Window of Opportunity

by Jonny Dub on Oct 6, 2008 7:40 AM PDT Comment 27 comments

Are we witnessing the window starting to slowly shut on us? Are the Chargers’ best shots at a Super Bowl behind us?

Reasons to say YES:

This year might not be our year. I cannot think of one thing that is working. Everyone is to blame. Coaches and Players. And it’s too late to start bringing in new coaches for the rest of the year. Our players are showing no heart. Not to mention injuries.

The schedule only gets harder. Suddenly the Pats game on Sunday is a MUST WIN. Denver looks a lot better this year and if the Chargers don’t win the division there is no way in hell they’ll get a wild card spot. Might as well start planning those January Ski trips.

Reasons to say NO:

The Chargers are at the exact same spot they were last year. The talent is still there? Denver’s not really that good? Hmmmm… I can’t think of anything else.

This year could be a sign of things to come...

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We might not be that good......

But were 4-1.. The window is half shut on the the Bolts.

"You always knew the day would come when the machines would rise up and take over the world, but never did you imagine it'd be so convenient."

by Denver_Native on Oct 6, 2008 9:30 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Denver isn’t particularly good. If the Chargers can turn things around, they can almost certainly count on Denver losing enough to let them get by.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on Oct 6, 2008 10:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

LT

I don’t know about the team as a whole, but I am concerned that way have seen LT’s best games. In hindsight, it might’ve been wise to hang onto Michael Turner. SD’s strength has always been their depth, and although Sproles is electric, I don’t think he’s a 16 game every down back.

If the enver Broncos find their D, as they began to against Tampa Bay, things are going to get very interesting between these two teams.

by CoastalBronco on Oct 6, 2008 11:17 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Please

Who in their right mind gives the backup running back a six-year, $34.5 million contract? I know he was pretty good. But you can’t just throw money like that around, unless your the Raiders.

Homer: Ohhhh, The Denver Broncos.
Marge: Whats wrong with the Denver Broncos?
Homer: Marge you just don't understand football.

by Wonko on Oct 6, 2008 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're welcome

Not sure what other teams are paying their RB tandems, but I’m sure these duos are expensive:

Peterson and Taylor
Barber and Jones
Williams and Stewart
An LT/Turner would be superior to all of these. And I think LT would benefit from a lighter load.

by CoastalBronco on Oct 6, 2008 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jones Drew/Fred Taylor

People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.

by sdsuaztec4 on Oct 6, 2008 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

turner/norwood in ATL

www.wellbelowthemendozaline.blogspot.com

by justdave on Oct 6, 2008 3:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The LT/Turner duo

Would have cost more than all three of those combined.

Homer: Ohhhh, The Denver Broncos.
Marge: Whats wrong with the Denver Broncos?
Homer: Marge you just don't understand football.

by Wonko on Oct 7, 2008 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You exaggerate, but point taken

for those interested in a frustratingly incomplete listing: http://www.sportscity.com/NFL-Salaries/

LT – 7.8 mil
Turner – 3.8 mil

AP – 2.4 mil
Taylor – 3.8 mil

Barber – not listed
Jones – not listed

Williams – 2.25 mil
Stewart – not listed

No listings for Jaguars.

I suspect Barber and Jones may be closer to an LT/Turner combo than any. But I did find this for Washington:

Portis – 6.0 mil
Betts – 3.4 mil

Mostly what I learned from this exercise is that LT is overpaid. Although there is no way it would’ve been done, the Chargers would’ve been far better off trading LT out of the conference and keeping Turner.

by CoastalBronco on Oct 7, 2008 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking more along the lines of total dollar amounts

And cap numbers. Also, the entire signing bonus for Turner has to be paid up front. His contract also includes over $15 million in guaranteed money. But overall the Chargers are a very cheap team. They easily could have afforded Brees and Rivers but decided to go into the season almost 10 mill under the cap. They are the only team (other than the Bengals) that have spent most of the decade significantly under the cap. And they are already talking about letting Merriman walk after 2009.

Homer: Ohhhh, The Denver Broncos.
Marge: Whats wrong with the Denver Broncos?
Homer: Marge you just don't understand football.

by Wonko on Oct 7, 2008 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

*And not cap numbers

Homer: Ohhhh, The Denver Broncos.
Marge: Whats wrong with the Denver Broncos?
Homer: Marge you just don't understand football.

by Wonko on Oct 7, 2008 11:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Window is still open

Just maybe not for 2008. A healthier team (even with a declining LT) still has the opportunity to be better than this in 2009.

You can’t throw in the towel on this season (especially if they somehow find a way to beat the Pats on Sunday) with all the jumbling for the wild card and Denver only 2 games ahead of us, but so many things have to go right for the rest of the season that only the most sunnily dispositioned optimists could see any way to the playoffs, let alone Tampa.

Homer: Ohhhh, The Denver Broncos.
Marge: Whats wrong with the Denver Broncos?
Homer: Marge you just don't understand football.

by Wonko on Oct 6, 2008 11:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

LT

is the worst offender of all at showing no heart, sense of urgency, and uninspiring play and conduct.

People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.

by sdsuaztec4 on Oct 6, 2008 12:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

no warries

www.wellbelowthemendozaline.blogspot.com

by justdave on Oct 6, 2008 3:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

1866

~~turf~~ loss

People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.

by sdsuaztec4 on Oct 6, 2008 6:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

lol

www.wellbelowthemendozaline.blogspot.com

by justdave on Oct 6, 2008 7:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I acutally meant

easy loss. But whatever.

People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power.

by sdsuaztec4 on Oct 6, 2008 7:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i got what you meant

pretty funny…

www.wellbelowthemendozaline.blogspot.com

by justdave on Oct 6, 2008 7:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

With eleven games left...

and all that talent, I think it’s a little early to be writing off the Chargers. I know I’m not. However…

…“Denver’s not really that good.”

It’s probably not wise to under estimate the opposition, especially in the AFC West, an idea the Broncos can certainly understand.

If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!

by Trinidad Jack on Oct 7, 2008 4:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Denver isn’t that good. I’m not saying they definitely won’t improve, but right now they’re not very good.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on Oct 7, 2008 4:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Their offense is talented

The Bronco defense is inconsistent at best. Heh, still I suppose you could say the same for the Chargers thus far. I notice they rank 14 & 15 in the DVOA. I see St. Louis and Detroit are vying for some of the worst defensive rankings since they started tracking these.

"If two hitherto rival football teams, under the influence of brotherly love, decided to co-operate in placing the football first beyond one goal and then beyond the other, no one's happiness would be increased" Bertrand Russell

by Brian (DaBolts) on Oct 7, 2008 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And no offense meant but...

…isn’t that the kind of thinking that may have gotten the Chargers where they are today? I mean I’m just thinking here.

If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!

by Trinidad Jack on Oct 9, 2008 5:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought about this

I’m not convinced. That was certainly true in 2006, the Chargers took the Patriots much too lightly and they came in and outplayed and out coached us. The pregame interviews were just full of hubris; the Chargers were already thinking about the Colts. What we fans think matters little, and I haven’t heard the coaches and the players taking their opponents for granted this season. There has been a lack of execution in crunch time; injuries and we have not been the very button in fortunes cap. In the preseason and post game interviews I haven’t really had that sense of them taking their opponents too lightly; but that may be my own parallax error.

by Brian (DaBolts) on Oct 10, 2008 8:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No, I think you're right.

And it doesn’t really matter whether we fans get over confident or believe the world has come to an end. What really matters is what the players think and I don’t hear that kind of hubris from them. Good points, DB.

But maybe I do hear just a little doubt creeping into what the players say here and there. This doesn’t feel like last year’s Chargers.

If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!

by Trinidad Jack on Oct 10, 2008 9:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hard to say

Certainly they sound a bit down, but if you aren’t a bit down after that loss to Miami I’d be wondering if losing bothered them. They sounded similar last year after the Vikings game, the difference is they were healthy then; will they be able to come back this year, or are we headed for another 2005? This game will speak volumes, national audience, rival team and a vital game to win. We will see if they can put 60 minutes together. This is the game to watch.

by Brian (DaBolts) on Oct 10, 2008 1:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Broncos were pretty down after losing to KC

and they bounced pretty well for Tampa Bay. KC is a sight worse than the Dolphins.

I wouldn’t recommend prematurely counting the Chargers out… as I’ve posted many times already (sorry if I’m getting repetitive), but this team doesn’t fold like it used to.

I predict a can of whoop-ass gets opened up on the Patsies.

by CoastalBronco on Oct 10, 2008 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs