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If you walk in to the waiting room at Chargers' headquarters in Serra Mesa, you will be immediately struck by one image. There, right behind the reception desk, is a huge thirty-foot plus mural of the greatest play in Charger history.

In 1994, on a cold day in Pittsburgh, inside linebacker, Dennis Gibson, swatted down an almost certain touchdown pass from Neil O'Donnell and sent the San Diego Chargers to the Superbowl against the 49ers. The Chargers would go on to get slaughtered, and still, 14 years later, they have yet to return.

Fortunately, this season the 2008 San Diego Chargers are widely considered to be the most talented team in the NFL. However, regardless of the positive perception of the team coming from the national media, there is little upside to being the consensus favorite to win the Superbowl at the beginning of the season, because A) the NFL is the biggest sport in the world, making expectations almost impossible to live up to, and B) the NFL is by far the most violent team sport in America, making every team one or two knee injuries away from having its high hopes of success completely smashed.

Key San Diego Chargers 2008 Players
What's interesting about the hype San Diego is receiving is that the Chargers is essentially the same team it was a year ago. Sure, there are a few new key pieces, but most of the buzz surrounding the team is based on the hopeful maturation of the young talent that has been around for the last few seasons. This is exciting, but it also leaves a lot of questions.

The Chargers still have two of the most exciting and respected offensive talents the league has to offer: in running back Ladainian Tomlinson and tight end Antonio Gates. And they still have two of the most feared defensive players in linebacker Shawn Merriman and cornerback Antonio Cromartie. Also, watch for Andrew Pinnock's development as the replacement for standout running back Micheal Turner, and look for the second year strong safety Eric Weddle to play a big part in shutting down the Chargers' opponents with big deep threat tight ends, a trend that seems to grow in the NFL every year.

2008 NFL Games to Watch
In the NFL, every game in the division is important. However, this year the Chargers are the only team that has somewhat of an established quarterback. Phillip Rivers is still developing, but he is light years away from Denver's Jay Cutler, Kansas City's Brody Croyle, and Oakland's DeMarcus Russell. The Chargers should win all of these six games within their division in 2008 with no problem.

The biggest game of the year is with out a doubt the game against the New England Patriots. Last year they knocked the Chargers out of the playoffs, and have for the last few years been the standard to which every NFL team should be measured. Tom Brady throws a perfect ball, he has perfect hair, he has perfect teeth, and his girlfriend, super model Giselle Bundchen is, well, just too freaking perfect. He needs to be destroyed.

Insider Sports Tips
If you have children, do not bring them to the San Diego Charger home game against the Raiders. Every year, the game racks up more arrests for assault than any other annual game in the NFL. Raiders fans invade the stadium, get drunk, and unleash their evil onto Charger fans that are just trying to have a good time. If you go to that home game at the Q, just remember the underdeveloped brain of a Raiders' fan doesn't understand the difference between right and wrong. And yes, they do bite.

Hopefully this year the Chargers can get over the Patriots hurdle and take it all the way. It will be a long season, and there is a lot to prove. But we have to start somewhere.

Now it's time to prep for your game time party spots. Check out the Top Ten Upscale San Diego Sports Bars.

For all information about 2008 Chargers season at Qualcomm Stadium, visit the official website of the San Diego Chargers here. All Chargers photos courtesy of Chargers.com.