Bye to season? Bolts better be ready to turn it on

San Diego general manager A.J. Smith is concerned, though he admits he's almost always concerned. Only this time he has reason to worry: Four games into the season, his Chargers are in trouble.

They've won as many as they have lost, which is nothing new in early October. They have injuries galore, too. And that's nothing new, either. But put the two together, throw in last weekend's clobbering in Pittsburgh and add Denver's unbeaten record, and you know why Smith is in a foul mood. America's Finest City does not have America's Finest Football Team.

LaDainian Tomlinson has only 20 carries for 70 yards on the season. (US Presswire)

"We're in a jam," Smith said. "But the question is: What happens from here?"

Stay tuned, because the way Smith sees things the next three games determine where the Chargers go. They have this weekend off and will need it to rest up for what's ahead. Because what's ahead is an Oct. 19 Monday night home game against the division-leading Broncos, who will be no worse than 4-1 and could be 5-0. Follow that with division games against Kansas City and Oakland, and by the end of the month Smith thinks he'll have an idea where the team is headed.

"After four games, we have an opportunity to make a statement or make a run," said Smith. "But if we don't, we'll deprive ourselves of an opportunity of playing in the playoffs."

That's a dramatic statement from the GM of a club that in 1992 lost its first four games before winning the division. But Smith is right. Once the Chargers were the most talented team in the NFL. Not anymore. They're thin on their offensive line, where injured center Nick Hardwick will miss most of the season, and they're thin on their defensive line, too, with tackle Jamal Williams and defensive end Ryon Bingham each out with season-ending injuries.

That's just the beginning. Star running back LaDainian Tomlinson has missed two games and part of a third with a sprained ankle. At the age of 30, he may have hit the wall.

Quarterback Philip Rivers has been marvelous but, because he often is forced to play from behind, has been asked to throw way too many times. Consequently, he's taking a beating behind an overmatched offensive line.

Opponents are running all over the Chargers, averaging 151 yards per game, while the secondary has been little more than adequate, with cornerback Antonio Cromartie downright dreadful in last weekend's 38-28 loss to Pittsburgh.

Smith doesn't want to read too much into that loss. Neither does coach Norv Turner. Both have been through lopsided defeats before, only to have their clubs recover and go on to the playoffs.

"That can happen to you," Smith said.

I covered the 1994 San Francisco 49ers when they were smoked 40-8 in the fifth game by Philadelphia. The loss was so bad that then-coach George Seifert benched quarterback Steve Young, and irate fans called for Seifert's firing. Well, he wasn't fired, Young didn't stay on the bench and the 49ers didn't get hammered again. In fact, they won their next 10 and went on to a fifth Super Bowl victory.

That's an encouraging lesson for the Chargers, except for this: They don't have the talent San Francisco had. As I mentioned, they're depleted on the offensive and defensive lines, especially in the middle, and that could be a huge issue as they move forward, because it already is. The evidence was there in Pittsburgh when the Steelers exploited their opponent on both sides of the ball, running up and down the field behind -- get this -- a backup running back.

I don't know how good Rashard Mendenhall is, but I do know how bad the Steelers' running game has been. A year ago, it ranked 23rd, averaging 3.7 yards a carry. Before facing the Chargers, it ranked 27th, averaging 3.3 yards per attempt. Then Mendenhall produced a career-best 165 yards, the Steelers averaged 4.9 yards a carry and -- presto! -- Pittsburgh jumped to 16th in team rushing.

"Disappointing," said Smith.

Disgraceful is more like it. The Steelers went 79 yards on just six plays on their opening drive, 65 yards on their second, 57 on their third and 74 on their fourth. The defense that was supposed to be so improved under new coordinator Ron Rivera was abominable, with Pittsburgh rolling up a season-high 497 yards and the Chargers incapable of stopping the running game or quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

"If we could just get one stop to help out the offense," safety Eric Weddle lamented afterward. "We just couldn't seem to put it together."

I would say that's an accurate summary. Look, I didn't expect the Chargers to win in Pittsburgh. They never do before January. But I did expect them to serve as something more than a speed bump for Pittsburgh. They convinced themselves afterward that Pittsburgh was ready for a breakout game, that coming off consecutive losses and returning home made the defending Super Bowl champions exceptionally dangerous. And they're probably right.

But what does it say about San Diego that it couldn't respond? Now you know why Smith is anxious. Now you know why everyone who follows the Bolts should be anxious, too. Maybe San Diego just doesn't have the players to compete with teams like Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New England or -- dare I say it? -- Denver. I know it was one game, but it sent shock waves through Southern California. And it should.

"The question," Smith said, "is not what happened, but what's beyond that. How do you rebound and respond?"

I guess we're about to find out. Normally, I don't put a lot of emphasis on games in mid-October, but I'll make an exception for the Chargers' next start. With the club floundering and Denver flexing its new-found muscle, the Bolts can't afford a repeat of last weekend. Moreover, the run of victories and inspired play they typically reserve for the second half of the season cannot wait. It better start soon.

"Is there a sense of urgency among your players?" I asked Smith.

"I hope so," he said. "But how can I say? I do know that if you win a game you can get on a roll, and it's a run that builds confidence. It's not an individual game. When you get on a run all of a sudden it can turn on switches."

Well, then, somebody turn one on in San Diego. And soon.