LaDainian Tomlinson appeared on NFL Network’s Around the League to talk about his former team. The former San Diego Chargers running back wasted no time in telling the show that he thought it was time for the organization to make some changes. Tomlinson believes it is time for Turner and Smith to head out of San Diego.
“We heard the rumblings out of San Diego last year when they had the poor season [and] didn’t make the playoffs for the second straight year,” Tomlinson said. “At that point, Dean Spanos really thought about making a change, but he didn’t. He said he would give them one more chance to try to right the ship. So here we are at the point where the San Diego Chargers are in danger of missing the playoffs for the third straight year. At that point, the way this organization has worked, you fired Marty [Schottenheimer] after a 14-2 year. [After] many successful years in San Diego, you fire a coach like Marty Schottenheimer. How can you justify keeping A.J. Smith and Norv Turner when you don’t go to the playoffs three straight years?”
Tomlinson also spoke about the decline in quarterback Phillip Rivers numbers tying it to a decrease in talent on the Chargers.
“You talk about a guy like Vincent Jackson, who has picked up where he left off in San Diego now in Tampa Bay leading that team in receptions. You talk about Darren Sproles who is doing a phenomenal job in New Orleans right now. Some of the offensive line that you don’t have any more – he has lost a lot of talent around him. I said it last year, there is too much pressure on Philip Rivers. He needs guys around him to help him win games.”
The Chargers are 3-4 for the season. The Chargers also lost a head-to-head match-up against Denver in which they had a 24 point half time lead.
