GREAT START: Great win to open the season. Outstanding effort by the defense. Can you imagine how good this team will be when they actually let Philip Rivers play quarterback? Way to go Chargers.
GARY FRANK, San Diego
NO ACCOLADES YET: Don't put Rivers into the Hall of Fame just yet. He finished with Drew Brees-like numbers, 8-for-11 for 108 yards. Nothing to write home about. Don't lose sight of why the Chargers dominated last night. It wasn't Rivers, it was L.T. and the defense.
JONAS ESTEBAN, Mira Mesa
UNLEASH THE KID: While conservative play-calling may get the job done against a stiff team like the Raiders, when you're up against the better teams, you're going to have to cut the rookie loose. I like our chances.
RICHARD GRAF, San Diego
AIR IT OUT! They said that Eli Manning has over 5,000 yards in his pro career. At this rate, Rivers will have more than 5,000 handoffs! Enough already! Throw the damn ball! Drew Brees could have handed off this many times with his shoulder in a cast!
ANDY ANDERSON, San Diego
STONE AGE: Marty Schottenheimer ran a brilliant Cro-Magnon Man offense tonight against the Raiders at Bedrock Colosseum. Yes, that was Fred Flintstone as offensive coordinator. The mascot was Dino. Wilma had some pompoms. And I hear the postgame spread featured brontosaurus burgers to die for.
PAUL CONRAD, Clairemont
PLAYING IT SAFE: The Chargers' passing game looks predictable and protective like the quarterback doesn't know the progressions or plays. Run, run, throw; three and out doesn't cut it, Marty. So far in this game there have been 28 rush attempts and eight pass attempts, and that says there's no confidence in Rivers. What gives?
CHRIS SCHULTZ, San Diego
SEVENTH HEAVEN: All great defenses have a great nickname. I nominate “The Magnificent Seven.”
JEFF FULKERSON, El Cajon
LAUGHINGSTOCK: The gorilla pit or whatever Oakland wants to call it now is a thing of the past. It's become almost comical to watch the poor souls trying to justify their lives. It really does not speak to the team but more to the city and its place in the mix of our country. If anyone wants to see really rabid home town fans, just watch the crazy fans in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Washington and Green Bay. That's the true NFL, always was, and alway will be. But the NFL knows a freak show when it sees it, and will show it during the season as it guarantees viewers. Too bad the Oakland Raiders fans don't know that they are being laughed at.
THOMAS OSVOLD, Escondido
