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Health
I'm serious! The San Diego Chargers are unbelievably healthy right now, at least on the offensive side of the ball. The only guys that are injured and likely won't play in Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers are guys that aren't expected to be starters. Jeromey Clary and Vincent Brown, that's it.
Most NFL teams, the 49ers included, are trying to work around injuries to Michael Crabtree, Anthony Davis, LaMichael James, Brandon Lloyd, Marcus Martin, Adam Snyder, Garrett Celek, Marcus Lattimore, Kendall Hunter.....THIS IS JUST THE OFFENSE.
After playing deep into the playoffs three years in a row, San Francisco appears to be a bit bruised and beaten down. By comparison, the Chargers are downright healthy. This should play a factor in Sunday's game.
Offense, Offense, Offense
Damn the defense, let's shoot out the lights.
The San Diego Chargers offense boasts a solid, and healthy, offensive line. They also have three excellent RBs, at least two very good WRs, two very good TEs, and a QB that can manage it all. There are mismatches all over the field if this team is coached right, and Mike McCoy isn't going to let it be coached wrong.
Who is going to stop this team? How do you stop everyone all of the time? The Chargers may need to score 35 points every week to win, but they could probably do that without much of a problem.
The 49ers have given up 57(!) points in their first two games and looked helpless against Peyton Manning and the Broncos. They may not have the horses to run with another great AFC West offense this week.
More to prove
Okay, I know the talk has been how much the 49ers have to prove to Jim Harbaugh after playing poorly in the first two weeks of the season, but the Chargers have far more to prove.
The San Francisco 49ers started last season 6-4 before finishing the season with six consecutive wins. Their goal is not to win early and often. Their goal is to win championships. If the 49ers look terrible for the first month of the season, many will still be waiting for them to "flip the switch" and start dominating after Thanksgiving. That's their deal.
The San Francisco squad only has to prove to their coach that they can make it back to the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl. That's where their goals and expectations are right now.
The Chargers, who were miserable before last season, are working their way up to San Francisco's level. They appear to be improving, but their goals are more at the level of "Get to the AFC Championship Game" than Super Bowl victories at this point. A win in a preseason game over a perennial powerhouse like the 49ers would do a lot for the confidence of the San Diego coaches and players, but wouldn't mean much of anything to San Francisco.