More Reasons for Chargers Fear: Home/Road Splits

by John Gennaro on Nov 17, 2011 9:45 AM PST in San Diego Chargers Statistics

This Sunday, the San Diego Chargers will travel to the windy city of Chicago to take on the Bears. The weather men and women have predicted a high of 44 degrees on Sunday, and it'll probably be colder than that with a local start time of 3pm (meaning it will be dark by time the game ends). The Chargers typically play poorly in cold weather.

Oh, you want more reasons to be certain that the deck is stacked against San Diego this weekend? Okay. How about this? The Chargers are 1-3 on the road this season, only narrowly edging out the Broncos in Denver after John Fox put Tim Tebow in too late. They've lost to the Patriots, Chiefs and Jets away from San Diego.

The Chargers defense, which is not very good, allows 23.8 points in home games. Nor surprisingly, they allow almost 3 more points per game when playing on the road. As bad as Philip Rivers has been this season, he's been worse on the road than he has been at home. His QB rating drops almost 5 points when you compare home/away splits, and his interception rate is much higher (4.9% of throws going for INT against 3.8%).

The Bears aren't going to do the Chargers any favors, either. They're 4-1 at home, with their only loss coming against the undefeated Green Bay Packers. Their QB, the lighting-rod of media controversy, Jay Cutler has a QB rating nearly 9 points higher when he plays at home versus his road numbers. The Chicago defense allows 18.2 points per game at home, against 24 points allowed on the road.

Long story short? The road Chargers are usually the worst Chargers team that we see. Without Kris Dielman, Shaun Phillips, Malcom Floyd and possibly Takeo Spikes, this could be a recipe for disaster for San Diego. That would be less worrisome if they weren't playing an on-fire Bears team that plays much better at Soldier Field than elsewhere. Add in the cold weather and it'll be a damn miracle if the Chargers return home with a W.

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Comments

So basically...

We’re screwed.

by cameronm on Nov 17, 2011 10:19 AM PST reply actions

is that Spikes on the picture with you? nice

by cleyton on Nov 17, 2011 10:26 AM PST up reply actions

Necks not nearly big enough.

That’s Dobbins.

by SoCalBoltFan on Nov 17, 2011 10:45 AM PST up reply actions

yep. wish it was spikes

by cameronm on Nov 17, 2011 11:36 AM PST up reply actions

just saw the 51 jersey

by cleyton on Nov 17, 2011 1:40 PM PST up reply actions

thats about right

A lot of chargers fan were counting with a W here just because was Cutler on the other side.
theres a lot more to account here like those home/away factors, our injuries, Rivers playin like a 3rd string QB and bunch of other things.
When i read the article about Julius Pepper here i was more than certain that this was a sure L.

You might say im a pessimist but i had a L here right after the Chiefs game

by cleyton on Nov 17, 2011 10:24 AM PST reply actions

Miracles DO happen

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
Could we get a Countdown to Castillo's return?

by Superduperboltman on Nov 17, 2011 10:37 AM PST reply actions

Anxiety setting in.

Thanks John.

by SoCalBoltFan on Nov 17, 2011 10:48 AM PST reply actions

Now it's a win-win situation

Either the L we’re expecting (and a higher draft position and a new coach on the horizon) or a W we can go crazy about.

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Nov 17, 2011 10:56 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs

That's a good way of looking at it.

by SoCalBoltFan on Nov 17, 2011 11:09 AM PST up reply actions

I realize that

coaches usually don’t get fired durring the seaon when there is still a chance of reaching the playoffs. But, does anyone really believe this team has a chance? I don’t. heck, in the latest power ranking, the broncos were listed one above the chargers. At least the chiefs were ranked lower. They should hire a new coach NOW, and start assessing who stays and who goes and start planning for next year. So, expect the chargers to suck again next year.

by irishlad on Nov 17, 2011 11:33 AM PST reply actions

no point in doing it now

let the team play out, look at the available assistants during the off season and have a thorough view of whats available. there is no point in firing Norv now, and i wouldnt ever want my team to throw in the towel while still in contention. (even though its unlikely we do anything)

by cameronm on Nov 17, 2011 11:39 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Spanos' aren't going to pay 2 head coaches

Especially when this season is as much AJ’s fault for the previous 3 drafts, and we’ve had an unusually impactful set of injuries, and PR just doesn’t have “it” this year.

by Robo65 on Nov 17, 2011 11:54 AM PST up reply actions

The Chargers will somehow manage to score negative points this week.

[Comment From Jesse Jesse: ]
Do you imagine a scenario where we could, say, sell Hudson to a Japanese team?

by Natrone Means Business on Nov 17, 2011 1:48 PM PST reply actions

Rivers already does that on a weekly basis!

by Orz on Nov 17, 2011 2:20 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Worst. Game. Ever.

At least until next week. Or the one after that.

by Lightning Hobo on Nov 17, 2011 5:07 PM PST reply actions

In terms of being on the road

Playing at home vs Oakland with an expectation to win, didn’t help, so maybe reduced expectations will.

Which admittedly, hasn’t worked so far.

by The Land Of Real Beer on Nov 17, 2011 6:54 PM PST reply actions

cut out the cancer

Norv and his ilk are a tumor that has spread throughout this organization and destroyed it from within.

Cut out the cancer and let the healing being.

This season was over after the jets loss. The only people who didn’t see this were the idiots like Acee had blinders on. 4-1/4-2 were a joke and honestly lets face it, this team couldn’t beat the Colts right now. The O-line is decimated, old and unproductive. Rivers is fleeing for his life with every possession. Mathews hasn’t been given the ball in the red zone since pre-season. Really, your first round draft pick can’t be trusted with the ball in the redzone, wtf is the point of drafing him then.

I won’t spend another dollar on this team until Norv and AJ are gone. Even better sell the team to someone who gives a fuck and wont simply pass the franchise onto their dumb fucking kids.

This team will never have a ring as long as the cheap ass Spanos family owns it. Sell the team, let it move to LA where their media won’t suck off the owners at every turn and actually hold the team accountable for its piss poor play.

This entire team is a fucking factory of sadness. I’m sick every Sunday when they play because its always a disappointing farce of a football team.

by bols4thewin on Nov 17, 2011 6:59 PM PST reply actions