"Sure, a lot of other things have to happen for the Chargers to finally be the team they've thought they were.

But the No.1 priority – if there can ever be such a thing truly defined for a football team – is to keep Bob Sanders healthy.

"No offense," said one member of the Chargers front office, "but I don't think that makes you a genius to have figured that out."

Sometimes, obvious is a synonym for paramount.

Given Sanders' history – as both one of the most feared defenders in the league and, more recently, as a guy who couldn't stay on the field due to various injuries -- Sanders' longevity will be the concern with every thud he creates with those body-rattling hits he launches himself into. It has already been and will continue to be on the mind of head coach Norv Turner and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky and secondary coach Steve Wilks as they devise plans for who to play in what situations.

"We did that in camp and we'll be smart with not letting him get worn down, making sure he's getting rest," Turner said. "But he's a high-impact player, and you can't manage that. He's going to go hit somebody, and it's going to help us … Bob is not going to play cautiously. He's not going to worry about staying healthy. He is going to knock the hell out of someone, and he's gonna do it probably the third play of the game with his body."