Are the Chargers This Year’s Steelers or Colts?

By Tom Shanahan

E-MAIL STORY

Tuesday, June 26, 2007 | NFL mini-camps and off-season programs have wrapped up until training camps open a month from now. Soon we’ll be inundated with NFL preseason predictions.

Here’s something to consider if you’re among those "football experts" who say the Chargers wasted their Super Bowl opportunity in 2006 when the team went 14-2 in the regular season yet lost its first playoff game despite homefield advantage throughout the AFC tournament.

Tom Shanahan

In 2004, the Pittsburgh Steelers finished the regular season at 15-1, and after suffering an upset loss in the playoffs despite homefield advantage, popular opinion was they let their window to the Super Bowl slam shut.

The next year the Steelers barely made the playoffs as a wildcard team, but they went undefeated in the post-season en route to a Super Bowl title.

In 2005, the Indianapolis Colts went 14-2, but they were upset in the playoffs despite homefield advantage. Again, popular opinion was that their window to the Super Bowl had closed.

The next year, the Colts lost four of their last seven games entering the playoffs and were seeded only No.3 in the AFC tournament. But just like the Steelers, they went on to win the Super Bowl.

And that brings us to the Chargers.

Does recent history with the Steelers and Colts tell us anything about the Chargers in 2007? Not really, but it does show us that the NFL regular season and the NFL playoffs are two different worlds.

And that brings me to Freddy Keiaho, the Indianapolis Colts linebacker from San Diego State. He was a rookie in 2006 that came away from his first NFL season with a Super Bowl title despite never playing in a college bowl game.

That’s the irony of football and sports in general. A team’s regular season record tells us everything and nothing about what will happen in the playoffs, and a player’s college history in the win-loss column can do a 180-degree in the pros.

Keiaho says the feeling that the Colts wasted their Super Bowl opportunity in 2005 never permeated the locker room. He heard that message early as a wide-eyed rookie from veteran center Jeff Saturday.

"Jeff Saturday told the team, 'This is our time,'" Keahio said. "That was the feeling of the team all year. There was never a feeling that we missed our opportunity. We were confident we could win the Super Bowl."

Keiaho said that same message was absorbed from head coach Tony Dungy. The Colts didn’t let their 3-4 skid shake their confidence.

"He told us the regular season is when you earn your pay and the playoffs is when you have fun," Keiaho said. "He is such a great coach to be around. He’s always so calm."

Dungy repeated his message when the Patriots took a 21-3 lead in the second quarter of the AFC Championship game.

"When we were down against New England, he said we were going to go down and score, stop them on defense, score again and win the game," Keiaho said. "That’s what we did. We were very patient."

This season Keiaho, a 5-foot-11-inch, 226-pound backup linebacker and special teams star, has a chance to move into the starting lineup. He jumped up on the depth chart at outside linebacker when Cato June left the Colts to sign a free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Keiaho’s strong rookie year also came despite a setback. He was injured in the preseason and missed six games before he cracked the lineup.

"Being a third-round draft pick, I was confident I could contribute right away," he said. "They wouldn’t draft me that high if they didn’t think I could play in the NFL. I had a good season, and the coaches said they liked what they saw from me. (Starting linebacker) Gary Brackett is the team captain, and he took me under his wing."

Keiaho made the leap to the NFL despite starting only one year with the Aztecs. He came to SDSU as a running back, but once he shifted to linebacker, he was behind Kirk Morrison, now with the Oakland Raiders, until getting his chance to start as a senior in 2005.

He credited linebackers coach Andy Buh, who is now on Stanford’s staff. Buh was hired this year by new Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, the former University of San Diego coach.

"Andy Buh is the reason I’m in the NFL," Keiaho said. "First of all, he’s a great football coach. He did a great job with all the linebackers at San Diego State. But he’s also the reason I switched from running back to linebacker. He saw it as my future."

But what no one knew -- not Buh nor any of the "football experts" -- was that the Steelers and Colts would bounce back from their disappointing seasons to win that elusive Super Bowl title.

Tom Shanahan is voiceofsandiego.org's sports columnist. He is the media coordinator for the San Diego Hall of Champions. You can e-mail him at toms@sdhoc.com. Or send a letter to the editor.

7 Comments so far on this story...

The Chargers are without question the most talented team in the NFL. It's all a matter of the mental game at this point (barring major injuries, that is). If the Chargers don't win the Super Bowl this year, it will be a disappointment, but not a surprise. The Padres are a different matter. They will be one of the best teams (if not THE best) in the National League during the regular season, but unless they acquire some offense, they will once again lose in the first round of the playoffs. They are the Oakland Athletics of the NL.

Posted by Poppa | reply to this comment
June 26, 2007 7:36 am

The Chargers will be lucky to go 500. The difference between the Chargers, Colts and Steelers is that the Colts and Steelers have serious owners-while the Chargers have Spanos. Spanos has proven he does not have the brain power, or the talent to support a winning team. Just as he fired Bobby Ross after 4 straight winning seasons, followed by 10 years of losing seasons after Ross was fired-the same will happen this year. Marty wa a winner-Turner is a loser-and history will repeat itself. We dont need a new stadium, we need a new owner.

Posted by Billy! Bob! Henry! | reply to this comment
June 26, 2007 7:45 am

Does it really matter if they have all the heart and soul on the field? Or all the talent? The bosses are creating a negative environment by not closing the deal on a new stadium on the Qualcomm property. These players and staff need to be assured of a stadium located in Mission Valley, not in Marinetown, uh Oceanside, or in Chulajuana..I mean Chula Vista. Centrally located gives better job security and attracts continuing talent both on the field and off.

Posted by Mandy | reply to this comment
June 26, 2007 7:54 am

San Diego won't win, the Colts will win again

Posted by Colts | reply to this comment
June 26, 2007 8:15 am

I have lived in San Diego my entire life and was born and bred a Charger Fan, yes even when we were horrible. I'm suprised by the criticism and negativity among our own fans regarding the stadium issue and the tough schedule this year. This is the most talented team we have had since, well since ever. I ask that all true fans of the Bolts stand behind the team, fight for a new stadium and to keep the Chargers here in SD. Many nay-sayers claim that San Diego doesn't need the Chargers, well i say send those folks back to Arizona, Nor-Cal, the East coast or wherever they came from, because the Chargers are a part of SD...the most important part as far as im concerned. I'm looking forward to a great season, more success in the playoffs and if my prayers are answered a Super Bowl WIN!

Posted by Bolt Fan | reply to this comment
June 27, 2007 12:12 am

Billy!Bob! What are you talking about? The Chargers were 14-2 last year, the best in the NFL. They'll be very good again this year. You're talking sports out of your ...

Posted by N. Casperson | reply to this comment
July 3, 2007 1:28 pm

Good one Casper! BBH posts opinions on everything on VOSD. He is a hater and should get a job to occupy his time. The Chargers will be in the hunt for sure! I can't wait.

Posted by D. Woods | reply to this comment
July 5, 2007 10:04 am

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