Chargers Defeat Ravens: Good, Bad, and Ugly
by Steve Adler on Dec 18, 2011 10:29 PM PST
Email
Print
The Chargers spanked one of the best teams in the AFC tonight. In an amazing victory, I started to feel that sense of hope. The, "Where has this team been all year" comments vanished and were replaced by, "This could really happen" thoughts. Do the Chargers need help? Yes! Is it impossible? No!
I understand that most Chargers fans will hold back emotionally buying into the Chargers making a playoff run, and I don't blame them. With that said, the Chargers have given us a reason to be excited and I'm going to enjoy this victory against the Ravens, as well as the win streak the team is on.
Good:
Philip Rivers: Nothing like seeing Rivers only threw the ball 23 times. Philip was fantastic tonight against the one of the best defenses in the league. Guess he's not hurt anymore. FWIW - Rivers is now 24-2 in December and January.
Antwan Barnes: LaBoy went down and Barnes did his thing. Six tackles (five solo), four sacks, and three qb hits. FOUR SACKS! That really happened.
Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert: Mathews didn't run for 100 yards, but 90 against the Ravens is practically 100 yards against most teams. For the record, Mathews had 109 total yards and two touchdowns. Tolbert to his credit compiled 58 yards and a touchdown.
Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd: Combining for 8 catches and 180 yards, they stretched the field and attacked the ball. Playing like top shelf receivers.
O-Line: The line has played great during this stretch. It's hard to have imagined that the line would perform like this without Kris Dielman and Marcus McNeill.
Playoff chances: Broncos, Raiders, and Jets all lose. Keep hope alive.
Bad:
Run defense: Lucky for the Chargers defensive line, the offense was clicking on all cylinders. That forced the Ravens to abandon the run game and play catch up. The Ravens did average 6.4 yards per carry.
Ugly:
Playoff Chances: Although everything that needed to happen, happened today. The Chargers need another week of great luck and taking care of business on their end to sneak in to the playoffs. I'm bracing myself for plenty of, "The Chargers are the team no one wants to face in the playoffs".
Shameless plug: High Boltage Radio will not be live the rest of the season, but we will have some podcasts. Stay tuned.
34 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I think the shameless plus is an ugly
I hate scooter pie
by Lmbs2slaghtr on Dec 18, 2011 11:19 PM PST up reply actions
Rec'd
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
by Buck Melanoma on Dec 19, 2011 4:30 AM PST up reply actions
Easy
Not his fault he was born with a unibrow.
"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner
by Cake or Death on Dec 19, 2011 11:27 AM PST up reply actions
Good: Rivers picking apart "one of the best D's in football"
Bad: Chargers run defense
Ugly: Chargers 3rd down defense
"follow @radio2012, trust me, you will find his optimism, innocence, and honesty quite refreshing. as a jaded bastard, i sure do." justdave2103
http://twitter.com/#!/radio2012
by Jonathan Holmes on Dec 19, 2011 12:09 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Good
Norv
Just look what he does with a healthy offensive unit.
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
by Buck Melanoma on Dec 19, 2011 3:08 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Lions fan here; Congrats on a great win against the Ravens.
We should have an exciting game up here in Detroit this Saturday.
I hope you can win your division at 8 and 8 as the Lions really need the win. I am expecting a shoot out, but you never know.
My 2011 Lions season prediction: 12 wins and 4 losses. I made this prediction the week after the New England preseason game. Well, so much for that prediction. 10 and 6 anyone?
No fair
We already broke Jay Cutler’s hand for you guys. I’d say you owe us a victory in exchange.
by CABurrito on Dec 19, 2011 5:59 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Fair is fair.
Bolts from the Blue // "At least when Wade is spewing vitriol he does so with an intellectual flair." - insanebolt21
Bloody Elbow // "I think we're poking fun at Leland's 'boner.'" - Michael Fagan
by Richard Wade on Dec 19, 2011 8:54 AM PST up reply actions
I look forward to the match-up
The Lions have always been my #2 team behind the Chargers and it should be a good game. And no, the Chargers can’t win the division at 8-8 but have extremely thin hopes of getting a wild-card at that record. Here’s hoping for a 9-7 Charger’s team and a 10-6 Lions team who both make the playoffs.
By the way, nice victory over the Raiders. Raider losses always bring a smile to my face.
by Ferguson1015 on Dec 19, 2011 7:16 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah, the Chiefs fans at Arrowhead Pride were pretty grateful too.
We owe them for beating the Packers and the Bears.
My 2011 Lions season prediction: 12 wins and 4 losses. I made this prediction the week after the New England preseason game. Well, so much for that prediction. 10 and 6 anyone?
I think we need to go 9-7 to win our division...sorry
Bold Prediction: Pablo Sandoval finishes 1st or 2nd in 2012 NL MVP voting. I'm Twittering now (well maybe not literally now): @GoofusMcP
Wow
Great game from your Chargers last night. I thought the Ravens might lose (and in fact I said 24-20 Chargers) but an ass kicking like THIS? Wow…
Baltimore Blast - 6-time MISL/NISL Champions
Let's go Blues!
Chargers laid the boom stick last night
That was fun game to watch. Who is this team and what have they done with the 2011 Chargers?
Blerg
Nice
Great game by San Diego, they really showed up last night. As a biased Ravens fan I want to scream and use excuses, but in all honesty you were the better team. We had to put Jimmy Smith on suicide watch.
by CharmCity55 on Dec 19, 2011 7:21 AM PST via iPhone app reply actions
That was fun to watch
I am so looking forward to watching Orton play against Tebow………..oh man. Sure hope Buffalo can pull out a win. Maybe we can send then some reinforcements? I think Orton really came in a demonstrated a high level of competence. He has always been a better QB than Matt Cassel in my opinion.
Dear Buffalo: Play Better.
Orton, Tebow, Buffalo
This post is confusing.
Complete Victory
Was one of the best games I have ever seen the Bolts play. Had a game plan and executed perfectly. Makes me wonder where it was for the 6 game skid seemed prepared for everything. Still that being said need to be tougher against the run. Beating Detriot and Oakland on the road will not be easy will take the same effort. Need Buffalo to come threw this week.
7 sacks
is what happens when you force a running offense to pass. There were a lot of coverage sacks in there. The Chargers’ defense is designed to play with a lead and we saw how effective they were. Everyone who wonders where this team has been all year is really wondering where the explosive offense has been. If the offense does its part, everything else falls into place.
I wonder what the biggest thing that turned around the offense way: Rivers getting healthy, or Floyd getting healthy, or McNeil and Dielman getting hurt (there, I said it) and getting replaced by some guys who were not injured/unmotivated…
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Dec 19, 2011 8:54 AM PST reply actions
I'm sure Gates' health has helped too
"The only thing I hate more than Raiders fans is Chargers fans." - A Chargers fan
Gaslamp Ball Wiki - All you need to know about Gaslamp Ball, its members, and all the inside jokes
Bolts from the Blue
Health
Gates getting healthier – Floyd coming back, Phillips coming back, the O-Line subs coming together. When players are healthy and we actually execute like we’re supposed to, we’re pretty good.
gates
He doesn’t look a whole lot better, he may be pain free, but I’m not sure he is getting a whole lot more open now than he was. And he still isn’t doing anything with the ball once he catches it. I’m not sure I’m willing to give his health much of the credit for the recent resurgence.
If I had to pick, I think I would say Floyd’s health has been the biggest help.
No one is taking the bait on McNeil/Dielman being part of the problem??
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Dec 19, 2011 9:31 AM PST up reply actions
I'm your huckleberry
Dielman hasn’t really been the same since he got the new contract. Not saying that he got paid & is bagging it, but he really hasn’t looked as nasty & dominating since that year. Age, wear & tear, maybe lack of chemistry with McNeill.
McNeill? Honestly, I’ve never been a huge fan. He may find himself (if he doesn’t retire)looking at moving to ROT, becoming a backup (which would likely mean restructuring his contract), or getting traded. Gaither is getting it done, far better in run blocking. He wants to play on the blind side & it shows in his motivation.
Whatever it is, there’s no denying that this group is clicking. It would be tempting to say that it is because of the opponents, but not after last night.
If the thunder don't get ya then the lightning will!!
Robert Hunter
by Buck Melanoma on Dec 19, 2011 12:08 PM PST up reply actions
O-line continuity cannot be overstated, IMO
Having the same guys in there a couple weeks in a row will do wonders for Rivers’ confidence in the pocket, and Norv is figuring out which plays they can execute the best. That’s one thing Norv has never struggled with.
Under the radar good
McMichael and his chip blocks on Suggs. Really did a lot to slow down the pass rush.
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Dec 19, 2011 12:33 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Agreed.
I’m generally nervous to agree with anything Cris Collinsworth says, but in this case I think he hit the nail on the head. Rivers definitely took some hits, but he had that extra second or so to find the safety valve receiver. I wish I understood why that wasn’t the game plan for the Raiders game. (Or maybe it was and it was wildly ineffective.)
by Chargers Chickee on Dec 19, 2011 2:57 PM PST up reply actions
Out of all the injuries/replacements on this team,
Jared Gaither made the biggest difference, by far.
IMO.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bolts From The Blue
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
BFTB Apparel Store
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
