A Broncos Fan's Assessment of the Bolts

by The Bradfather Strikes Back on Sep 1, 2011 3:12 PM PDT

Today's NFL preview brings us a report on the San Diego Chargers, a team which has flirted with greatness and ruled the AFC West for the greater part of a decade, at least until last season when an upstart Kansas City squad stole the title from under the Bolts' noses.

Anyway, the impetus for the Chargers' success, in the past few seasons, is Philip Rivers, who thus far has tossed for 19,661 yards, 136 touchdowns and 58 interceptions in a career which has plenty of highlights left in it. While Malcom Floyd and Vincent Jackson are solid wideouts, one overlooks the likes of Seyi Ajirotutu and Patrick Crayton at their own peril. As if this wasn't enough, Antonio Gates is ensuing in a Hall of Fame career and still has a few solid seasons left.

In the backfield, Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert are both solid options as San Diego has adroitly replaced the solid duo of LaDainian Tomlinson and Michael Turner and while I may not be a fan of A.J. Smith's hard-line tactics, he always retains the players he really wants.

This leads us to a defense which features a strong defensive back in one of my own, a Mormon named Eric Weddle, who has inked a rich contract and has the stats to back it up as he has 6 interceptions and four sacks, impressive numbers for a young DB.

Additionally, Jacques Cesaire and Antonio Garay are key cogs in a solid defensive line while Stephen Cooper, Shaun Phillips and even versatile cornerback/kick returner Marcus Gilchrist should keep this unit elite, on paper.

With that said, and this is where I may anger the masses on Bolts From the Blue, I just don't think Norv Turner is a championship-caliber coach.

The Chargers have had even more talented teams than this, in my opinion, and there is not much to show for it.

The Broncos have not been all that in recent years, so I'll take lots of flack for that, I already anticipate.

Nevertheless, San Diego still has a young-enough Rivers and sufficient talent at every conceivable position to go on a Super Bowl run, but it seems a Houston Texans-type conundrum exists in So Cal except for the Chargers, this appertains to Super Bowl appearances.

Perhaps this is the year, but as always, the AFC is a murderer's row so, with the dawn of a new NFL season upon us, we'll see what happens.

As for me, despite my Broncos affinity, I know that despite Kansas City's fluke last season, for all intents and purposes, the road to the division crown generally runs through Qualcomm.

If Denver is as improved as I hope, we'll at least split with you and find a way to steal the AFC West.

If not, I expect to see San Diego carrying the divisional banner once again, much to my disdain, while the Bolts win 10 or 11 games.

Thanks for reading and not crucifying me!

This FanPost was written by a member of the Bolts From The Blue community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bolts From The Blue editors or SB Nation.

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i hate you

canadas marriage is like their money, or military, no one takes it seriously

by bot on Sep 1, 2011 3:19 PM PDT reply actions

Not too many errors,

but 10 or 11 wins? That’s just through November…

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 Sep 1, 2011 3:24 PM PDT reply actions

Your hatred of the Chargers will not be tolerated...

Just yanking your donkey tail. I agree that Norv’s coaching is always called into question, but for every argument one makes againts the guy, someone else can make an argument for him. So I personally am split on my opinion of Norv. That said, it looks like there’s more of a fire lit under him this year, at least from what I’ve seen so far in preseason. And he has high quality coaches around him in Bisaccia and Manusky. The only thing holding this team back is injury or some kind of mental breakdown, because the talent is certainly there this year as you pointed out.

"Who do you think wiil the replacement for Jerry Jr. Cabarra or Frederson"

by Natrone Means Business on Sep 1, 2011 3:56 PM PDT reply actions

A Chargers fan's assessment of the Donkeys

by soulSD on Sep 1, 2011 4:00 PM PDT reply actions

not yet

it’s still Neckbeard until it’s not, we’ll develop him though!

by The Bradfather Strikes Back on Sep 1, 2011 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions

Keep polishing that turd

Seriously if you think this guy is anything more than a 2nd string Hback you really will get laughed off this board.

Winning

by Foilhat on Sep 1, 2011 8:49 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

The funniest thing is the fact that you guys have an all pro quarterback, something we can only dream of, and it hasn’t gotten you jack shit thus far. at least you guys can keep warm this winter by burning all those paper championships you’ve won over the years.

Rahim Moore once climbed Mount Everest, Mount Kilamanjaro, and K-2 using only one bottle of oxygen and a sack of trail mix.

by grind_core on Sep 7, 2011 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions

Puff Piece

6/10/2010 - Tra Thomas signs with the Chargers
8/21/2010 - Tra Thomas retires.

That was fast.

by SD FTW on Sep 1, 2011 5:46 PM PDT reply actions

eh

Not the best analysis but I have certainly seen worse! Garay isn’t really what I would call a ‘cog,’ and there is a good chance Coop will not make the team with his injury.
I actually think that DEN will come in 2nd in the division this year, with OAK in 3rd and KC in 4th. They have improved more than the other AFC West teams (other than the Chargers I hope).

by chaplinesque on Sep 1, 2011 6:41 PM PDT reply actions

KC is not finishing behind the Broncos

Their easy schedule made their division title a fluke, but their team isn’t a fluke. They absolutely can run the ball, and the defense is solid.

The Broncos aren’t finishing ahead of anyone this year; too much rebuilding to do. 7-9 will be a major accomplishment. The Raiders will struggle in pass defense, which is death in the AFC. Mark my words, the Chiefs will finish second, and if the Chargers fart around and start 2-3 like usual, they will be chasing the Chiefs again.

Are Marlon McCree and Antonio Cromartie the same person? Just askin'.

by QLFixBoy on Sep 2, 2011 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions

Not sure.

The Chiefs have a decent-but-not-great offense. Expect Jamaal Charles to fall off a bit now that there’s lots of tape on him: he’s still a good player, but he’s good for 5.5, not 6.5. Haley gets a lot of flak for holding him out, but he’s doing it right: he’s a 200-carry player. That’s 1/3 of all offensive snaps. The air game is okay, and will keep Charles facing 8-man boxes instead of 9-man, but won’t win on its own or bring the Chiefs back from any holes without Charles TDs or ST craziness to bring them back within 7. The defense will be good, so they’ll be able to sometimes beat good teams, but they won’t be consistent. They were a .500 squad last year, and their weak schedule (and Charlie Weis) gave them two more wins. This year, their schedule is wicked, and they’re still a .500 squad.

The Broncos are a grab-bag team. Their main problem last year was a terrible defense. That’s easy to fix in one offseason. Did they? Maybe. At this point, you can’t say they didn’t. I think the title of “second-best (on paper) team in the AFCW” is wide-open right now. Maybe I lean to the Chiefs, but the gap between them and the Raiders and Broncos is small.

An autumn Sunday,
Perched in front of the big screen,
Beer in white knuckles.

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Sep 2, 2011 2:27 PM PDT up reply actions

For someone who's probably not following the Bolts as closely as us fans

I think you did a pretty good job. I don’t know about Cesaire but Garay is extremely crucial to our defense as is my favorite player #95 Shaun Phillips. Personally I feel we’ll go far as Rivers is willing/able to take us.

by Harsh_619 on Sep 2, 2011 1:20 AM PDT reply actions

Agree on all counts.

Passing offense: Maybe the best in the league. OL is good (just good), QB is super-accurate at any range, and from any angle. Very deep WR squad: Laurent Robinson is looking great but has no shot of making the roster, and they are still talking about keeping seven! Ditto TEs: Gates-McMichael-Sperry is easily the league’s top TE-as-receiver squad, maybe the best ever. And they all get action. They’re basically slower, buffer WRs, by the way.

Rushing offense: Okay. Good-but-not-great backs, hot-and-cold blocking. Mathews has tremendous balance. Tolbert is extraordinarily powerful. Both have a mean streak and fight for yardage, good inside runners (important for us; we do it a lot). Hester is a little ~~short~~ small for a ~~stormtrooper~~ fullback, but he’s an excellent receiver and short-yardage back.

Passing defense: Very good, borderline smothering. LaBoy and Barnes are a speed-rusher rotation worth addressing, and we have five defensive linemen who generate consistent pressure, and two more who are inconsistently pretty good. SLB Shaun Phillips and ILB Takeo Spikes are able blitzers, as are the safeties. The CBs are big, physical, quick, disciplined, and aggressive. The one vulnerability is over the middle: Bob Sanders is fearsome, but sometimes overcommits, and our ILBs are an old guy and a rookie. What’s more, FS Eric Weddle is brilliant and reliable, but not the kind of physical freak that he often has to tackle.

Rush defense: Hard to say; possibly a weakness. In the preseason, it’s been terrible. In the regular season, with Shaun Phillips in, it’ll probably be better… right? Sanders and Spikes have a great reputation, and they’ve shown flashes in the preseason, but Sanders has been hurt a lot and Spikes is old, and neither has played on this team (though Spikes did play for the DC last year), so who knows? It was solid last year.

Special teams: Don’t believe the hype. The Bolts will be solid in all phases of ST this year.

An autumn Sunday,
Perched in front of the big screen,
Beer in white knuckles.

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Sep 2, 2011 2:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Great Job

that is one of the most accurate depictions of the Chargers I have ever read.

"Used to sit 36P until the Chargers started winning. Ill take V seating anyday"

by traceSD on Sep 2, 2011 2:30 PM PDT reply actions

Not Really

The writer mentions Cesaire, Cooper and Gilchrist as the key “cogs” in the defense. Which shows that he really doesn’t know this team at all.

by Boltricity on Sep 6, 2011 4:43 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Weak assessment...nothing insightful.

Nothing but a copy & paste from ESPN. You don’t know the soul of this team. This team is going to play for a new SD stadium, this season. Stakes is high!!!

by .99 on Sep 2, 2011 6:06 PM PDT reply actions

Totally Agree

Obviously just a casual observer, doesn’t know the team.

by Boltricity on Sep 6, 2011 4:44 AM PDT up reply actions

Well he is a Broncos fan

I doubt I could do as good a summary as this above on the Donks.

by Trendsearcher on Sep 7, 2011 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't think he claimed to be anything more than a casual observer.

Lighten’ up, Frances.

by SDzeke on Sep 7, 2011 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions

nice work

I think your assessment is pretty solid. Yeah, norv is the speed bump in my opinion. He has no imagination. He runs the same scripted plays over and over again ad naseum. I would like once in awhile to see something new and unexpected. But, I guess norv’s favorite flavor is vanilla. So, vanilla is what we get.

by irishlad on Sep 3, 2011 2:24 PM PDT reply actions

I don't understand this perception of Turner's offense at all.

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 Sep 3, 2011 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Apparently, vanilla flavoring produces high performance offenses.

Seriously, bases on both standard and ‘advanced’ metrics (FO, etc), the Chargers’ offense produced last season.

by HuangDi on Sep 4, 2011 9:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Imagine how good they would be without Norv dragging them down.

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 Sep 5, 2011 7:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Phillip Rivers

was not a superstar before Norv developed him and this offense. Which is dynamic and anything but vanilla. Does that make him a great head coach? No, but he created a perennial offensive juggernaut, which is a start.

by mctrashhole on Sep 6, 2011 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions

Chiefs fan here

From our perspective, Eric Berrry going done was the end of the season. Jamaal, only makes it worse. KC could be in the running for Luck. I hope the Bolts actually do something this year, because KC is disimantled with injury, Oakland has a great front seven, but no QB, Denver is, how do I say this PC? still rebuilding.

by cpa913 on Sep 19, 2011 10:02 PM PDT reply actions