'One of the most exciting games of the preseason'
Seriously, that's what Chargers coach Norv Turner said Tuesday about the fourth and last exhibition game. The Chargers play it Thursday night against San Francisco, and Turner has indicated that his starters will play no more than 10 or 12 plays, with guys competing for jobs getting the rest of the work.
The full quote:
"People minimize the fourth preseason game, but I think it's one of the most exciting games of the preseason. It truly is some guys out there who (are) fighting to win a job, trying to find a way to stay on the football team."
The deadline for trimming rosters to the regular season limit of 53 is 1 p.m. (PST) Saturday. After that's done, teams bring back eight players for their practice squads.
"There's a lot of guys we're going to make decisions on -- a defensive lineman for the practice squad, a receiver for the practice squad," Turner said. "In week 12, sometimes you're activating a guy off your practice squad.
"So you have your group of guys, 15, 16, 17, 18 guys on each side of the ball, that are going to play the bulk of your offense and defense (during the season). After that, there are a lot of guys that are competing for spots and for playing time."
And those are the guys you'll see the most of Thursday night against the 49ers. Who, by the way, are keeping their own marquee running back out of uniform for the entire exhibition season, which is why both LaDainian Tomlinson and Frank Gore will be prowling the sidelines Thursday night.
Now, that's excitement.
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The Chargers, who cut 10 players Monday and put running back Tyronne Gross on injured reserve after a season-ending knee injury, made one more roster move Tuesday, putting rookie guard Erik Robertson on injured reserve with a foot injury. Robertson, who played at Cal, is from Apple Valley.