SAN DIEGO -- A.J. Smith constantly assesses the Chargers, the team he has spent thousands of hours and painstaking care in building.

Right now he identifies weaknesses, lots of them.

There are times, too, when Smith takes a look in the mirror.

He does not like what he sees there, either.

"I'm not very pleased with my own contributions over the last two years," Smith said. "Personally, I critique myself like I do every year.

"I need to do a better job."

These are not off-the-cuff remarks. In dealing with the media, the Chargers' general manager usually goes in with a game plan. He gets his message out, and leaves it at that.

During his Feb. 26 "State of the Chargers" address, Smith, reading off color-coded folders, stuck steadfastly to his script. He was critical of several of his players (all of whom went unnamed) and, somewhat surprisingly, himself.

What were Smith's motives? Why would he go out of his way to chastise himself? Was it a preemptive strike, knowing that with another NFL draft looming, his performance is about to receive its annual public dissection by the media? Flat out honesty?

Hard to say. Smith is a strange cat. He likes to zig while everyone else zags. How many other NFL general mangers lay out their offseason plans, cryptic as they are, to the media?

During his self-critique, Smith might want to delve into his all-or-nothing personality. He might want to tell himself there are times when it's good to have a bit of wiggle room, that all-in isn't the best play on every hand.

If there's a player Smith likes in the NFL draft (Eric Weddle), he'll spare no expense in acquiring him. If there's a free agent Smith likes on the Chargers' roster (Luis Castillo, Kris Dielman) he'll spend freely to keep them.

That's fine, if the players produce. Weddle, Castillo and Dielman all underachieved last season.

The Chargers, often running behind Dielman, desperately tried to establish a power running game. By the midpoint of the season, it was clear that pass-first was the only offense they could win with.

The Chargers, trying to make up for the loss of injured pass-rushing demon Shawne Merriman, needed exceptional play from their defensive line. They did not get it, as the blitzers found precious few gaps to burst through.

As a result, opposing quarterbacks -- in no danger of being body-slammed to the turf -- routinely picked apart the Chargers' defense.

"We need to have a solid, consistent running game," Smith said. "We have to figure out how to stop passing assaults on this football team. We have to get off the field.

"Until we figure those things out, we will not go where we want to go. We need to fix it."

Did you hear that? "We need to fix it."

The Chargers, in some areas at least, are broken. Smith isn't afraid to acknowledge it.

The offensive line needs to get better. So do the safeties and inside linebackers.

Presumably, a lot of Chargers players have had uncomfortable sit-downs with Smith in the last few weeks.

Smith is hoping those have been humbled by so-so performances that led to an 8-8 regular season.

"I think there are quite a few guys who felt pretty good about themselves and the team," Smith said. "They probably bought all the magazine covers (predicting the Chargers to win the Super Bowl), and probably had them hanging in their room somewhere. I don't think we'll be on many magazine covers this year.

"That makes me happy."

Smith won't be on the cover of GM Illustrated anytime soon, either.

The spectacular rise and fall of Antonio Cromartie has made Smith, alternately, look like a genius and a lunatic for taking a cornerback with one college start so high in the draft.

Wide receiver Craig Davis, a first-round pick in 2007, has shown nothing that justifies being selected so early.

Careers will be on the line next season, Smith has made that clear. His performance, after all, is linked to theirs.

As for Smith, next season already has started.

"I need to pick up my game," he said.

Contact sports editor Loren Nelson at (760) 740-3551 or lnelson@nctimes.com.