Before last year, football and San Diego went together about as well as ice hockey and El Salvador. The 2003 San Diego Chargers finished the regular season at the bottom of the league standings at a disappointing 4-12. Three years earlier, the team had swallowed an abysmal 1-15 record in 2000 and chased it down with an AFC West-worst 5-11 in 2001. We all know the story behind San Diego?s astonishing 2004 turnaround, but the question remains: was it just an enormous fluke, or a sign of much bigger things to come? I?ll save you the effort of reading down to the bottom of this article: the San Diego Chargers are as legitimate a contender as any in 2005, and will likely remain so for the rest of the decade. After being knocked out in the first round of last year?s playoffs by a deceptively-strong Jets squad, San Diego has refrained from basking in the glory of its worst-to-first, eight-game swing and has instead set its sights on 2005. The defending AFC West champs know they are young and talented on both sides of the ball, and with the taste of success fresh in their mouths, there?s no turning back for these former perennial underachievers. Entering this season, Marty Schottenheimer?s club boasts not only the best tailback in the NFL, but the league?s most dangerous offensive trio outside the state of Indiana, as well. LaDanian Tomlinson, who ran for an NFL-best 17 touchdowns in 2004, will return alongside a budding star in quarterback Drew Brees, and an explosive young talent in third-year tight end, Antonio Gates. In light of Priest Holmes recent injuries and Clinton Portis? and Shaun Alexander?s lack of complimentary aerial attacks, Tomlinson has established himself as the league?s premier big play back by scoring 54 times and rushing for nearly 6,000 yards in his first four seasons. Brees, perhaps spurred on by the success of his fellow 2001 Charger rookie, Tomlinson, and the drafting of the talented Phillip Rivers, threw 27 touchdowns, 3,159 yards, and a mere 7 interceptions in 2004. His favorite target, Antonio Gates, seems to be emerging as the heir apparent to Tony Gonzalez?s throne as the best tight end in football. Not only do Gonzalez and Gates share a flair for basketball, both were also among the league?s top three tight ends in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns last year. Gates, in particular, notched 13 scores in 2004 ? fourth among all NFL receivers and tight ends. Throw in a solid offensive line and role players like Keenan McCardell, Reche Caldwell, Jessie Chatman, Lorenzo Neal, and Nate Kaeding, and it?s no wonder that San Diego ranked behind only Indianapolis and Kansas City among the league?s highest scoring offenses in 2004. Although the Charger defense struggled at times last season, the unit still managed to finish second in rush defense in the AFC and has remained relatively intact through the offseason. With the selections of standout linebacker, Shawne Merriman, and promising defensive tackle, Luis Castillo, the squad enters the upcoming season with arguably the league?s most talented defensive front seven. Although cornerback Quentin Jammer may be the only dependable link in a suspect San Diego secondary, defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, will undoubtedly implement zone blitzes and various coverage schemes to maximize the production of his developing defensive backs. As long as the Charger defense can keep opponents under three touchdowns a game ? they allowed an average of 19.6 points per game last season ? the highly potent offensive attack should be able to take care of the rest. With a six-game midseason stretch featuring a home game against the Steelers, and road match-ups versus New England, Oakland, Philadelphia, and the New York Jets, it will certainly be a much tougher road for the Chargers in 2005. Yet, it is clear that Schottenheimer?s squad has the talent to play with the league?s elite, and after a bittersweet conclusion to the 2004 campaign, look for LaDanian and the resurgent Chargers to rack up twelve or thirteen regular season victories and make a legitimate run towards Ford Field in February.