San Diego has chance to improve against Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Jaguars already have launched their housecleaning.

The San Diego Chargers are staggering to theirs.

Monday night’s trip to Jacksonville represents the Chargers’ chance to end a six-game losing streak that has been plagued by bad quarterbacking, perhaps worse coaching and an uncanny knack to fail at the most inopportune moments.

Last week, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Chargers owner Dean Spanos had decided to fire Coach Norv Turner, and is leaning toward also removing the brains of the operation, General Manager A.J. Smith. That hasn’t happened … yet.

Smith, chided as the “Lord of No Rings,” hitched his reputation to quarterback Philip Rivers, letting Drew Bees leave after the 2005 season for New Orleans, where he won a Super Bowl. Smith also ditched coach Marty Schottenheimer for Turner after a 14-win regular season in 2006.

Now, Rivers has 17 interceptions through 11 games for the Chargers (4-7), including one against the New York Jets that set up a defeat, and another at the Chicago Bears that clinched a loss. He also infamously botched a snap with the Chargers positioned to beat the Kansas City Chiefs by a field goal.

By the way, Brees threatens now to break the NFL record for most passing yardage in a season for his first-place Saints.

Last week, Turner stopped attacking in overtime after his team reached Denver’s 30-yard line. The offense ultimately lost yardage on a third-down run before kicker Nick Novak missed a field-goal try of 53 yards. The Chargers then gave up critical yardage to Tim Tebow and Co. and lost, 16-13.

In Jacksonville, San Diego meets another losing franchise that announced last week it was changing ownership and firing Coach Jack Del Rio, replacing him on an interim basis with defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.

The Jaguars (3-8) have AFC rushing leader Maurice Jones-Drew from UCLA (1,040 yards), but rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert has struggled mightily, forcing the team to become excessively reliant on its defense.

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