(My Sportsbook) - If the San Diego Chargers have designs on winning a fourth straight AFC West crown, they must avoid another lousy start, and can't rely on another monumental collapse from a division foe.

Both of those scenarios unfolded in 2008, when the Chargers opened the campaign with a 4-8 mark before winning their last four games and watching the Denver Broncos end their 16-game season after 13 games. If anyone has experience with collapses and some occasional luck from the same football gods that continue to reward him with head coaching jobs, it's San Diego's Norv Turner.

Turner enters his third season as head coach, and has guided the team to the playoffs in both of his seasons at the helm, including an appearance in the 2007 AFC Championship Game against New England. The Chargers lost that game and continued to get familiar with the concept the following campaign, starting the year with eight losses over the first 12 games. But then something clicked, and the Chargers were able to post their third straight playoff appearance and fourth in five tries by clawing their way to an 8-8 mark. They beat Indianapolis in the opening round in overtime before losing to Pittsburgh in a divisional playoff game.

Is the window of opportunity closing on San Diego? Perhaps, but the Chargers still look like an elite squad in the AFC, and players like LaDainian Tomlinson, Philip Rivers and Shawne 'Lights Out' Merriman have enough experience to keep them a prohibitive favorite to win a fourth straight division title. Tomlinson, though, is getting a bit older and is coming off a mediocre campaign because of injury, while Merriman returns after missing all but one game due to knee surgery.

If Merriman is healthy, it will be interesting to see if he will be able to wreak havoc like he did prior to his injury. The hard-hitting All-Pro linebacker made a wise choice to have the procedure, and will look to rebound this year while playing under defensive coordinator Ron Rivera for the first time.

San Diego proved it was loyal to its players and ready to win by signing Rivers to a six-year contract extension worth a reported $92 million during the preseason. The odds of Rivers living up to the deal, and presiding over another successful campaign, are in San Diego's favor.

That's good news for the heavily-judged Turner, who will have a good chance to deli ever San Diego its first Super Bowl appearance since the mid-90s.

Below we take a capsule look at the 2009 edition of the San Diego Chargers, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:

2008 RECORD: 8-8 (t1st, AFC West)

LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: 2008, lost to Pittsburgh, 35-24, in AFC Divisional Playoff

COACH (RECORD): Norv Turner (19-13 in two seasons with Chargers, 77-95-1 overall)

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Clarence Shelmon

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Ron Rivera

OFFENSIVE STAR: Philip Rivers, QB (4009 passing yards, 34 TD, 11 INT)

DEFENSIVE STAR: Shawne Merriman, OLB (2 tackles)

OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 20th rushing, 7th passing, 2nd scoring

DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 11th rushing, 31st passing, 15th scoring

KEY ADDITIONS: G Louis Vasquez (3rd Round, Texas Tech), OLB Kevin Burnett (from Cowboys), OLB Larry English (1st Round, Northern Illinois)

KEY DEPARTURES: G Mike Goff (to Chiefs), C Jeremy Newberry (not tendered), OLB Marques Harris (to 49ers), DE Igor Olshansky (to Cowboys)

QB: Rivers has to be somewhat ticked off that his fellow draft mates, Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning, have three Super Bowl rings between them while he has none. Rivers, a member of the class of 2004, doesn't have much to prove since he's one of the best in the business, but the elusive championship will continue to eat at the former N.C. State star. Rivers has started every game in each of the past three years and passed for a career-high 4,009 yards with a team-best 34 TDs and 11 interceptions a year ago. The signal-caller led the league with a 105.5 QB rating and it probably could have been higher had Tomlinson stayed healthy and productive for more of the year. Billy Volek will back up Rivers and has a wealth of experience at the NFL level. He enters his third season as Rivers' backup.

RB: Lucky for Turner, he has Darren Sproles (330 yards, TD) in the fold when Tomlinson goes down or is unproductive, an adjective commonly used for one of the NFL's best talents last season. Tomlinson appeared in every game a season ago and still recorded career lows in carries (292), rushing yards (1,110) and yards per game (69.4). The dual threat, who hauled in 52 passes for 426 yards in 2008, shook off rumors that he was leaving the West Coast by having his contract restructured. The league's MVP in 2006 and a five-time Pro Bowl selection, Tomlinson (1,110 yards, 11 TDs) holds the all-time NFL record for single season touchdowns (31). Defensive coordinators also have Sproles' name etched in their memory, and the undersized tailback will try to build off a strong campaign. Sproles enjoyed his best year as a pro with 330 yards on 61 carries and 342 yards on 29 receptions a year ago. He recorded one rushing score and five TD catches. Mike Tolbert and Jacob Hester will battle for playing time at fullback.

WR/TE: The Chargers had the seventh-rated pass attack in the NFL last year, averaging 241.1 yards through the air. Most of the credit goes to Rivers' right arm, but it was wide receiver Vincent Jackson who emerged as the go-to guy. Jackson (1,098 yards, 7 TDs) had his best year as a pro and ended the 2008 campaign with career-highs in yards and TDs, on 59 catches. Jackson has gotten better every year since being drafted in the second round in 2005. Chris Chambers (462 yards, 5 TDs) is a veteran wideout prepared to open his second full season with the Bolts. Chambers, who joined the team midway through the 2007 season, often grabbed attention from defenders which allowed Jackson to get open more often. The former Wisconsin star, who had 462 yards and five scores last year, will most likely play the same role in 2009. San Diego has perhaps the best tight end in the league in Antonio Gates (704 yards, 8 TDs). Gates, a five-time Pro Bowl pick, led the Chargers with eight touchdown grabs last season and finished with 704 yards on 60 receptions. Rivers' safety valve is fully recovered from a toe injury and can also block. Expect to see Gates contribute often at the goal line.

OL: While the offensive line gave Rivers enough time to find his receivers, it had some difficulties making holes for the skillful backfield. San Diego ended with the 20th-ranked rushing attack with 107.9 yards per game and lost two solid members of the offensive line in guard Mike Goff and center Jeremy Newberry. Right tackle Jeromey Clary and left tackle Marcus McNeill are back as bookends for the line, while guard Kris Dielman will hold down a strong left side of the interior line. Center Nick Hardwick should be back at full strength after foot surgery forced him to miss some time in 2008. Ex-Falcon Kynan Forney has the most to prove since he's currently penciled in to start in place of the departed Goff.

DL: San Diego will miss defensive tackle Igor Olshansky, who departed for the Dallas Cowboys in free agency, but still has talented and highly-paid Luis Castillo at one end. Castillo (40 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks) recorded just 1 1/2 sacks in 15 games last season and will be more determined to improve that mark this season. Nose tackle Jamal Williams will enter his 12th season with the Bolts and has played in at least 12 games in each of the last seven seasons. The run-stuffing Williams (56 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks) is the center piece of San Diego's 3-4 defense that finished 11th against the rush last season. Ryon Bingham and Jacques Cesaire are expected to split time at the other end, while rookie Vaughn Martin is trying to learn the scheme in order to give Williams a blow.

LB: The linebacking corps of the Chargers is an exciting one, spearheaded by the fiery Merriman. The group should get even better with the healthy return of the three-time Pro Bowl selection, but will he be as fast and dominating as he once was? Merriman (2 tackles) will be counted on to serve as a vocal leader, and the Chargers need him to be in top shape the entire season. If he's not, it could open up an opportunity for rookie Larry English, the 16th overall pick in April's draft out of Northern Illinois. Shaun Phillips led the team with 7 1/2 sacks a year ago and quietly piles up solid numbers in the shadows of Merriman. Phillips (76 tackles, 7 1/2 sacks) has recorded at least seven sacks in each of the previous four years. Jyles Tucker (37 tackles), who recorded 5 1/2 sacks in 13 games last year in place of Merriman, will be in the mix as well. On the inside, Stephen Cooper (98 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, 4 INTs) led the team with four INTs, and ex-Cowboy Kevin Burnett and holdover Tim Dobbins will be part of the equation there as well.

DB: The return of Merriman should help San Diego's 31st-rated pass defense from last year, as he will give opposing quarterbacks less time to find an open receiver. Top cornerback Antonio Cromartie is hoping to have a better season after being limited by an injured hip last year. One season after bringing down 10 interceptions, Cromartie (64 tackles, 2 INTs) was burnt on many occasions and collected only two picks in 2008. Antoine Cason and fellow corner Quentin Jammer (88 tackles, 2 INTs) will battle for time opposite Cromartie. Clinton Hart and Eric Weddle are pegged to start at safety, with Hart, who is recovering from a broken hand, playing the strong side. Steve Gregory experienced trouble in pass defense last year, and will have to bounce back.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Nate Kaeding (27-32) is one of the best placekickers in the NFL and was perfect on all 23 attempts from less than 40 yards away. He boomed just 3-of-8 field goals between 40-49 yards, however. The former Iowa standout, who made all 46 of his PAT kicks, is entering his sixth season with the Chargers and must be more consistent. Punter Mike Scifres has also played the past five years in San Diego and averaged 45.7 yards per punt in 2008. Scifres remains one of the best in the business. Long snapper David Binn will begin his 16th season with the team and has missed only one game in his lengthy career. Sproles will be the main returner again and gives the Chargers great field position most of the time. Sproles posted more than 1,600 return yards a year ago and returned a kickoff for a TD.

PROGNOSIS: The phrase is thrown around so much in the NFL, but it's "Super Bowl or bust" for the Chargers this season. Tomlinson and Merriman are healthy, and Rivers has matured into one of the top signal-callers in the game, giving the club a strong case for best team in the AFC. San Diego's window of opportunity is still ajar, and Turner must not find a way to screw this up for the fans and the organization. Favorites to win the AFC West for a fourth straight year, the Chargers will have an even more potent offense and a much-improved defense, even without making a significant move in the offseason. San Diego's schedule is a tough one with three of its first four games against playoff teams, however (Baltimore, Miami, Pittsburgh) and the Bolts must avoid another slow start. If they can get out of the blocks, look for the Chargers to be off and running to another division title, playoff appearance, and possibly more.