Chargers Defeat the Raiders: Good, Bad, and Ugly
by Steve Adler on Jan 1, 2012 7:00 PM PST
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PrintThe Chargers destroy the Raiders to finish the season 8-8. In what was a very up and down season, the Chargers coaches and players used Sunday as an audition for 2012. In a season that started with promise, it ends with disappointment as Chargers fans will be watching the playoffs with little rooting interest.
I just want to take a moment out to thank John Gennaro, the BFTB staff, and the BFTB community for being so welcoming in my rookie season on the site. It's been a blast!
Good:
Richard Goodman: I have been hard on Goodman all season. It was great to see him break out and return a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown.
Philip Rivers: After the terrible start Rivers was able to get things rolling. He finished 19/26 310 yards and three touchdowns. For all the trouble Rivers has this season, he still put up some big numbers, clearing 4500 passing yards for a second consecutive season.
Malcom Floyd: M80 on the list again. Nine targets, seven catches, 127 yards, and a touchdown. Floyd has really put things together over the last month. If he can just stay on the field, he could have a huge 2012.
Antonio Gates: Five targets, five catches, 106 yards, and a touchdown. Gates finsishes with the team lead in receptions. Some chatter came up during the season about finding the potential replacement for Gates. I think that is something that needs to be addressed, but with his performance in the second half of the season, it's not as much of a priority as it was earlier in the season.
Donald Butler and Takeo Spikes: A very productive duo this season, they were first in second in tackles on Sunday and finished the season first and second as well.
Bad:
Ryan Mathews: Mathews teased fans this season once again. When was healthy he was exciting, it's just a shame he wasn't able to be part of this victory.
Pass rush: No sacks once again for the Chargers. Palmer has always been great at putting up yardage totals when his team is behind, but the lack of pass rush was killing the secondary today.
Penalties: 8-68 for the Chargers and 8-64 for the Raiders, which means... the Chargers get the W. Not the type of win you want on a regular basis, but at least the Chargers beat the Raiders at their own game. If that wasn't enough the Chargers also had more players (1) ejected from the game than the Raiders.
Ugly:
Antwan Barnes: Barnes was thrown out early in the game after bumping into an official. Which reminds me of so many times this Chargers team has lacked composure and discipline under Norv.
It's over: After waiting for the lockout to be lifted, the NFL season flew by. I'm not sure how many seasons the Chargers will be in San Diego, but win, lose, or tie, I'm glad we have a football team in "America's Finest City"
That's going to wrap things up for me this week. Who made your list?
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The Ugliest...
Kevin Acee’s Analysis after the game, indicating that Norv and AJ may stay another year.
Meh...
Gonna get Hammered but i think that a new dc and relative health could be change enough. Im scared for the result of complete change. Everyone points out at SF but the didnt change top to bottom(Gm to all coaches.) I just dont know. That team needs a lot of help on D also.
Happy to get Hammered with you
Because those are my thoughts exactly.
Changes are needed. We need more playmakers on defense and a better DC to direct them. We need better health (or better luck). But to blow up the whole works at this point just seems crazy to me.
Get rid of Norv, and you’re forcing the offense to start over at square one, with who knows who calling the plays. Get rid of AJ and you’re basically starting the whole roster over. Maybe it pays off in 2 or 3 years… or maybe we hire the next Josh McDaniels.
If we get better on defense
This team is capable of doing damage. Manusky is terrible. San Diego played worse and San Francisco played better, both with the virtually the same players. I think the players on the defense line are getting better. We need to spend all of our draft pics on pass rushing OLBs until we find someone who can get to the freaking QB on a regular basis.
Norv
Keep Norv dump Manusky get better defensively get an impact player with your first pick someone who can step in and make a difference. The bolts need a Jared Allen or a Jason Babbin those guys are relentless high energy guys that always seem to make plays. And above all else get rid of AJ Smith he is your problem he dismantled Marty’s team and they were close open your eyes how many good players do we have to let go on to greatness elsewhere.
he dismantled Marty’s team
HE BUILT MARTY’S TEAM!
by CABurrito on Jan 1, 2012 7:54 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Marty
Marty got sent packing because he wanted Drew Brees as a QB not Philip RIvers it was a power struggle. AJ Smith is terrible the sooner you realize that the better off you will be.
Marty
Got canned because he had lost his coordinators and wanted to install his son and brother as OC and DC respectively, against the wishes of both AJ and the Spanos family. The latter move especially pissed them off as he took steps without their permission to arrange that hire.
The Rivers/Brees thing was over an done with, and I’m pretty sure Marty got over things when Rivers won him 14 games that year. The QB thing was as symptom of the power struggle, but it wasn’t the cause.
That's false on several levels.
Schottenheimer was a fan of Rivers after coaching him in the senior bowl. Also, Marty was fired for directly disobeying his boss, Dean Spanos.
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
Amazing
Goodman finally breaks a big return, and its against the strongest leg in the league who you would never predict to allow a returnable kick.
Also I’m pretty sure this is from last week’s post:
Philip Rivers: With over 53 pass attempts, Rivers is going to shoulder the blame for the lack of red zone success as well as third down conversions. Those two interceptions at the end of the game were only fitting.
Looks like I lost that one in the lights.
Steve Adler
www.Friarhood.com
www.FantasyDaddy.com
Co-Host of HBR on XTRA Sports 1360
www.xtrasports1360.com
BTW
I love the Clippers.
Steve Adler
www.Friarhood.com
www.FantasyDaddy.com
Co-Host of HBR on XTRA Sports 1360
www.xtrasports1360.com
did you watch the game today
way to start off the new year
by chargerclipperfan on Jan 1, 2012 9:34 PM PST up reply actions
too little too late
If norv stays, then be prepared for another 8-8ish season. And, you’ll all be screaming for his head yet again.
by irishlad on Jan 1, 2012 8:06 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
Sources: He's toast.
Acee has the buzz right here
Yakety Sax: Making divisional matchups hilarious since 1963.
Gaslamp Ball: SMELLS LIKE PROSPECTS IN HERE
Please, call me StrangeBro.
Oops. Right...
Yakety Sax: Making divisional matchups hilarious since 1963.
Gaslamp Ball: SMELLS LIKE PROSPECTS IN HERE
Please, call me StrangeBro.
by StrangeBroP25 on Jan 1, 2012 10:04 PM PST up reply actions
Read his latest piece
Much less certain right at the moment.
queen of the rec fairies
although it broke our hearts it did not break our will the herd
yep
that article was written before beating the raiders. Sooooooooo, we may be in for another year of norv and or aj. Dean will probably wait untill other teams have signed the best available coaches/G M’s and either decide to stand pat or take whatever is left.
change
You have to get rid of AJ and Norv. Norv is a great offensive caller but not a good head coach. Norv is actually a brillant offensive coordinator… but sometimes the two don’t make a good HC. The Chargers need some fire under their butts. The DC must go.. he is horrible. As for AJ… he had his shot. The team he has when healthy is great but every team in the NFL play hurt and he has not developed good backups. Look at this last 4 drafts. Look who he passed on and who he drafted. The last 4 drafts are really bad and it’s time to shake this team and make them start playing for their jobs like the guy behind them will take it if they don’t perform. Same as it is in life. Norv nice guy, but got to go… AJ, a jerk and really needs to go.
actually
that last 2 drafts are looking pretty good. And 2009, if you squint just right at it, isn’t terrible with Vasquez, Vaughn Martin, and T Greene looking above average. 2007 and 2008 only yielded one impact player each, and a bunch of guys who washed out. You’d really want more, but that is not terrible (Cason and Weddle being pretty decent impact players)
Ideally, an average rated draft would have one impact player and 3-4 contributors. I think AJ has been exceeding that the last two years. And 2007 and 2008 were the only years where he didn’t reach that mark (I’m still giving 2009 the benefit of the doubt since I hope Martin will continue to improve)
by Stephen (shaynes41) on Jan 2, 2012 8:29 AM PST up reply actions
Your talking points are stale. You should update them and come back.
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
Goodman was better as Goodwin
When we reverted his name, he reverted to brainfade.
Get the paperwork ready, it’s Goodwin next season.
by The Land Of Real Beer on Jan 2, 2012 12:58 AM PST reply actions
Much better than last week!
Christmass eve I got an abcess on a molar that had already had a root canal. Spent the morning of Christmas eve talking shit to my brother in law who is a Broncos fan and calling around to find a dentist that was open. Finally found one and got there right as the Charger game started. The dental assistant saw me keep checking my phone and asked if I wanted to move to a room with a tv to watch the game. Spent the next hour waiting and watching that horrible game, finally after halftime the dentist comes in and pulls my tooth which hurt like absolute heck . Worst freaking Chargers game in my life! Can’t wait till next year!
TL;DR Watched last weeks game in a dentists chair having my tooth pulled on Christmas eve while getting revenge shit talk texts from my Bronco fan brother in law.
by Natrone Bomb on Jan 2, 2012 9:13 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Polian is done in Indy
Get him on the phone, Sapnos
Yakety Sax: Making divisional matchups hilarious since 1963.
Gaslamp Ball: SMELLS LIKE PROSPECTS IN HERE
Please, call me StrangeBro.
Goodman
I watched the game and then scanned the OT’s and thought his scramble out of the end zone after the pooch saved the game. They get a safety there, the probably win. Maybe he should have caught it on the fly, meaning that the whole fiasco was on him, but so grateful he made it out of the end zone. And love the pass call backed up on the goal line. I hate the reverse-goal line calls of pounding it into the line.
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