finish with just 107 yards passing while Peyton Manning would rack up 433.  The difference though was the 231 yards rushing and three touchdowns put up by second year running back Arian Foster of the Texans.

Arizona Cardinals 17 - St. Louis Rams 13

In a quarterback duel between the number one overall draft pick from 2010, Sam Bradford and Derek Anderson who wasn't named the starting quarterback until a short time ago, the Cardinals would come out on top thanks to a fourth quarter touchdown reception by Larry Fitzgerald from Anderson.  Both teams had four turnovers in a game that both coaches probably wished was played a little better.

Green Bay Packers 27 - Philadelphia Eagles 20

The Packers and Eagles battled in a much looked forward to contest that featured a great game by Clay Matthews and the Packers defense and an injury to Eagles starting quarterback Kevin Kolb that saw Michael Vick come in for some significant playing time.  The Eagles mounted a comeback, but it wasn't enough.

Seattle Seahawks 31 - San Francisco 49ers 6

Pete Carroll's first game as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks was a massive success as his team was in control nearly all game long and was never threatened after the first quarter.  The Seahawks defense held 49ers running back to 38 yards on 17 carries which was a large part in stopping them from doing what they wanted to do.

Washington Redskins 13 - Dallas Cowboys 7

In a game that was marred by a serious amount of penalties and mistakes on Dallas' side of the ball, the Redskins ended up holding off a late charge by the Cowboys and giving new quarterback Donovan McNabb his first win in a Washington uniform.

Baltimore Ravens 10 - New York Jets 9

In a game that lacked a lot of offense, not surprisingly from the Jets who are not known as a high scoring team, but somewhat surprising from the Ravens who have a good running game and three very accomplished wide receivers, it came down to the last play of the game.  The Jets defense stymied the Ravens all night long and the Jets offense stymied itself.  LaDainian Tomlinson averaged over five yards a carry on his 11 touches for his new team and wide receiver Anquan Boldin racked up 110 yards receiving for his new team the Ravens.  In the end, the Jets turned it over on downs, unable to get a key first down, and the Ravens simply ran the clock out for the one point victory.

Kansas City Chiefs 21 - San Diego Chargers 14

The Chiefs were victorious in a Monday Night Football game that was at least statistically dominated by the Chargers.  Philip Rivers finished the day just two yards short of a 300 yard game and the Chargers had more first downs, total yards, and time of possession than their opponents.  The pesky Chiefs wouldn't be put away and scored two of their three touchdowns on long plays, the first a 56 yard run by Jamaal Charles and the third a 94 yard punt return for a score by Dexter McCluster.

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Interesting and fun football facts can be found about every one of the teams listed above, and even some that no longer play or play in different leagues at IQFB.com. Finding out hard to find information and great football trivia about your favorite team or player can be a lot of fun. You can even look really smart down the road when you throw out a little tidbit of knowledge that no one else knows. IQFB... Get Football Smart.

Philip Rivers is one of the brightest up and coming star quarterbacks in the entire National Football League. Some may even say that he is no longer an up and comer, but that he is already one of the stars in the league. He has played extremely well during his brief career and is a fan favorite of the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers seem to get better and better each and every year, and much of the credit belongs to their great young quarterback.

In Philip Rivers first full season as the starting quarterback for the San Diego Chargers, he completed a very respectable 22 touchdown passes. He completed 21 the next year and then really lit it up with 34 TD throws in 2008. Last year he threw 28 touchdown passes, again a very good year. This kind of thrower in the pocket makes it a lot easier on the running game too. He has been blessed with having some great receivers to work with as well. Who though has been his favorite receiver during his NFL career?

Through the 2009 NFL season, no player has caught more touchdown passes than tight end Antonio Gates. His 32 touchdown passes to Gates puts him seven ahead of the number two name on that list. The Chargers have had good seasons since Philip Rivers became the starting quarterback, but a lot of that credit should also go to the great receivers the team has had too. With Rivers and this arsenal of talented ball catchers, the Chargers should be a force to be reckoned with for quite sometime.

More San Diego Chargers trivia can be found at IQFB.com! You can even find out a little bit more about the other players who have caught Philip Rivers touchdowns too. Use the knowledge found there to impress your friends, win bets, or even just for general information. Football trivia is popular with a lot of people whether they are fans of the NFL, USFL, Arena Football, Canadian Football, College Football, or any other level of the game. IQFB... Get Football Smart.

Tier 1

1. Peyton Manning(Colts) bye week: 6 age: 31

-The consensus top choice at QB, Manning once again was nothing short of brilliant in 2006 throwing 31 touchdown passes while logging 4,397 passing yards. Still in his prime and a lock to play 16 games, Eli's big brother is the surest of bet when it comes to the QB position. Whether you want to be the guy to draft a QB in round 1 while everyone else snags a RB is the only decision you will have to make when it comes to this machine. Nothing short of a top pick will suffice if you hope to grab him.

2. Carson Palmer(Bengals) bye week: 5 age: 27

-2006 was a season of redemption for Carson Palmer in that he put all doubts to rest regarding how he would fare in his return from reconstructive knee surgery. All he did was go out and throw for 28 td's along with 4035 passing yards. Blessed with a howitzer for an arm, Palmer is poised to possibly overtake Peyton Manning this year as the best fantasy QB in football. With Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmanzadeh as his two main weapons, Palmer could possibly challenge the 40 TD mark. Advice: wait on Manning and grab this guy in round 2 if you are one of those who take a QB early.

Tier 2

3. Drew Brees(Saints) bye week: 4 age: 28

-Don't let the dislocated elbow Brees suffered in the Pro Bowl impact how you view this crafty veteran going into the season. All reports indicate Drew is right on schedule to be fully ready to go from day 1 of training camp and that means another season of big numbers from the Saints' leader. Don't expect Brees to put up another 4,500 yard season but something along the lines of 4,000 with 25 TD's sounds about right. Surrounded by outstanding weapons in RB's Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, along with last year's sensation WR Marques Colston, Brees will prove to be a smart buy for those who wait a few rounds to take their QB. A third round pick is the latest however he will last.

4. Tom Brady(Patriots) bye week: 10 age: 30

-New England's favorite son disappointed fantasy owners last year who dealt with Brady's inconsistent performances throughout the year. Despite throwing for a solid 24 TD's, Brady's passing yardage was down considerably from the year before. However one must only look at the weapons brought in by the front office to see that Tom is poised for a big year. Along with prized recruit Randy Moss, NE signed long-range bomber Donte Stallworth, possession receiver Wes Welker, and solid reserve Kelly Washington. All this adds up to possibly a 30 TD season along with Brady's second 4,000 yard season in three years. Also like Manning, you never have to worry about whether or not Brady will suit up as he owns the fourth longest streak of consecutive starts. Third to fourth round draft choice.

5. Marc Bulger(Rams) bye week 9 age: 30

-At press time there were rumblings that Bulger may be considering holding out in the hopes of landing a big contract. However don't let this deter you from drafting this incredibly solid performer. Despite not having the best arm, Bulger excels with what he has which is incredible accuracy, solid field smarts, and the ability to go with the hot reads. In his second year in coach Scott Linehan's system, Bulger should exceed the Pro Bowl numbers he amassed last season. If I were a betting man, I say Bulger leads the NFL in passing yardage. Grab him in round 3 with 5 being the latest if you're lucky.

6. Donovan McNabb(Eagles) bye week: 5 age: 30
-No QB in fantasy football will cause more consternation when it comes to drafting him than the Eagles' leader. On his way to an MVP-type season last year, McNabb suffered a season-ending knee injury which now brings him to 19 missed games over the last two years. The tools are still there such as the nimble feet and cannon arm. However Philly didn't draft Kevin Kolb because they wanted him to look pretty on the sidelines. There is some doubt as to whether Donovan can be the player he used to be. I say he can be and the motivation to prove his nay-sayers wrong will lead to a comeback season for McNabb. A potential championship pick due to the fact you may be able to snag him as late as the seventh round due to the questions surrounding his status.

Tier 3
7. Matt Hasselbeck(Seahawks) bye week: 8 age: 31

-poised to join the top five fantasy QB's going into last season, instead Matt Hasselbeck struggled throughout the year with injuries and inconsistency. With only 18 TD's and 2,442 yards to show for it, Hasselbeck was nothing but a disappointment for his owners. Despite last year however, I believe Hasselbeck will rebound and post his usual 22-25 TD's along with 3.500 yards. Having RB Shaun Alexander healthy is huge along with a better offensive line in front of him. Snag him in the fifth round or so.

8. Philip Rivers(Chargers) bye week: 7 age: 25

-After having to sit and wait two years while predecessor Drew Brees garnered back-to-back Pro Bowl bids, last year Philip Rivers showed everyone he was worth the wait. Joining Brees in Honolulu, Rivers displayed great poise and decision-making in his first year at the helm of the league's top club. Now with a year under his belt, look for Rivers to exceed the 24 TD's he amassed last season. Draft with confidence in round 5-6.

9. Matt Leinart(Cardinals) bye week 8 age 24

-you may be surprised by how high I have him ranked but when you look at the whole picture, this second year wonder will more than likely ascend to the top tier of fantasy quarterbacks this season. Coming from an NFL-caliber offense where he did nothing but win at USC, Leinart steps into a potentially explosive offense with Pro Bowl caliber receivers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, along with RB Edgerrin James in what could become one of the most efficient passing games in the league. Though he doesn't have a cannon for an arm, Leinart is arguably one of the most intelligent QB's in the league who has great accuracy. Look for a big step forward in his second year under center. You might be able to nab him as late as round 9.

10. Vince Young(Titans) bye week: 4 age: 24

-after taking the league by storm as a rookie last season, this second-year wonder is poised to do even better things for Tennessee. Combining great quickness along with a strong arm, Young proved his naysayer's wrong by sparking the Titans to a respectable season under his guidance. One negative is the fact that the Tennessee front office failed to find offensive help for their franchise QB and in fact weakened the offense by letting WR Drew Bennett leave as a free agent. Expect some growing pains for this still raw Titans team which could negatively impact Young's numbers. However when you look at rushing yardage from a QB along with his passing ability, Young has now surpassed the troubled Mike Vick in this ranking. Draft him in round 6-8.

Tier 4
11. Tony Romo(Cowboys) bye week: 8 age: 27

-With Drew Bledsoe struggling early last season, coach Bill Parcells made the move many expected when he inserted pre-season's perennial star Tony Romo. Once handed the job, Romo proceeded to put up a Pro Bowl season with 23 TD's and 3,600 yards in 10 starts. Look for Romo to put up similar numbers now that he has the benefit of knowing he will be starting from day one. When I mean similar, I mean around 23 TD's for the whole season and not 10 games. Some regression to the mean is expected with him this year. Draftable in round 7-9.

12. Eli Manning(Giants) bye week 9 age: 26

-Peyton's little brother continued to drive fantasy owner's nuts due to his inconsistency but 24 TD's is not bad at all. The problem with Eli is the lack of accuracy and the breakdown in his mechanics when things begin to go wrong. With time to throw and little pressure in his face, Eli would rival his brother as fantasy football's top QB. However the G-Men's O-line is weak and Manning will once again have to deal with opposing players in his face so more struggles are sure to follow him around most of the year. If you draft him expect one week of 300 yards with 4 TD's along with another of 180 yards and 4 INT's.

13. Jake Delhomme(Panthers) bye week: 7 age: 32

-Delhomme struggled throughout the year last season due to injuries and poor protection. An injured thumb was the main culprit as Jake was only able to muster 17 Td's. Expect a rebound this year though as favorite target Steve Smith is fully healthy himself this season and the fact that Delhomme will be extra focused due to the presence of newly signed David Carr. If he struggles however, don't be surprised if Carr gets the call rather quickly. Risky pick here but good upside to gamble on.

14. Jay Cutler(Broncos) bye week: 6 age: 24

-one of the NFL's rising stars at the position, Cutler got his feet wet towards the end of last season as he showed great poise in throwing 9 TD's against 5 INT's. With Jake Plummer now in retirement, the job is the cannon-armed second year man's to himself. Already people are whispering that he could be the second coming of John Elway and with the good speed, great arm combo, who are we to argue? Fantasies aside, Cutler is a rising gem and could be a top 7 guy by the end of the year. If you're going to reach for one player on offense this year, this guy is the one. Highly recommended sleeper.

The Rest (Should Be Drafted as Backups in 12 Team Leagues)

15. Brett Favre(Packers) bye week: 7 age: 37

-still has some juice left in that arm of his and despite his age, Favre could still put up more than decent numbers this year. With star WR Donald Driver there to catch his bullets, Lambeau's favorite son should be a good but not great option. Works best as a bye week starter or injury replacement. Two things you could always count on with Favre: he will start (he never misses a game) and he will throw interceptions. Take the good with the bad.

16. Michael Vick(Falcons) bye week: 8 age: 27

-at press time, Vick was being indicted on felony charges of financing a dog fighting ring. Due to this development, Vick is dropped all the way down to this mediocre ranking. Stands a good chance of being suspended, with the possibility of being placed in jail. Don't count on him for this season. Pass.

17. Jon Kitna(Lions) bye week: 6 age: 34

-was on many sleeper lists heading into last season and despite the over-the-top hype, Kitna's season was not terrible. He passed for over 4,000 yards and 21 TD's which alone would be terrific. However when you factor in the 22 INT's he threw, the light dims on the shine of his season. With tremendous weapons at his disposal in WR's Roy Williams and rookie Calvin Johnson, Kitna will have his big games. However his turnover-prone ways will always be lurking to hurt your team at every corner. Ride him while he is hot but dump him as soon as the inevitable slump hits.

18. Ben Roethlisberger(Steelers) bye week: 6 age: 25

-Big Ben had a season to forget in 2006 as a motorcycle accident that nearly killed him combined with his appendix emergency ruined whatever momentum he had coming off the Super Bowl. New coach Mike Tomlin preaches the run game so Roth could have a tough time cracking the 20 TD mark. Way too many questions surround this talented but inconsistent passer. Let him be someone else's problem.

19. JP Losman(Bills) bye week: 6 age: 26

-with a wickedly strong arm and sometimes crazy risk taking, JP Losman evokes many people to say he is the next Brett Favre. Though Losman is talented, to say he is the next coming of Favre does injustice to the Hall Of Famer. JP however showed last season he could play in the NFL but leading a number of big comebacks with batterymate WR Lee Evans. A poor offensive line and lack of playmakers outside of Evans however will limit Losman's upside for this year. Maybe in a year or two.

20.Alex Smith(49ers) bye week: 6 age: 23

-after looking like a colossal bust two season's ago, the former number 1 overall draft pick showed last season he has a place in an NFL locker room. Showing off the speed and accuracy he used to star at Utah, Smith led his team to a near playoff spot in coach Mike Nolan's first year on the job. Look for Smith to add to his 18 TD's and to be a possible fantasy starter by midseason.

21. Rex Grossman(Bears) bye week: 9 age: 27

-this is make-or-break time for Grossman as last year's Jekyll and Hyde act wore thin by season's end. Many felt Chicago made the Super Bowl last year in spite of him and I am not one to argue. Until he starts to show some sort of consistency, let him pass you by in your draft.

22. Chad Pennington(Jets) bye week: 10 age: 31

-the NFL's Comeback Player Of The Year showed that he still has what it takes to be a starter. What's good for the Jets however is not good for your fantasy team as Chad's noodle arm won't light up the scoreboard. Let him go.

23. Trent Green(Dolphins) bye week: 8 age: 37

-once one of my favorite fantasy QB's, Green's star has dimmed due to the concussion that sidelined him for half the season, along with the poor play that followed upon his return. Age could be a factor here and the he no longer has an All Pro offensive line in front of him as he did in KC. Could move up this list if healthy but too many question marks to trust. Good backup however.

24. Matt Schaub(Falcons) bye week: 10 age: 26

-finally has a starting gig to himself as his trade to Houston got him out of Michael Vick's shadow. Great arm but has not shown much in his limited time in the league. Draft him for his potential but have a better starter to use while you wait him out.

25. Jason Campbell(Redskins) bye week: 4 age: 25

-another young QB with potential but questions marks. Showed enough last season in limited time to relegate veteran Mark Brunell to the bench permanently. Track his early progress but don't draft.

26. Steve McNair(Ravens) bye week: 8 age: 34

-age and injuries have relegated McNair to nothing but ordinary status. Don't count on him to produce like he did during his MVP season.

27. Byron Leftwich(Jaguars) bye week: 4 age: 27

-this one-time potential beast has been relegated to also-ran status. Injuries and poor mechanics have held Byron back with no solution in sight.

Don't Draft

28. David Carr

29. Daunte Culpepper

30. Charlie Frye

31. Damon Huard

32. Jeff Garcia

33. Josh McCown

34. Tarvaris Jackson

35. Chris Simms

36. David Garrard

37. Kyle Boller

38. Joey Harrington

Cofounder of http://www.yourwinningpicks.com in our tenth year of supplying sports handicapping and fantasy sports information.

Philip Rivers was born on December 8, 1981 in Decatur, Alabama. Rivers is one of the best young quarterbacks in the world, and he has proven this time and time again on the field. Not only does he have all of the physical tools needed by a good quarterback, but he is also one of the smarter players in the game as well. When you combine these two things it is easy to see why he will be a great player in the NFL for many years to come.

Rivers attended Athens High School, and excelled both in the classroom and on the football field. As a senior he played both safety and quarterback, and this led to him being named the Alabama Football Player of the Year.

After high school Rivers chose to take his game to North Carolina State University. During his days playing for the Wolfpack, Rivers broke nearly every school and conference record. Perhaps his greatest record is that for most games started by a college quarterback with 51. This not only showed his consistency, but also his determination to lead his team game in and game out. Rivers led the Wolfpack to four bowl games, and came home with wins in three of them.

Rivers was drafted by the New York Giants with the fourth pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Shortly thereafter he was traded to the San Diego Chargers for fellow quarterback Eli Manning. After a bit of a delay, Rivers finally signed a six year contract worth $40.5 million.

During the 2004 season Rivers saw limited action, appearing in only two games. The 2005 season was more of the same as he was not able to beat out Drew Brees for the starting quarterback position.

Rivers was finally named the starting quarterback in 2006 after Brees departed for New Orleans. During his first season as a full time starter Rivers put up solid numbers. He did a very good job managing the game which was evident by the Chargers 14-2 record, and AFC West Championship.

Bob writes for DraftDayPicks.com and AllProZone.com. Where you can purchase a Philip Rivers Jersey or get information about a Philip Rivers Jersey [http://www.fanfrenzyzone.com/nfl/philip_rivers_bio.html]

Week one is now a wrap, and what a 1st week it was! The week began with a rematch of the NFC title game and the Saints winning an ugly one against the Vikings 14 to 9. Then Vince Young and the Titans whooped up on the Raiders. And, holy shinikies -- what about those Colts?! Peyton Manning threw for 433 yards with 3 TD's and completed 40 out of 57 passes, and they still lost to the Texans? Another surprise came when the Steelers beat the Falcons -- without Ben Roethlisberger. Of course, we also saw the Bengals and their side show circus, starring Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco and all the hopes and money that's been put on that team, get rolled by Tom Brady and the Patriots. Next, we headed over to Landover, Maryland where the new and improved Washington Redskins hosted their hated arch rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, and won one by the skin of their teeth after a last second Cowboys touchdown was waived off due to a Cowboys hold that ended the game 13 to 7. Then, to finish it all off with first of two MNF games, the Ravens win an ugly one against a now overrated Jets team, and last, but certainly not least, the Kansas City Chiefs beat up and upset the four-time defending AFC West champions, the San Diego Chargers.

So with all that said and without further ado, here are my thoughts on the title of this post:

The biggest game had to be the Redskins vs. Cowboys. The Cowboys have clearly owned the Redskins for quite some time now, and with all the preseason hype about the Cowboys being on another planet combined with the fact that this is probably the biggest rival in the NFL, this to me is by far the biggest game of week 1.

The biggest letdown had to be the loudmouth New York Jets. They've had a lot of hype leading into this season and a lot of loudmouths, but hype and trash talking don't win ball games, as was proven by the Baltimore Ravens last night. A very ugly game to say the least, or should I say a very ugly Jets team, who managed to commit 14 penalties for 125 yards.

The biggest upset is the Kansas City Chiefs beating the San Diego Chargers and bringing Arrowhead Stadium back to life. The Chargers have proven to be one of the elite teams in the NFL the past few years, but that didn't stop a very determined and prepared Chiefs team as they took a 21 to 7 lead over the Chargers after a 94 yard punt return in the closing minutes of the second half. Philip Rivers and his Chargers would rally back in the second half and get a chance to tie the game in the final minute, but on 4th and goal, the Chiefs defense did their thing and forced a turnover on downs that ended the game and finished off the upset.

The Texans beating the Colts would have been my biggest upset until I saw the Chiefs upset the Chargers last night, so I'm going to give the Colts vs. Texans game the biggest surprise. My rationale is because I didn't see the game so when I heard Peyton Manning threw for 433 yards with 3 TD's and completed 40 of 57 passes, the loss comes as a BIG surprise to me. I mean HELLO to the rest of the Colts team!! Manning can't do it all by himself and 433 yards...seriously??? I understand that Arian Foster had a better than great performance for the Texans while rushing for a team record 231 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns, but come on Colts, you have to help your QB out a little more the next time he throws for 400 plus yards.

Well, that wraps things up for me as I patiently await the coming of week 2 in the NFL...

Stephen Bethea aka "Dr. Smack" - Rivalry Rage, Inc.

There's been a lot of hype surrounding the San Diego Chargers entering this new year of football. I've heard about Super Bowls in addition to the fact that they're obvious NFC West favorites. After all, the Chiefs and Raiders have been consistently weak in recent years, not to mention the fact that the Broncos are a shell of what they were last year.

The Chargers have found some success over the course of the last few seasons and their offense is one of the most potent in the NFL. Starting with Philip Rivers, who is coming off of a career year that saw him breakout in 2008, the passing game has been great, thanks to Vincent Jackson at wide receiver and Antonio Gates, one of the best tight ends in football. The running game is top notch, as LaDanian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles are one of the most lethal one-two combos in pro football today.

After almost losing to the Raiders during their opening game, the San Diego Chargers came from behind in a dramatic fashion, sniping the game from the Raiders. This was a game that the Chargers were expected to win by and large, and they almost let it slip.

During the team's second game, the visiting Ravens were known to be a dangerous team. Always showing great defensive skills, the running game in Baltimore is as good as it was back in the Jamal Lewis days, as Rice, McGahee, and McClain can do damage to just about any team. The Chargers let this game slip away, blowing two chances to score TDs late in the game that would have won them the game.

Was this a great game played by the Ravens, or a bad one played by the Chargers? Many are speaking very highly of the Ravens so far, so maybe the Chargers shouldn't worry.

What the San Diego Chargers should be worried about is the state of their defensive unit. Having given up more points than it should in both weeks, this is a primary cause for concern.

Do you think the San Diego Chargers defense needs some cleaning up? Tell us what you think at the San Diego Chargers forum at RootZoo, where you can also play some addicting fantasy football games.

The current AFC West Division Champions of the NFL, the San Diego Chargers, defeated the Indianapolis Colts in overtime 23-17. This win was a surprise for the fans since the Chargers were struggling at the beginning of the season with a record of 4-8. However, the Chargers have found their winning ways and have steak together. Besides, his coach Norv Turner has also steak to the plan and has support his players even when things don't go their way. That was shown in Saturday's game especially in overtime, when Darren Sproles did a 22-yard touchdown that gave the Chargers the victory.

During the game things were equally managed by the two teams; the Colts had the great presence of their superstar and MVP quarterback Peyton Manning, who had a solid performance by converting 25 of 42 for 310 yards with no interceptions and completing a touchdown. Their running back Joseph Addai was not clearly good as he only got 44 rushing yards on 16 carries. Team's receiver Reggie Wayne for his part, after some absence in the first half, appeared in great way in the second half ending with 4 receptions for 129 yards. Wayne also converted a key touchdown of 72-yards to give the lead to the Colts at the beginning of the third quarter.

On the other hand, the Chargers had great performances from their running back Darren Sproles, who substituted starting running back LaDainian Tomlinson and who gained 105 yards on the ground and 45 yards on five receptions in the game. This 5-6 ft running back also converted two touchdowns, one of 9-yards and the 22-yard winner touchdown in overtime. Sproles was a real headache for the Colts the whole game, and Indianapolis couldn't find a way to stop him. Another key player for the Chargers was their punter Mike Scifres, who was really amazing by averaging 52.7 yards on 6 punts inside the 20, and also averaging a net of 51.7 yards. With this Scifres also broke a couple of post season's records, the best net average and the 5 punts in a NFL playoff game that Green Bay's Craig Hentrich set in 1998.

The effort of these players, along with that of their quarterback Philip Rivers, who controlled the Chargers' offense, and the contribution of rest of their teammates, gave the team a positive result and the victory at the end.

The coach of the Chargers, Norv Turner, was really pleased with his team's effort and how they are finding their winning ways again. On the other hand, Colts' coach Tony Dungy was really disappointed with his team, especially because they converted too many doubt penalties and didn't convert some key plays. Dungy also expressed that Scifres was a key player for the Chargers. "He was the difference in the game," recognized Colts coach Tony Dungy. "He just punted us in the hole all night long with long, high punts, stopping inside the 10-yard line."

The next playoff game for the San Diego Chargers will be on Sunday January 11th against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Heinz Field.

About the Author -
Cindy Ferguson is a high-ranking sports writer, currently writing reviews on the NFL Football for the sports betting industry. Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety on your site, make sure to leave all links in place and do not modify any of the content.

One of the best young quarterbacks in the entire NFL is none other than San Diego Chargers great Philip Rivers. He seems to have the full package when it comes to the physical abilities needed to play the position too. Rivers has become quite popular in recent years and play with a large amount of passion for the game and for winning.

Here is a look at five things you may not know about San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.

Let's Play The Broncos Again!
Through the 2009 NFL season, Philip Rivers has thrown more touchdown passes against the Denver Broncos than he has against any other team in the NFL. His 14 TD passes against the Broncos are just one ahead of the 13 he has thrown during his career against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Someone Had To Be First
The first NFL touchdown pass that Rivers ever threw came in the fourth quarter of the last game of the 2004 season, a 24-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. It went for 13 yards and was caught by receiver Malcom Floyd.

The One Timers
Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson have played a huge role in how successful Rivers has been during his four years as the starting quarterback of the Chargers. During that time, those two have caught the bulk of the touchdown passes. Four players during that time have caught just one touchdown pass apiece from Rivers. The one touchdown club members are Craig Davis, Jacob Hester, Lorenzo Neal, and Kris Wilson.

Out Of The Gates And In The Lead
No player in the league has caught as many touchdown passes from Philip Rivers as the great Antonio Gates. During their time together, they have hooked up for 32 touchdowns already.

Run Little Guy, Run
Through the 2009 season, the longest touchdown pass of Philip Rivers career has been an 81 yarder that was thrown in a 24-20 week two loss to the Baltimore Ravens. It was caught by running back Darren Sproles in the first quarter and had given the team the lead.

More great San Diego Chargers trivia can be found at IQFB.com! Use the knowledge found there to impress your friends, win bets, or even just for general information. Football trivia is popular with a lot of people whether they are fans of the NFL, USFL, Arena Football, Canadian Football, College Football, or any other level of the game. IQFB... Get Football Smart.

Picture this scenario: two secretaries get hired by a well-known law firm, and work there for several years. One (let's call him Phil) is somewhat of an underachiever, and is notorious for his surly attitude. The other (let's call him LT) represents the firm with class and dignity, and is the most efficient worker they've ever had. One day, they both come down with injuries while typing. Phil has a torn ligament in his wrist, while LT is in the early stages of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. They both need time off, but the firm's biggest client goes on trial in one week. Phil decides to fight through his tremendous pain, because the person who would take over his work (William E. Volek) isn't trusted by anybody in the firm. LT takes the necessary time off, comforted by the fact that his replacement is infinitely better than Phil's, and can help the company get through its busy time. After the trial, everyone hails Phil's courage, even though the damage in his wrist is so severe that he might not be able to work when they next need him. LT is condemned for his choice, even though he decreased his risk of suffering a long-term injury by getting adequate rest. Despite the fact that LT is an all-time great secretary, and had only called in sick once before in his career, he will forever be remembered for failing to come through in that one week, and his years of hard work become tainted in the process.

Seems kind of rough, no? How many of us would do what LT did, and make sure to avoid long-term injury in order to continue earning a good living for their family? This situation came to fruition this past Sunday in the AFC Championship Game, when San Diego's future Hall-of-Fame running back, LaDainian Tomlinson, carried the ball only twice against New England due to a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee. Their inconsistent quarterback, Philip Rivers, played the whole game with a completely torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee, and actually had preliminary surgery six days before in a last ditch effort to play. It's possible that he won't be back in time for their next training camp, as recovery time for this injury can last up to eight months. As expected, Rivers has been universally hailed for his courage, while Tomlinson has been lambasted by fans and media members alike. The obvious question that emerges is this: why do we expect so much from pro athletes? In no other area of life would we debate this dilemma. If you have an injury, and it's going to affect your production, you take time off to heal. Case closed. However, if you play pro sports, and especially pro football, it isn't enough to just be good at your job. You also have to have a level of toughness that's acceptable to not only your teammates, but to the millions of people on their couches who watch and criticize what you do.

We as fans always expect a superhuman effort from our athletes. We demand it, since they charge us so much for tickets, and especially since the athletes get paid such ludicrous amounts of money. So this past Sunday, everyone wanted to see the Chargers play the Patriots with their full complement of starters. We wanted LaDainian to tough it out, since his presence would have made the game better. The problem is that there are plenty of instances when athletes did risk it all, and never were the same again. We always seem to forget that Bill Walton felt such pressure to play through injury that he went against his personal beliefs in the '78 playoffs and took pain killers in order to deal with his foot problems. We also seem to forget that over the next five years, he missed 3 full seasons, and played in only 14 and 33 games in the other two. We also forget that NFL players are more prone to depression, arthritis, and an assortment of other mental and physical problems when their careers are over, because they take risks similar to the one Rivers took. So while I respect Rivers' toughness, I can't use his decision as a reason to fault Tomlinson. Because there is no right or wrong way to deal with this dilemma. If Rivers felt like the risk was worth it, and LaDainian didn't, then who are we to tell them otherwise? Only one thing is certain - next year, if LaDainian continues to break records, while Rivers struggles to make it back from his injury, people will finally acknowledge the complexity of this issue, which isn't as clear-cut as it's currently being presented.

Christopher E. Smith, http://xenfulmusings.blogspot.com/

The reigning Super Bowl champs are reeling, and there appears to be no end in sight as Pittsburgh (-6.5) hosts a San Diego Chargers team that will go big or go home. Literally.

The Chargers have flown out to a 2-1 start thanks mostly to Philip Rivers and, more specifically, his right arm. With just under 1000 passing yards through the first three games of the season, Rivers has taken on the lions share of the offensive responsibility, accounting for 86% of the total offense, as well as having 1 of San Diego's 3 rushing touchdowns this year. Needless to say, when Rivers is on (and he has been of late), the Chargers are a tough team to beat.

Meanwhile, all has not been well in Steeler nation. After dropping a hard fought contest in the final seconds to Chicago, Pittsburgh once again couldn't come up with a solid 60 minute effort, giving up 14 unanswered fourth quarter points to move to 1-2 with a loss in Cincinnati. For a team known for its defense supremacy, this Steelers team has shown little if any likeness of the swagger they carried during their Super Bowl run only a year ago.

Which brings us to Sunday in Steeler city. What makes this match up so compelling is the fact that one of these teams will be forced to rise to their respective occasion. While San Diego has been rattling off yards effortlessly, they've converted only one touchdown in 11 trips to the red zone due mostly in part to their complete lack of a rushing attack as Ladanian Tomlinson has been held out from yet another injury suffered in week 1. On the other hand, Pittsburgh has been less focused on finishing drives and more concerned on their inability to close out games. In their two losses, the Steelers have lost by a total of 6 points, but have been outscored in the fourth quarter 24-0 combined.

Something has to give, whether it is a stumbling offense or a fading defense. At first glance, San Diego appears to have the edge. On top of their potent passing, running back Darren Sproles has shown glimpses of breaking out as a solid replacement for Tomlinson despite the fact that most of his yards are accrued on kick returns. If he is able to draw the defense in with some consecutive positive carries, San Diego will be primed to establish a balanced attack with unlimited potential.

The only discrepancy with this is the fact that they are playing Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh. Now, I've never been one to put much stock in home field advantage, but this type of defensive inefficiency isn't something the Steeler faithful will let happen on their watch. Look for Roethlisberger, the newly revived corpse of Willie Parker, and a ton of terrible towels to give the defense the leeway it needs to gut out a tight one Sunday night. It won't be pretty, but it will get the job done. Stay classy, San Diego.

Final Score: 23 - 21 Pittsburgh

Matt Sweet is an up and coming sports journalist who is directly collaborating with http://www.superpredictors.com

The San Diego Chargers capped off the 2009 regular season with 11 straight wins on their way to a fourth straight AFC West division title. However, they couldn't keep it going in the playoffs. They were upset by the New York Jets in the divisional round.

The Chargers still appear to be the most talented team in the West as we near the 2010 season, but just winning another division title will be a disappointment if this team doesn't make a trip to the Super Bowl.

Offense: Despite a pathetic running game, which ranked next to last in the league, the Chargers were one of the most explosive offensive teams in the NFL last season. With a 28.4 points per game scoring average, the Chargers boasted the fourth-best scoring offense in the league.

Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers led the way in 2009, and his right arm will continue to be the focal point of the offense now that LaDainian Tomlinson is a New York Jet. Rivers threw for 4,254 yards and 28 scores with just nine interceptions, while finishing third in the NFL with a 104.4 quarterback rating.

Rivers benefits from having a pair of elite targets in the receiving corps. Antonio Gates is one of the premier pass catching tight ends in the NFL and Jackson is quickly emerging as a top notch wideout. This dynamic duo combined for 147 catches, 2,324 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.

The Chargers were the second-worst rushing team in the NFL in 2009, only gaining 88.9 yards per game. While it was tough to part ways with one of the greatest backs in NFL history, San Diego's running game can't get any worse. If anything it should get better with the fresh legs of first round draft pick Ryan Matthews and a healthier offensive line.

Defense: The San Diego defense was solid in 2009, only allowing 20.0 points per game (11th in the NFL), but the Chargers aren't satisfied. Their pass defense wasn't consistent. In fact, they ranked No. 20 in the NFL against the pass, giving up 209.2 yards per game. The Chargers can easily decrease that number if outside linebacker Shawne Merriman returns to form.

Merriman didn't look like himself in his first season back from a serious knee injury. He only tallied four sacks after averaging 13.2 per year through his first three seasons.

The other Shaun, Shaun Phillips, continued his consistently good play with a seven sack campaign. He has now recorded at least seven sacks each of the last five years. The Bolts are also looking for more production from Larry English in his second season.

Kevin Burnett and Stephen Cooper will join the aforementioned platoon to form a solid linebacker unit.

Big Luis Castillo leads the charge up front with fellow vets Jacques Cesaire, Ryon Bingham, Travis Johnson and Antonio Garay chipping in as well.

San Diego struggled to defend the pass last season, allowing 209.2 yards per game through the air (20th in the NFL). More production from Merriman or English will go a long way toward improving this area.

The Chargers shipped Antonio Cromartie to the Jets, but they like what they have in 2008 first round pick Antoine Cason. He joins shutdown corner Quentin Jammer to form a formidable cornerback duo.

Prediction: 1st AFC West - Look for the Bolts to win a fifth straight division title behind the strong right arm of Rivers. NFL lines makes have listed the Chargers as a big favorite to win the AFC West.

If you want winning NFL picks to beat the NFL odds this fall, then get signed up for one of the premium packages on my site.

The San Diego Chargers are one of the most talented teams in the NFL that has yet to win a Super Bowl. They have all the right pieces in place but have yet to get over the hump.

The Chargers have perhaps the easiest division to win, the AFC West - with the Oakland Raiders, Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos there are no serious threats at all to challenge for the division title. Anything less than a Super Bowl appearance will be a disappointment for the franchise.

They have everything a team needs to be a contender, QB Philip Rivers is among the best in the league, an explosive running game with Darren Sproles, Michael Bennett, and LaDaninian Tomlinson, wide receivers Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, and a stellar defense with Shawne Merriman, Quentin Jammer, Antonio Cromarti, and Stephen Cooper.

The defense hasn't lived up to their potential just yet though.

Whatever the reasons are that the Chargers haven't won the Super Bowl, they could be the classic underachievers. But 09' should prove to be a make or break year for head coach Norv Turner.

Turner's career record is under .500 and if he can't lead the Chargers to a strong playoff run with the talent the Chargers have, he might be looking at the wanted ads at the end of the season.

The AFC is extremely difficult to win this year - Baltimore Ravens have an offense for the first time, the Indianapolis Colts have Peyton Manning and always a threat, the New York Jets are improved with a top-notch defense, the New England Patriots have a healthy Tom Brady again, and the Pittsburgh Steelers should be a contender.

The Chargers have a good balance, both running and throwing the ball, which gives them a chance to win every game. The Chargers must play up to their potential if they ever expect to play in February.

Get in on more Chargers talk at the San Diego Chargers forum, and play some free fantasy football at RootZoo

I've published 32 of my fantasy football picks for quarterbacks. These are top 5 picks. If you are new to fantasy football, this is a place to start your own quarterback rankings list. These may change as the year progresses.

1. Drew Brees/Saints

- The Super Bowl MVP should again have a big year in 2010. A big key to his success could be the re-signing of RB Pierre Thomas. Although RB Reggie Bush has shown improvement in the running game, he is still a much deadlier pass catcher than runner. Thomas adds the threat of a running game, which can take some pressure off of Brees on early downs. With the emergence of Robert Meachem at WR along with Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, and TE's Jeremy Shockey, David Thomas, and rookie Jimmy Graham, and a very good offensive line, Brees should once again be among the best fantasy players at his position.

2. Aaron Rodgers/Packers- With the team as a whole continually improving, Rodgers has the chance to put together another spectacular season. While the offensive line is adequate, it would be scary to see what kind of numbers Rodgers could put up with one of the better offensive lines in football. Jermichael Finley has the potential to become one of the top TE's in the NFL, and the presence of Donald Driver and Greg Jennings at WR makes Rodgers a fantasy force to be reckoned with.

3. Peyton Manning/Colts- Peyton is Peyton, and he proved his legacy is a strong one by again having an MVP type year and leading his team to the Super Bowl. He did it without the great Marvin Harrison and his "replacement" Anthony Gonzalez being injured for the entire season. With WR Austin Collie coming off an excellent rookie season and WR Pierre Garcon continuing to improve, there is no reason to think that Manning will not have a stellar season again in 2010. WR Reggie Wayne is still one of the top WR's in the league, and TE Dallas Clark should again be one of the top 3 TE's, adding more certainty to the fact that Manning will be one of the top fantasy QB's taken this season.

4. Philip Rivers/Chargers- Rivers' success will depend a lot on the re-signing of WR's Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd, who both remain unsigned at the moment. Not that Floyd has proven to be a great receiver, but he's the best they have next to the ever improving Vincent Jackson. Jackson showed last year he could be one of the top WR's in the NFL, but without him Rivers' WR's would be Legedu Naanee' and Craig Davis or rookie free agent Seyi Ajirotutu. Antonio Gates is still a monster at TE, and rookie Dedrick Epps may get some looks at the 2nd TE, with Darren Sproles and rookie Ryan Matthews also catching some passes out of the backfield, but without Jackson and Floyd you can't expect Rivers to put up the numbers he has been. Keep an eye on this situation, as Rivers may move down if these guys, especially Jackson, decide they won't re-sign.

5. Tom Brady/Patriots- While Brady may not be worthy of one of the top 3 spots anymore, he is still one of the better fantasy QB's in the league. Randy Moss may not exactly give 100 percent on every play, but he is still one of the top 5 WR's in the game. Wes Welker's injury is not as bad as it was originally thought, and they added rookie Taylor Price and veteran Torry Holt to their receiving corps as well, meaning they should be better or at least just as good as last year. RB Kevin Faulk is also a reliable receiver and the combination of ex-Falcon/Titan Alge Crumpler and rookies Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez at TE also means that there will be some passes thrown to that position. With one of the top 10 offensive lines in football, there's no reason to believe that Brady will not be a top five QB again in 2010.

So there you have it. On half of my complete fantasy football picks for quarterbacks.

Depending on how strong the rest of your team is you could likely win a championship with the top 16, but to find out the complete list you need to check out my complete list of 32 fantasy football picks for Quarterback position. Feel free to start your own fantasy football cheatsheet with this list. Keep up on any updates to my fantasy football rankings and picks at http://JohnnyNFL.com

The San Diego Chargers have had plenty of winning streaks around precisely this time in the seasons in the past. In fact, this is the fourth straight year that the Chargers have won four or more games in a row. Last year their final four wins stole the AFC West division title from the Broncos. The year before that they had six wins in a row, and in '06 they rushed past a 10-win streak into the playoffs.

But this year, the winning streak came after a period of real uncertainty. Just a month ago, the San Diego chargers were trailing the Broncos by 3½ games. Since then, the Charges have gone on to win five games in a row, completing an amazing month by this time pummeling the Broncos in Denver on Sunday with a 32-3 win, thus securing San Diego's sole number one spot atop the AFC West division. Quarterback Philip Rivers was definitely the star of the game, completing 17 out of 22 passes, a 77 % completion rate for a total of 145 yards.

Their Strengths

So what turned the tables around for the San Diego Chargers? For one thing, it seems like the team's pass rush strategy has finally started to work. In the first five games of the season, the Chargers only has seven sacks. In the last five games alone it has tallied up a grand total of 20 sacks. The running game too seems to be back. After struggling with it early in the season, they scored a record 203 yards in this past Sunday's game in Denver.

Another thing that has allowed the Chargers to perform as tightly and consistently as they're doing now is that, as linebacker Stephen Cooper put it, "Earlier in the year, we had a lot of guys hurt. Now our young guys are stepping up and playing like pros."

The Road Ahead

The next six weeks look pretty good for the Chargers, so yes, fans do have reason to cheer. Their team is 7-3 and has sole possession of AFC West Division's top spot. Their next opponent is the Kansas City Chiefs, who are currently hurting with a 3-7 season record, despite coming off a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The only two opponents that should really pose a threat to the Chargers are Dallas and Cincinnati, whom the Charges will be facing on week 14 and 15 respectively. But even if they lose these two games, they can still make it into the playoffs. And, though it might be delving into superstition, it might be worth noting that the Chargers have never lost a game in December under the coaching of Norv Turner.

What the Chargers need to now is basically continue doing what they've been doing. They're impressive five-win rally does not guarantee them anything, and their veteran leadership knows this. "It's not Week 17 of the season so we can't relax," said quarterback Philip Rivers. "We have to keep going strong because we can still keep getting better."

Fore more information on the San Diego Chargers, please visit http://www.sdnn.com/.

Over the years, the San Diego Chargers have had some very good seasons.? This hasn't resulted in Super Bowl titles, but it has made them one of the more formidable teams from time to time. ?

The Chargers have primarily been known as a passing team, thanks in large part to the great quarterbacks that have gone through there, including Dan Fouts, Drew Brees, John Hadl, and Philip Rivers.? Who though have been the best running backs the team has ever had?

With two and a half times as many rushing yards and more than three times as many rushing touchdowns as the second highest Chargers running back in those categories, it goes without saying that LaDainian Tomlinson ranks at the top of the list of all time great Chargers running backs.? Here is a little bit about him and the rest of the top five.

#1 - LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tomlinson is by far the best running back that the Chargers have ever had.? During his career he set the team record for most games, attempts, yards, and touchdowns.? By the time his time with the team was done, it was obvious that he had put together a career worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.? He finished his time there with 2,880 attempts for 12,490 yards, and 138 touchdowns.? He also finished with seven of the top eight individual rushing seasons in team history too.

#2 - Natrone Means

Natrone Means came to the Chargers as a highly rated running back out of the University of North Carolina.? In 1994, his second season in the league, he set the team record for carries and total yards when he carried the ball 343 times for 1,350 yards.? That is still the third best season ever by a Chargers running back.? He would eventually put up 3,885 yards and 34 touchdowns for San Diego during his career.

#3 - Paul Lowe

Paul Loe was the first main running back the team had, debuting for the Chargers in their first season ever, 1960.? He would play until 1968, putting up a total of 4,972 yards in his career.? That total would stand as a team record until it was eclipsed by Tomlinson more than 35 years later.? His 38 career rushing touchdowns would also stand as a record until Tomlinson came along too.

#4 - Marion Butts

He wasn't flashy, but he was very effective, and Marion Butts was a fan favorite during his five seasons in San Diego.? When he rushed for 1,225 yards during his rookie season in 1990, it set a team record for rushing yards in one season.? He finished his career with San Diego with 1,031 attempts, the most in team history at that point, for 4,297 yards and 31 touchdowns.

#5 - Chuck Muncie

Chuck Muncie came to San Diego from the New Orleans Saints during the famed "Air Coryell" years.? He was not only a very good runner, but he had decent pass catching skills too.? He played for the team from 1980 to 1984 and by the time he was done he had set the team record for career rushing touchdowns with 43, a record that stood until eclipsed by LaDainian Tomlinson in the early 2000s.

More great San Diego Chargers trivia can be found at IQFB.com! Use the knowledge found there to impress your friends, win bets, or even just for general information. Football trivia is popular with a lot of people whether they are fans of the NFL, USFL, Arena Football, Canadian Football, College Football, or any other level of the game. IQFB... Get Football Smart.

The San Diego Chargers have been a professional football team since their first year as founding members of the American Football League in 1960. All through their existence, they have placed a premium on having a throwing offense. This started with John Hadl in the 1960's and includes more recent quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Philip Rivers. One of the best that they ever had though was the great Dan Fouts.

Fouts played for the team throughout the 1970's and 1980's. Though he never won a Super Bowl, the team always seemed competitive with him behind the center. Here is a look at five little known facts about this great quarterback.

#1 - The First One Ever

The first NFL touchdown pass ever thrown by Dan Fouts came in the fourth quarter of a 38-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in week four of the 1973 season. It went for 13 yards and was caught by Jerry LeVias.

#2 - One Great Tight End!

No player caught more touchdown passes from Dan Fouts than Kellen Winslow, one of the best tight ends to ever play the game. He caught 41 TD passes from Fouts during their years together.

#3 - Second Helpings

Strangely, Dan Fouts was more productive in the category of touchdown passes in the 2nd quarter than any other part of the game. Over the course of his career, Fouts threw 51 touchdowns in the 1st quarter, 54 in the 3rd quarter, 55 in the 4th quarter, and two in overtime. In the second quarter of the games he played in though, he actually threw 92 touchdown passes. Nearly double that of some of those other quarters.

#4 - Take That, Raiders!

Dan Fouts threw more touchdown passes against the Oakland / Los Angeles Raiders than he threw aainst any other team in the league. He had 36 touchdown passes against them. The Seattle Seahawks are in second place in this category having given up 30 touchdown passes to Fouts.

#5 - The Last One Ever

The last touchdown pass that Dan Fouts threw during his NFL career came in a 20-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1987. It went for 15 yards and was caught by running back Lionel "Little Train" James.

A great deal of interesting info can be learned from checking out San Diego Chargers trivia wherever it can be found. True fans of the team crave learning everything there is to know about both the franchise itself and the great players that have played for them.

Football fans everywhere often hunger for a good chunk of football trivia, and that's exactly what they'll find at IQFB.com! Football trivia, interesting facts, little known information... it's all right there. IQFB... Get Football Smart!

It has been a busy off season for the Chargers this past season. Two years ago, the end of the 2008-2009 season, it was apparent to nearly everyone in San Diego that the next season would be Ladanian Tomlinson's last as a charger. The loss to the Jets in the playoffs last year was rendered that much more soul crushing because you knew you wouldn't get to see one of the franchises' best player of all time (and one of the league's all time greats too) win with this team.

The Chargers were terrible when Tomlinson was drafted and have become perennial Superbowl contenders in the last few years. But it was also apparent to everyone in San Diego that Tomlinson had lost a step (or maybe it was a Fullback) so as much as it hurts it was ready to move in a new direction. A Running Back was clearly on San Diego's list of draft needs but there was also the glaring hole at Nose Tackle left by Jamaal Williams' departure. I honestly thought it was feasible for the Chargers to walk away with both of their top prospects, Ryan Matthews at Running back and Nose Tackle Terrence Cody without trades. G.M. A.J. Smith made some nice moves heading into the draft sending Charlie Whitehurst to Seattle to exchange 2nd round picks which allowed the Chargers to trade up to take Matthews.

I really liked Matthews but was afraid the Chargers may have paid a bit too much to get him, especially with a running back class that was pretty deep. The easily could have held out but clearly A.J. knew the direction he wanted to go in. In hindsight I really like the trade, mostly because NT Cam Thomas fell into the 5th round where they couldn't over look him anymore. Even more so than the running game, I think it was the run defense or lack thereof that has been hurting the Chargers the most. It would have been a shame to walk away from a draft that was pretty rich with large bodies perfect for plugging up the very large hole left by Jamaal Williams without having drafted a Nose Tackle. Hopefully Thomas will be able to make an impact right away as the Chargers should have a workable rotation at the position with Cam Thomas, Antonio Garay, (who will likely be the starter) and Ogemdi Nwagbuo.

Unfortunately the impending uncapped year and its possibility to create a lockout is leaving Marcus McNeil and Vincent Jackson as yet unsigned. Hopefully this situation won't carry over late into camps or into the season because this is the sort of thing that can ruin what has been a successful off season. The chargers won 13 games last year, enough for 2nd best in the league and have only improved their roster but without McNeil and Jackson, there may be a ceiling on how far this team can go. If they sign just one of these guys before camp let it be McNeil. Philip Rivers throws the ball down field more than any other QB but he does need the protection to be given the time.

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The San Diego Chargers are entering the 2010 season with a brand new look, at least at one position, but it's a new look that has big implications for the club. The team got rid of future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who broke records, won an MVP and led the club to success for much of the past decade.

In getting rid of Tomlinson, they feel that they are moving past a player who is beyond his prime, and has been steadily declining for the past two or three years. They are also ditching his ego and his demand for the spotlight. They still have a talented group of running backs, including some of their young draft picks, as well as the super speedy and diminutively sized Darren Sproles, also a key member of the special teams.

Now the team is fully in the hands of star quarterback Philip Rivers. Rivers is one of the best in the game, and can put up huge numbers. He'll have more of an opportunity to do so, without needing to worry about upsetting Tomlinson. He has all of the weapons you could ask for, still, particularly with tight end Antonio Gates. They are missing wide receiver Vincent Jackson currently with a contract dispute which may or may not get resolved for the season.

The Chargers have been projected to be one of the teams to beat in the AFC for several years running. They have never been able to live up to all of that hype, and all of those expectations before, even when they have had phenomenal regular seasons. Now though, it feels like some of the pressure and those burdens have been removed, and Rivers, Gates and Co. are ready to finally make their impact felt on the league in the playoffs.

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Fans have been purchasing San Diego Chargers apparel at a frantic pace these days, as the team finished off an incredible season and enters the postseason as the hottest team in the league. They put together a huge winning streak and considering their history against the Indianapolis Colts, they may just have to be the favorites in the AFC to make it to the Super Bowl.

That's why fans in their San Diego Chargers jerseys are so excited these days. The season began with huge expectations for the Chargers, as they were expected to finally get off to a hot start and to ride it all the way through the year. The team has always been talented, but they have never been able to quite put it all together.

However, as the year got started it was the Denver Broncos off to the scorching start, and everybody wearing their baby blue San Diego Chargers apparel was getting nervous and upset. But the team bided their time, and started winning all of their games. Soon they had the division locked up, and they were on their way to a first round bye in the postseason.

Now fans wearing San Diego Chargers jerseys are just hoping that the team can continue to ride this momentum all the way through the postseason. They are craving an AFC Championship, not to mention a chance to bring home the Super Bowl. It would be well earned for the veterans on the team who have been so close so many times.

So if you're gearing up for the postseason but still don't have San Diego Chargers jerseys for the entire family, then it's time to act quickly so you can be ready for the big game. The most popular sellers on this team are of course quarterback Philip Rivers, running back LaDainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates.

There are also many other players to choose from however. That includes rampaging linebacker Shawne Merriman, and the super fast and slick Darren Sproles. Don't forget about one of the breakout big players of the 2009 season, wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

It's time to celebrate a great year so that you can be prepared to watch the big postseason games in the right way. That means you and your family need to get your hands on some discount San Diego Chargers apparel. Whether you like the throwback baby blue San Diego Chargers jerseys, or the new dark blue color scheme, you'll look great as you cheer for your time to win it all.

I've replayed Sunday's game multiple times in my head, and on my television. As I mentioned yesterday, some losses are tougher to swallow then others. Sunday's loss was the first that left me incapacitated for the next 15 hours since the NFC Championship. (Yes, there is absolutely a correlation. In fact, the game was nearly identical.)

It's fair to say the Eagle offense got off to a slow start, but by the 2nd quarter they found a groove and were nearly unstoppable. They moved the ball at will against the San Diego defense. Unfortunately, the Eagles' first three drives into the red zone completely stalled. I am not going to give too much credit to the Charger defense here. The Eagles were mostly to blame.

On their first trip, the Eagles gave the ball to fullback Leonard Weaver with no luck on 1st down. Then they tried to throw it in on second. On 3rd down, they gave the ball to third string back, Eldra Buckley, who was also denied the endzone. I totally support giving the run game two attempts to get the ball across the goal line. However, why was Brian Westbrook not given an opportunity? Westbrook has been one of the NFL's most prolific scorers in recent years. He obviously has a knack for finding the end zone, and yet the Eagles didn't even have him on the field. Mind boggling.

Their second trip was less bothersome as it was 1st and goal from the nine. It will be tough for the Eagles to convert on too many of these opportunities because of their lack of size at the receiver position. None of their receivers will come down with a jump ball and none of them are big enough to go across the middle, take a lick, and hang on to the ball. (TE Cornelius Ingram was supposed to fill this role quite nicely, but his injury during preseason left a void that the Eagles were unable to fill.) This is where the Eagles need to take advantage of McNabb's athleticism. Naked bootlegs, QB draws, anything to get him moving which will in turn, put the defense on its heels. When the Eagles finally scored in the red zone on their final two attempts, it wasn't because they did anything differently. Both called plays failed, but McNabb kept each play alive until the defense broke down. Once the defense faltered, finding the open receiver was easy because 11 sets of eyes were immediately focused on #5. Donovan McNabb is the Eagles' most dangerous red zone threat at this point of the season. They have to use him like one and force the defense into mistakes.

The third failed red zone attempt was similar to the second. Too many bodies congested in a smaller area. The Eagles' smaller receivers can't use their speed as an advantage here. To become a more rounded team, the Eagles MUST develop an "in your face" running attack. They certainly have the horses up front to do so. The only question is, are there enough brains under the headsets to figure it out? Thus far, that answer is a resounding NO.

Despite the red zone struggles, I give this loss entirely to the defense. Injuries or not, their performance was dreadful. Missed tackles, stupid penalties, and thoughtless mistakes haunted the Eagles for a second consecutive game. To top it all off, the defense couldn't get off the field in the 4th quarter...again.

Injuries at linebacker are beginning to show. The Eagles were run over on Sunday by one of the NFL's worst rushing attacks. The Eagles somehow managed to make a decrepit LaDanian Tomlinson look as if he regained his 2005 form. There's nothing more humiliating for a defense than not being able to stop the run. It's more than football, it's almost personal. When you're getting run over, you're simply getting beat mano a mano. The only thing more embarrassing, is failing to get a crucial stop when the game is on the line. For a unit that prides itself on being mean and physical, the Philadelphia defense is pretty lousy when push comes to shove. Identical to the 2008 NFC Championship game, the defense only needed to make one stop. On Sunday, they failed to get that stop...three different times.

Speaking of ineptitude, can we all agree that Asante Samuel is the most overrated player on the Eagles? How many missed tackles and blown coverages does he total each week? It's ridiculous. Samuel was outsmarted by Philip Rivers on what was ultimately the game winning score. FOX commentators attempted to give Samuel the benefit of the doubt by asserting that he expected safety help over the top. Bull. Samuel wanted an interception and crashed the crossing routes assuming Rivers wouldn't look deep. Well, Rivers looked deep and the only safety assistance Samuel had behind him was the security guard outside the end zone. It's clear, Samuel covers like he tackles; eyes closed, guess and lunge.

As for the defensive miscues, rookie linebacker Moises Fokou was flagged for another stupid 15 yard penalty that led to the Chargers third touchdown of the day. Not to be outdone, newly signed cornerback, Ramzee Robinson, was called offside on a crucial 3rd and 2. The defense just stopped Darren Sproles in the backfield, which would have forced the Chargers to kick a field goal to go up 24-9. Instead, the Chargers were GIVEN the first down and scored on the subsequent play. How does a cornerback get called for offsides? I still haven't figured that one out. Of course, I can't forget Asanta Samuel not fighting through picks to stay on his man on 3rd and 2. The Eagles absolutely needed the stop here. Instead of fighting to stay on his man within the first down marker, Samuel chose to run 6 yards downfield around the traffic. Once again, Rivers found Samuel's man and the Chargers got the first down. Game Over.

As an Eagles' fan in the Andy Reid era, I've learned to tolerate several things; a 60-40 pass ratio, poor game management, and clearing of the throat every 9 seconds just to name a few. However, I can never tolerate embarrassing defensive performances. As miserable as the red zone offense was on Sunday, the defense lost the game. Somewhere, Jim Johnson is rolling over in his grave.

As we head into week 11, the Eagles' 2009 season sits on a precipice. A win in Chicago and they're back on track. If they lose, Maurice Speights' knee injury just got a lot more serious.

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The San Diego Chargers have been bestowed with high hopes going into the 2009 season. Many are even speaking of this team as a favorite to emerge from the AFC conference and make its way to the Super Bowl.

This is a team that has seen multiple playoff berths over the past few years, and a core of players that continues to improve (i.e. Philip Rivers - a contender for the MVP award this season in the minds of many - Darren Sproles, and more) should propel a highly effective offensive team to a great place this season.

The Chargers opened up the season with a near loss in Oakland. The team had been heavily favored to win this game against an Oakland team that could barely win a game last year. While the Chargers came away with a 24-20 win, this was done in anything but simple fashion and they nearly blew what should have been an easy game. Chalk it up to an off day.

Come week 2, with a more challenging game against a visiting Ravens team. The fact that the Chargers were at home in front of an extremely passionate fan base gives the team the edge, but they somehow lost this game to Baltimore, despite two great opportunities to score a touchdown late in the 4th quarter, either which would have given the team the win.

So maybe the Ravens are one of the better teams in the NFL. After all, they made the playoffs last year and their youth has improved this year.

Still, the obvious flaw in this Chargers team seems to be its defense. Can the team clean up its defensive unit from here? It may need to.

Enjoy an awesome San Diego Chargers forum, at RootZoo Sports, home to the best fantasy football news online.

With an eye toward the Super Bowl, LaDainian Tomlinson leads the San Diego Chargers into the 2007-2008 NFL season.

Why you should check out Chargers football, live and in person, can be summed up in two words. Actually, two letters - L.T.

Because LaDainian Tomlinson (L.T)--the man who shattered the single-season touchdown record last year with 31 trips to the end zone; the man who led the league in rushing with 1,815 yards; the man who won the Associated Press MVP Award--is not only back, he's probably angry. Angry because the Chargers entered the 2006-07 playoffs as the odds-on team to beat. Angry that the dream would not become reality, as the New England Patriots earned a come-from-behind victory January 14, 2007, to end the San Diego Chargers' playoff run all too early.

However, this is a team you can't keep down for long. It's loaded with Pro Bowl-caliber talent; from quarterback Philip Rivers to tight end Antonio Gates, from linebacker Shawne Merriman to defensive tackle Jamal Williams. And leading the charge, so to speak, is 27-year-old Tomlinson himself, who wants to exact a bit of revenge on the AFC, and earn the Super Bowl ring that will cap his career. How many TDs will he score? How many yards will he accumulate in his pursuit of that goal? .

Be there, as those answers unfold in the most intriguing and exciting Bolts season ever. MB Tickets has an excellent selection of Charger home-game tickets available at mbtickets.com but they're going fast.

Carey Rossi writing quality sports articles for MBTickets.com

The San Diego Chargers were one of the original American Football League teams in 1960 and then were included with the rest of the AFL teams in the AFL-NFL merger that united the two leagues in 1970. Over the years, the Chargers have had a number of great years and played in a number of great games. Here is a look at five fun facts about the San Diego Chargers.

1. The first touchdown pass of Philip Rivers career went to wide receiver Malcom Floyd and came in a 24-17 January 2nd win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

2. The Chargers introduced their team Hall of Fame in 1976. Four players were inducted that first season, they were linebackers Frank Buncom, Emil Karas, and Bob Laraba, as well as running back Jacque MacKinnon.

3. San Diego made it all the way to Super Bowl XXIX, only to lose it by the score of 49-26 to the San Francisco 49ers. Because of this the team's general manager, Bobby Beathard, became the first GM to take three teams to Super Bowls (he also took the Redskins and Dolphins there earlier in his career).

4. No Chargers player has gone to more Pro Bowls than linebacker Junior Seau. Seau went to 12 Pro Bowls during his time with the team, including every year from 1991 to 2002.

5. Seven of the top eight rushing seasons in Chargers history were accomplished by LaDainian Tomlinson. The only other running back to make the list was Natrone Means who holds the 6th position.

The San Diego Chargers have been involved in a number of important games during their time in the NFL. There is no reason to think that they will not continue to be an important part of professional football.

Check out more great San Diego Chargers trivia at IQFB.com! IQFB has interesting facts and little a known info about the San Diego Chargers and every other team in the league too. IQFB... Get Football Smart!