Serious Business: 9/12 San Diego Chargers Links

Rapid Reaction: Chargers 24, Vikings 17 - Bill Williamson
Rookie no more: Running back Ryan Mathews had a terrific game. He ran with authority and confidence. After a so-so rookie season, Mathews looks like a matured player. He can help make this offense special.

San Diego Chargers suffer key injuries - Bill Williamson
The Kaeding and Castillo injuries are of concern for the Chargers. The Chargers will need to sign a kicker and Jacques Cesaire and Vaughn Martin will play more for the Chargers now.

Chargers show rare early-season resiliency - Bill Williamson
"We are not the 2010 San Diego Chargers," Weddle said of the team that led the NFL in total offense and total defense but failed to make the playoffs. "It may not have looked too good, but we are not going to lose the game in one play or in one half. It is not going to happen. We did not waver. It came along. We knew it would."

Opening-day touchbacks at 49 percent - Associated Press
The league moved kickoffs up to the 35-yard line hoping to address safety concerns, and that produced nearly triple the number of touchbacks from last year, according to STATS LLC.

Mike Tolbert's 3 TDs, Chargers ruin Donovan McNabb's Vikings debut - ESPN.com
"When we face adversity, we don't curl up and call it quits," said Scifres, a nine-year veteran who signed a $19 million contract extension Wednesday.

Chargers-Vikings: Nick Canepa's report card - Nick Canepa
Running Backs: B-plus -- Mathews accounted for 118 total yards and Tolbert 93 and three scores. No fumbles. That’s not a bad day for your tailbacks.

Cason, kick coverage rebound - Kevin Acee
First-round draft pick Corey Liuget started and rotated with Jacques Cesaire at right defensive end. Liuget had two tackles, including one for a loss, and he forced McNabb to step up in the pocket and into an Antonio Garay sack.

Chargers will be without Kaeding, Castillo for extended period - Kevin Acee
The Chargers will sign a kicker on Monday or Tuesday, as a team source said "it doesn’t look good" for Nate Kaeding to be playing any time soon after initial tests indicated the placekicker has a torn ACL in his left knee.

Tolbert the thunder in Bolts' attack - Chris Jenkins
"When it’s your team’s, any touchdown is a beautiful thing," said center Nick Hardwick. "But it is so nice to see your guys run and run somebody over at the end, then stand up like nothing happened."

Chargers rally to beat Vikings, believe they've set tone - Kevin Acee
The game began in the worst way it could have but ended with the Chargers feeling they had not only won a game but established a tone.