Why I’m excited about the Chargers this season

Editor’s note: It’s season preview week at SB Nation. Here’s why we’re excited about the Los Angeles Chargers.The Los Angeles Chargers are legitimate contenders this year and not just for the AFC West crown. They are actual Tyrell Williams Jersey , honest to God Super Bowl contenders in the 2018-19 NFL season. The primary reason for that is Philip Rivers. As any football fan knows by now, your window for playoff contention let along Super Bowl contention begins and ends with having a franchise quarterback. Rivers is not just a franchise QB; he’s a borderline Hall of Famer and he’s only on the borderline because his teammates have not been good enough to sustain a playoff run that ended in a championship. This season could very well be different.On the offensive side of the ball, Rivers has an offensive line in front of him that on paper is as good as any he has seen in his professional career. The additions of Mike Pouncey at center and Forrest Lamp at guard should push a once-mediocre line to an above average one and potentially a great one. At running back, the Chargers have an actual three-down back in Melvin Gordon as well as a dynamic change-of-pace back in Austin Ekeler. The tight end position is shallow with the loss of Hunter Henry to injury, but at wide receiver the Chargers have one of the league’s very best in Keenan Allen as well as an up-and-comer in second-year wide out Mike Williams who has flashed the skills that made him the 7th overall selection year.Despite all of that talent on the offensive side, the biggest reasons for optimism are on the defense. Joey Bosa is in the argument for best defensive player in the NFL and he is paired with Melvin Ingram to form one of, if not the, best pass rushing duos in the league. Even after losing Jason Verrett to injury, Gus Bradley has one of the most talented cornerback groups in franchise history with Casey Hayward, Trevor Williams, and Desmond King. At linebacker, Denzel Perryman is a differencemaker and he will be joined by the likes of Kyzir White and Jatavis Brown who both have the upside of quality linebackers. That this group is being joined by arguably the best defensive player from this year’s draft in Derwin James is borderline unfair for opposing defenses.At this point in time, if you are a Chargers fan and you are not excited about the upcoming season, you are just not paying attention. Tennessee played without its starting quarterback and top three offensive tackles against J.J. Watt Authentic Keenan Allen Jersey , Whitney Mercilus and the rest of Houston's challenging defense.Mike Vrabel and his assistants responded with a few timely tricks for the Titans.Ryan Succop kicked a 31-yard field goal with 1:00 left, and the battered Titans held off the Texans 20-17 on Sunday for Vrabel's first victory as an NFL head coach against the team he worked for the past four seasons.Succop also kicked a tying 42-yarder in the fourth quarter as Tennessee (1-1) delivered with quarterback Marcus Mariota watching from the sideline."It's a huge win," Titans quarterback Blaine Gabbert said. "Getting Vrabes his first win as a head coach was awesome. And this team had a lot of adversity throughout the week. The guys fought their way to this win. I'm just extremely proud of those guys."Deshaun Watson and Houston had the ball last. With 17 seconds left, Watson ran around the field looking for a receiver. He found DeAndre Hopkins for a 31-yard completion to the Tennessee 21, but time expired before the Texans could run another play."We tried to take a shot," Watson said. "We didn't have any timeouts, and they guarded the sideline very well. My instincts took over and tried to get the ball and time ran out."Houston coach Bill O'Brien said they were trying to get in field goal range to force overtime."We've got to do a better job of coaching that play up," O'Brien said.Gabbert, starting for his fourth different NFL team, threw for 117 yards and a touchdown.With Mariota sidelined by an elbow injury that created numbness in his throwing hand, Vrabel and the Titans (1-1) got creative. They dipped into the playbook and used some wildcat with Derrick Henry on offense, and All-Pro safety Kevin Byard set an NFL record when he tossed a 66-yard touchdown pass on a fake punt.Tennessee allowed only one sack to Houston (0-2), which was missing a couple defensive starters in linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and end Christian Covington. The Titans came up with four sacks and an interception.Watson threw for 310 yards and two TDs as Houston outgained Tennessee 437-283 in total offense.On Tennessee's opening drive, Byard hit a wide-open Dane Cruikshank down the right sideline. Byard's TD pass was the longest by a defensive player in the Super Bowl era Youth Michael Schofield Jersey , easily topping the mark set by Rams defensive back Ed Meador on Nov. 19, 1967.On the next drive, the Titans went with the wildcat with Henry before Gabbert finished the drive with a screen pass to Taywan Taylor, who went 18 yards for the TD and a 14-0 lead before the end of the first quarter.Titans cornerback Adoree Jackson got his first interception in the NFL, beating Hopkins for the ball in the end zone.MISSING PASS RUSHThe Titans threw only 20 passes. Texans star J.J. Watt went against right tackle Tyler Marz, signed from the Titans' practice squad Saturday and making his NFL debut. Watt had two tackles for loss but no quarterback hits. The Texans finished with one sack on defense with two quarterback hits.FAKE PUNTByard credited Vrabel with telling him before the game not to second-guess himself and just run the fake if he saw the Titans' gunner uncovered on the outside."He put the trust in me man, and I really appreciate that," Byard said.INJURIESThe Titans played without two-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan, who is recovering from a concussion. Right tackle Jack Conklin has yet to return after tearing a ligament in his left knee in January. Dennis Kelly, who had replaced Conklin, was out with an illness.The Titans started Kevin Pamphile, a free-agent signee in March, at left tackle.Titans running back David Fluellen hurt a groin muscle in the first quarter and did not return.UP NEXTTexans: Home opener against the New York Giants.Titans: A second straight AFC South opponent with a trip to Jacksonville.Follow Teresa M. Walker at teresamwalker