The Post Mortem: Chargers Hate Winning

The Chargers extended the contract of Norv Turner just one day after the latest playoff pratfall, showing that A.J. Smith does not care about the winning as much as he cares about having a coach that he can boss around.

"I'm extremely proud of the job Norv has done with this team," Chargers president Dean Spanos said in a statement.

"In three seasons he's led the team to three division titles. I'm confident that if we strengthen our roster and continue to provide Norv the assets he needs, this team will have continued success."

Really? Because you fired coach Marty Schottenheimer for the same reason. And honestly, why extend a guaranteed contract for a coach? Were the Chargers worried that some team was going to swoop in for Turner?

What really blows is that John Fox will be a free-agent next season. Good luck getting that new stadium, guys.

WE PROBABLY will not get the Brett Favre-like drama from the Kurt Warner Machine, who will likely retire. And not a moment too soon, following two teams gets a bit tedious. But consider that Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin (who will not request a trade) and the rest of the Cardinals offense will lobby hard for the KWM to come back one more time. They have all seen what the offense will be like with Matt Leinart, and that is not good.

The defense did not look good, either. How many points did the defense give up in six quarters? You could tell once Jerheme Urban (who has surpassed Jarrod Washburn as having sport�s most misleading name) fumbled that the Cardinals offense was kind of deflated, and the Saints were going to win. Quite a change from the opening moment when Tim Hightower scored a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. You thought, wow, the Cardinals are going to dominate here.

But the Saints drove down the field with little resistance and scored. The Cardinals were cooked from that point on.

Warner was not as good as he was the week before, turning in a pedestrian performance. The Saints went after his head a number of times � as he had talked about all week � a few were called, but the damage was done. Warner already was thinking of retirement at that point. Too bad, I am going to miss the KWM era.

THE CHARGERS should draft players from the U like the Raven does, so they can have a contest to see who can make the most boneheaded plays. Ed Reed, cover up the damn ball and go to the ground. These idiot defensive players think that they can score every time they touch the ball. But they all seemingly fumble as much as they score touchdowns. Be somewhat aware of your surroundings.

The referees were probably relieved that Reed fumbled because they did not have to make up some nonsensical helmet-to-helmet of phantom holding call to bail out the Colts. Raven is dumb enough to cough the ball back up.

COWBOYS LB Keith Brooking sure knows the meaning of sportsmanship. Way to continue to whine about the Vikings running up the score. Now, the common refrain is to stop the other team from scoring. And that is true. So what happens if a Cowboys player ran in and pulled the Charles Martin on Favre. Would you say that the offensive line just needs to stop that guy? Alright, at least Favre was operating within the rules of the game. And while it was a Madden stunt, it has my blessing.

Favre�s career was marred by the Cowboys stomping his Mississippi mudhole. And while the only recognizable Cowboys face was Troy Aikman up in the broadcast booth (and some ghostly face that resembled what Jerry Jones once looked like), you can forgive Favre for having a little bit of fun at Dallas� expense.

Of course, Favre was one of those guys complaining when the Cowboys allegedly ran up the score by kicking a seventh field goal back in the 1990s.

Favre might have also won me over, too, but just do not leave your pants on the ground. Pants on the ground. Looking like a fool with your pants on the ground.

HIRING CHAN Gailey is akin to hiring Conan O�Brien, you are just going to have to replace him in seven months. What a give-up move by the Bills. Buffalo could not find some hot-shot coordinator to take that spot? I mean, seemingly every possible candidate has turned down the job, but what was Jim Mora doing?

Or Marty Schottenheimer? The Bills would never win anything, but at least they would be competitive. Gailey could not last the preseason with the Chiefs last year. Even Norv Turner�s contract extension thinks this is a bad idea. Even the University of Tennessee thinks this was a bad idea.

AND FINALLY �

Chuck can suck it for killing off Angie Harmon. And let me guess, Amanda Peet will not be on How I Met Your Mother going forward, either, right?