Will Ryan Mathews finally Bring It?

All is quiet on the Chargers home front. No ripples made in the water aside from a few training camp signings and the start of Organized Team Activities. Quiet is a good thing. No contract squabbling like we had with Vincent Jackson last season. No rushing rookies through an abbreviated preseason meat grinder. No arrests. It’s business as usual in San Diego and no news is good news at this point. None of our impact players have been lost for the season with some freak injury. No one is making bold Super Bowl predictions. The talking heads all over tv and social media are taking us for granted to the point some of the so-called EXPERTS are picking KANSAS CITY to win the west.

SERIOUSLY??!??

You can’t get more under the radar than that. The Greg One is excited to see all the big name free agents the Chargers signed to…um nevermind. Bringing back Ladainian Tomlinson to mentor Ryan Mathews was a true stroke of…oh, that didn’t happen either? Well, finally signing Vincent Jackson to a well-deserved long term…he went to Tampa Bay?? That’s where careers go to die!! Oh well…Well, at least Norv and AJ Smith are finally gone and…they’re still here? Damn. Your friend The Greg One is about to get out of the opinion writing business because whatever he asks to happen, management seems to do the opposite! To have just one day as Charger GM…That may be a column for another day.

The most interesting quote i’ve heard is from Norv Turner saying Ryan Mathews could lead the league in rushing this season. As if there were any reason to question myself and the rest of Charger Nation calling for his head after last season, this only adds another exclamation point to the end of the sentence. We’re all fans of Mathews but leading the league in rushing? It may be time to lower the dosage on Norv’s meds. All of us will be happy if he can just keep his grip on the ball when the Chargers are in the red zone. More importantly, to win the rushing title one would have to stay ON THE FIELD! Too many leg injuries have hampered his productivity and ability to help the team. Time to update the weight training, agility drills, something…The Greg One loves Ryan Mathews, sees his huge potential, love how he puts up MONSTER games against the Broncos, even drafts him for his fantasy team but lets keep it real. If Mathews can stay healthy all season and not miss games with the new weapons the Chargers have added at wide receiver, he could have an excellent season. I’m sure this is what Norv is thinking as well but this offense is not predicated on giving Mathews the ball 300 times in a season like Atlanta’s offense is based around Michael Turner.

However, it is preseason and tis the season for hyperbole, so Norv, you get a pass on this one. Know your role, coach up the new talent and lets make the freaking playoffs or The Greg One will be calling for your head once again. On second thought, seeing as how management likes to go opposite field on my columns…maybe I won’t and leave those pieces to another staffer. Bolt up, Charger Nation!