The San Diego Chargers announced today that Inside Linebackers Coach Ron Rivera has been named the team?s new defensive coordinator following the termination of Defensive Coordinator Ted Cottrell. Rivera is in his second season in San Diego after spending the previous three seasons (2004-06) as the defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears. In 2006, the Bears finished fifth in overall defense, third in scoring defense, and led the NFL with 44 takeaways on their way to appearing in Super Bowl XLI. Cottrell was on the Chargers? staff in 2007-08.

Chances are you saw a majority of the thirteen games played on Sunday in the NFL?s Week Eight, but there is no need to worry if you weren?t watching all the action. RealGM is here to help summarize all that went down as NFL teams took the field in the final full weekend of October. We will also calculate each team?s Trench Counter*. Philadelphia 27, Atlanta 14 Team Trench Counter: Eagles +13.6, Falcons -13.6 The Philadelphia Eagles (4-3) allowed the Atlanta Falcons (4-3) to take a 7-0 lead but rallied to win relatively easily at Lincoln Financial Field. Donovan McNabb went 19-for-34 with 253 passing yards and had 25 rushing yards and a touchdown, his first since 2006, in the victory. Brian Westbrook, who was returning from a pair of fractured ribs, starred for the Eagles. He had 209 total yards (167 rushing and 42 receiving) and two rushing touchdowns against Atlanta. Rookie Matt Ryan, who is a native of the Philadelphia area, went 23-for-33 with 277 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Roddy White continues to be Ryan?s favorite target; he caught eight passes for 113 yards and two scores in the loss. Michael Turner had some troubles against the Eagles? rush defense, tallying just 58 yards on seventeen carries (including a 22-yard run). N.Y. Jets 28, Kansas City 24 Team Trench Counter: Jets +0.3, Chiefs -0.3 Brett Favre tossed a ton of interceptions, but the New York Jets (4-3) were still able to down the struggling Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) on Sunday. Favre went 28-for-40 with 290 yards, two touchdowns, and the three aforementioned picks. Laveranues Coles (7 catches, 64 yards) and Leon Washington (3 catches, 34 yards) were the beneficiaries of Favre?s touchdown strikes. Washington and Thomas Jones combined to rush for 121 yards and two scores in the win while New York?s defense sacked Tyler Thigpen four times. Thigpen played well for Kansas City, going 25-for-35 with 280 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith combined to tally 60 rushing yards on sixteen carries in the absence of the suspended Larry Johnson. Dwayne Bowe caught six passes for 102 yards while Tony Gonzalez and Mark Bradley connected with Thigpen in the end zone. Chiefs' rookie cornerback Brandon Flowers intercepted Favre twice, the first takeaways of his career. New Orleans 37, San Diego 32 Team Trench Counter: Saints +5.4, Chargers -5.4 The New Orleans Saints (4-4) defeated the San Diego Chargers (3-5) on Sunday at London?s Wembley Stadium. Drew Brees went 30-for-41 with 339 yards and three touchdowns in the victory, as the Saints won without Reggie Bush. Deuce McAllister had 55 rushing yards and a touchdown on eighteen attempts while Pierre Thomas added 28 yards in the win. Brees ran into his own end zone for a safety with less than ten seconds left on the clock in a strategic move by coach Sean Payton that paid off. Philip Rivers was nearly as good as Brees, but an interception ended up costing the Chargers. Rivers went 25-for-40 with 341 yards, three touchdowns, and the turnover. LaDainian Tomlinson, who said during the week that San Diego needed to run more, rushed for 105 yards on nineteen carries in the loss. He also caught five passes for 65 yards and a score while Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson also had receiving touchdowns overseas. New England 23, St. Louis 16 Team Trench Counter: Patriots +7, Rams -7 Matt Cassel struggled, but the New England Patriots (5-2) still knocked off the St. Louis Rams (2-5) at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. Cassel went 21-for-33 with 267 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the victory while Kevin Faulk and BenJarvus Green-Ellis combined to rush for 76 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Randy Moss, who appears to finally be gelling well with Cassel, caught seven passes for 102 yards. New England's defense was able to break through and sack Marc Bulger four times. Bulger went 18-for-34 with 301 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. Without Steven Jackson, who sat out with a thigh injury, Antonio Pittman ran for 83 yards on nineteen carries. Rookie receiver Donnie Avery had a career day, catching six passes for 163 yards and scoring in the loss. The loss ended a two-game win streak for the Rams, who began the season with four-straight losses. Miami 25, Buffalo 16 Team Trench Counter: Dolphins +11.6, Bills -11.6 The Miami Dolphins (3-4) notched a key win over a divisional rival on Sunday after downing the Buffalo Bills (5-2) in South Beach. Chad Pennington went 22-for-30 with 314 yards and a touchdown while Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams combined for 59 rushing yards and a score in the victory. Ted Ginn Jr. enjoyed a spectacular afternoon, catching seven passes for 175 yards against the stifling Buffalo secondary. Trent Edwards went 21-for-35 with 227 yards and an interception since a majority of the Bills' offense came on the ground. Marshawn Lynch had 61 yards and a touchdown, and Fred Jackson added another 41 yards in the loss. Lee Evans had another big day, catching seven passes for 116 yards, but he wasn?t able to find the end zone. The Bills lost three fumbles, stalling drives on multiple occasions. With the loss, the Bills are now tied with the Patriots for first-place in the AFC East. Washington 25, Detroit 17 Team Trench Counter: Redskins +10.4, Lions -10.4 The Washington Redskins (6-2) defeated the Detroit Lions (0-7) in a surprisingly close battle at Ford Field on Sunday. Jason Campbell went 23-for-28 with 328 yards and a touchdown while Clinton Portis rushed for 126 yards on twenty-four carries. Shaun Alexander, who made his Redskins' debut on Week Seven against Cleveland, had just 11 yards on six carries. Santana Moss caught nine passes for 140 yards and a score and also ran a punt back 80 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Dan Orlovsky, making his third-straight start for the winless Lions, went 21-for-35 with 223 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Rudi Johnson and Kevin Smith had just 33 yards and a touchdown between them while Orlovsky added 17 yards on a pair of carries himself. Shaun McDonald caught five passes for 68 yards while Calvin Johnson grabbed four balls for 57 yards and a touchdown. Johnson has now caught four touchdowns in his last five games. Dallas 13, Tampa Bay 9 Team Trench Counter: Cowboys +2.4, Buccaneers -2.4 The Dallas Cowboys (5-3) got back on track Sunday against the Tampa Buccaneers (5-3) in a very hard fought game. Brad Johnson went 19-for-33 with 122 yards and a touchdown in the win while Marion Barber carried the ball twenty-five times for 71 yards. Terrell Owens led the Cowboys in receiving with five catches for 33 yards. After Johnson threw three interceptions in Week Seven?s loss to the Rams, Wade Phillips limited him to immediate throws against Tampa Bay. Jeff Garcia went 27-for-43 with 227 yards in the loss, failing to throw a touchdown after a huge game against the Seahawks last Sunday night. The Dallas defense limited Earnest Graham, who rushed seventeen times, for just 42 yards. Running back Clifton Smith caught just one pass for 13 yards and lost a fumble, the only turnover of the game. Carolina 27, Arizona 23 Team Trench Counter: Panthers +7.3, Cardinals -7.3 The Carolina Panthers (6-2) outlasted the Arizona Cardinals (4-3) at Bank of American Stadium this weekend. Jake Delhomme went 20-for-28 with 248 yards and two touchdowns in the win while DeAngelo Williams exploded for 108 rushing yards and a score, as well. Jonathan Stewart had just 10 yards on eight carries against Arizona. Steve Smith was the beneficiary of both of Delhomme?s touchdown strikes as he caught five passes for 117 yards to move the Panthers into first place in the NFC South. Kurt Warner aired it out once again, going 35-for-49 with 381 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Edgerrin James, who complained this week about his lack of touches, ran for 17 yards on seven carries and lost a fumble in the defeat. Larry Fitzgerald caught seven passes from Warner for 115 yards, and Anquan Boldin, who returned for the first time since fracturing his sinus in Week Four against the Jets, grabbed nine balls for 63 yards and two trips to the end zone. Baltimore 29, Oakland 10 Team Trench Counter: Ravens +6.4, Raiders -6.4 The Baltimore Ravens (4-3) jumped out to a 19-0 lead against the Oakland Raiders (2-5) on Sunday and never looked back. Rookie Joe Flacco went 12-for-24 with 140 yards and a touchdown, a 70-yard strike to Demetrius Williams in the second quarter. Flacco also ran in a 12-yard score in the fourth that put the game away for good. Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le?Ron McClain helped Baltimore dominate on the ground, rushing for 154 yards and scoring a touchdown against Oakland?s defense. JaMarcus Russell was 15-for-33 with 228 yards, a touchdown, and an interception for the Raiders. Without Darren McFadden, Oakland struggled on the ground. Justin Fargas and Michael Bush combined to run for just 32 yards on seventeen carries in the loss. Rookie receiver Chaz Schilens had the best game of his young career against the Ravens, catching three passes for 76 yards. Russell was sacked four times while Flacco went untouched. Houston 35, Cincinnati 6 Team Trench Counter: Texans +18.4, Bengals -18.4 The Cincinnati Bengals (0-8) remain winless after getting beaten soundly by the Houston Texans (3-4) at Reliant Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Matt Schaub went 24-for-28 with 280 yards and three touchdowns while rookie Steve Slaton had 53 yards and a touchdown on fifteen carries in the victory. Schaub hooked up with Kevin Walter (five catches for 70 yards) twice and David Anderson (two catches for 28 yards) once in the end zone while connecting with Andre Johnson on eleven occasions for 143 yards. Jacoby Jones got the Texans on the board with a 73-yard punt return early in the first quarter. Ryan Fitzpatrick struggled once again, going 20-for-32 with 155 yards and a pair of interceptions in the team?s eighth-straight loss. Cedric Benson had 49 rushing yards, while Fitzpatrick added 42 yards on seven carries himself. T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad ?Ocho Cinco? Johnson combined for thirteen receptions and 98 receiving yards, but couldn?t reach the end zone against Houston. In addition to his two interceptions, Fitzpatrick also lost a fumble as he accounted for all of Cincinnati?s turnovers. Cleveland 23, Jacksonville 17 Team Trench Counter: Browns +5.4, Jaguars -5.4 The Cleveland Browns (3-4) are just one win away from .500 after holding off the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) in Florida on Sunday afternoon. Derek Anderson went 14-for-27 with 246 yards and a touchdown while Jamal Lewis had one of his best games of the season with 81 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Braylon Edwards caught two passes for 64 yards while tight end Steven Heiden, who was filling in for Kellen Winslow, led the team with three receptions for 73 yards. Donte Stallworth, who had three catches for just 13 yards, was the recipient of Anderson?s only touchdown pass. David Garrard, who had a very Garrard-like stat line, went 25-for-42 with 283 yards and two touchdowns in the close loss. Garrard added 59 rushing yards on seven carries while Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor had just 53 yards between them. Matt Jones led Jacksonville with eight catches for 117 yards and a touchdown, including a 35-yard reception that kept the Jaguars? hopes alive in the final seconds. Seattle 34, San Francisco 13 Team Trench Counter: Seahawks +4.7, 49ers -4.7 Seneca Wallace improved mightily over his performance against the Buccaneers last Sunday as he led the Seattle Seahawks (2-5) to an emphatic win over the San Francisco 49ers (2-6) at Candlestick Park. Wallace went 15-for-25 with 222 yards and two touchdowns, both connections with fullback Leonard Weaver, who had four catches for 116 yards. Maurice Morris and Weaver had problems on the ground, combining for 29 yards on thirteen carries, but Seahawks got all they needed on offense. J.T. O?Sullivan went 13-for-21 with 131 yards and an interception and was benched by new coach Mike Singletary after his eleventh fumble of the season. Shaun Hill replaced O?Sullivan and went 15-for-23 with 173 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Hill also rushed for twenty yards on two carries while Frank Gore added 94 yards on the ground and 65 receiving yards in the team?s fifth-straight loss. Seattle managed to record five sacks en route to their first win in four tries. N.Y. Giants 21, Pittsburgh 14 Team Trench Counter: Giants +7.8, Steelers -7.8 The New York Giants (6-1) scored twelve points in the fourth quarter on their way to a comeback win over the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) at Heinz Field. Eli Manning went 19-for-32 with 199 yards and a touchdown, while Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward had 84 rushing yards on thirty-one carries in the difficult win. Kevin Boss, who had four catches for 34 yards, was the recipient of Manning?s only scoring pass. Plaxico Burress, who was held out of the starting lineup after missing a treatment for his injured neck on Saturday, had just three catches for 15 yards. Ben Roethlisberger had his worst game of the season, going 13-for-29 with 189 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions against New York?s ball-hawking defense. The Steelers were without Santonio Holmes, who was deactivated for the game after being arrested for drug possession last week. Mewelde Moore continued his hot streak in relief of the injured Willie Parker, running for 84 yards and a touchdown. Nate Washington caught just one pass, a 65-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Rookie Limas Sweed caught three balls for 28 yards in just his second appearance. Tennessee 31, Indianapolis 21 Team Trench Counter: Titans +3.1, Colts -3.1 The Tennessee Titans (7-0) remained unbeaten on Monday night after an impressive win over the rival Indianapolis Colts (3-4). Kerry Collins was more than good enough, going 24-for-37 with 193 yards, while Chris Johnson and LenDale White took care of business on the ground. Johnson had 77 yards and a touchdown and White added two scores and thirteen yards in the victory. Tennessee's defense also pestered Peyton Manning, forcing two interceptions. Manning went 26-for-41 with 223 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss. Dominic Rhodes had 70 yards on seventeen carries, and Chad Simpson added 23 yards on four carries in the absence of Joseph Addai. Dallas Clark broke out, catching seven passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns, but the Colts struggled in key situations and couldn't stop the Titans' attack in the second half. Indianapolis led 14-6 midway through the third, but Tennessee rallied to score 25-straight points en route to victory. *Explaining The Trench Counter

Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson believes that the team can salvage their season by using their rushing attack more often. "I don't want to say you can't be successful not running the ball, but it's really not realistic. Most good teams run the football," Tomlinson said. Tomlinson's 123 carries are his fewest through seven games in his eight-year career. "There comes a time ... you can't abandon it," guard Mike Goff said. "I don't think one-sided offense can win in this league." Tomlinson claims that he hasn't been able to establish a rhythm this season. "I just feel like at times we can do better in getting more opportunities in getting it going a little better," Tomlinson said. "It's hard to run when you don't have a chance to get in a rhythm."

With San Diego's season on the brink, playing a game across the Atlantic Ocean in London could bring the team together. "I think it is," running back LaDainian Tomlinson said in a Monday media session. "It is a good escape for us. Obviously losing (to Buffalo), a lot of guys are really down about that loss. I think it really gives us time to take a deep breath, time to get away from the national media in the States and just have some time to ourselves and really just get close and bond a little bit."

Helium balloons with metallic tails released near Ralph Wilson Stadium became entangled in power lines Sunday, knocking out electricity at the Bills-Chargers' game. Power went out about thirty minutes prior to the game, was restored in time for the kickoff, but then went out again about three minutes into the game. After a 10-minute delay, play was resumed with officials keeping track of time on the field. Power was restored briefly in the second period then went out again. It came on to stay with 8:35 left in the third quarter.

The Chargers have had one of the NFL's most prolific offenses over the last five years, beginning with the 2004 season when they ranked third in points scored. A good portion of the team?s offensive success can be attributed to the presence of LaDainian Tomlinson. In eight-plus seasons with San Diego, Tomlinson has rushed for 11,055 yards and 119 touchdowns. Never has L.T. tallied fewer than 1,200 yards or 10 touchdowns in a season. However, this season ? thanks to a toe injury and an above-average passing attack ? Tomlinson is on pace for just 1,080 yards and eleven touchdowns. The former would be a career-low, while the latter would be his lowest mark since 2001, his first season in the NFL. Despite Tomlinson?s down year (he?s still tenth in rushing yards and tied for seventh in rushing scores), the Chargers lead the NFL in points scored through the season?s first six weeks. So, how are they doing it? Philip Rivers is not-so-quietly putting together his best season. Rivers has 1,489 yards, 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions through his first six games. His completion percentage, 61.8, is slightly higher than it was two years ago (61.7) when he threw 460 times. He?s on pace to throw 440 times in 2008, but that total would likely be higher if he weren?t so successful on his completions. He?s averaging an astounding 14.6 yards-per-completion this season, nearly three yards more than he had in the last two years. His league-leading quarterback rating, 109.4, is twenty-seven points higher than it was last season (82.4) when he tossed for 3,152 yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He?s on pace to be sacked just as much as he was in ?07, twenty-two times, but he is making the most of the time his offensive line is giving him. While Tomlinson, and backup Darren Sproles (139 yards), are getting their carries, coach Norv Turner is calling more passing plays when the Chargers are in position to score. It helps that Rivers is averaging so many yards-per-completion, but the numbers indicate that something more serious is going on in San Diego. Chargers' Offensive Touchdowns Scored Season: Pass TDs, Rush TDs, Ratio Pass/Rush 2008: 14, 4, 3.5 (actual) 2008: 37, 11, 3.5 (projected) 2007: 22, 19, 1.16 2006: 24, 32, 0.75 2005: 27, 22, 1.23 2004: 29, 24, 1.21 2003: 21, 16, 1.31 2002: 17, 19, 0.90 2001: 16, 13, 1.23 Could it be that Tomlinson has lost a step in his eighth year, and Turner is trying to disguise this with more focus on the passing game? L.T. is on pace for 290 carries this season, twenty-five fewer than he had last year. He is also averaging a career-low in yards-per-game (67.5) and fewer yards-per-attempt (3.7) than he has since his rookie year (3.6). Here is a look at how Tomlinson's production has decreased in each of the last three seasons: L.T.'s Offensive Statistics Season: Carries Per Game, Yards Per Carry, Yards Per Game, Rush TD Per Game 2008: 18.2, 3.7, 67.5, 0.67 2007: 19.7, 4.7, 92.1, 0.94 2006: 21.8, 5.2, 113.4, 1.75 Click to read more of Andrew's analysis on the changing offensive philosophy in San Diego:

San Diego receiver Chris Chambers remained sidelined on Thursday with a sprained ankle. He hasn't practiced since Oct. 5, when he hurt the ankle in a loss to the Dolphins. Chambers leads the Chargers with five touchdown receptions. He hasn't suffered any setbacks regarding the injury. "Not at all," Chambers said Thursday. "It's progressively getting better. I did more today, and every day it is getting better."

The San Diego Chargers came close to making a trade at the deadline for Michael Bush, league sources said Sunday. The Raiders backed out of the deal just before the deadline, sources said. According to a Bay Area source, the sides were close on terms, believed to be a second-day pick, before the Raiders pulled the deal.

Chargers' running back LaDainian Tomlinson believes that the team's game against the Patriots this Sunday is a must-win. "We can't afford to go 2-4," Tomlinson said Monday. "There's too tough a road ahead. We can't keep on doing this and saying this. It's at a point where it's becoming a must win for us if we're going to do the things that we set out to do at the beginning of the year." Tomlinson, who is nursing an injured toe, hasn't been himself through the first five weeks of the season, but the rushing attack hasn't been the team's only problem.

The San Diego Chargers added linebacker Stephen Cooper to the active roster today and released defensive tackle Brandon McKinney. Cooper returns to the roster after being suspended by the NFL for the first four games of the season.