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Go-To Guy | Weakest Link | Burning Question | Offseason Movement

Glance Head coach: Marty Schottenheimer 2001: Results 2002: Draft picks Training camp: July 22 at Univ. of California-S.D. in La Jolla, Calif.  2002 Schedule Date  Vs.  Time  Sept. 8  at Cin.  1 p.m.  Sept. 15  HOU.  4:15 p.m.  Sept. 22  at Ari.  4:05 p.m.  Sept. 29  N.E.  4:15 p.m.  Oct. 6  at Den.  4:05 p.m.  Oct. 13  K.C.  4:15 p.m.  Oct. 20  at Oak.  4:05 p.m.  Oct. 27  Open     Nov. 3  NYJ  4:05 p.m.  Nov. 10  at StL.  1 p.m.  Nov. 17  S.F.  4:05 p.m.  Nov. 24  at Mia.  1 p.m.  Dec. 1  DEN.  4:05 p.m.  Dec. 8  OAK.  4:15 p.m.  Dec. 15  at Buf.  1 p.m.  Dec. 22  at K.C.  1 p.m.  Dec. 29  SEA.  4:15 p.m.

By B. Duane Cross, CNNSI.com

It's been five years since San Diego's revolving door at quarterback began spinning out of control.

On Nov. 2 1997, at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Stan Humphries sustained the last in a series of concussions that ended his career. Enter -- and exit -- the likes of Craig Whelihan, Ryan Leaf, Jim Harbaugh, Erik Kramer and Moses Moreno.

Last year, Doug Flutie was brought in and Drew Brees was drafted in an attempt to stablize the position. With Brees learning the ropes, Flutie set career highs in completions (294), attempts (521) and yards (3,464), the most by a Chargers QB since Dan Fouts passed for 3,638 yards in 1985.

This year, Brees is expected to compete for the starter's job.

"That's all I can ask for," Brees said. "It's good for the team. I don't think it's going to affect our relationship. If Doug asks me a question or needs my opinion about something, I'll give it to him. And I know if I did the same with him that he'd help me out.

"Obviously, it's going to be competitive. He wants to start. I want to start. I don't expect Doug to back down, and I don't think he expects me to back down."

Said Flutie of the starter's competition: "That's the way it should be. I wish it had been that way throughout my career. I have no problems with that. If Drew winds up being the guy, Drew's the guy, and I'll support him 100 percent."

On the other side of the ball, the Chargers got faster at linebacker and cornerback.

Donnie Edwards provides an additional speed to a position that already featured one of the game's most mobile linebackers, Junior Seau. First-round pick Quentin Jammer adds both speed and a physical presence to the Chargers' cornerback corps, which already featured one of the league's more physical CBs, Ryan McNeil.

Fact Against Arizona on Nov. 25, LaDainian Tomlinson caught 13 passes for 72 yards, the most catches by a RB in one game in team history and tied for third-most in one game.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB -- If (when?) Brees takes the reins, trading the No. 1 overall pick in 2001 could be one of those deals that goes down under the heading "Best Ever." The Chargers swapped the No. 1 overall to Atlanta and selected LaDainian Tomlinson with the fifth pick before nabbing Brees in the second to address two positions via the draft.

Tomlinson's rookie numbers as a rookie were outstanding, but he did tail off down the stretch. He broke a 36-year-old team record for combined yards in a season (1,603) and also set the franchise rookie rushing records for yards (1,236) and touchdowns (10). It was the second-highest rushing total in team history and the most since Natrone Means set the club record with 1,350 yards in 1994.

Tomlinson also flashed his versatility, finishing second on the team with 59 catches for 367 yards.

After posting three 100-yard rushing games in the first four games, Tomlinson only had one in the final 12. And while he scored 10 times, only two came in the final eight games while fumbling four times. He also had only one game in the final month with at least 20 carries, so building stamina for a late-season surge is a priority.

The Chargers beefed up the offensive line during the offseason, signing center Coy Ramer and drafting guard Toniu Fonoti. "He's a very powerful man," Schottenheimer said of Fonoti, a second-round pick. "Very, very bright. He's got an opportunity to challenge for a starting spot on the offensive line. His intelligence will give him a chance to accelerate the process."

The trio of Curtis Conway, Flutie and Tomlinson is just the second in team history to have 1,000 yards receiving, 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in the same season. The only other time that happened was in 1981: WR Charlie Joiner (1,188), QB Fouts (4,802) and RB Chuck Muncie (1,144) did it. (Tight end Kellen Winslow also added 1,075 receiving yards that year.)

Fact Curtis Conway was an All-America quarterback at Hawthorne (Calif.) High School. In one prep game, he scored touchdowns as a quarterback, wide receiver, running back and defensive back.

Wide Receivers -- Just how thin are the Chargers at wide receiver? The Bolts re-signed Tim Dwight to a five-year, $15 million deal. That's a lot of scratch for a guy who missed six games last year and has never played a full 16-games season. Did we mention his career high for catches in a season is 32? Our guess is that one rushing TD last season was worthy of a $5M signing bonus to boot.

And in his best Dick Vermeil impersonation, Schottenheimer has given WR Tamarick Vanover a one-year deal. Drafted by Schottenheimer in 1995 when he was with Kansas City, Vanover has not played in two years because of legal problems.

Speedsters Conway and Dwight have been bolstered by Reche Caldwell, who was selected in the second round of the draft, but this is a weak collection when competing for a postseason berth in the AFC West.

"Just look back at the teams that have been successful the past few years in winning the championship and the one quality that they've all had was speed," Schottenheimer said. "You go back to the Rams, and then you go to the Ravens, teams with great speed -- on both sides of the ball."

Among San Diego's leading receivers last season, only Conway (71 catches, 1,125 yards, six TDs) and Tomlinson remain. Jeff Graham signed with Atlanta and tight end Freddie Jones joined Arizona.

At tight end, Schottenheimer brought in former Washington Pro Bowler Stephen Alexander. The hope is that his ability to work the middle of the field, combined with Conway, Dwight and Caldwell stretching defenses, bodes well for the vertical passing game.

When will the Drew Brees era begin?

Schottenheimer has declared the starting QB job an open competition between Flutie and Brees. Flutie led the Chargers to a 5-2 start, but they lost their final nine games and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.

Both players will benefit from the Chargers using an offensive system under new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron similar to that employed by Norv Turner last year.

"Their competition is going to be very, very heated," first-year head coach Marty Schottenheimer predicted. "I'm hopeful that the decision is going to be a very difficult one, because that means that they both performed at a very high level."

Flutie has been in this situation before in Chicago, New England and Buffalo. However, he turns 40 in October, and San Diego didn't draft Brees to carry a clipboard.

Brees got his initial playing time against Kansas City last year on Nov. 4 after Flutie was sidelined with a concussion. Brees rallied the Chargers from a 19-0 deficit to a 20-19 lead, but San Diego eventually lost 25-20. Otherwise, Flutie took every snap.

"You don't come to the NFL to sit on the sidelines," Brees said after last season. "I got the itch more and more as the season went on. I wanted that opportunity. I always want what's best for the team, but there was nothing to lose by putting me in. It didn't happen."

This year, it should happen. This team will not challenge for the AFC championship, so on-field learning is the next step for the second-year signal-caller.