Chargers Have Only Themselves To Blame

by Rexx on Sep 16, 2008 2:13 PM PDT

I've read and heard a ton of whining about the horrible call by the ref at the end of the Denver-San Diego game that allowed the Broncos to have another chance on an obvious fumble that should have ended the game with a Chargers victory. I am so sick and tired of blaming the loss and other losses on the refs when one call never makes the difference between winning and losing a football game. I know I'd be pissed as well if it was against my team and believe me, the refs have shafted my Ravens as much as any team in our 12 years in this league.

However, football is a 60 minute game and the Chargers only have themselves to blame for allowing the Broncos to be in position for the ref to blow that call. What about the other 31 points they allowed in the first 59 minutes of the contest? Are they the ref's fault as well? What about the 70+ yards they gained on their final drive in the last few minutes of the game? Who is responsible for playing virtually zero defense for the entire game and allowing a rookie wideout (Eddie Royal) to catch the final TD and subsequent 2 point conversion when the game was on the line?

This is why I cringe and smoke begins to pour from my ears when I hear how a team got ripped off by the refs. You've got to look at the game as a whole and put the blame squarely on your team for allowing your opponent to even be in the game long enough for the refs to blow a call like that at a critical point. Man up, guys and take responsibility instead of blaming your screw ups all game long on one ref's screw up on just one play.

Enough said.

This FanPost was written by a member of the Bolts From The Blue community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bolts From The Blue editors or SB Nation.

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I am so sick and tired of blaming the loss and other losses on the refs when one call never makes the difference between winning and losing a football game , except for that horrendous call Sunday, which actually ended up making the difference between who won and who lost.

by Dalton on Sep 16, 2008 2:19 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Much better.

And it wasn’t only one call that went against them. There was the interception that shouldn’t have been and the phantom holding call. Those were three huge, game altering screw ups by the refs.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on Sep 16, 2008 6:33 PM PDT up reply actions

might also have something to do with

3 Chargers DBs staring at Eddie Royal catch a pass from Cutler twice in a row — same play, same spot in the end zone. Just like the did against the Panthers.

You can’t blame the Broncos or Ed Hochuli for the patented Charger Choke every week.

by Leukadian on Sep 16, 2008 6:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Funny. I swear on both of the Broncos’ final drives Jay Cutler turned the ball over in the red zone, first giving the Chargers a chance to take the lead (which they did by driving the length of the field and then successfully converting a two pointer) and then again to seal the Chargers victory.

I guess that isn’t quite as big of a choke job as twice stopping your opponent in the red zone and driving the length of the field for a go ahead score only to have the game ripped from you by a referee who couldn’t tell a fumble from an incomplete pass.

Sorry, my mistake.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on Sep 16, 2008 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions

oh snap

Bring back Balboa Stadium.

by calipatrick on Sep 16, 2008 9:40 PM PDT up reply actions

I hear your point

Although I would argue whether the Chargers stopped anything on the Broncos’ final drive. It looked to me, from the way the Chargers pass rush had been treating him all day, that Cutler dropped the ball out of excitement because he thought the Chargers’ DL was bringing him a nice cup of tea.

To win in the NFL, bad plays and poor calls must be overcome in every game, every weekend. The Chargers secondary had ample opportunity to do just that against the Broncos. They failed.

Once (against the Panthers) is an aberration, twice (against the Broncos on 4th down) is a trend, three times (against the Broncos for a two-point conversion) is cause for concern.

by Leukadian on Sep 17, 2008 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Once (Magically broken replay camera) in a aberration, twice (phantom holding call) is a trend, three times (Cutler’s fumble) is a cause for concern.

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

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Sep 17, 2008 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions

straw men

You sound like you’re defending the Chargers secondary. Are you really that happy with how they played? Or with the pass rush? Focussing on the refs neglects much greater concerns for the Chargers, IMO.

Regarding your points, however mockingly phrased, only the fumble is a valid gripe.

Replay would not have affected the interception, since possession is not reviewable. See UT’s article: http://tinyurl.com/57t7o9. Regardless, I think this was a valid pick, since possession was shared when the players went down, and the one who wanted it most came up with it. Let the players play, this is football not wussball.

Regarding the phantom holding call, their were blown calls all over the field all day working for and against both sides. I’m surprised the phantom facemask on B.Marsh is not also in your list.

Look, I actually like the Chargers (for the most part), and I think Rivers is coming into his own. But Ed Hochuli did not lose this game for them.

by Leukadian on Sep 17, 2008 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions

UT got it wrong

but I guess its pointless to argue about it anymore since the 0-2 isn’t going away no matter what

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

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Sep 17, 2008 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions

Honestly

Talk to any Chargers fan, and they’ll tell you they have major concerns (if not, feelings of abject horror) about the defense. CAN WE MAKE THIS ANY CLEARER, RANDOM TROLL BRONCOS FANS?

THE DEFENSE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTE GARBAGE SO FAR, AND THE TEAM IS 0-2 BASED ON ALL OF 3 POINTS. WE KNOW THE TEAM WOULD BE UNDEFEATED WITH EVEN SLIGHTLY BETTER DEFENSE. THE CHARGERS D HAS BEEN AN ATROCITY ON PAR WITH THE TALIBAN. WE. GET. IT.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way:

THE FUMBLE NON-CALL GAVE THE GAME TO THE BRONCOS. IT UNDENIABLY CHANGED THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME AT A CRITICAL MOMENT. IT WAS NOT JUST ANOTHER “BLOWN CALL” (THOUGH THE CALL CERTAINLY DID BLOW) THAT MOVED A TEAM 5 OR 10 YARDS UP THE FIELD.

I’m officially done with this.

by Dalton on Sep 17, 2008 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions

What about me?

I’m a Charger’s fan and I have minor concerns about the Chargers defense, but not really major concerns. I am comfortable with giving props to the Broncos for executing a good game plan against the Chargers defense. A game plan that most teams cannot pull off. I have more (minor) concerns about the tackling from game 1 and the lack of pressure in game 1 than I do with not being able to handle the Broncos quick passing attack and giving up one bad running play in week 2. But no major concerns.

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

by Wonko on Sep 17, 2008 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions

You're the voice of reason?

by Dalton on Sep 17, 2008 2:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Then we are all in trouble

Big trouble.

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

by Wonko on Sep 17, 2008 5:14 PM PDT up reply actions

The interception is also a valid gripe because (and stay with me on this since you seem to get confused easily) they got the call on the field wrong.

I think what you’re missing here more than anything is that in a game where turnovers are likely to be the deciding factor your Broncos were given a turnover by the referees without doing anything to deserve it and were saved from their own turnover again by the referees. With two extra undeserved possessions, the Broncos won by one point. That’s a team that did not deserve to win.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on Sep 17, 2008 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions

If a offensive and defensive player have mutual possesion

(which I would argue baily only had maybe 25% at most) the offensive player gets the ball if they are down by contact. Correct call would have been a good catch by the offensive player.

If ANYTHING it should have been called a catch and a fumble. Of course that “fumble” was 10-15 seconds after the reciever was already down by contact.

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

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Sep 17, 2008 12:53 PM PDT up reply actions

All right guys

This one stung, but Coastal Bronco hasn’t been inflammatory, lets ease up on the ‘easily confused’/troll type comments please. Oddly I think everyone is pretty much in agreement that the defense needs work and there were some bad calls. Lets let it go at that.

"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 Sep 17, 2008 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Just for the record

The officiating in that game was as bad as I’ve ever seen in the NFL, and the whistle should’ve never been blown on Cutler’s fumble, and the Broncos were extremely fortunate to escape with a W. Apologies if you feel that I’ve rubbed salt in the wound. My intent was to speak on-topic as to whether the “Chargers only have themselves to blame.” I’ll give it a rest for awhile before posting in Bolts from the Blue again. Good luck this year… at least up until the last regular season game.

by Leukadian on Sep 17, 2008 1:15 PM PDT up reply actions

To win in the NFL, the Denver Broncos required not one, not two, but three huge officiating mistakes to go in their favor.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on Sep 17, 2008 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions

And a clock malfunction

Don’t forget about that.

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

by Wonko on Sep 17, 2008 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Oh ya

forgot that thing was supposed to be running

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

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Sep 17, 2008 2:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Hard to take responsibility for a game I didn't play in

by Winfield's Ghost on Sep 16, 2008 2:26 PM PDT reply actions

Um.

I know I’d be pissed as well if it was against my team and believe me, the refs have shafted my Ravens as much as any team in our 12 years in this league.

Exactly, were pissed off.

I don’t think anyone here has been “blaming” the game on the ref, the Chargers did put themselves in that position. But if the Ed makes the CORRECT call, we win the game. I think most of us are just frustrated at the fact that a game was essentially stolen from us.

But by all means, if you don’t like reading about our frustration in our posts then feel free to never visit here again.

Pop-Gun Padres '08

by soulSD on Sep 16, 2008 2:26 PM PDT reply actions

Hereby awarded

First honorary Hochuli with gold leaf clusters.

by Brian (DaBolts) on Sep 16, 2008 2:32 PM PDT reply actions

And Why did you feel the need to impose your opinion on unwilling listeners?

I am so sick and tired of blaming the loss and other losses on the refs when one call never makes the difference between winning and losing a football game

Ok, point taken, but irrelevant, since the call did make the difference between winning and losing a football game.

Who is responsible for playing virtually zero defense for the entire game

Did you watch the second half? I’m guessing not, the Broncos gained a total of NINE yards in the third quarter and only one score in the second half. Which including an interception at a crucial point in time. Please research your unsolicited rant next time so I can at least dismiss you as an educated fan, instead of a fanatic homer.

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

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Sep 16, 2008 2:37 PM PDT reply actions

Aaaaand correct me if I'm wrong but...

After last years NE game didn’t the NFL fine Baltimore safety Bart Scott $25,000 for verbally abusing an official and throwing the penalty flag and weren’t Baltimore WR Derrick Mason, CB Chris McAlister and Samari Rolle likewise fined $15,000 for questioning the integrity of an official?

I don’t remember any Bolts getting fined.

by Brian (DaBolts) on Sep 16, 2008 2:49 PM PDT reply actions

I'm tired of people whining about perceived whining.

"We’re not making excuses," a livid coach Norv Turner said as he undressed afterward. "We’ve got to stop them" -Originally published 04:51 p.m., September 14, 2008

"You sir, are and idiot :/ "

Isn't it enough to know that I ruined a pony making a gift for you?

by Axion on Sep 16, 2008 3:49 PM PDT reply actions