Three reasons why the Chargers lost

by carlosatthetoe on Sep 19, 2011 12:11 AM PDT

It was tough to watch the San Diego Chargers lose to the New England Patriots on Sunday. While the game started pretty awesome for everyone (if you're a Chargers' fan, that is), things took a huge turn for the worst. Turnovers were abundant and, essentially, screwed us over.

Now, no one wants to relive this game, which (if you're a legit Chargers' fan) is exactly the fourth-worst moment of your life in the past over the past decade, with the other three moments also being Chargers-related, of course.

So let's break down our misery, OK? Here are three reasons the Chargers lost:

Turnovers. This is going to be the most talked about reason the Chargers lost, and that's because it's the most important. While Philip Rivers' interceptions were pretty inexcusable, Mike Tolbert's fumble -- which saw him stupidly pedal backwards because he thought he was LaDainian Tomlinson -- was the game-changer. The Chargers were streaking, down just six points, and Tolbert gave the ball back to the Patriots.

The Patriots didn't mind the little gift and then re-gifted our gift for seven points. (Jerks.) Though that was the game-breaker, it was just one of seven turnovers in the game overall. Yikes.
They didn't prevent YAC. The San Diego Chargers' priority on defense should've been preventing open spaces in front of the Patriots' ball-carriers and wide-outs; Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez and Danny Woodhead are explosive in face-up one-on-one situations.

The Chargers' corners and safeties were afraid to play the Patriots' receivers tight (in fear of letting up even bigger plays), and the Pats capitalized -- they threw the damning short passes which led to decent yards-after-the-catch.
They didn't eliminate Brady's dump-off option. This is a little sad because this is one of the few things I said was a priority for the Chargers. So when the Chargers were able to collapse Tom Brady's pocket -- and they did so quite often -- Brady was able to calmly dump off a desperation pass to Wes Welker, Danny Woodhead or BenJarvus Green-Ellis. This normally only resulted in about a five-yard gain, but when the Patriots are on 3rd-and-3, that's a heart-breaker.

Instead of letting some linebackers spy the back-field, the Chargers left the runners with one-on-one face-ups, where BenJarvus Green-Ellis can run through any single defender, while Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead are agile enough to squeeze and shift past would-be tacklers.

(NOTE: You have no idea how much I want to type in all caps and use excessive exclamation marks. You have. No. Idea. At. All.)

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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Comments

I feel ya dawg,

I am the anti-analyst.

by Madcat5 on Sep 19, 2011 4:34 AM PDT reply actions

Feels like we're that messed up chick in the group...

when it comes to the best teams in the league. We just can’t get our crap together cause of our serious daddy issues.

I am the anti-analyst.

by Madcat5 on Sep 19, 2011 4:40 AM PDT reply actions

I have to comment on this

Yesterday I saw Brady standing over Phillips when he was down looked the Phillips had a cramp or something of the sort… How dare he do that. I mean who does he think he is. Did Rivers go stand over a Patriots player when they were down NO… Phillips is a pro. he is not a punk there was no gamesmenship going out. Phillips was out for 6 plays after that… another classesless move by Brady.

by Mikeswc on Sep 19, 2011 5:46 AM PDT reply actions

Brady is classless.

His fans love it about him. Bunch of savages in this world.

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

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Sep 19, 2011 7:53 AM PDT up reply actions

I think that was Antonio Garay

But yeah, I seen that. He’s a douche.

http://blog.thepigeontoe.com/ because I'm never shameless

by carlosatthetoe on Sep 19, 2011 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions

It was around the time the Patriots went into the no huddle...

…and he was seeing if he was faking. The Dolphins did it last week when the offense was moving so he was skeptical, especially because of how many injuries happened on that drive.

So is checking in bad taste? Perhaps. It’s far from classless, though.

Pats Pulpit | @Follow Me On Twitter

by Richard Hill on Sep 19, 2011 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

no truly classless

We are talking about a veteran player in Phillips a player that doesn’t fake injury’s a player that is legit. When Brady was down on the ground against KC a couple years back what would you have thought of if a player was standing over him… CLASSLESS.

by Mikeswc on Sep 19, 2011 4:59 PM PDT up reply actions

So it's not classless to take an injury timeout to slow down an offense,

But it is classless to come over make sure that player knows he’s been found out?

"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West

by ISN on Sep 20, 2011 6:06 AM PDT up reply actions

Players (even vets like Phillips) are faking injuries

to slow down the no huddle. It seems to be happening more often this year than it has in the past. I don’t think that what Brady did was classless at all, I think it is just Charger fans not understanding what was going on at the time.

by JeromeB on Sep 21, 2011 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, the Dolphins players went down with cramps too.

Has it been happening all about the League? It’s not something you see a lot… am I sounding paranoid?

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

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Sep 19, 2011 7:55 AM PDT reply actions

Giants do it in twos

Must be contagious.

It's NEVER a shrimp on the barbie. It's not even a shrimp.

by The Land Of Real Beer on Sep 20, 2011 12:32 AM PDT up reply actions

Oh, and that Tolbert backpedal: WTF?

That was a va-ginormously cowardly/stupid thing to do. Is there something I don’t know? Did he just freeze? WTF?

And then there was the goal-line play. Maybe that play is on Green, but Mathews would have made the edge, and Hester might have had a better chance to bowl the guy into the end-zone. For all that they like Tolbert on the goal-line, he feels like a disappointment there, like he only gets it done on the goal if the OL does, even if he’s only got to go a foot. Perhaps I’m just subconsciously comparing him to Tomlinson, but I don’t think so.

Where do I sign up to begin the “more Mathews” chants?

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

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Sep 19, 2011 8:02 AM PDT reply actions

I hear you

I watched the clip of Tolbert’s run/ fumble maybe 10 times now… It looks like he got scared honestly.. It was a 2nd and 4 he had a yard easy if he would have just stayed straight. I think the number 1 thing the Chargers need to change about their run game is the way they line up. Simply put having Rivers in a shotgun formation and handing the ball off is useless… from a runners perspective it must really suck.. the def. has all of thier momentum coming towards you yet you have none moving towards them right after the snap. Another thing.. on the 4th and 1 why not qb sneak or give it to mathews or to hester… simply put everyone knew it was going to tolbert of course he was going to get blown up.

by Mikeswc on Sep 19, 2011 8:09 AM PDT up reply actions

Stupid? Maybe.

Very Stupid? Definitely.

Scared? No. Tolbert does not run like a man who is scared on the football field. End of story.

by SDreal on Sep 21, 2011 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions

Scared? I don't know. He gambled poorly, and lost.

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

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Sep 21, 2011 8:07 PM PDT up reply actions

With Tolbert

I feel like he needs to understand he’s the guy that should be pounding the ball up the middle, and not trying to dance or get outside.

On the goal-line play, if they’re gonna try to get the edge, they need to use Mathews. Tolbert needs to stick to bruising up the middle.

by BFDC on Sep 19, 2011 8:20 AM PDT up reply actions

A couple things..

Im a bit dissapointed with the goal line play calling. It just seems too predictable. I’m also a bit dissapointed in the use, or lack there of, of Mathews. He was making great runs, yards after catch, and really playing physical style game. He even took out a patriot defender on the last (or second to last?) drive. I’m a bit baffled as to his lack of play.

by borno on Sep 19, 2011 8:33 AM PDT reply actions

The thing with Mike Tolbert

He is so enamored with his dancing skills that he wants to do it all the time — even in short yardage situations.

For now, Norval is refusing to see that for what it is.

Finally, take a look at that fumble play again. There was all kinds of space to the right. He just needed to cut it to the right and he had open space for days. He’s just not that good? Decent pass blocker. Great hands. Good once he gets going, but can’t accelerate fast enough on a hand-off.

by BORTZ on Sep 19, 2011 9:15 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Still looks like a playoff team.

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

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Sep 19, 2011 9:24 AM PDT reply actions

I am I the only one who is not THAT upset about this loss?

The game was frustrating to watch, reminded me alot of what I saw last year. But at the same time, we played what’s looking like one of the best teams in football on their turf and aside from turnovers and overall discipline, didn’t look like we were outmatched. We certainly COULD have won this game, and that’s both frustrating and inspiring. Sometimes losses like these are a good thing. Our weaknesses get exposed and now Norv and company can work on these things so come the end of the season, we don’t make the same mistakes. Frankly, I am satisfied being 1-1 at this point with 3 winnable games coming up before the bye.

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

by Natrone Means Business on Sep 19, 2011 9:40 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs

I don't disagree

While it’s never fun to lose, and there are always things to pick out and pick on when they do lose, I don’t think this loss represents Armageddon. It was a litmus test, to be sure. And the results were along the lines of what we thought they’d be, and along the lines of what they have been for a while (turnovers, mental mistakes, etc.). So either fix it (them) or learn to deal with it.

Okay, so this team turns the ball over too much. Such is the price of a high-flying offense. They’re not going to “eliminate” that facet. They’ll ALWAYS have turnovers. Just like Nolan Ryan used to walk a lot of guys and give up a lot of home runs. But every time he took the mound, there was a possibility he was gonna pitch a no-hitter and strike out 15. So if you can’t eliminate it, you learn to overcome it. Defense needs to CREATE more turnovers.

But these are not terminal problems. This is not the time to call for Norv’s and A.J.‘s head (that time will come later). Now that the issues have been recognized, let’s see how they go about fixing them. Smiley Face.

by Andy (allfield) on Sep 19, 2011 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

I Agree

Other than the turnovers we matched up pretty evenly with NE. We had problems stopping them, but on the other hand the Bolts moved the ball pretty well too.

If turnovers had been even, I think we win that game. Even with the blown 4th & goal at the six-inch line.

by Boltricity on Sep 19, 2011 9:49 PM PDT up reply actions

My opinion

is that I’ve seen the Chargers play much worse against much lesser competition in September. In the second game, playing with a new DC, in a short off season, it was a tall order to go against that offense. More than anything else, in the first half, just about everything was contested. Brady made some amazing throws and those TEs are like having two Antonio Gates on the field. Even when they’re covered, Brady still throws the ball high where only they can get them. If we play NE again, I guarantee we use a three man rush. Sure, it was a good thought to mix up coverages. But in practice, it just didn’t work. I think we’re just fine. And this week we get to take KC out behind the shed to get the bad taste out of our mouths.

by SDreal on Sep 21, 2011 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions