| The Chargers' regular season last year was a | | | | Week 11: Monday, Nov. 22, Denver, 8:30 PM |
| huge success as the Bolts finished with an | | | | Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, at Indianapolis, 8:20 PM |
| 11-game winning streak to match the best | | | | Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, Oakland, 4:05 PM |
| single-season streak in franchise history. San | | | | Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, Kansas City, 4:15 PM |
| Diego's 13 wins were the second-most in | | | | Week 15: Thursday, Dec. 16, San Francisco, 8:20 |
| franchise history. But as usual the playoffs were a | | | | PM |
| disappointment, as the Bolts - the AFC's No. 2 | | | | Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, at Cincinnati, 8:20 PM |
| seed -- were upset at home by the New York | | | | Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, at Denver, 4:15 PM |
| Jets. | | | | In the NFL Football line, San Diego's strength of |
| That disappointment brought one big change as | | | | schedule is ranked 29th in the league in terms of |
| the team said adios to future Hall of Famer | | | | opponents 2009 winning percentage (116-140,.453) |
| LaDainian Tomlinson. The 2006 and '07 rushing | | | | and is the easiest in the AFC. |
| king (and 2006 MVP) has seen his yards per | | | | If this team could just start in average shape it |
| game average drop in each of the past four | | | | might get homefield advantage throughout the |
| years. He was injured early in the 2009 season | | | | AFC Playoffs because the Bolts under Norv |
| and finished with 730 yards on 223 carries for an | | | | Turner are crazy good in the latter half of the |
| average of 3.3 yards per carry, all career lows. | | | | season and the team is on a ridiculous 18-game |
| San Diego traded up to get Fresno State's Ryan | | | | winning streak in December (13 of them under |
| Mathews, and it's expected that he and Darren | | | | Turner). In 2007 San Diego started 1-3, in 2008 it |
| Sproles - who was almost jettisoned himself - will | | | | started 0-2 and last year was 1-3 again. |
| share duties in the backfield. Additionally, the | | | | The Chargers open with a road Monday night |
| Chargers will be without top WR Vincent Jackson | | | | game against a divisional opponent for the second |
| for the first three games as he was suspended | | | | year in a row and wouldn't seem to have much |
| by the league for violating its substance abuse | | | | trouble with a Chiefs team they swept by a |
| policy. Jackson is an unsigned restricted free agent | | | | combined score of 80-21 last season. San Diego is |
| who had been planning to hold out anyway, so | | | | a six-point favorite for that one. The Chargers |
| who knows when he actually takes the field. | | | | have opened the season with a nationally |
| There have been plenty of rumors of the | | | | televised night game four times and are 4-0 in |
| Chargers shopping him, but they claim it's not true. | | | | those games |
| Left tackle Marcus McNeill, one of the league's | | | | While it looks daunting that four of San Diego's |
| best, also is on a contract dispute with the team | | | | first six games are on the road, take a look at |
| and says he's ready to hold out deep into the | | | | the opponents as they were all pretty wretched |
| season. So that San Diego offense could struggle | | | | last year. Thus, San Diego could conceivably be |
| early on. | | | | favored in each of them. Anything worse than a |
| Still, this team is the big favorite to win the AFC | | | | 4-2 start would have to be considered a |
| West again at -350. | | | | disappointment. |
| Here is the 2010 San Diego Chargers schedule (all | | | | The bye comes at a good time, as it follows |
| times Eastern): | | | | probably the toughest three-game stretch of the |
| Week 1: Monday, Sep. 13, at Kansas City, 10:15 | | | | season. At worst the Bolts should be 5-4 at the |
| PM | | | | bye. Other than a game at Indy, the second half |
| Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, Jacksonville, 4:15 PM | | | | of the schedule is very manageable according to |
| Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, at Seattle, 4:15 PM | | | | the NFL Power Rankings. The Bolts split with |
| Week 4: Sunday, Oct. 3, Arizona, 4:15 PM | | | | Denver last year, crushing the Broncos 32-3 in |
| Week 5: Sunday, Oct. 10, at Oakland, 4:15 PM | | | | Denver. And you know they will beat Oakland, |
| Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, at St. Louis, 1:00 PM | | | | considering they have done so 13 consecutive |
| Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, New England, 4:15 PM | | | | times. The December win streak should be at 21 |
| Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, Tennessee, 4:05 PM | | | | straight when the Chargers visit Cincinnati when |
| Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, at Houston, 1:00 PM | | | | the weather could play a huge role. |
| Week 10: BYE | | | | |