5 Bad Things: Chargers at Broncos
by John Gennaro on Jan 4, 2011 9:52 AM PST
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Print1. Denver freaking Broncos
From yesterday:
I don't know that I've ever seen the Chargers players hyped up to be making plays as they were against the Broncos. Make a tackle? Get in a fight! Catch a pass? Do a dance! They were so excited to be putting the beat down on their division rivals and finishing the season about .500.
That's all I say about that for now. We're going to come back to this subject in 5 Bad Things later.
Fellas, fellas.....I know you're thinking "I have all this excess energy since we're not going to be playing in the playoffs, let's go nuts!" Here's the thing, though.....you look dumb. Remember when you were walloping on the Cardinals and the Jaguars, and it was like "Yeah! That was a good play! Now I'm gonna jog back to the huddle. Don't want to celebrate too much...you know, it is the Cardinals." Well, you want to know something? The Broncos were worse than the Cardinals.
It's true. Have you seen the 2011 draft order yet? The Broncos did not get the 2nd overall pick (also known as "The first pick after Andrew Luck") by chance, they earned it by being the 2nd worst team in the league. Heck, you could look at their 2011 situation (paying 3 Head Coaches, an inaccurate QB, an aging defense) and say they'll be even worse off next season.
The Chargers should've won this game by 20 with their backups. Instead they win by 5 with their starters and spend the time on the field acting like every big play just won them the Super Bowl. I was embarrassed.
2. El Capitan
What was all that talk about "Philip Rivers is taking this game very seriously." I love the guy, but it looked like he spent the last week or so on the golf course instead of at practice. The interception was a rookie mistake, and his 56.8% completion percentage was more on him than it was his receivers. Philip just didn't seem sharp, and seemed to spend the whole game angry at himself for not being sharp. Maybe it was "just one of those games", but it seems to me like Rivers never seems to have a great game unless there's actually something to play for.
I like Double A as much as the next guy, but this season showed the weaknesses in his game. He's a smart player that is somewhat lacking in speed and strength. As a pass-rusher, he's almost invisible. As a run-stopper, he can get in the way but rarely makes a play. Perhaps the long season wore him down, after a season off with injury, but the last few weeks it seems like offenses were attacking him successfully when he was on the field.
OLB was a real problem position this year, it reminded me plenty of the 2008 Chargers season. The team went searching for answer with Larry English, Antwan Barnes and Antwan Applewhite and nobody came close to being in the league of Shaun Phillips or Shawne Merriman.
If A.J. Smith were to use the Chargers top draft pick on a can't-miss OLB, I certainly would not complain.
4. Steve Crosby
Let's use our imaginations for a second. Let us imagine that the Patriots are really bad next season. They have a bad draft, some injuries and it ends up with them finishing under .500. Do the Patriots fire Bill Belichick? No.....and do you know why? Because they know he's a great coach who maybe had an off year with coaching and personnel, but have faith that he'll turn it around.
Steve Crosby is one of the league's best Special Teams coach. Seriously. Kassim Osgood, Hanik Milligan, Mike Scifres, Nate Kaeding...these are guys that Charger fans should be thankful A.J. Smith drafted, and be thankful that Steve Crosby coached. Now Crosby, who had an off year with coaching and personnel, gets shitcanned and becomes the scapegoat for a lost season.
Is it justified? Maybe.....his unit was really bad. The issue now becomes "Can the guy that replaces Crosby be better than Crosby?" and "Will Crosby land somewhere that could hurt the Chargers?" Imagine Steve landing in the AFC West, and for the next 5-10 years he's once again coaching up a unit that is amongst the league's best. Then imagine that during that span the Chargers keep hiring and firing new ST coaches to try and find the right match. That's obviously the worst case scenario, but it's a possibility for sure.
I'm not saying he shouldn't have been fired. This is how the NFL works. In some ways, you have to appease the fans and point blame so that they buy in against next season. However, the smarter fans should be unhappy with the fact that the ST coaching situation just went from "Great coach who had an offseason, and might have more or might rebound" to total and complete unknown.
5. Draft Position & Schedule
We've gone over this a million times, but the Chargers missed a great opportunity to protect their starters, get their young kids more time on the field and possibly start off 2011 with better picks against weaker competition. To each their own, I suppose, but a 9-7 season where the team misses the playoffs looks pretty much the same as a 8-8 season where the team misses the playoffs. Both of them look like neon signs that say "Find ways to get better next season so that you don't miss the playoffs." The Bolts didn't really try and do that, at least not this week.
5a. Commenters
You guys are obviously going to hate any list I put together, but allow me to backup my Good points from yesterday...
No name guys - Yes, Brandon Lang made a stupid (rookie) mistake by punching a guy. He also got a sack in limited playing time. It's something to build on. In the same light, the rest of the guys I named played well in the limited time they were given in the game. Do I wish they played the whole game? Absolutely, but in the few plays they were in they made plays and looked promising.
Special Teams/No Fumbles - When I said "No Fumbles", I should've said that it was a step in the right direction to not fumble directly into the hands of the other team. When I said Special Teams, I should've said "Our Return Game/Kicking Game". I was looking for ways in which the team played better than normal in certain aspects of the game, and couldn't ignore the fact that both Antoine Cason and Darren Sproles looked dangerous on returns and Kaeding had a good game of kicking FGs.
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If Rivers did spend the week on the golf course instead of preparing for this game
Then he only deserves to be on the bad things list for not doing more to help the losing cause.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
"If A.J. Smith were to use the Chargers top draft pick on a can't-miss OLB, I certainly would not complain."
Doesn’t exist. There are quality ones that will go in the first round, but “can’t miss” is not a word I would use on any of the OLBs.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
Perhaps our definition of a can’t-miss OLB is different. I thought Anthony Spencer was a can’t miss OLB. Then again, I also thought Sergio Kindle was one.
Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.
by John Gennaro on Jan 4, 2011 10:37 AM PST up reply actions
Spencer had never played OLB before coming out
Which, in my book, made him somebody that could miss. Same goes with Ryan Kerrigan who is essentially the same player as Spencer. Both also lined up over the RT in college, but with Chargers would line up over LT (Spencer still lines up over RT in Dallas though).
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
Kindle just had the injury thing not many knew about
I don’t fault ya for that.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
i wouldnt be upset if he pulled a ditka
and traded the whole draft to Az for Fitzgerald
"i'm not inclined to resign to maturity"...PSYCH theme
by $#%@ eli and his daddy on Jan 4, 2011 12:13 PM PST up reply actions
Either way
I’ve said many times in my analysis that Applewhite isn’t that good. He’s a great guy, and I’m sure he could be very valuable on special teams, but he’s not cut out to be an OLB in a 3-4. He can cover fairly well. Maybe he should convert to inside
Dielman on Rivers: "I've tried to get him to say s--- or f--- and all he'll ever do is say, 'Golly gee, I can't do that."
by Superduperboltman on Jan 4, 2011 1:14 PM PST up reply actions
When you draft an OLB in the middle of the first round
isn’t it supposed to be a can’t-miss OLB? Larry English, are you reading this?
It's fairly safe to say
That when you draft anybody in the middle of the first round, you aren’t a “can’t miss” anything.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
by Wonko on Jan 5, 2011 4:42 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
On your special teams player list
Carlos Polk might have deserved a place.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
by Wonko on Jan 4, 2011 10:06 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
DEFINITELY
Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.
by John Gennaro on Jan 4, 2011 10:37 AM PST up reply actions
Heck, Hester and Tolbert probably deserve a place.
Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.
by John Gennaro on Jan 4, 2011 10:38 AM PST up reply actions
Hester may have picked up a lot of his skills there at LSU
But, don’t quote me on that.
He need to get Hank Bauer to weigh in.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
Would Crosby have kept his job
If the Broncos don’t return that KO for a TD?
Once that happened you had to be certain that Crosby was gone.
You can make the argument for personnel issues in the first
few games of the year, but in the final game of the season when
your personnel really can’t get more experienced you are showing
what you’re made of. And clearly this year, the kick coverage units weren’t made of much.
formerly riversformvp
Technically
He did lose at least one of those personnel changes before the 49ers game. Pat Watkins was playing well before getting hurt. From that game forward, the cracks started to show again.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
As a member of the Fire Crosby Crowd (FCC)
I have to say that’s a good point. I hope they are bringing Watkins back.
The play of chance and probability within which the creative spirit is free to roam. -von Clausewitz 'On Football'
by Brian (DaBolts) on Jan 4, 2011 11:58 AM PST up reply actions
FFC #2
Let us imagine that the Patriots are really bad next season. They have a bad draft, some injuries and it ends up with them finishing under .500. Do the Patriots fire Bill Belichick? No
This isn’t quite similar. Crosby’s Teams in 2010 were not .500 or average. Maybe his Teams in past years were average.
So let me pitch the scenario back… If Belichick’s 2010 team set theNFL ALL TIME WORST W-L record, does he kep his job? That would be a much harder question.
And that’s with a track record like Belichick’s. Steve Crosby was never considered the BEST ST Coach in the league… the panicle of ST Coaches…. The dude was just alright in the past, and monumentally lousy last year.
by Trendsearcher on Jan 4, 2011 12:12 PM PST up reply actions
^^this^^
the most ridiculously inept special teams performance i’ve ever seen
almost got a great punter killed just about every friggin week, muffing kicks, catching kickoffs and running out at the 2, back to back KR for touchdowns, back to back blocked punts into the endzone
the list could go on and on, but there’s no way a coach should survive such a pathetic showing by his squad
Insert advanced emoticon here >:-)
Amazing, then, that Marty Schottenheimer survived after leading a piss-poor Chargers team to a 4-12 record.
Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.
so you wouldn't say
that Marty was the panicle of Chargers Head Coaches?
because I probably would… if I knew was panicle meant… which I don’t… but that won’t stop me from trying to use it in a sentence a few times today.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jan 4, 2011 1:05 PM PST up reply actions
How do you measure head coaches?
Because Turner has had far more success than Marty.
My name is Guybrush Threepwood, and I'm a mighty pirate.
"How appropriate! You fight like a cow!"
Faceless slider-tossing goofs FTW.
by Zach (maestro876) on Jan 4, 2011 1:19 PM PST up reply actions
you could argue that either the second raider game or the Cinci game was the panicle of our season.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jan 5, 2011 9:23 AM PST up reply actions
Funny typos....
Hey we used to have a restaurant in PB named the Panikin, maybe that’s where it came from… I was typing fast and some how my spell check wasn’t working. Maybe Colbert can use panicle sometime.
The blue and yellow dread locks in my floppy Chargers hat shuttered like panicles as the Chargers punt team take the field.
by Trendsearcher on Jan 5, 2011 9:35 AM PST up reply actions
I think
it should be painicle
The play of chance and probability within which the creative spirit is free to roam. -von Clausewitz 'On Football'
by Brian (DaBolts) on Jan 5, 2011 2:10 PM PST up reply actions
Marty's survival at that time really was amazing
And you nailed it – that team was rebuilding.
Offensive execution-wise, defensive execution-wise it ain’t EVER gonna get any better than the 2010 Chargers.
by Trendsearcher on Jan 4, 2011 1:08 PM PST up reply actions
say it ain't so
if its never gonna get any better than the turnover prone offensive performance we saw this season, let me go shoot myself now
Insert advanced emoticon here >:-)
We can only get better w/ the turn overs
but I think generally the Offense was able to rise above that. They really were excellent this year both run (well maybe only good) and pass, and good balance too.
by Trendsearcher on Jan 4, 2011 2:27 PM PST up reply actions
We didn't have one comeback win this year.
When we had a chance to win games late, our red zone offense absolutely failed us and our defense couldn’t stop late time consuming drives. Think back to 2006, we absolutely dominated the league offensively and defensively that season. Even last year, this team was much better than this years team. The stats have many fooled this year. Offensively our success mainly came against poor teams and when playing in desperation mode when opposing defenses were in some sort of deep cover or prevent. Defensively, I like to judge a defense by points allowed rather than yards allowed. Did I see somebody on here say Turner is much better than Schottenheimer, WOW. That is a serious Norv crush, love is blind. I see it as a draw at best.
If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, then you will be fired with enthusiasm. Vince Lombardi
There are things I don't like about Norv
… running on EVERY first down for instance.
But the numbers are pretty clear he’s had better sucess than Marty (in San Diego).
by Trendsearcher on Jan 5, 2011 10:48 AM PST up reply actions
Marty got fired didn't he.... ;)
The peanut gallery has spoken!!!
You have to win 14 games to get fired on this team.
Norv will never be fired.
Marty basically asked Spanos to fire him, though.
Bolts from the Blue // "It's a league game, Smokey." - Walter Sobchak
Bloody Elbow // "Mongo only pawn in game of life." - Mongo
by Richard Wade on Jan 5, 2011 10:10 AM PST up reply actions
Having an easier schedule
What the hell did it do for us this year?
Different circumstance
The rest of the division had the same easiness (NFC West, AFC South) to the schedule. Chargers got two division winners (Patriots and Bengals).
The idea was to get a couple opponents that were easier than the ones the Raiders and Chiefs are going to have.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
by Wonko on Jan 4, 2011 11:47 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
So..
you’d rather the Chargers get in an win a championship playing pour teams, and trying to keep the tarnish off it for the next 40 years. instead of playing good teams, becoming a dominant over the next decade with 3 championships?
i choose the later.
The peanut gallery has spoken!!!
LOL WUT
Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.
by John Gennaro on Jan 4, 2011 1:35 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I'm supposed to say that...
Dielman on Rivers: "I've tried to get him to say s--- or f--- and all he'll ever do is say, 'Golly gee, I can't do that."
by Superduperboltman on Jan 4, 2011 1:58 PM PST up reply actions
I'd rather just get the team to the postseason
And beat the good teams then.
Easiest way to do that is to keep our rivals from getting easy wins or lucking into close wins and to keep the Chargers playing the best possible set of opponents to help them achieve the most home games in the playoffs.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
Another way to look at it
Is what if Rivers got hurt and had to miss one or two games? Would you rather that game be against a hard opponent to prove our worth or against an easier opponent? I for one don’t care about the pride of trying to win a hard game with our backup (or multiple backups if there are other injuries). I just wanna win and get the best possible position for the playoffs.
I also would care more about proving how good we are if we actually had a championship under our belts. As it is, we do not and therefore I want everything as favorable as possible to get us there. I don’t want us to miss an opportunity for whatever reason because we had extra challenges one year. The less challenges the better. Just get the ring.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
+1
I could care less who we beat and how we get there, so long as we win the big one.
respect the n't
…
Dielman on Rivers: "I've tried to get him to say s--- or f--- and all he'll ever do is say, 'Golly gee, I can't do that."
by Superduperboltman on Jan 6, 2011 11:40 AM PST up reply actions
yeah i can see that..
the point i’m making is, the chargers have gotten into the playoffs, while playing weak division opponents, and got bounced in the playoffs by teams that are way better than .500 teams, the chargers feasted on in the regular season.
this is not about “pride” it’s about getting better, by playing “better” opponents. to me it’s about being a consistant contender for multiple championships, for years to come. so i rather this team take that route, than getting “one” championship, and waiting the next 40 years to get another.
The peanut gallery has spoken!!!
When has a SB Champoin's reputation ever been tarnished because of a soft regular season schedule?
Seriously, name one time.
The thong is, it happened.
by Goofus on Jan 5, 2011 3:43 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I get that
But my point is that we are so wildly inconsistent that facing easy teams gives me no sense of confidence. One week we destroy Arizona, another week we get dominated by the Bengals. If the problem is complacency, then maybe these guys need to feel like they’re up against the wall every week with a tough opponent.
Oops,
meant to respond to Wonko above.
by Cake or Death on Jan 4, 2011 11:54 AM PST up reply actions
It's a nice theory.
Humans do like to find patterns in things. No way to know if that’s a pattern that would persist or wouldn’t.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
For their trouble
the Chiefs get the Colts and Steelers next year. The Chargers get the Jags and Ravens, and the Raiders get the Browns and Texans. If the Jags are decent again next year, I don’t see a lot of difference between KC’s schedule and the Chargers’. But the Raiders made out okay; I’d take Cleveland and Houston.
Are Marlon McCree and Antonio Cromartie the same person? Just askin'.
If you weight what DVOA says about the Jags a little more than their record
And you assume the Colts will have some better luck with injuries. It would be pretty unlikely that the Jags could improve enough to rival the Colts.
Things to keep in mind about Jacksonville. Only 1 win against a team with winning record (Indy by 3 pts) and they went 2-0 against their “last place schedule teams” (Buffalo and Cleveland). The have a little pretender in them.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
Good point
I was a little uncomfortable with the Jags comparison to the Colts, recognizing the Colts injuries issues, hence my feeble caveat. Still, I have an irrational fear that when the Jags play SD they will most likely do their best ’85 Bears imitation. Or perhaps the Chargers will cast them into the role…
Are Marlon McCree and Antonio Cromartie the same person? Just askin'.
Obligatory Comment
about fumble recovery being random and it’s no improvement at all that we happened to fall on the fumbles this time.
My name is Guybrush Threepwood, and I'm a mighty pirate.
"How appropriate! You fight like a cow!"
Faceless slider-tossing goofs FTW.
by Zach (maestro876) on Jan 4, 2011 12:07 PM PST reply actions
Although, the way John worded it
It’s not exactly luck if you throw it into the defender’s hands as he claims.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
Exactly
Also, we all know that the team that tries harder gets the fumble every time. Why weren’t they trying hard before this game?
Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.
by John Gennaro on Jan 4, 2011 12:37 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
We do?
we all know that the team that tries harder gets the fumble every time
I thought that we knew the team with the most rushing attempts wins the game. Geez, you guys cornfuse me every day.
Are Marlon McCree and Antonio Cromartie the same person? Just askin'.
by QLFixBoy on Jan 4, 2011 1:11 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
If an 18 game regular season schedule is adopted as part of the CBA
Has there been any mention on who those two additional games might be for the Bolts?
"There’s more than one way to get people out of the way. Me, I’d hit ‘em up high. I'd run a straight line and I went until I heard glass..."
Lorenzo Neal
Nope
I keep bugging Acee about it via twitter. He doesn’t seem interested in responding. We’ll know when we know.
If I was scheduling, I would give all the second place teams the first place teams from their conference that weren’t already scheduled. And the 3rd place teams get the missing 4th place teams. And vice versa.
However, prior to the 32 team league and re-alignment, the scheduling seemed almost random outside of a your own division. So who knows.
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
I'm not so sure
Could you possibly have more than a feeling?
The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!
Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't
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