Philip Rivers Backs Norv Turner: ‘It would be Crazy’ if He Were Fired

The Chargers are coming alive late in the season like usual. They have won three in a row and are now 7-7. The win streak comes after a disastrous six-game losing streak that featured a botched exchange leading to a loss against the Chiefs. A few weeks ago, it was a near certainty that head coach Norv Turner would be fired. It was likely GM A.J. Smith was going with him. Now that the team is rallying late in the year, quarterback Philip Rivers is trying to end the fire Norv talk.

“Regardless of what happens the next two weeks,” Rivers said after Sunday’s game, “it would be crazy for Norv to not be here. We’ve won 48 games in five years. Norv can’t make every throw. Norv didn’t fumble. You can’t go, ‘Gee, Norv, why did you throw that pass?’”

I understand Rivers’ point, and you can make the same argument when any coach gets fired: he’s not the one screwing up on the field. But the issue is a coach is supposed to give his team the best chance to win. Does Norv do that? On a weekly basis, he does not, and it’s been that way for a while.

It is time for a new head coach in San Diego, regardless of what Rivers says. It would be great to retain Norv as the offensive coordinator, but I doubt he would be willing to do that. He’s still a good offensive coach.

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