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With their usually high-powered offense struggling, the San Diego Chargers are hardly playing like a team many consider to be a contender for the Super Bowl.
The Green Bay Packers, meanwhile, are coming off their highest-scoring game in nearly two years, with Brett Favre leading his team to its best start in six seasons.
The Chargers (1-1) once again try to get their offense on track, while the surprising Packers (2-0) look to keep rolling when they square off Sunday at Lambeau Field.
San Diego was the NFL's highest-scoring team last season, averaging 30.8 points and finishing with a league-best 14-2 record before losing to New England in its playoff opener. The Chargers had the fourth-ranked offense behind reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, but this year, they rank near the bottom of nearly every offensive category. San Diego is 24th in the league with just 28 points.
"I'm concerned because there is a standard here and we expect to be more productive and we expect to move the ball," first-year coach Norv Turner said. "We need to be more productive and we're not going to be more productive if we turn the football over."
Last Sunday against the Patriots, San Diego turned the ball over three times - all in the first half - as it went into halftime down 24-0 before losing 38-14. The Chargers were also shut out in the first half of their season opener against Chicago before rallying to win 14-3.
Last season, they scored in the first half of every regular season game.
"The most concerning thing for me was turning the football over in the first half," Turner said. "You turn the football over, you don't give yourself a chance. It's a disrupting thing."
Philip Rivers had two interceptions and lost a fumble Sunday. He's thrown for 369 yards, two touchdowns and three INTs on the season.
Tomlinson propelled the offense last year, rushing for a career-high 1,815 yards and scoring an NFL-record 31 touchdowns, but he's gotten off to a horrible start this season. He's averaging 1.9 yards per carry with 68 yards on 35 rushes - his lowest combined yardage total for any two consecutive games in his seven-year career.
"I don't know that anything that you say is going to reassure anybody," Turner said. "What we have to do is go perform. We have to go play the way we're capable of playing."
Green Bay is performing better than most expected after losing four of its first five games in each of the past three seasons. The Packers are off to their best start since opening 3-0 in 2001 following Sunday's 35-13 win over the New York Giants - their highest-scoring game since defeating New Orleans 52-3 on Oct. 9, 2005.
"The offseason program, through training camp, and really now with the two wins, I just see the confidence building," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think it's real confidence. It's not manufactured, and I think that's important. Our guys believe. They know they can improve. They believe in the work week and what it takes to get ready for a football game. It's growing, a lot of energy in the building."
Green Bay has won six straight dating to last season, and both of its victories this year have come against 2006 playoff teams - the Giants and Philadelphia.
Favre become the winningest quarterback in NFL history Sunday, surpassing John Elway with his 149th victory.
"I'm not going to sit here and lie to you," said Favre, who was 29-of-38 for 286 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. "I'm not going to turn it down. I've always been about the team. That hasn't changed. I think it's unfair that the quarterback gets labeled with wins and losses. I think it's a team effort."
The eight-time Pro Bowler is three TD passes away from tying Dan Marino's all-time mark of 420.
Favre has won all four of his starts against the Chargers, with the Packers outscoring San Diego 131-47 in those games. The three-time league MVP has thrown for 828 yards, 10 TDs and four interceptions during those contests.
In the last meeting Dec. 14, 2003, Favre threw for 278 yards, four touchdowns and one INT to lead the Packers to a 38-21 victory.
Tomlinson gained just 51 yards on 20 carries in that game, but caught 11 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
Green Bay has won seven of eight all-time meetings against San Diego, with the Chargers' only victory coming at Lambeau Field in 1984.
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/features/writers/expert/picks
With their usually high-powered offense struggling, the San Diego Chargers are hardly playing like a team many consider to be a contender for the Super Bowl.
The Green Bay Packers, meanwhile, are coming off their highest-scoring game in nearly two years, with Brett Favre leading his team to its best start in six seasons.
The Chargers (1-1) once again try to get their offense on track, while the surprising Packers (2-0) look to keep rolling when they square off Sunday at Lambeau Field.
San Diego was the NFL's highest-scoring team last season, averaging 30.8 points and finishing with a league-best 14-2 record before losing to New England in its playoff opener. The Chargers had the fourth-ranked offense behind reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson, but this year, they rank near the bottom of nearly every offensive category. San Diego is 24th in the league with just 28 points.
"I'm concerned because there is a standard here and we expect to be more productive and we expect to move the ball," first-year coach Norv Turner said. "We need to be more productive and we're not going to be more productive if we turn the football over."
Last Sunday against the Patriots, San Diego turned the ball over three times - all in the first half - as it went into halftime down 24-0 before losing 38-14. The Chargers were also shut out in the first half of their season opener against Chicago before rallying to win 14-3.
Last season, they scored in the first half of every regular season game.
"The most concerning thing for me was turning the football over in the first half," Turner said. "You turn the football over, you don't give yourself a chance. It's a disrupting thing."
Philip Rivers had two interceptions and lost a fumble Sunday. He's thrown for 369 yards, two touchdowns and three INTs on the season.
Tomlinson propelled the offense last year, rushing for a career-high 1,815 yards and scoring an NFL-record 31 touchdowns, but he's gotten off to a horrible start this season. He's averaging 1.9 yards per carry with 68 yards on 35 rushes - his lowest combined yardage total for any two consecutive games in his seven-year career.
"I don't know that anything that you say is going to reassure anybody," Turner said. "What we have to do is go perform. We have to go play the way we're capable of playing."
Green Bay is performing better than most expected after losing four of its first five games in each of the past three seasons. The Packers are off to their best start since opening 3-0 in 2001 following Sunday's 35-13 win over the New York Giants - their highest-scoring game since defeating New Orleans 52-3 on Oct. 9, 2005.
"The offseason program, through training camp, and really now with the two wins, I just see the confidence building," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I think it's real confidence. It's not manufactured, and I think that's important. Our guys believe. They know they can improve. They believe in the work week and what it takes to get ready for a football game. It's growing, a lot of energy in the building."
Green Bay has won six straight dating to last season, and both of its victories this year have come against 2006 playoff teams - the Giants and Philadelphia.
Favre become the winningest quarterback in NFL history Sunday, surpassing John Elway with his 149th victory.
"I'm not going to sit here and lie to you," said Favre, who was 29-of-38 for 286 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. "I'm not going to turn it down. I've always been about the team. That hasn't changed. I think it's unfair that the quarterback gets labeled with wins and losses. I think it's a team effort."
The eight-time Pro Bowler is three TD passes away from tying Dan Marino's all-time mark of 420.
Favre has won all four of his starts against the Chargers, with the Packers outscoring San Diego 131-47 in those games. The three-time league MVP has thrown for 828 yards, 10 TDs and four interceptions during those contests.
In the last meeting Dec. 14, 2003, Favre threw for 278 yards, four touchdowns and one INT to lead the Packers to a 38-21 victory.
Tomlinson gained just 51 yards on 20 carries in that game, but caught 11 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
Green Bay has won seven of eight all-time meetings against San Diego, with the Chargers' only victory coming at Lambeau Field in 1984.
