Chargers prepare for next game against Seahawks
Listen to this articleIn the previous two seasons the Seattle Seahawks were the dominant team in the NFC, winning the Super Bowl in 2014 (2013 NFL Champions) and making it to the Super Bowl earlier this year. For the San Diego Chargers, how they play against a great team like the Seahawks will be a good measure for how they will start the season.
Most of their starters will start in this game; in their previous game against the Arizona Cardinals many of them sat out the entire game, including quarterback Philip Rivers. At Tuesday’s post-practice press conference, Rivers was asked about the importance of playing in preseason games. “It is important. You gain certain things and certain things you try to get out of each time you’re out there. Traditionally the third one’s the one you play a little more; it’s usually the last real time that we’re all out there together until the opener.”
But Friday’s game will be a big test for both the defense and the offense of the Chargers. Head Coach Mike McCoy soke about the progress of the team, “[We are] just trying to get better as a team. I think there’s pluses and minuses to the first two preseason games. We did some things better with some things we really wanted to work on and make sure we did a better job with in all three phases. There’s some things we took a step back on. That’s going to happen from week to week. You gotta find ways to win games.”
Inside linebacker Donald Butler was upbeat about the young rookies in camp, especially Nick Dzubnar, “Nick is a young guy just running around out there trying to hit somebody. Looking at the young guys, that’s what you want to see: high energy guy, high effort guy. He’s picking up the system fairly fast, which is always good for a young guy.”
The big young guy on the team is rookie running back Melvin Gordon. For him every game is important. “To me, to a rookie, to a young guy coming in, I think every game is a stepping stone for me, regardless of what team it is. I feel in the NFL every team is good.”
Is he ready for the next game? “I’ll definitely be prepared. It’s just that sometimes it’s just a little fast. You just want to be right, you don’t want to mess up, you feel like they’ll take you out. You just gotta be calm, be relaxed and go through your progression and you’ll be good.”
Below is my video from the press conference. It will only be available for 24 hours so enjoy it.
(Photos by Claudia Gestro)
Claudia is of Peruvian and Italian descent, having been born in a small town, in the North of Peru, South America. She was raised by her grandmother from an early age, living in poverty until Claudia’s mother brought her to America. She landed in Miami, FL and started her new life, playing high school basketball and eventually becoming a United States citizen. Claudia completed her education at Florida International University with a BA in Broadcast Journalism and became a model to supplement her income. Since graduating from FIU Claudia has worked with many of the Spanish Language broadcasting companies, including Telemundo, Univision and most recently Spanish Language channels on SiriusXM satellite radio and PasTV Deportes in Venezuela.She encourages you to follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Her content appears here under a shared content agreement with her Spanish television clients.