San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers aims a pass downfield during a preseason game Sunday. The Chargers are expecting the already-talented Rivers to be even better in 2007.

San Diego ? After becoming coach of the San Diego Chargers, Norv Turner didn’t have to dig through the film vault to review Philip Rivers’ performances.

He saw one of them in person.

“Unfortunately, I was there the day they really let it go, up in San Francisco where he started throwing it,” said Turner, who as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator saw Rivers throw for 334 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Once Marty Schottenheimer took off the training wheels, Rivers didn’t waste any time burning rubber as the replacement for the departed Drew Brees.

And to think, the Chargers had been so conservative with Rivers that he threw only 11 passes in his first start.

“I look back on those weeks, Pittsburgh, at Cincinnati, Denver, that whole stretch there where we’re throwing it all over the place, coming from behind,” said Rivers, who sat behind Brees for two seasons after being acquired for Eli Manning on draft day in 2004. “Those games are a lot of fun. I think the more you play, obviously the more opportunities to throw it around and cut it loose you get.”

As good as Rivers was in being voted to the Pro Bowl in his first season as starter – he didn’t play because of a foot injury – the Chargers expect a more polished performance this year.

The big passing days stood out when Turner watched the films from last season. That’s when the Chargers were an NFL-best 14-2 and scored a league-high 492 points before flaming out in their playoff opener.

“Experience is the biggest teacher,” Tomlinson said. “He’s going to make a dramatic improvement just because of some of the stuff he’s seen and also having Norv to coach him a little bit more. I think he showed that he can be an elite quarterback in this league.”