The Chargers put the lid on what on the most bizarre camps they've had in years.

They hit the field for good Sept. 13 in a Monday Night game against the Chiefs. Maybe at that point the year will take on a sense of normalcy.

The recently concluded camp will be known almost for as much as who wasn't here and those in attendance.

The Chargers got linebacker Shawne Merriman in late and never did see two other Pro Bowlers, left tackle Marcus McNeill and wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Those two are still bent over the lack of a long-term contract and it appears unlikely they will play much -- if at all -- for the Chargers this year.

That's quite a blow to a squad with Super Bowl aspirations -- again -- and the Chargers were hoping this was the year they finally evolve from talking about being an elite team to becoming one.

The Chargers are still in line to have a fantastic season. They are loaded on offense -- if the left tackle spot holds -- and seem to have enough on defense.

They are the benefactors of playing in the wobbly AFC West and their non-divisional schedule is as soft as a baby's backside.

But the Chargers are eager to do more than be among the regular-season top dogs -- they certainly were last year in going 13-3 and winning their last 11 games.

Nope, this season will be judged in how they do in the postseason. And on that count, the Chargers have failed miserably, losing three of their last four playoff games. That includes that January stinker in which the upstart Jets upset the No. 2-seeded Chargers.

But the Chargers have much ground cover before worrying about erasing their latest playoff pratfall. They must prove worthy of their fifth straight AFC West title and prove to the doubters they can excel without Jackson and McNeill.

This season also marks the turning of the page from LaDainian Tomlinson to Ryan Mathews. While somewhat downcast to see Tomlinson move on to the Jets, it's clear they are excited about the opportunities to resurrect a horrible running game behind the zest of a rookie back in Mathews.

What they don't have to tinker with is Philip Rivers. He's among the game's top players and proved it last year in topping 4,000 yards passing for the second consecutive season, with the AFC's top quarterback rating.

Now will his numbers suffer without Jackson stretching the field and opening up the underneath routes for Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates? We'll see. But Rivers is the type of players who makes those around him that much better.

Despite some team blemishes, coach Norv Turner has been clear that this is the best team he's had while in San Diego. That seems to be a stretch, possibly a coach trying to build the younger players' confidence.

But he could be on to something, with a new mix of personnel which could help the Chargers get over the hump.

That said, the Chargers won't be anything special unless they discover a pass rush. That chore was to fall to Shawn Merriman, and it still could. But Merriman hasn't been the same player since undergoing knee surgery two years ago and he needs to show he still has the speed and quickness that were once his calling cards.

But all the cards on the table and what do you have? Another solid roster constructed by general manager A.J. Smith, but one with enough blemishes that makes you wonder if this really is the year.

What's clear is that a Chargers era has ended with Tomlinson and many other longtime stalwarts now at different addresses. The question remains can the Chargers deliver only the second Super Bowl appearance in team history, something that has seemingly been promised about this time every year in recent memory.

COACHING
Norv Turner, 13 year (84-102-1), 4th with Chargers (35-19).

REMEMBERING
2009 record: 13-3 (1st in AFC West); lost in divisional game to Jets, 17-14.

PREDICTING
2010 regular-season record: 11-5 (1st in AFC West); lose in divisional game.

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