Ron Rivera has work to do.
The Bolts linebackers coach was promoted to defensive coordinator this week after Ted Cottrell was summarily dismissed. Evidentially the 37-32 loss in London was enough proof for A.J. Smith to toss the suffering Chargers defense a lifeline.
Rivera did big things with the Bears as D-coordinator during their ’06 Super Bowl run. But he’s been given the reigns of the leagues worst pass defense. There is no pressure on the quarterback. No pressure from the corners. That has translated to zero sacks or picks in the last two games. To call this defense bad is a [...]

The gift giving season is nearly upon us. It got me thinking. I remember a time when you couldn’t find a piece of Chargers memorabilia outside of San Diego. Maybe you would stumble across a random Bolts hat in a dimly lit gas station off the freeway, but that was rare.
These days every team has a plethora of items ready to quinch the thirst of any die-hard fan.
Chargers fans, get your credit cards ready.
You know that you’ve really arrived when Hallmark makes an ornament in your likeness.
Check out other merchandise at NFLShop.com, CBSSportsStore.com, Yahoo! Sports, and probably another thousand other websites.

Going into the mid-point of the season, here’s how your San Diego Chargers stack up in the power rankings…
BoltBeat.com Rank: 12th

With Merriman going down early, we knew the offense was in trouble. But no one expected the running game to be so stagnant. The Chargers need an answer to take the pressure off of Rivers. The team is one dimensional and that will mean disaster come playoff time, if they make it.

ESPN Rank: 17th
The Chargers will have to find their consistency in Europe, because it hasn’t happened stateside
 
FOX Sports Rank: 11th
Philip Rivers was one pass from putting the Chargers ahead of the [...]

The would-be AFC powerhouses are in the poor house going into Week 8.
Colts are clown shoes.
Patriots are a flimsy fraud at 4-2, even with the Denver pounding on Monday which was tantamount to tripping a kid stepping off the short bus.
Speaking of the Broncos, sure, they lead the Bolts by a game in the AFC West… it should be more. The orange pony’s are now injured, sloppy, and failed to take advantage of the stumbling Chargers.
There are some bright spots in the AFC, however.
The Steelers and Bills are 5-1. I like Pittsburgh more than Buffalo, bottom is going to fall out on the latter [...]

From FOXSports.com:
Former San Diego Chargers defensive lineman Chris Mims has been found dead in his downtown apartment.
Photos Police say the 38-year-old Mims was discovered shortly before 9:30 a.m. by officers conducting a welfare check. Police say there does not appear to be any evidence of foul play.
Coroner’s officials declined to comment because Mims’ relatives had not yet been notified.
Mims played eight seasons in the NFL, seven with the Chargers and one with the Washington Redskins. He retired in 2000.
Will update when more information is available.

Are the Chargers struggling this bad or are the Dolphins that good?
When the offense sputters the Chargers will lose. This defense cannot bail them out. We know that. The onus is on Rivers and company. It’s a heavy burden, but it’s one realized until further notice.
I like the Dolphins balls-out approach to the last few games. The pedal is down, speakers up to 11, and they’re direct snapping their way up the power rankings. On paper their season is already a step-up, having doubled the previous win total. Although they’re statistically in last place, they’re two games out of first [...]

…it’s how you finish.
Just ask the Raiders.
San Diego needed one quarter, the fourth to be exact, to chalk up their tenth consecutive win against Oakland . Hell, if the Chargers knew it was going to be that kind of party, they should have put their backups in for the first half.
Treat it like a preseason game.
Better yet, treat it like a Harlem Globetrotters game.
Game plan: Rivers should hike the ball, spin it on his finger, do a behind the back pass to LT who bounces it off a defenders helmet into the waiting hands of Chris Chambers. He can put [...]