What I'm going to be looking for in tomorrow's game
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Aug 14, 2009 10:30 AM PDT
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PrintPreseason games are always funny games to watch. Winning or losing doesn't really matter. You'd like to see our ones do well against their ones, but it doesn't really matter what the score is. It's almost like the anti-game. You really care more about how individuals did and maybe how certain groups did than who wins the game.
That being said, there are a couple things I'm going to be looking for during the game tomorrow. Actually, I'll watch the game Monday since I'll have to DVR it since I'll be gone over the weekend. However, my time warner channel listing still shows the game on at 7PM and no game on at 10:30 on CBS, I'll have to rig something up before I leave and I might not see the game at all... Assuming I actually get to watch the game, here is what I'm going to be looking for:
Running Game - I know this is kind of general and obvious, but there are several things I want to see. 1) Is Jacob Hester getting good blocks and does LaDainian Tomlinson trust him? Last year, Mike Tolbert and Hester didn't do a real good job of lead blocking and you could tell that LT didn't trust them, even when Hester started to get a little better at it towards the end of the year LT still didn't follow him like he followed LoNeal. 2) I want to see Marcus McNeill pushing some guys around. He is probably never going to be like Dielman in this way, but I want to see him moving guys or at least effectively shielding them. Show me that he is recovered from his neck injury. 3) I want to see Kynan Forney doing his best road grader impersonation. If he is not doing this, we can expect the right side to be weak until Louis Vasquez comes around. 4) I also want to see how Gartrell Johnson does, but that is more from a curiosity standpoint since I don't see him contributing a whole lot this year.
Inside Linebacker Play - Kevin Burnett, is he the second coming of Donnie Edwards? I expect to see him do well and make some plays in pass coverage. I am curious to see if he is on the field on running downs and if so how he plays. One thing that has changed between this year and last is that the defensive lineman are supposedly going to be more aggressive. They have been talking about doing more gap penetration as opposed to last year when they were more gap control. Gap penetration has the potential to make big plays, but it also allows the offensive lineman to get into your LBs quicker. How does Burnett deal with this if it happens? Can he shed the blockers and still make plays? Best case scenario for the Bolts this year is that Stephen Cooper and Burnett never come off the field. They play passing downs and running downs. More than likely Burnett and Dobbins will split time at the ILB spot opposite Cooper.
Covering the Tight End - We absolutely sucked at covering the tight end last year. Partly because Wilhelm wasn't very good at it, and that is one of the reasons he is gone and Burnett is here. Hart and Weddle also share some of the blame. Theoretically, between Burnett, a healthy Hart, and additional pressure from Merriman, we will be better against the tight ends. Seattle has a decent tight end in John Carlson. He should provide a good test.
After the ones come out sometime in the early second quarter, you'll want to keep you eyes on specific players
On Offense:
WRs - Buster Davis (84) and Kassim Osgood (81). Can these guys be relied on? I am hopeful.
OL - Tyronne Green (69) is he even on this team? 4th round pick should make some kind of impact. Perhaps he is a gamer, we'll see.
TE - Kory Sperry (47) vs. Kris Wilson (88). I've been hearing good things about both these guys. Kris is a second year player and Kory is a UDFA Rookie. I bet Norv will be looking for more of a blocking TE for this 3rd stringer role.
On Defense:
DT - Vaughn Martin (92) - I know he will make plays eventually, but at this point I want to see how lost he looks out there. If he is getting handled consistently, it's probably because he is thinking too much. The more he has to think, the longer it will be until he can contribute.
LB - Keep an eye on my man Darry Beckwith (46)
SS - Kevin Ellison (25) - Another guy to watch and see if he looks lost or tentative. Does he play any LB? John even saw him on the DL for a play. It will be interesting to see if they get creative with Ellison.
FS - C.J. Spillman (41) - this UDFA has been getting some time at FS with Weddle injured.
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English
I was really itching to see Larry English, since I didn’t get to see him at camp. With him not playing I think Burnett could stay out for all of the first-team defensive plays, but that doesn’t mean much. They’ll just want to get him acclimated to playing in this defense.
I want to see how LT, Cromartie, Gartrell and Merriman look. I’m 180 degrees from everyone else on Gartrell Johnson and it’s starting to worry me. Then again, in 2007 I wanted Turner to legitimately split carries with Tomlinson (50-50) and people called me crazy then too. I guess it’s a sign that I just don’t change.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
It's also a sign that Turner likes having one featured back.
Greg Maddux for manager.
by Zach (maestro876) on Aug 14, 2009 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah
but I thought he was smarter than to look around the NFL and say to himself “I can do it better than everyone else.”
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Aug 14, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions
It's just how he runs his system.
And so far, his system has worked pretty well. If he wants to have a featured back then, dammit, let the man have his featured back.
Greg Maddux for manager.
by Zach (maestro876) on Aug 14, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions
And honestly,
Turner is one guy you can trust to run an offense better than everyone else.
Greg Maddux for manager.
by Zach (maestro876) on Aug 14, 2009 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Who better to Feature than LT?
Thats a no brainer, to me. When healthy a top 3 back All-Time? I understand the downsides, but thats a horse you ride. Yes, its easy to say why didn’t you give Turner more carries, but how hard is it to answer " why didn’t you just give LT the ball"?
I’d like to see that stuff too but doubt I will
Just like they run vanilla offence in the pre-season, they run vanilla defense too. They will not be blitzing, and much of the game will be zone coverage. Without pressure, gaps in the middle can not be prevented, so the middle coverage will look bad – not because of the play or players, but just because of game planning choices.
We are not going to see LT. I seriously doubt they will put Marcus out there either. But it will be fun to watch a game.
LT will play
bank on it.
"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock
by John Gennaro on Aug 14, 2009 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions
I think you're right.
He’ll get two or three carries. One more thing you’ll want to look at is how Legedu Naanee is used in the second half, and how effective he is. Naanee has the potential to be very important to this team in 2010.
by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Aug 14, 2009 1:10 PM PDT up reply actions
McNeill will play too.
He needs the work just as much as everyone else.
Greg Maddux for manager.
by Zach (maestro876) on Aug 14, 2009 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions
we're not going to see anything conclusive
but you might see a play or two that can shed some light on lot’s of these things. The ones will only be in for the 1st quarter (LT probably just the first series) so every scenario I want to see might not even occur.
I’m not going to be too disappointed if I don’t see anything.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Aug 14, 2009 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Beckwith and Ellison
I want Beckwith to make this team. I have high hopes for Ellison as well, but think we may not see too much too soon with him.
The Charly Martin story in the SDUT makes me root for him as well. Hope he lights up the 2nd Half!!
I think
“Running Game” and “Covering the Tight End” are probably things that are beyond the scope of this game. I see that as maybe something Game 3 can shed some light on. This game is about getting the 3rd and 4th stringers some playing time to prove who should be on the roster.
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
It's pre-season, folks
What do you really expect to see? No one shows their hand much in these games.
We’ll see this ….
How does the 1st team OL appear to be gelling? Do we have adequate depth in this unit? I expect to see Green & Muth in the mix at some point – also Corey Clark.
Who appears to be up to speed in the secondary? Is Gregory legit? Is Cro back to 2007 form? How does Ellison look?
Was Burnett a good pickup? Is he a 3 down guy or more of a coverage ’backer?
Is Gartrell the sh** or what? I think he shows his value as much as anyone on the field starting tonight.
Vaughn Martin – does he have the tools to play at this level or was it all wishful thinking? I’m in his camp – watch him flash some real potential.
Charlie Whitehurst will show why he could start for a lot of teams in the NFL.
LT gets a couple of touches & takes a big one to the house. Sproles rocks the return game. Bennett proves he needs to stay.
Merriman only gets a little work, but it’s enough to elicit a valid “Light’s Out” dance. Ron Rivera gets a little moist over the potential of this D.
Charger football – it may be preseason, but it’s here!!!!
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
This comment looks really silly having seen the game now
Memo to baseball managers: You manufacture runs by NOT making outs, not by making them on purpose.
I agree... for the most part
I’m also interested to see the whatthe oline can do, as well as if any of the safeties step up.
I don’t think we’ll see more than one series out of LT and I don’t think anything will happen in that series, but I am excited about gartrell especially curious about what (if anything) he can do once he hits the second level.
I’m really curious about Martin and am pumped up to see him in action.
I’m probably way to excited about a preseason game, but what the hell.
LETS GO CHARGERS
.
I have a LT doll... yeah I'm a little embarassed.
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