Chargers Game Ball of the Week: Scott Fujita

by John Gennaro on Oct 17, 2011 10:22 AM PDT in AFC West Updates

Since the San Diego Chargers did not play or make any trades (yet) this week, I'm choosing to give the game ball to the player that had the largest impact on the Bolts' season on Sunday. While Chris Gocong was wrapping up Jason Campbell's legs on a QB scramble, Scott Fujita came in and slammed the Raiders' QB's shoulder into the ground and broke his collarbone. Someone should've told Campbell that the league only protects QBs that stay in the pocket.

The Raiders went on to beat the Browns with Kyle Boller and Shane Lechler splitting the duties as QB in the second half (Lechler threw the only passing TD for Oakland), but Campbell was knocked out for the rest of the season. Despite Campbell not being a prolific passer, the Raiders offense was scoring more points per game with him than the 2011 Chargers offense.

Next week, with Oakland just 0.5 games behind the Chargers for the lead in the division, the Raiders travel to Kansas City to play the Chiefs. The following two weeks for them are a bye week and vs the Broncos in Oakland. If they were going to trade for Carson Palmer or sign David Garrard and get him acclimated as the starter, now would be the best time for them to do it.

AFC West Standings

	W	L	PF	PA
San Diego	4	1	120	109
Oakland	4	2	160	150
Kansas City	2	3	77	150
Denver	1	4	105	140

(updated 10.17.2011 at 1:17 AM PDT)

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Comments

Big play, yes.

Someone should’ve told Campbell that the league only protects QBs that stay in the pocket.

Or are named Brady

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."
Bolts from the Blue

by Superduperboltman on Oct 17, 2011 10:29 AM PDT reply actions

He never leaves the pocket

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 17, 2011 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions

I hate the Raiders, but this seems a little tasteless

Can’t really get behind congratulating an injury, no matter who it is.

by BFDC on Oct 17, 2011 10:56 AM PDT reply actions 6 recs

rec'd

by not humble enough on Oct 17, 2011 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions

no need to put 'rec'd' I'd take it off if I could

I justed wanted to agree. this is the only thing I’ve commented on in a while.

by not humble enough on Oct 17, 2011 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions

it is very bad football karma to root for or celebrate injury

This certainly toes that line. I think John was trying to be careful not to cross it, though.

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Oct 17, 2011 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions

Campbell may be a Raider

but he’s always struck me as a nice, humble kid.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Oct 17, 2011 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions

I met him

as soon as he was traded to Oakland. He talked about it like it was a punishment.

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."
Bolts from the Blue

by Superduperboltman on Oct 17, 2011 11:57 AM PDT up reply actions

More like a prison transfer

since he was coming from Washington.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Oct 17, 2011 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions

This perfectly captures how I feel about rooting for the Chiefs next week.

I hate the Raiders, but this seems a little tasteless

Bolts from the Blue // "I eat cereal out of a giant novelty wine glass because it makes me feel fancy." - Britney Wade
Bloody Elbow // "I think we're poking fun at Leland's 'boner.'" - Michael Fagan

by Richard Wade on Oct 17, 2011 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Didn't feel like I was celebrating

Just stating that the player with the largest positive impact for the Chargers this week was Scott Fujita, because of the injury.

I just re-read my own post and don’t view anything as celebratory or anything other than factual. The “Game Ball” is not a real thing, I didn’t sit in a locker room and hand a ball to Fujita while the locker room cheered him on for injuring somebody.

Name for me one player that had a larger positive impact on the Chargers season on Sunday and I’ll gladly take this post down and write a new one.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 17, 2011 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions

I get what your saying John

And I don’t think it sounded bad, I just look at it like this; If Rivers went down, and the Raiders SN site had a game ball to the player who knocked Rivers out, I’d be pretty pissed.

by cameronm on Oct 17, 2011 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Why?

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 17, 2011 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions

I would take it that a rival team was celebrating

the fact that our QB went down. I’m not saying thats what your doing, but it could easily be seen that way.

by cameronm on Oct 17, 2011 2:08 PM PDT up reply actions

I wouldn't see it that way

Literally NOTHING happened with the Chargers this week. I had to pick SOMEBODY to get the game ball.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 17, 2011 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions

I think these comments reveal that you didn't mean anything bad

So it’s all good. Now I don’t agree that you had to pick somebody. You can say ‘We salute Michael Turner, as a former charger, for winning’ or some crap like that. When things suck they suck.

by not humble enough on Oct 17, 2011 8:45 PM PDT up reply actions

I never wish an injury upon any player..

Could of been Rivers. The Raiders are really making a push for the division and Hue’s is really building that team to be the bully that he wanted. Being a bully in this division won’t be hard, since we have so many softy’s in the division. The Chargers better wake up and stay up from here on out. No more easy division winning season for us. All 3 of the teams in our division are really going to start make strides, especially the Raiders. We need to be a Bully too, our we’ll end up getting bullied for a long time.

by BOLTUREYE on Oct 17, 2011 12:05 PM PDT reply actions

Campbell claims he could come back in 6 weeks

Hmm

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Oct 17, 2011 12:18 PM PDT reply actions

By the looks of it this is his throwing shoulder

Collar bone is one of the few bones I haven’t broken. But it is hard to imagine that he’ll have full mobility and be back to normal in six weeks. It would be hard to believe even if they surgically repaired the bone.

Regarding the tact of this post…. I think it is possible to separate the pain & loss that a player suffers from the impact on the team.
Am I glad Campbell is hurt? no.
Do I celebrate the impact of losing Campbell on the 2011 Raiders? Heck yes I do!

by Trendsearcher on Oct 17, 2011 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions