Norv Turner: Why He Shouldn't Remain Head Coach of the San Diego Chargers

With a career record of 58 wins, 82 losses and one tie before being hired by the San Diego Chargers, it’s puzzling why Norv Turner was hired in the first place. Turner habitually turned NFL teams to mediocrity once he was named head coach.

Turner inherited a Chargers team that went 14-2 in 2006, with the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Marty Schottenheimer’s 2006 Chargers had an abysmal collapse in an AFC Divisional game versus the New England Patriots and his firing followed the conclusion of the game.

Following Turner's inheritance of the 2006 squad, his previous track record surfaced:

2007: 11-5          Playoffs: 2-1

2008: 8-8            Playoffs: 1-1

2009: 13-3          Playoffs: 0-1

2010: 9-7            Missed Playoffs

Turner’s teams have been known to start off the season extremely slow, and in 2010, the Chargers were usable to make up for their slow start, and failed to make the playoffs.

Although I never enjoy to see someone get fired, it's become pretty clear that Turner isn’t cut out to be an NFL head coach. I do believe that he should get one more season with the Chargers and if he doesn’t at least make the Super Bowl, then he should be terminated.

The Chargers' window of opportunity has been closing slowly over the years, and it may very well be shut now. Philip Rivers is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, and his best seasons are being wasted.

The Chargers' best chances to win were from 2006-09, and now with the emergence of new AFC powerhouse teams such as the New York Jets, it looks like the Chargers' chances are looking dim.

Turner's teams look unprepared, especially during the first few games of the season. In 2010, the Chargers special teams ruined their playoffs hopes, and Turner was unable to fix those problems that started in the season opener. He did not make adjustments.

With A.J. Smith's recent draft busts (Buster Davis, Larry English, etc.), Norv Turner isn’t the only one to blame for the Chargers' decline.

The 2011 season is looking like a make or break season for Turner, but his season is already starting with uncertainty due to the NFL lockout. With a new special teams coach in place and a new defensive coordinator, Turner has a lot of work to do in order to turn around the Chargers.

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