The Chargers have failed to reach the playoffs for the second consecutive season. There will be a price to pay for this year’s failures. Changes appear eminent following the final game of the season this Sunday against the Oakland Raiders. General manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner are most in danger of losing their jobs. Few have spoken positively of Smith in recent days, but the players have stood behind Turner.

No player has been more outspoken in his hopes Turner will keep his job than quarterback Philip Rivers. “I think it is evident what I feel about (Turner),” Rivers said. “It has been an unusual year, and a rough year. Hopefully everybody here, coaches included, will be able to gear up and go back at it next year.”

Free safety Eric Weddle is among several other players who have recently voiced support for Turner. “We believe in coach Turner,” Weddle said. “He has done a great job trying to get us ready and coaching the guys that he has up and putting together a game plan and giving us a chance to win week in and week out.”

Rivers and Weddle both referenced the numerous injuries that have plagued the Chargers and perhaps kept them from reaching the postseason.

“Every team deals with injuries,” Rivers admitted. “So, I never use that as an excuse. But the facts are the facts. We have dealt with some crazy injuries to key guys over the last two years. With that being said, we have been in every game but a couple. That is a credit to Norv and the staff to put us in a situation to have a chance.”

Wide receiver Malcom Floyd regrets missing Weeks 9-12 during the Chargers six-game losing streak and he believes if he wasn’t injured San Diego may have made the postseason this year. “I think the couple of games I missed I could of added some more fire power,” Floyd said. “I know I let the team down.” Floyd has had 17 receptions for 328 yards and three touchdowns since his return, so there may be a grain of truth in his comment.

It's unfair for any one player to bear that burden in a team game. However the harsh reality is the Chargers would still be fighting for the playoffs if Rivers had not fumbled a snap late in the fourth-quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, or if kicker Nick Novak had not missed a 53-yard game winning field goal with 2:31 left in overtime against the Denver Broncos in Week 12.

“I have always been a proponent that coaches coach and players play,” Weddle said. “When we're out there (Turner) can only do so much.”

Weddle’s philosophy is logical and Rivers is correct that the Chargers have lost many close games over the past two seasons. Yet neither statements is enough to support the cause to keep Turner. The painful truth is that in many games the offense had the ball late with an opportunity to pull out a win, but failed to do so.

There is no doubting that Turner is a brilliant offensive coordinator, but many times late in games he has acted more like a mad scientist unaware of his surroundings than a confident coach poised to make the right calls.

In fact the last time Turner orchestrated a final-drive victory was against the New York Giants in Week 9 of 2009, over two years ago.

To compare within the division, albeit an extreme outlier, John Fox, the Broncos head coach, has helped guide Tim Tebow to six fourth-quarter come-from-behind victories this season.

Despite Turner’s final drive failures, the Chargers have never posted a losing record with Turner and that will remain true if they beat the Raiders this Sunday.

“We are not a 3-13 team,” fullback Jacob Hester said. “When that is the case, then that is when you have to worry about blowing everything up. You want to make the playoffs, but it is tough to say, ‘Blow it up’ when you haven’t had a losing record in five seasons. I don’t agree with changing everything around now.”

Hester was not with the Chargers in 2006 when Marty Schottenheimer led San Diego on a 14-2 regular season campaign, but was fired as the head coach because the Chargers lost their first game in the playoffs.

Turner was then handed the keys to the Ferrari in 2007, and with those keys came the responsibility of winning the Super Bowl. The Chargers reached the AFC Championship game in Turner’s first season, but have fallen shorter each year thereafter. Five seasons later the Ferrari’s wheels are bald and the engine is no longer hitting on all cylinders.

However, Turner, is not entirely responsible for the decline.

Smith has only drafted one Pro Bowl Player in Turner’s tenure and that is Weddle (second round, 2007) who was voted to his first all-star game this week. Meanwhile, during Smith’s tenure he has let several Pro Bowl players leave the organization by either waiving them or as unrestricted free agents and has not gotten anything in return for their talent including QB Drew Brees, OLB Shawne Merriman, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, and RB Michael Turner.

The best argument to keep Turner is that Smith has not provided him with the talent to succeed and a different general manager could help Turner with an improved roster. That scenario will probably not play out because a new general manager would likely demand to hire their own head coach.

Despite Smith’s shortcomings, the prevailing belief around the team is Turner will be let go and Smith will be retained. However keeping Smith, would be a mistake.

His recent failures in roster management and his reclusive nature has made him disliked by both fans and media.

It's time for owner Dean Spanos to clean house and bring in championship blood. The Chargers’ next general manager and head coach should both already sport at least one Super Bowl ring earned while performing the duties that they're hired for.

The Chargers organization and their fans deserve better than a five-year decline. They deserve to once again be excited about a team with a clear path to a Super Bowl Championship.