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Finally a good team?
There's a strange thing happening with the San Diego Chargers as of late. They've actually kind of become a pretty good NFL team.
Stubbornness won out over the early part of the schedule, but now that the coaching staff and front office have replaced guys like Jacoby Jones and Donald Butler with younger guys that can perform, and injuries have taken care of some of the others, the team is finally gelling.
After giving up nearly 30 points per game early on, the team has given up 19, 3, 25, 3, 3, and 14 in its last six games. The defense is playing well, the special teams are much improved, and the offense is seeing a benefit from both.
Weddle's Audition
One way in which the team has gotten better has been the improvement of Eric Weddle. It's almost as if he's woken up and realized that he needs to play better to get a big free agent contract in the offseason.
One team that will be looking for a veteran safety in the offseason is the Oakland Raiders. They'll be looking to replace Charles Woodson, and Weddle will be looking to stay close to his southern California roots. My guess is that he'll get along fine with current Raiders GM and former NFL Linebacker Reggie McKenzie, he just needs to prove to the Raiders this week that he can be as good as Woodson is/was.
Nothing to Lose
Mike McCoy hasn't been perfect as a head coach over the last few weeks, but he's been greatly improved, and part of that can be attributed to him having absolutely nothing to lose. It's allowed him to take more risks, more chances, and has put his team in a better position to take the advantage and win games.
The Raiders are desperate to finish the season at 8-8, and Jack Del Rio may coach conservatively against a team he thinks his Raiders are better than. An aggressive McCoy could be enough to turn the tide in what will likely end up being a defensive battle.