Chargers head coach Norv Turner has some serious decisions to make that could impact the Chargers chances of winning it all.
Sunday’s 42-17 thrashing of the Tennessee Titans in front of a national audience made it ten straight wins for the Chargers and 18 straight in December. More importantly, the team locked down the #2 AFC playoff seed and pushed themselves boldly into the Super Bowl conversation nationally. Craig Elsten and Chris Ello with 619Sports.net broke down the big win and debated whether or not the team should rest their starters in Week 17 in a post-game podcast.
“This is a team where we need to win it all now, there’s no looking back,” Ello said to start off the podcast.
The first step towards getting to the Super Bowl will be how the Bolts handle next week’s game against the Washington Redskins. The game is relatively meaningless for the Chargers because they have already secured a first round bye in the playoffs. The decision will need to be made to rest some of the dinged up starters and some of the veterans.
“I’d like to see the Chargers sit Phillips, sit Merriman, sit Weddle, sit McNeil, sit Hardwick, sit LT and if you want to play Philip Rivers, let him play the first two series like an exhibition game,” Elsten said.
Ello had reservations about sitting all those players because 16 days in a long time to rest, and while it might be good for their bodies, he has concerns about the mental side of things.
“These guys are in such a groove, I don’t want to mess that up,” he said, “If I’m sitting Marcus McNeil, than I am sitting Philip Rivers, because I don’t want anyone coming on the blind side.”
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The Chargers offense has been nearly unstoppable this season and the team racked up 425 total yards on Friday night against a formerly red-hot Titans team.
“The key to them right now is Rivers and it has been since week two,” Ello said, “Whoever you are going to bring here for a playoff, I don’t think they can play better than Rivers is right now.”
