Fans tuning into the Chargers' preseason debut tonight on KABC-TV in Los Angeles will be in for a treat as Dan Fouts will serve as the game analyst alongside Spero Dedes.
Few know the Bolts better than the Hall of Fame passer, who rewrote the record books during his time leading the Air Coryell offense.
Heading into the team's first game at StubHub Center, Fouts weighed in with what he'll keep his eye on when the Chargers host the Seahawks.
"I want to take a closer look at the competitions that (Head Coach Anthony) Lynn has been talking about the past few weeks," he said. "That's along the defensive line and at kicker. How many times have you ever gone into the preseason opener talking about how the best competition may be at kicker? So that will be worth (monitoring), but I'm also looking forward to seeing the starters when they are out there. Those are the guys we'll be seeing come the regular season, so of course you want to see how they do."
Fouts understands the importance of having a cohesive offensive line. He stressed the five men up front building chemistry heading into the season opener is vital to the team's success, and he wants to see them take the next step against Seattle.
"That's the big thing to me. It seems like every year the Chargers have a whole new offensive line, so it's amazing that Philip Rivers has been as successful as he's been. It's about teamwork, and they've got to get it together in a hurry."
Fouts has been around long enough to know you can't go into the preseason opener focused on one single player. With 90 men fighting to prove their worth, the cream rises the top. Often times, it comes from unexpected places.
"The thing about preseason football is that there is always somebody who jumps out at you, and you don't know who that will be. It can be a starter or someone you don't think of who makes the team (based on) how they play. It's watching those unknowns that I'm looking forward to."
Another notable Charger worth paying attention to is Lynn. This marks his first time on the sideline as head coach, but Fouts has been awfully impressed by what he's seen from him so far.
"I think he's got good things going. He's had a lot of great coaches he's worked with and played for, including Bill Walsh. It'll be interesting to see the influence of (Bill) Parcells, which you see when (Lynn) talks about balance and running the ball. This offense is going to be fun to watch, and it will be interesting to see how they operate under him."
