Chargers Season Ends

So rarely do sportswriters get a chance to discuss the end of a season and have so little to say. The Chargers season ended with a 21-12 loss to New England in the AFC Championship game, ending the year with a record of 13-6.

Behind a gutty performance by hurting QB Philip Rivers, the Bolts drove for four field goals, but without LaDainian Tomlinson against a great defense, they were unable to punch the ball in for a TD. The game was not decided until late in the fourth quarter. The Patriots are 18-0, were healthy, at home and in their weather.

The better team won. The Chargers had a fine year. We're happy.

By advancing past the wildcard and divisional rounds of the playoffs, the Chargers bettered their performance of last year, survived a rocky adjustment to a new coaching staff and either developed or signed receiving help with Vincent Jackson and Chris Chambers. Darren Sproles showed he could be a solid backup running back with Michael Turner likely to leave. Stephen Cooper was a find at middle linebacker. The secondary improved. Mike Scifres is turning out to be the best punter of our time.

So if it's not all good, it's pretty darn good.

Now, to the offseason. The game, and some of the previous losses, showed that the Chargers' biggest needs -- maybe their only needs -- are:

1. Upgrades over Mike Goff at right guard and at right tackle over Jeromey Clary and Shane Olivea. Maybe a rookie and a free agent combo?

2. Good teams, and one bad one, ran on the Chargers this year. The Bolts might have had a chance vs the Patriots if they'd been able to stop Lawrence Maroney in the fourth quarter. His ability to cut back against the grain was fatal. Somebody, DT, DE or LB has to get better.

To expand on number two a little bit, the thinking here is that the sun is setting on the wonderful era of Jamal Williams at nose tackle. No question, he's been the best at his position this decade. But he was hurt a lot this year and is no longer a spring chicken. Ryon Bingham is adequate as a fill-in, but adequate does not get teams to the Super Bowl.

A blocker to open the running game and a tackler to close it. That might advance the Bolts still one more game next year.

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I also have little to say about San Diego State's 70-43 basketball victory over Wyoming Saturday, where the Aztecs scored the first 19 points of the "contest." The Cowboys couldn't hit the side of a barn in the first half, partly because the Aztecs played a stifling defense. We knew SDSU was a good team, but now you have Lorrenzo Wade assuming a leadership role, Ryan Amoroso re-acclimating to major college basketball following his transfer year, and Kyle Spain finding his shooting touch. Looked good early, now looking better.

Just how good the Aztecs can be will be answered this week when they travel to preseason conference favorite BYU and then host a UNLV squad that is suddenly making noise.