The San Diego Chargers will be explosive on offense in 2012
The San Diego Chargers lost Vincent Jackson in free agency to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although it will be difficult to replace Jackson’s 60 receptions, 1,106 receiving yards and nine touchdown receptions from 2011, San Diego had the number one offense during the 2010 season when Jackson only appeared in five games. Jackson finished that season with 14 receptions, 248 receiving yards and three TD receptions. Jackson had a game that season against the Indianapolis Colts in which he did not catch a pass and all of his TD receptions happened in a game against the San Francisco 49ers.
Legedu Naanee was Jackson’s primary replacement in the 11 games that he did not play. Naanee had 23 receptions for 371 yards and one TD reception. Robert Meachem will be Jackson’s primary replacement in 2012. Meachem averaged 43 receptions for 660 yards and seven TD receptions from 2009-2011 with the New Orleans Saints. San Diego had the number one offense in 2010 without an explosive running back as well. Mike Tolbert led the team with 182 attempts for 735 yards in 2010 while Ryan Mathews led the Chargers with 222 attempts for 1,091 yards in 2011, so the offense should be able to build on this in 2012.
Philip Rivers led the NFL in passing yards during that 2010 season when his first, second and third leaders in receptions and receiving yards from 2009 missed 22 games in 2010. Rivers finished that season with 4,710 yards, 30 TDs and 13 interceptions. Rivers finished 2011 with 4,624 yards, 27 TDs and 20 INTs, but had 11 TDs and only three INTs his last five games. I expect Rivers to have a great 2012 season since the offensive line did their job by protecting their franchise quarterback the last five games. Rivers was sacked 28 times in the first 11 games, but he was sacked two times in the last five games after San Diego picked up left tackle Jared Gaither off waivers.
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