Personnel News Heading into Cleveland

Injuries will be the prevailing theme heading into this weekend’s game with the Cleveland Browns as the Chargers have announced that safety Eric Weddle, defensive end Luis Castillo, and linebacker Shawne Merriman will all sit out of the Cleveland game to rest their current ailments. As a result of outside linebackers Jyles Tucker and Antwan Applewhite being placed on injured reserve in addition to the nagging injuries plauging Merriman, the Bolts brought back a familiar face this week. Marques Harris was with the Bolts for his first four years in the league and spent the early portion of this season with the 49ers before finding himself without a team on October 27th. Harris will still wear his recognizable number 58 threads when in action with the Bolts and his familiarity with their scheme should allow for a near seamless transition.

If nothing else, one thing that Chargers fans will all remember about Harris is his patented celebration after he makes a key play on defense. Harris does a standing back flip and his Head Coach Norv Turner wants to see plenty of those on Sundays down the stretch. Of Harris Turner said: “We know what he can bring. We want to continue to get better on special teams. Marques is a good outside rusher. We think he can give us some snaps at outside linebacker. We’re lucky. He’s familiar with our system. John Pagano has coached him for a long time so it’s not a shock mentally.” Harris should just gel right back into the flow of things being that he was so ingrained into the way things are done with this organization. He expressed his feelings on this opportunity to return to his old stomping grounds saying: “It’s a great situation. It’s like being home. It kind of feels like I never left. It’s such a great atmosphere and I’m very excited to be a part of everything that’s going on here again.” Harris’s excitement should bring yet another energized body to the field in a Bolts uniform as the team continues to grow together.

With the month of December starting a few days ago, the Chargers have to be thrilled given their track record in the last month on the calendar over the last few years. Even though the Bolts won’t be playing catch up this year like they have over the previous two Decembers, the team looks to start and end this month on a positive note. Quarterback Philip Rivers offered these thoughts on the year’s twelfth month saying: “You want to be peaking in December. We’ve been on a roll. Now that we’ve gotten here we need to keep it going. We’ve got the right mindset, that’s to just worry about Cleveland.” And Rivers is dead on when he says that the team cannot just overlook the Browns who hung in there with the Cincinnati Bengals last week. Although Cleveland has been stagnant on the offensive side of the ball, they have just enough playmakers on defense to make a team a little bit antsy.

Since Norv Turner took over the team in 2007, the Chargers December record has been a pristine 9-0. As for that statistic, linebacker Stephen Cooper said: “We don’t really get caught up in the number. It’s great that we’ve finished the seasons off strong, but we have to have our focus on the Browns because that’s the first step in having a good December and really they’re the only thing that matters at this point.” The focus on one week at a time resonates throughout the Chargers locker room and that mentality is going to be key for the Bolts making their stretch run without looking too fat ahead. San Diego can only play one game a week and that should be the only thing that the team is looking at during each seven day period.

As for the Head Coach Norv Turner, he has been instrumental in bringing this team together and his preparation has been vitally important to making things run as smoothly as they have this year and in his two previous seasons. Turner believes that his team has the right state of mind and certainly enough talent to make a deep playoff push, but he wants them to maintain that intent weekly focus to win each game as it comes. For a team from southern California losing three hours and playing a potential bad weather game in Cleveland this week is something that could prove challenging.

In preparation for the time change, Turner moved practice up two hours on Thursday and will also dismiss the team early. Of the curveball in scheduling Turner said: “If you want to get their attention, do something a little different. Make it a little less methodical. We come in Friday at 7:00 a.m. and start the day so we can travel at 2:30. I think it just changes it up a little bit and gives them a little bit of a break on Thursday afternoon. I think those things help.” As the head puppet master given his proven track record with the Chargers in December, it seems Turner is determined to continue pulling the right strings.

Some additional personnel news as well with Jon Runyan’s addition last week, Turner feels that he is getting up to speed on the playbook and should see some game action for the first time this season in a Chargers uniform against the Browns. Of the veteran’s progress Turner said: “I thought he had a good day today (in practice). If we’re in the same position in terms of feeling good about where he’s at Friday, he could play some on Sunday.” With Luis Castillo scheduled to sit out another start to fully heal his calf injury, rookie Vaughn Martin will be dressed for the second time in as many weeks and Turner likes the growth that he has seen from his rookie in recent weeks. Turner said: “I think just having seen what it was like to play and then getting back and going through the practices like he has, it’s been good for him. He goes against our offensive line every day in practice. He’s either going against Marcus or Dielman or Vasquez depending on where we put him. I think he’s learned a lot about playing and I think he’s a lot better.” The rookie agrees with his coach with the improvement that he has seen in himself throughout this learning experience in his first year on an NFL roster. Martin added: “I just feel like I’ve had a chance to watch these guys, what they do and how they prepare. I really just want to contribute to a win and help my team where they need me and when they need me.” This team first attitude and positive learning experience for Martin is really going to serve both he and the Bolts well in the long run for his development as a player. Fans should remember the name and expect to hear it a lot more frequently this time next year.

Tags: Antwan Applewhite, Eric Weddle, John Pagano, Jon Runyan, Jyles Tucker, Kris Dielman, Louis Vasquez, Luis Castillo, Marcus McNeill, Marques Harris, Norv Turner, Philip Rivers, Shawne Merriman, Vaughn Martin