There were three stories in the UT on Merriman.  They have an overall article on him here.  Also he is off his crutches now; if he had the surgery at the end of last season he likely would be ready well before playoffs.  If he weren't 270 pounds of mean it would make me want to smack his stupid head.  Lastly they have some pretty ghastly stats with/without 'Lights Out'.

Forgetting for the moment this season, the Chargers face some big decisions over the next few years over which players to keep and whom to let go.  The main pain probably won't start next year, but the year after that; and in part it depends on if the collective bargaining agreement is renewed or not.  If the CBA is not renewed, the Bolts will get to keep some players an extra season at bargain prices.

Lets start off with the important contracts that expire after next season:

2008 -Igor Olshansky, Mike Goff, Darren Sproles

2009 - Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Marcus McNeill, Shawne Merriman, Philip Rivers

20010 -Stephen Cooper, Antonio Cromartie, Antonio Gates, Jamal Williams, Eric Weddle

Most seem to expect Olshansky to be a goner, while steady he has never been a game changer.  Darren Sproles on the other hand is likely to find another club willing to guarantee him more touches; the club has apparently agreed to let him test the market and decide if it can afford him after that.  Mike Goff has been very consistent and quite good; but does have a number of seasons under his belt now.  I can see them keeping him or letting him go depending on what the draft leads to.

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It's just been reported that Merriman has decided to undergo surgery to rebuild his knee (Hat tip to Big Blue Shoe and Eaters).  Apparently it didn't feel right after the game and he informed AJ Smith that he was going to get the surgery.  There is no doubt that he will be missed, he brought huge pressure from that OLB position.  You just don't replace a Pro Bowler and not take a hit.  Over three years Merriman has put up 40.5 sacks and has been an emotional force on the field.  Jyles Tucker looks to be the logical replacement, and certainly had a huge game against the Raiders last year; producing three sacks and recovering a fumble for a TD. 

This is the smart move for Merriman, he looked great in straight lines but his ability to cut looked limited.  This way Merriman will have time to rehab and come back strong in 2009; the final year of his contract.  Hopefully he is young enough that he will bounce all the way back to what Charger fans know is the best linebacker in the NFL.  While a tough break coming at the start of the season, it would be a shame if he took a hit that ended his career.  Overcoming adversity is a hallmark of great teams, it will be interesting to see how the Chargers respond next week in Denver.

The Chargers lost to the Carolina Panthers 26-24 in the first game of the season.  This was not the result I was looking for, but one I feared.  The Panthers were uniquely qualified to hang a loss on the Bolts.  This Panther team is a powerful playoff contender; make no mistake.  The media saw 7-9, their best weapon missing vs. the Chargers stacked lineup and thought it would be a gimme.  No such luck.  The Panthers last year were awful after their QB went down.  This year they seriously upgraded with two number one draft choices, offensive lineman Jeff Otah and running back J. Stewart; both looked terrific today.  Those three factors, a good QB, Jeff Otah and J. Stewart, plus some amazing play by Donte Rosario at TE pulled the game together for Carolina. Even though Otah went out for a bit with an injury, he helped dominate the Chargers defensive line.  Both on run plays and pass blocking, the Panther line was in charge.  J. Stewart who picked up 53 yards in ten carries, was part of a formidable one - two punch.  The running game is the weak point on the Chargers defense and this offense was primed to take full advantage.  The Panther defense was great in the first half, but gave ground in the final quarter.  The temptation is to chalk this loss up to one lucky desperation play; this is a mistake.  The Panthers outplayed an excellent Bolts team in their own yard without their best receiver and fully deserved the W.

The Good

Antoine Cason is the real McCoy.  He came up huge on a fourth and goal, then again by causing a fumble with a ferocious tackle, which the Charger offense then put it in the end zone.  Big time plays under pressure for the rookie, this number one looks solid.  For that matter Jammer had a fantastic game; breaking up a number of big yardage plays and solid tackling.  Who would have thought, Cromartie would be the weakest link this Sunday, once playing too soft allowing a big gainer and once gambling for the pick and losing.  Even so there are zero worries either about Cromartie or the secondary; the Panthers caught a series of tipped passes, and there will be games when those gambles pay off; I don't know about fifteen, but the picks will be coming for Cromartie.

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