Cottrell is fired by Chargers
The 3-5 San Diego Chargers fired defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell on Tuesday and replaced him with linebackers coach Ron Rivera.
Chargers Coach Norv Turner, whose team has lost three of its last four games, said he didn’t see improvement in the defense over the first half of the season.
“It hasn’t been there,” Turner said. “We’ve been inconsistent and we’ve had the same things happen to us over and over in terms of teams throwing for a lot of yardage early in games, making big plays in the passing game and keeping the football.”
Rivera, in his second season with the team, spent the previous three as defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, helping them reach the Super Bowl in the 2006 season.
The Chargers -- who are without star linebacker Shawne Merriman -- are ranked 28th in both yards and points allowed. Asked if a lineup change is in the works, Rivera said he isn’t ruling out any option but that he doesn’t anticipate wholesale changes.
“We’re all going to be held accountable for what happens the next eight weeks,” he said.
-- Sam Farmer
Payton criticizes trip
New Orleans Coach Sean Payton struggled to be diplomatic about the NFL’s handling of the Saints’ game in London last weekend, railing against everything from the “sloppy” field conditions to a cramped flight home on a plane “that’s over 30 years old.”
Payton said the people in England and the fans at the game “were great,” and went on to say there were some positive aspects of the team’s trip, such as exposing fans overseas to the best level of American football.
However, it was clear Tuesday that he was discouraged by some of the logistical challenges his team met while trying to prepare for an important contest that counted in the standings.
“The travel, transportation, those aren’t club issues, those are league issues. We’ve been unable to figure that part of it out,” Payton said. “When we play a game and we’re in a plane that’s over 30 years old a day later and we have players sitting in [small] seats . . . I think they just have a lot of work to do to figure this thing out. It’s hard for me to say it’s a great experience and a great thing for your club.”
Holmes will play
The Pittsburgh Steelers won’t further punish wide receiver Santonio Holmes after he was charged last week with a marijuana-related offense and plan to start him Monday night in Washington.
Holmes was benched for the Steelers’ 21-14 loss Sunday to the New York Giants.
