1. Darren Sproles
Darren Sproles is making $7.2381 million this year. Mike Tolbert is making $470,000. That means Big Mike is making 6.4%(!) as much as Tiny Darren this year. Yet, if you project their stats out for the entire season you get this:
- Sproles - 64 carries, 280 rush yards, 28 catches, 300 rec yards.
- Tolbert - 204 carries, 1,124 rush yards, 12 rush TDs, 24 catches, 132 rec yards.
Now, Tolbert probably won't hit those numbers and Sproles will probably get better. Also, Darren had the benefit of ending his rookie deal when the team had no backup plan that they trusted. Still, the team needs to get more value out of Darren. So far this year he's done next to nothing as a returner (Patrick Crayton was an improvement on PR, but now he's gone) and has actually been a negative in the running game due to his fumble yesterday.
2. Run Defense
I know, it's a reach, but not a lot went wrong in this game. The first drive of the game was a little scary for the Chargers because they were having a real hard time stopping the Cardinals running game, no matter which RB was in the game. A run-heavy drive down the field for the Cards culminated with a 25-30 yard TD run by Tim Hightower and the Cardinals had a lead until....holding, on the offense.
The replay showed that the holding call was....iffy, and away from the play. Quite simply, it's not a call that's usually made. On the next play, Derek Anderson lobbed the ball into a crowd of Chargers and about 10 yards past his receiver right into the chest of Steve Gregory. The threat was over, and the next time the Cardinals had the ball they were already playing catch-up.
3. Fans/Black Out
I really hope this is the last time this season that I cannot watch the game on my local TV channel.
4. Umm.....crappy weather today, huh?
Seriously.
5. Philip Rivers, GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!
That one time, in the third quarter, when you went to throw it out of bounds but didn't make it to the line of scrimmage and so you got an intentional grounding penalty called on you? UNACCEPTABLE!