Let's flash back to a better time. A simpler time, when injuries weren't prevalent and the Chargers actually had a good team. I'm talking, of course, about Week 2 of the 2010 season, when the Chargers opened up Qualcomm stadium against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was, suffice it to say, an odd game.
Oh, it started innocently enough, with the Chargers taking the opening kickoff and going down the field 74 yards for a touchdown. Things looked even better on the ensuing Jacksonville possession, when Antoine Cason stepped in front of a David Garrard pass. But then the turnovers started. From this point on, every single drive until late in the 4th quarter ended on either a score or a turnover.
Ryan Mathews fumbled on the Chargers' next drive. Then the Jaguars kicked a field goal. Then Philip Rivers threw an interception. Then two plays later Garrard threw a pick of his own. San Diego followed it up with a touchdown pass to Antonio Gates, and the Jacksonville response was to fumble away the ball again. Rivers declined to accept this gift, and gave the ball back to the Jaguars on an interception two plays later.
Not about to be outdone by his San Diego counterpart, Garrard decided he didn't want the ball either, and threw a pick of his very own. The Chargers, tired of simple fumbles and interceptions, decided they didn't feel like blocking for Mike Scifres and let an errant Jacksonville player through to block a punt. Jacksonville only got a field goal out of it, though.
The rest of the game was mostly scoring by San Diego and a comedy of errors by Jacksonville. The Jags lost fumbles, threw interceptions, and failed to convert 4th downs on their way to a 38-13 shellacking at the hands of the home team. It was nice to see the Chargers completely throttle an opponent after watching them get physically beaten up by the Chiefs the previous week. This also marked the first San Diego home game to be blacked out since 2004. Personally unable to watch it live, I avoided all contact with football-related things, and watched the game later that night.
Monday night's rematch will probably be just as ugly an affair, with both teams struggling badly and little hope left for the 2011 season. My guess is there will probably be less scoring, and more fumbles/interceptions. MOAR TURNOVERS!