Coach Norv Turner
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Analysis: Why can't success vindicate Turner?
By: MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | ∞
SAN DIEGO ---- They said it couldn't be done. Not with Norv Turner coaching the team.
You know, Turner, the guy who was fired in Washington and failed in Oakland. The guy considered the ultimate coaching retread. On the excitement meter, he generates as much enthusiasm as a bottle of glue.
But that guy, Turner, was found in the most unforeseen of places Sunday ---- coaching the Chargers in the AFC Championship Game.
Norv Turner ---- yes, that Norv Turner ---- was coaching in a conference title game? That's more unlikely than Britney Spears going a week without a relapse or a publicity stunt. It's more outlandish than Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton getting together for a friendly game of cards. It's crazier than San Diego State qualifying for a bowl game or winning an NCAA tournament game.
But it indeed happened. Turner's Chargers rebounded from a 1-3 start and hit their stride in late November. They kept winning as November turned into December and December turned into January, and took an eight-game winning streak into the title game before losing to the unbeaten New England Patriots.
Playoff victories over Tennessee and Indianapolis ---- the latter in fantastic fashion ---- were the Chargers' first playoff wins since the 1994 postseason. The AFC title game appearance was only the franchise's second in the past quarter century, the same feat that got Bobby Ross all but canonized 13 years earlier.
But as the AFC Championship Game approached, Turner's dissenters remained at the ready. They had torched Turner early in the season ---- deservedly so after a horrid September loss to Kansas City ---- and were ready to blame Turner for even the slightest slip-up.
It became clear that the only way Turner can possibly be held in the same esteem as Ross and the legendary Don Coryell would be to one-up them and become the first Chargers coach to win a Super Bowl.
Coryell's teams twice lost in AFC title game, while the Ross-led 1994 squad beat Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship before being slaughtered by a super San Francisco team in the Super Bowl. Both coaches remain highly popular among Chargers fans and always will.
Good thing Turner has thick skin. This wasn't Kevin Gilbride, Dan Henning or Harland Svare bumbling through a horrid season. This Chargers squad saw its season end just one step from the Super Bowl.
"You can't worry about it," Turner said earlier this week. "I appreciate our fans. I appreciate their passion. I was understanding of what they were going through at 1-3 because we were going through the same thing. I appreciate the way they responded to what our players got done."
There's more of a chance of myself waking up tomorrow as a millionaire than Turner boasting about the job he did. Ask him if it was personally satisfying to get to the title game after all the criticism he has received ---- by media as well as fans ---- and he's more comfortable crediting players and assistant coaches.
"I'm always going to be and always have been about the team," Turner said. "But I have a job to do, too. And the fact that we were able to fight through the adversity and accomplish the things we did, it means a lot to me."
Think back to when Turner was named coach of the Chargers. Marty Schottenheimer went 14-2 last season before the Chargers went one-and-done in the playoffs.
It wasn't a gig with much room for upside.
Then reflect back to September. The three-game losing streak in which the Chargers lost to New England, Green Bay and Kansas City led to outrage not seen since Ryan Leaf masqueraded as a quarterback while cashing high-end paychecks. The fans derisively chanted "Marrr-ty, Marrr-ty" and called for Turner's firing after the Kansas City debacle. An Internet comic video made the rounds in which a disinfectant called "Norv Away" was deemed necessary to keep Turner away from wrecking NFL franchises.
Then after a mid-November loss to Jacksonville, linebacker Shawne Merriman severely questioned whether his teammates hated losing as much as he did and running back LaDainian Tomlinson called a players-only meeting. Everybody got on the same page and the Chargers didn't lose again until last Sunday against the Patriots.
Dissecting the season as a whole, team president Dean Spanos needs just one word to describe the job Turner did: "Outstanding."
"There's no doubt in my mind," Spanos said. "I believe very strongly that coming into a coaching position where you're taking over a team that was 14-2 is probably more difficult in some ways then being 2-14.
"To exacerbate that situation, we started off 1-3. So from that perspective, that's about as difficult a position as you can find yourself in. And a lot of coaches may not have been able to pull themselves out like he did.
"I think you have to give him a tremendous amount of credit ---- if not all the credit ---- for holding this whole thing together, believing in himself, maintaining consistency and continuity within this organization and staying the course."
Turner said the fact that he has been in tough situations in the past helped him ---- "I wasn't going to waver," he said ---- as the disappointment and criticism reached a crescendo. He kept his focus inward and did his best to limit what he heard from outsiders.
When he was offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys in 1993, Turner learned listening to sports-talk radio isn't a good thing to do even if you're part of a winning team.
"My last year in Dallas ---- and we had a won a Super Bowl and we were in first place and had played Philadelphia on a Monday night and had won a close game ---- there were a bunch of callers calling for my removal," Turner said. "If that's the case, we were the best offense at the time in the NFL and we were on our way to winning another Super Bowl."
What Turner learned back then and in his two previous head coaching stops all came in handy this season. And it's something that applies to the disbelieving e-mailers and Internet posters as well.
"You're just not going to please everybody," Turner said.
And that holds true even when you guide your team to the AFC title game.
Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com. Comment at sports.nctimes.com.
Best performance
CB Antonio Cromartie intercepting three passes, one via a leaping one-handed grab, during a nationally televised victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Best coaching performance
The second half of the wild-card playoff victory over Tennessee. Norv Turner's play-calling was fantastic, and defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell's plan shut down the Titans' offense.
Worst performance
The run defense in Minnesota when Adrian Peterson set an NFL single-game record by rushing for 296 yards. Peterson had 253 yards in the second half.
Worst coaching performance
The late September loss to Kansas City that dropped the Chargers' record to 1-3. Chiefs QB Damon Huard looked like Dan Marino against the defense, and the Chargers were shut out in the second half.
The stars
Cromartie ---- led NFL with 10 interceptions and set an NFL record with a 109-yard missed field goal return against Minnesota.
TE Antonio Gates ---- led team in receptions (75), receiving yardage (984) and receiving touchdowns (nine).
OLB Shawne Merriman ---- led team with 12 1/2 sacks and with nine other tackles for losses.
RB LaDainian Tomlinson ---- led NFL in rushing for second consecutive season, running for 1,474 yards.
Turning points
+ Winning 41-3 at Denver after the 1-3 start helped the Chargers start their run at winning the AFC West.
+ Merriman's critical comments of teammates after a loss to Jacksonville and Tomlinson calling for a players-only meeting prompted an eight-game winning streak that included the team's first two postseason victories in 13 years.
Bold moves
+ Midseason trade for veteran WR Chris Chambers gave the team the go-to wideout it was lacking.
+ The late-November move of Cromartie into the starting lineup ahead of Drayton Florence was a no-brainer made better by how well Florence handled the demotion.
+ The late-November demotion of T Shane Olivea in favor of Jeromey Clary helped prompt improved offensive line play down the stretch.
Downers
+ First-round draft pick Craig Davis was a relative nonfactor with just 20 receptions for 188 yards.
+ QB Philip Rivers was responsible for 21 turnovers (15 interceptions, six lost fumbles) in his second season as a starter after committing just 11 turnovers (nine picks, two lost fumbles) in his first campaign.
+ The way in which the Chargers handled Tomlinson's injury during the AFC Championship Game left the face of the franchise open to rampant national criticism. The Chargers first announced that Tomlinson's absence from the game was a "coach's decision." Later, they declared he "can return" to the game. Tomlinson never returned and was upset afterwards, saying "Obviously, I couldn't play. If I could've played, I would've been in there."
---- Mike Sullivan
Bobby wrote on Jan 25, 2008 9:12 AM:This team regressed Mike? Regress from 14/2 to 11/5. Regress from #1 seed to #3 seed. Still no Super Bowl. Mickey Mouse could of went 11/5 with a great championship team. The fact is Smith fired Marty because he did not like him,,,,,, Bobby B did not like Bobby Ross but together they got us to the S.B. You are correct Mike, it was L.T. and Merriman who took over a Turner 1/3 team and took them to the playoffs!!!
He is not wrote on Jan 25, 2008 9:40 AM:that good as a coach. You don't play an injured QB when you have a 100% healthy QB who is good! So what Rivers wanted to be the selfish injured hero, the coach calls the shots!
patriot wrote on Jan 25, 2008 9:45 AM:i wanted bolts to beat san francisco back in the super bowl, they couldnt do it. i wanted dan fouts to win it all, i wanted stupid marty to win it all, in previous years, he failed. i wanted my PATS to crush LT (the quitter), and they did, now we will see if the NY Giants, can stand up to us. Norv should be fired, he wasnt the coach, rivers, LT fought on the sidelines all year, spoiled rich gym rats.
Rico wrote on Jan 25, 2008 9:49 AM:Norv did a tremendous job. Say what you will about him, he has a winning record in January at 3-2. Great season - Charger fans need to stop being greedy. They'll be back.
Jaque wrote on Jan 25, 2008 10:35 AM:""First-round draft pick Craig Davis was a relative nonfactor with just 20 receptions for 188 yards.""
Wow, now those are some lowly stats!
Noodles wrote on Jan 25, 2008 1:29 PM:IMO, typical Patriots fan, even though they beat the Chargers with IMO, a little help from the Refs and the league, they still cannot stop obsessing over the Chargers.
Pretty sad really, maybe because subconciously they feel that cameragate may have gone all the way back to the very first Patriot SB and some how by constantly talking about the Chargers and demeaning them, it makes them feel better about themselves. Don't worry Pats fan, as far as I am concerned there will always be an asterisk by all of there SB wins from those in the past and into the future.
As for Bobby up top, give Norv some credit. He took this team much further than Marty did. Regular season wins don't matter as long as the team makes the playoffs and Marty didn't get any playoff wins as a Charger coach while Norv clearly has. Injuries were the problems for the Chargers. A healthy LT, Gates and Rivers and I think the Chargers win the game.
As for the Bethard days and the last Charger SB appearance, I prefer to have a GM keep first round picks instead of trading them away for second and third round picks. The Charger team IMO, under Bethard towards the end was lacking in talent in part due to the trading away of the early picks and bad drafting.
The Chargers may not make it back to a SB under Norv, but this team is far more talented then the one Ross took to the SB.
Richard wrote on Jan 25, 2008 2:17 PM:One winning season at washington then opps!!!!! if you possible think turner is going to change we are in for a long season next year. if run run pass on long yards is the plan.if you think turner is our man.then what an ofensive guru he is.i can call all the same playes he calls with one differance i dont coach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to predictable and if i can do that then any defensive coach will be able to do the same thing. i dont know what you so called professionals saw but i know what i saw and it was not pretty and it all sounds like alot of yes men working for A.J.Smith
Jose wrote on Jan 25, 2008 2:23 PM:I agree with Bobby about the team's fortunes regressing since last season. Furthermore, it's hard to speculate that Norv has done such a great job with the Bolts this year.
I believe that credit goes to the players LT and Merriman who sat down with their team mates to decide their team objective for the remainder of the season.
The fact that the Chargers turned their season around as a team has helped Norv to save face from whast could've been a fate similar to Cam Cameron's in Miami...one and done!
I don't want to take away what Norv has brought to the table for the Chargers organization. We just need to try and put things into perspective. There were many things facing the Chargers early on this season.
There were adjustment issues to the new coaches and schemes. Getting Marty of their heads and buying in to Norv's game plan for the team. Also, there appears to be some subtle discord personality issues among some player (LT vs Rivers..??).
The litmus test for Norv and the Chargers will be next season after he has finished fine tuning the staff and team in his image. We'll just have to wait and see.
It's curious to think that Norv's 3-2 record in Jan. is considered a winning record (maybe in comparison to Marty). That's roughly 66%. I'm not sure that's all that great but it's better than one and done, surely.
Wonder how this team would've fared wiht Marty at the helm especially in the gold and red zones. Would the Bolts have had a better win/loss record And higher seed?
Would he have gotten the play off monkey of his back and advanced to the AFC Championship? We'll never know. He was shown the door a bit too early to really know.
Go Bolts...with Marty's remnants fully out of the pictue, we now we can see what kind of a team we really have next sesaon.
James wrote on Jan 25, 2008 3:46 PM:I'll tell you what Marty did. He blew the Jet playoff game by sitting on the ball for three downs and no gain relying on a rookie kicker to make a pressure kick in the rain...NICE MOVE. He also made a challenge against the PATS that was just idiocy...he had no chance of getting it overturned...the Chargers lost a timeout and instead getting closer with that timeout the Chargers had to settle for a 54 yard field goal, which of course Kaeding missed...thanks Marty. Players make mistakes but coaches have no excuse for putting their team in bad positions..HE PANICKED...THANKS MARTY...
MARTY HAD CHOKED IN EVERY PLAYOFF HE WAS IN. HE HAD THE BEST RECORD IN THE LEAGUE WITH THE CHIEFS AND JOE MONTANA AT FRIGGIN' QUARTERBACK...HOW THE HELL DID HE BLOW THAT?
Norv's team beats a good Titan team with an elite defense...beats the world champs on the road....goes toe to toe with an undefeated team...How is that regressing...I guarantee you Marty blows that Titan game. Also if you think Marty was guaranteed to have an even better season after 14-2 last year. ..I guess you forgot after that 12-4 season which ended in that Jet debacle...Marty took that rising team to a lovely 9-7 season and no playoffs...NICE WORK. ON TOP OF THAT HE PLAYS BREES IN A MEANINGLESS GAME WHEN THE FRONT OFFICE WAS ENCOURAGING HIM TO PLAY RIVERS...AND WHAT HAPPENED...BREES BLOWS OUT HIS SHOULDER...NICE CALL MARTY
MAN YOU GUYS EITHER HAVE SHORT MEMORIES OR ARE JUST REALLY IGNORANT!
san diego guy wrote on Jan 25, 2008 4:59 PM:LOL at the pats fan... news flash, the pats hardly crushed the chargers in the AFCCG, they won by 9 points. Hardly a blowout.... get a clue
d'rocky wrote on Jan 25, 2008 5:13 PM:i am ever so happy! my chargers are fun to watch again. i've had season tickets for 45 years and have watched the great teams and the real stinkers. our current team is the best on offense, defense, and special teams all together the best team in chargers history. i eagerly look forward to another great year. my god, watching LT for the last seven years has just been amazing. what a gifted athlete and downright good human being.
SEAN C. wrote on Jan 25, 2008 5:44 PM:Bobby blah blah, "regressed" ??? We won 2 freaking playoff games this year with Turner at the helm I`d say that is a step forward. Jaque blah blah, Buster was in his rookie year while playing along side pass catchers Gates, Tomlinson,Chambers & Vincent Jackson who finally blossomed in his 3rd year under FORMER recievers coach Lofton. With a new perspective coming from Charlie " Charger & NFL Hall of Famer" Joiner the WR`s will continue to improve. You doom & gloomers are going to have a tough time bashing our Chrgers next season so you might want to look up some other NFL blog sites start with the Raiders ... Although I do like the guys on 1090 they got it wrong when they called out LT as unanomously voiced by his team mates voting him MVP
Arkansas Ron wrote on Jan 25, 2008 6:18 PM:Bobby, I have one question. ARE YOU A CHARGER FAN? Because all your comments point that you are not.
The Chargers are ahead of last year by one game in the playoffs. If they improve by one game they will be in the Superbowl next year, and with an aging defense and lack of cap room to help, the Patriots will not be as good next year--plus an easier schedule, the Chargers are in prime position next year.
As far as Norv goes, I was not liking the move 5 weeks into the season, but he proved me wrong. He knows what he is doing. What you did'nt see was bone head play calling (going for it on 4th and ll--throwing the red flag and costing a timout on a call everyone knew was correct--and marching down the field mixing run and pass only to call straight running plays to kick an impossible field goal when both kickers struggled all game). If you don'nt know which games or what I'm talking about---Your not a real Charger fan. Get of Norv-LT-Rivers---Hey, get off the bandwagon and leave this site to real Charger fans!! We'll be back next year.
BOLT BELIEVER wrote on Jan 25, 2008 6:24 PM:I 2nd that D`Rocky, my self a fan since 78. ITS GREAT TO HEAR FROM A FAN WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS GOOD FOOTBALL WHEN HE SEE`S IT.CHARRRRRRGERRRRS !
Sean C. wrote on Jan 25, 2008 6:27 PM:Reported on 1090 today al Davis has asked for Lane Kiffans resignation. Can it get any worse for the Raider faithfull
PAL52 wrote on Jan 25, 2008 6:48 PM:James gets it. The franchise moved forward this year. With Norv. Because of Norv.
Regressing is winning two playoff games and playing the Pattys to a standstill as opposed to blowing a playoff game after a week off?
Quit picking at this team like it's still 1999 and off the rails. Bolts are an elite NFL squad now. Deal with it.
Jimbo wrote on Jan 25, 2008 7:53 PM:No matter what anyone says, Norv was the Raiders coach....bad luck....nuf sed.
James wrote on Jan 25, 2008 8:22 PM:Allright ALL Charger fans...ONE thing I know we can agree on:
Kiffin/Davis...resignation...RAIDERS IN THE ABYSS...A CRAPPY FUTURE CONTINUES ON:
AH YES, DON'T WE ALL FEEL WARM AND FUZZY.
RAIDERS ARE OFFICIALLY THE WORST FRANCHISE IN THE LEAGUE...JUST MOVE BELOW THE DOLPHINS:
NOW I KNOW WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT!
TAKE CARE, GOTTA GO BACK TO LAUGHING MY A@# OFF OVER THE RAIDERS PLIGHT!
Daniel wrote on Jan 25, 2008 8:46 PM:After reading some of the comments, like those by bobby, I wonder why you even pay attention. ... You clearly don't understand what is going on with this football team. The people who critcized Rivers and Buster Davis are equally clueless. Sorry Chargers fans, but this team is going to be good for a long time so you're just going to get to keep being miserable. Evidently that's how some of you feel after one of the greatest seasons in the history of the franchise.
Sean C. wrote on Jan 25, 2008 9:39 PM:1.achilles last stand 2.song remains the same 3.tea for one 4.since i`ve been loving you 5.babe i`m gonna leave you 6.stairway to heaven 7.rock n roll 8.tangerine 9.the rover 10.battle of evermore 11.tangerine 12.night flight 12.ten years gone 13.over the hills and far away 14.immagrant song 15.the rover 16.thats the way.......well these are some of my fav`s Just like these songs the current roster of Charger players are definately classics, & will be remembered as long as there is an NFL
LVsupercharged wrote on Jan 25, 2008 10:05 PM:Great post James. I love how some "fans" forget about the heart aches with Marty.
ktchargers wrote on Jan 26, 2008 8:18 AM:to all whinner fan. Norv did the hell
of the job so stop whining if you like
to whine then go to Raider Nation or
Black Hole that way when you're crying
no body knows.and James I'd like your
comments one more thing last year if we
didn't go for 4 & 11 we'll beat the pat
in ot. because LT is made for ot
ProudBoltFan wrote on Jan 26, 2008 5:06 PM:The Chargers had a great season and I am proud of every one of them. AFC Championship Game? Hanging in there with the undefeated Patriots in the freezing with banged up players? I have never seen a better Charger team in my 30+ years of watching them. Great Job Bolts. Criticizers...Shut up and get a life!
lindsedg wrote on Jan 26, 2008 10:13 PM:They won no playoff games last year and they won two this year. Norv is obviosly a good couch. A 14 and 2 season doesn't mean anything if you can't win in the palyoffs.
Richard wrote on Jan 27, 2008 8:13 AM:a 13 and 6 season dont mean nothing if you dont win the super bowl. no differance
bolthead45 wrote on Jan 27, 2008 8:37 AM:This season our bolts took 2 more steps
to becoming a dynasty YES you read this right a dynasty so bolt fans... REAL fans take heart because WE WILL BE IN THE NEXT SB!!!!!!
patriot wrote on Jan 27, 2008 11:42 AM:i know what its like to have be a fan of the worst team in the nfl, now i know whats its like to win 3 out of 5 super bowls, i feel for you guys, however, norv, LT (quitter), merryman , rivers cannot lead them to the championship. i know because i have seen better fail. some of its luck, all of these players are good, when they stick a microphone in your face and you talk like a punk, the opposing players then know that you are a fraud.
BoltDan wrote on Jan 28, 2008 8:49 AM:First off, you Faithfull as you call yourselves are all afraid to look in the mirror. Some people call out weak spots for a point. Not to bag on the Bolts but to say why is this weak spot still allowed to continue. So get off the people who want to make the team great. Jeesh a little critic and you all go balistic.
Second, you all keep reading what the trib and NCTimes keep feeding you and we will be stuck with Norval for a long time. Don't drink the Kool-Aid, guys. Did you watch the same game against the Patsies that I did??? Norv was run-run-pass the whole game. I believe that the team did well even with this bad play calling. Ho about that time out on goal to go and OH! a run up the middle...hmmmmm genius. So I still have my questions about Norval. Is he and AJ the second coming??? probably not. I just want to win a SB and we were so close the last two years and now we better not slide back. NORV needs to open up the playbook and let the dogs loose. Or we will be in the back seat again.
NY ChargerFan wrote on Jan 28, 2008 10:01 AM:Alot of people are giving Norv way to much heat. He took this team to the AFC Championship game, and to be honest he had this team playing maybe the best football in the NFL before the injuries slowed the offense down. For those who love to Knock Norv for the job he did in the past with the Raiders and Redskins. What have those teams done since his depature. I am looking forward to next year!!!
PeterA wrote on Jan 28, 2008 5:55 PM:The chargers regressed? Get a clue you moron. They went all the way to the AFC title game and would've won with a healthy Gates, LT, and Rivers. Norv did what Marty could not do - Take the team deep into the playoffs. Marty is long gone so get over it because he's not coming back. It's Norv's team now and the best is yet to come.
BoltDan wrote on Jan 29, 2008 8:42 AM:Hire Bill Cowher!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! then we go to the promise land....SB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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