One of my favorite TV shows growing up was a cartoon called "TigerSharks." It told the story of a group of humans on the fictional world of Water-O who used a device called the Fish Tank to transform into human/marine hybrids (stay with me here).
It was a great show, but often gets overlooked when talking about classic cartoons. You hear all about "ThunderCats," "SilverHawks" and "Ghostbusters," but never anything about "TigerSharks."
That's how I feel about the San Diego Chargers. Year in and year out the Chargers never seem to get the credit they deserve. Sure, they may not be the flashiest team around, but they are consistent. They've had just one losing season in the past 11 years, and are always a handful to deal with in the postseason.
Rivers Runs Through It
It was a rough year for Philip Rivers to say the least. The Chargers got off to a hot 5-1 start with Rivers throwing for 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions in that span. There were MVP rumblings coming out of San Diego, and belief that the Chargers could finally dethrone Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in the AFC West. But the Chargers struggled the rest of the way, going just 4-6 over their final 10 games with Rivers throwing 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He finished tied for the third most giveaways (20) and the Chargers failed to make the postseason after a "win-and-you-are-in" loss to the Chiefs in Week 17.
So, why will 2015 be any better? Well, keep in mind that Rivers had to play behind an offensive line decimated by injuries. Centers Nick Hardwick, Rich Ohrnberger and Doug Legursky were all placed on injured reserve during the season, meaning Rivers had to deal with four different centers and an ever-changing offensive line. The fact that he still managed to keep his team in the playoff hunt until the final week speaks volumes about his talent.
Rivers often gets overlooked when talking about the game's best quarterbacks, but he's proven to be a beacon of consistency for the Chargers franchise ever since he took over the starting job. Plus, he's only three touchdown passes away from surpassing Dan Fouts as the Chargers' all-time leader. While there may be question marks surrounding this offense when it comes to running back and receiver, any time you have Rivers leading you down the field, you have a chance to win. Just look at that Week 13 win at Baltimore.
A sneaky good defense
Rivers, Antonio Gates and the Chargers offense are often the main topic of discussion when it comes to the team, but the Chargers have quietly put together a solid defense that was one of the tops in the league last year. The Chargers finished ninth in total defense and fourth in pass defense, which is impressive considering they went up against Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning (twice). Granted, the Chargers were 1-3 in those games, but we're looking at the positive here, folks!
Defensive coordinator John Pagano has worked wonders for this unit since he assumed the role in 2012. With a solid defense in a pass happy league, the Chargers have a chance to be competitive on both sides of the ball and assert themselves in the AFC next year.
The Real McCoy
Back-to-back 9-7 seasons may not inspire much confidence among fans when it comes to head coach Mike McCoy, but I believe he is a major upgrade from Norv Turner and the right guy for the job. The Chargers' offense may have dropped from 5th in 2013 to 18th in 2014, but you can attribute that to both the offensive line woes and the loss of Ken Whisenhunt. It's hard to establish offensive consistency in a new system when you have a rash of injuries to deal with. Keep in mind that in McCoy's first year he took the Chargers all the way to the Divisional Round, and he had his team in it until the final week this year. When you have a coach who has worked with both Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers, you know you are going to have an offensive system that maximizes the talent around the quarterback. McCoy is the real deal, and Chargers fans should be excited about what he brings to the table.
So don't worry about 2014, Chargers fans. It was a disappointing year, but 2015 is looking brighter than a SoCal day. The TigerSharks of the NFL are ready to surprise us all.
Colin J. Liotta is a Digital Features Editor at NFL.com. He's also a lover of comic books and abides by Dr. Egon Spengler's warning not to cross the streams. You can follow him on Twitter @TheSportsHero.
