The San Diego Chargers wrapped up their final preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night, marking the road to their first regular season game, which will take place a week from Monday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Philip Rivers and the rest of the first team offense had the night off for the Chargers. They sat and watched the second and third team offense drop a 17-14 decision to the 49ers, who finished the preseason unbeaten, not that it means anything at all.

Backup quarterback Billy Volek was intercepted twice and third stringer Jonathan Crompton was intercepted on the Chargers' final drive with just under a minute left that secured the 49ers' victory.

While the first team didn't step up on the field, here are five observations on the offensive performers that did play Thursday night.

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It is a question that seems to excite some, and irritate others. Can the Packers reach Super Bowl XLV?

Seeing the Packers play in another Super Bowl would be wonderful, no question about it. But on the other hand, how can we possibly know anything about them reaching there at this point?

Why would we get our hopes up just to be disappointed like we were last season?  How can anyone possibly know who's going and who's not going at this point? And how many times must we read about if the Packers can indeed reach the Super Bowl?

It gets old, repetitive, and flat out too much.

We can't answer the question, and everyone knows it. But that doesn't matter to people who simply want to know the answer that question right now. Hence, the question continues to be asked.

The truth of the matter is, the new season is only right around the corner, and the hype and excitement begins to build. When we think about football, our minds are simply programmed to think right away, "who will win this year's Super Bowl"? If you're not asking it out loud to yourself, then you're certainly thinking about it in the back of your mind.

There is only one way to answer the question. But it's not a simple answer, it has to be explained.

There's a difference between can the Packers make it, and will the Packers make it. Before we ever answer the question, we have to first establish what the question is.

So the answer is simply this. Yes, the Packers can make the Super Bowl. They are virtually a complete team, with the only exception being Special teams and a depleted secondary.

Every NFL expert on NFL.com agreed that the Packers were going to at least make the Super Bowl. Rather encouraging to hear no?

But will they make it? That's the part that simply can't be answered.

Remember that making the Super Bowl isn't the same as winning it. But if they're even going to make it there, they must prove themselves throughout the regular season and the playoffs first.

Last season the Saints won the Super Bowl. The previous season they were only 8-8, and nobody thought of them as serious contenders then.

So if the Packers don't make the Super Bowl, it will be disappointing, but not surprising. Not because they won't be a very good team, but simply because other teams want it more, or the Packers simply don't give as much effort as they should.

Packers can, but we must be patient to see if they will.

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The result? It turned out to be the reduced suspension everyone saw coming, which was four games.

According to NFL Insider Jason LaCantora via twitter, Big Ben's suspension is now at four games.

"Ben met with the Commissioner this morning. As I reported, that meeting is over. Four-game suspension."

This has been expected for over a month now. Roger Goodell publicly praised Ben's progress up to this point, and said he would consider reducing the suspension if he stayed on schedule.

The Steelers will be without Roethlisberger for four games: Against the Falcons, Buccaneers, Titans, and Ravens.

These first four games may well determine the season for the Steelers, especially with Byron Leftwich missing these games after tearing his MCL last night.

Matt Miselis is an NFL Featured Columnist for BleacherReport.com.

Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/MattMiselis

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This is good news for the steel city.

With the poor play of of Byron Leftwitch and Dennis Dixon, two less games on the suspension is a Godsend.

However, Ben will miss two big games, Week Two at Tennessee and then a Week Four matchup at home against division rival Baltimore.

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It reads like a murderers' row of quarterbacks feared by NFL defenses everywhere for their rocket arms, steely dispositions, wide-screen vision and deft touch.

Er no...it reads exactly the opposite of that.

Rodgers (twice), Favre (twice), Cutler (twice), Kolb, Manning (Eli), McNabb, Sanchez, Edwards, Romo, Brady, Freeman, Henne...

It's true that Drew Brees and Big Brother Manning aren't on this second list, but it is exponentially more impressive than the former and represents the quality of quarterbacks that the Detroit Lions will actually be playing in the regular season.

And it's these names that have been swirling around my mind lately as I try to honestly gauge what to expect from the Detroit Lions in the 2010 season.

There's much to like about the Lions under the management of Martin Mayhew, Jim Schwartz, and Tom Lewand.  They've filled more holes than even the most optimistic of the Lions faithful thought possible in an offseason highlighted by savvy trades, clever talent evaluation, and tactical draft execution.

We've got a promising young quarterback with a slew of weapons, an O-line that is firmly mediocre (a welcome step up from terrible), and a running back that is conjuring dreams of Barry Sanders in our heads.

We've got an elite receiver, a couple very good tight ends, and a good No. 2.

We've got a revamped defensive line that already appears to be paying dividends, a No. 2 draft pick that has a propensity for decapitating quarterbacks, and a revitalized veteran capable of bringing the heat around the end.

Unfortunately, that is where the story ends.

It is tough to take a whole lot away from preseason games, particularly in the win/loss department, and it is true that some important players in the Detroit Lions secondary weren't always at full strength.

But a general look at the numbers can reveal some telling things, and when it comes to the worst defense the league has ever seen (having broken the former record for points allowed in back to back seasons) it's hard to see how things are going to be much different.

Facing the "murderers' row" of quarterbacks listed at the beginning of this article, the Lions allowed a 66 percent completion percentage and an 84.7 QB rating, which admittedly, is marginally better than they fared last season (68 percent completion percentage).  Note that QB rating has been normalized to account for the number of attempts thrown by each quarterback faced so far.

Well that's improvement isn't it?  Not so fast.

The next split is truly terrifying.

When figuring in the quarterbacks who are set to start for their teams and saw good portions of the Lions No. 1 defense, the completion percentage jumps to an unheard of 79 percent and an astronomical QB rating of 113.5! 

To put that in perspective, that's higher than Drew Brees' insane rating of 109.6 last year.

Granted, Delmas has been injured and many in the secondary are new and still finding their place in the defense, but from what we've seen in the preseason, there is little reason to expect that the Lions won't be getting scored on early and often throughout the 2010 season.

Our new defensive line is paying dividends (3.5 yards per rush vs. 4.4 last year) and they are starting to generate pressure in opposing backfields and they will get even better as those parts start to click and as Suh comes into his own.

Unfortunately, it appears that the Lions still can't cover, and that goes for the injury-riddled inexperienced line-backing core as well.

This is something most of us knew coming into this year of course, but as the season approaches the Kool-Aid gets increasingly spiked with that silver moonshine, and the Honolulu blue high is more akin to the Maui Wowie.

And that's OK!

We Lions fans will take our highs when we can get them.

But while the Lions are quietly becoming a sexy sleeper team in the league, with endorsements from the likes of Bill Simmons and Mike Lombardi, let's just remember that the sexy sleeper doesn't always look so hot in the morning.

So enjoy this team for what it is, my friends, and save the playoff predictions for next year when they are truly attainable.

One way or another, rooting for the Lions will be a joy this year with lots of high-scoring affairs, lead changes, and quick strikes.

And that serves my interest just fine.

Kool Aid anyone?

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1. Stephen Gostkowski, NE
2. Nate Kaeding, SD
3. Garrett Hartley, NO
4. Mason Crosby, GB
5. David Akers, PHI
6. Ryan Longwell, MIN
7. Lawrence Tynes, NYG
8. Matt Prater, DEN
9. Rob Bironas, TEN
10. Shayne Graham, BAL
11. Dan Carpenter, MIA
12. Neil Rackers, HOU
13. Jay Feely, ARI
14. Robbie Gould, CHI
15. Sebastian Janikowski, OAK

Notable changes:
– I bumped Stephen Gostkowski to the top slot as I think New England’s offense will be firing on all cylinders this year.
– I added Neil Rackers to the list as he won Houston’s kicker battle against Kris Brown.
– I dropped Jeff Reed off the list because the Steelers could struggle early with Big Ben and Byron Leftwich out.
– I swapped Garrett Hartley and Ryan Longwell. New Orleans’ high-powered offense should allow Hartley to put up a ton of points. I don’t think the Vikings will match last season’s production.

Also check out:
- 2010 Top 30 Fantasy QB Rankings
- 2010 Top 50 Fantasy RB Rankings
- 2010 Top 60 Fantasy WR Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Fantasy TE Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Fantasy Team Defense Rankings
- 2010 Top 25 Fantasy IDP Rankings

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After relieving starter Derek Anderson after one series, Leinart finished a nondescript 3-of-5 for 14 yards. He headed to the bench after playing just two series and watched third-string quarterback Max Hall immediately lead the Cardinals down the field on a 12-play, 81-yard touchdown drive.

Hall finished 7 of 9 for 126 yards and added a six-yard rushing touchdown to fuel speculation he could surpass Leinart on the depth chart.

Arizona is clearly at a crossroads with Leinart, who could be traded or released in the coming days.

Here's 10 reasons why the Cardinals should cut ties with the player once viewed as the future of the franchise.

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I want the NFL season to start already, but I don't want to see games that mean nothing.

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The suspension length is going to be determined this morning as Roethlisberger meets with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.  The Pittsburgh Steelers were going to start the season with Byron Leftwich under center—not so fast.

Now Leftwich has a leg injury and he won't be able to play while Roethlisberger is out, and Steeler fans have quarterback on the brain right now, wondering which of the two options coach Mike Tomlin will choose.  Luckily for the Terrible Towel wavers, the options are decent. 

If most teams were forced to pick between their No. 3 and No. 4 quarterback, the choice would either be really easy—or heartburn-inducing.

Not in Pittsburgh.

The decision is between Charlie Batch, an aging veteran who has a considerable knowledge of the offensive scheme he would be implementing for the Steelers. 

His mobility is in question behind an offensive line which hasn't gelled to its full potential yet, but he has more seasons as a starting quarterback than the other option has started games.  Batch started for the Detroit Lions for three seasons, leading them to the playoffs in 1999.

That's right, a decade ago.

Dennis Dixon is an exciting young quarterback who doesn't have three games as a starting quarterback, but he has shown poise in the past—namely battling the tough Baltimore Ravens last year in a game which the Steelers lost in overtime.  Dixon has playmaking abilities both with his arm and his feet; his mobility should allow him to be sacked or hurried far less than what Charlie batch would face. 

Dixon has also shown considerable accuracy, hitting over 66 percent of his passes.

For my opinion on the matter, view the full version of the article at www.GuysNation.com.

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The Dolphins' quarterbacks were all solid at the very least, and the pass protection didn't give any of them much help. Chad Pennington was solid but only threw quick, short passes, while Tyler Thigpen continued to show off his excellent athleticism and escapability. Pat White was nowhere to be seen and may have donned a Dolphins uniform for the last time.

The running backs did a solid job, with Ricky Williams having the best run of the night with a 42-yard burst straight through the hole. As with the quarterbacks, the running backs are not the concern, but rather the offensive line.

Davone Bess made a few nice grabs at receiver on some good throws by Henne and should continue to rack up the catches, even with the arrival of Brandon Marshall. Brian Hartline pitched in a good touchdown grab.

Patrick Turner had a good 29-yard reception after being a ghost over the past few weeks, but he was still outplayed by undrafted rookies Marlon Moore and Roberto Wallace. Both Moore and Wallace had a drop, but otherwise made some nice grabs and both found the end zone.

This is an intriguing part of the roster, so you'll want to check back for my 53-man roster projection for more on how I see the receiver spot shaking out.

John Nalbone actually showed up in the stat sheet with a 30-yard reception, but I wouldn't get too excited.

That sound you heard during the early second quarter was a collective gasp from Dolphins fans everywhere after Jake Long was rolled up on and appeared to injure his knee. All reports have been positive, though, as he didn't even limp to the trainer's table and spent the entire game on the sideline without ice or a brace.

Long's injury scare is something that makes you realize just how little the Dolphins can afford to lose him. The Dolphins have zero depth at tackle behind Long and Vernon Carey. Both Andrew Gardner and Lydon Murtha have been consistently bad this preseason and neither has truly earned a spot on the roster.

Cory Procter played center in relief of Joe Berger, but I do not believe it is a death sentence for Jake Grove, who did not travel with the team due to a shoulder injury. Procter has experience at center and was the natural backup choice, with Grove unavailable. If anything, this simply shows that Procter's versatility will help him make the team, and that Andrew Hartline has no shot.

Defense

The Dolphins' run defense was not as good as it should have been playing against the Cowboys' backup offensive line and backfield. One thing I will give Jared Odrick credit for, though, is running 34 yards down the field and making a tackle on Tashard Choice. For a defensive lineman, that's unbelievable.

Nose tackle Paul Soliai didn't show up for the first time all preseason and that hurt the defense a lot. It's that kind of inconsistency that has prevented him from becoming a starter in the NFL.

Ikaika Alama-Francis and Koa Misi both made some nice individual plays against the run and should continue to split time on defense into the regular season. Both offer different skill sets and neither is ready to be an every-down guy, so a platoon is best.

Rookie Chris McCoy was flagged for offsides to cap off a very uneventful preseason. He's battling just to make the practice squad at this point. Quentin Moses finally showed up a bit, but probably too late to beat out special-teamer Erik Walden.

Charlie Anderson and Tim Dobbins had solid nights, but none of the other inside linebackers really did much and could all be cut if the Dolphins like Anderson inside. Micah Johnson did have a nice tackle on special teams, so it'll be interesting to see if Miami deems him worth of a spot.

A few of the cornerbacks had some individual good plays, namely Nolan Carroll, Kevin Hobbs, and Nate Ness, but as a whole, they struggled for most of the game. Sean Smith was scored on yet again, although he had great position and stuck with his receiver well on what turned out to just be a perfect throw. He might have given up a touchdown on that play, but trust me, it's good for the future that he was in position.

Reshad Jones is pretty shaky in coverage and is not ready for playing time on defense yet. He racked up seven tackles, but that's not a good thing.

Special Teams

Placekicker Dan Carpenter and punter Brandon Fields both had good nights, which is par for the course for them. It's a luxury to not have to worry about that unit.

Nolan Carroll didn't do anything special at kick returner, but he didn't lose his job, either. The Dolphins are absolutely lacking at punt returner, though. If Marlon Moore is going to make the team, it'd be nice if he could be even a slight upgrade over Bess and allow him to focus on offense.

The kick and punt coverage has to get better. The team has a few good players on the unity (Jason Allen, Tyrone Culver, Hilliard, Walden) but those guys can only do so much. Too many times this preseason, you'd have 10 guys going for the big hit and all fail to make the tackle. Not fundamentally-sound.

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Chris J. Nelson majored in journalism at Georgia State University and is currently a programming coordinator for Turner Sports in Atlanta. He operates his own Miami Dolphins Web site, The Miami Dolphins Spotlight, and he can be followed on Twitter here.

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