Rivers, Chargers "Ready" To Start Season
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Chargers are ready for their season opener but they're going to need a little patience.
San Diego hosts Houston in the second game of the Monday night doubleheader, and while that gives them more time to become comfortable in first-year coach Mike McCoy's offense, the Chargers are ready to go now.
"This is the longest week it seems like in history," quarterback Philip Rivers said. "You wait for game week, then it gets here, and they add an extra day to it."
McCoy has ditched the offense San Diego used under coach Norv Turner and installed an up-tempo attack built around intermediate routes and making wise decisions.
The previous offense focused on trying to stretch the field. McCoy's approach is to throw passes closer to the line of scrimmage. That involves trying to keep Rivers upright after he was sacked an AFC-high 49 times last year.
"I think we need to play better around him," McCoy said. "I've been saying that since Day 1. He is a great quarterback; Philip is going to be fine. We got to get the entire team, everybody, has to do their job better and Philip will do his job better."
The Chargers are getting healthier as well.
Only rookie inside linebacker Manti Te'o missed practice. While Te'o, who has a sprained right foot, is out of a walking boot and is working with the medical staff on the side, he hasn't practiced since getting hurt in the Aug. 8 preseason opener.
McCoy isn't required to supply medial updates until Thursday since the team isn't playing until Monday.
But others who have been on the mend are back working. That includes wide receivers Malcom Floyd (right knee sprain) and Eddie Royal (bruised lung) and defensive end Corey Liuget (sprained right shoulder).
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