Chargers great Shawne Merriman and tight end Sean Culkin were guests on episode No. 14 of the Backstage: Chargers Podcast presented by Toyota.
Culkin described being on the field during Michael Badgley's game-winning kick on Sunday night in Pittsburgh. Merriman recapped the win and discussed the play of his former teammate, Philip Rivers. More highlights from the conversation are below:
Merriman on the team's second-half adjustments (4:40):
"I don't know what was said during halftime, but they came out (and) made those adjustments … Only championship teams do things like that. When you go out and make those kind of adjustments after the first half that they had, they're coming out – only championship teams do things like that. So, you can tell in their play that they're confident, not just because they're dancing to music and things like that, but they believed in each other and that's what you're going to need to win going forward."
Merriman on safety Derwin James' performance on Sunday night (6:40):
"Look, it's Sunday Night Football, right? You're the big show in town and if you want to make a name for yourself, you do it under the bright lights. And I'll tell any rookie that, but what he did during the game and having to face Antonio Brown and having to face this Steeler offense – it was funny, they were talking about him, the commentators were talking right before he made the big play and he came up with the interception, but he had just made a big play before that. So, these are not one-offs. This is who Derwin James is. He's going to be around the football. He's going to be an impactful player. He's just going to be a force because he's on the field. So, going forward and watching this guy on film, I mean he's still a rookie. He's kind of running around a little bit because he's athletic, so he can get away with a lot of things (like) that, but when he starts to understand the game even more, he's just going to be a force to (be) reckoned with, man."
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