Chargers' Marcus McNeill Looks to Improve on Disappointing Season

Chargers left tackle Marcus McNeill was a pleasant surprise in 2006, his first year in the league. He was a second-round pick who emerged as one of the team's best offensive lineman, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie. This year, though, McNeill regressed, and he willingly shoulders the blame.

McNeill vowed yesterday that this year's Pro Bowl appearance will prod him to greater things, where being voted here in his rookie season last year perhaps prompted him to simply plod.

"Mentally, I should have been a little more prepared than I was going into this year," McNeill said. "Nothing is going to be easy, and maybe I felt it would be. I'm going to come back stronger next season. This is going to make me better. If you don't have that want and desire, you're not going to push yourself."

After a slow start to his sophomore season -- McNeill gave up 9.5 sacks through the first 13 games of '07 -- he "played like an All-Pro the last six weeks" ... according to Norv Turner, anyway. Amazingly, as a rookie, McNeill was only responsible for five sacks.

With defensive ends getting bigger and faster, left tackles are at a premium. McNeill had an off-year -- it happens -- but there's no reason to think he'll suddenly morph into a turnstile. And even if he does, no need to worry: the fleet-footed Philip Rivers will be even tougher to bring down with his shiny new knee.