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Open Thread: San Diego Chargers at Arizona Cardinals, 2nd half (preseason)

For the San Diego Chargers, it's no Philip Rivers, no Melvin Gordon, no proble.......oh, nevermind. There's a ton of problems without those guys.

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Here are my quick takeaways from the first half of the San Diego Chargers second preseason game, this one against the Arizona Cardinals:

  • Why did Donald Brown get carries before Branden Oliver? I have no idea. Predictably, Brown performed poorly and Branden Oliver had one very good run on four carries behind a makeshift, second-string offensive line.
  • Kellen Clemens is awful. He might be the worst QB on the Chargers' roster, and that's just based on actual QB skills. He also adds no ability to run an offense without looking like a high schooler. I hope the coaching staff saw how bad the team was with him in there, not that it really matters.
  • The starting offensive line did no favors for Clemens or Brown, generally looking lost on most plays.
  • Craig Mager got a ton of time on the field, and tested regularly, and came away looking really good. He's picking it up quickly. Love to see that.
  • The pass rush looked incredible. I don't know that it means anything, but Melvin Ingram (2 sacks), Jerry Attaochu (1 sack), Donald Butler (1 sack), and Kyle Emanuel all looked impressive. That first team group of Linebackers is exciting.
  • Some are questioning Keenan Allen's focus for this game, as he was joking around on Periscope two hours before kickoff. He's had two really bad drops. Let's put this under the category of "something to learn from for the future."
  • Josh Lambo has a huge leg and a great story. Keep an eye on his accuracy in the second half. The coaches want to see where he's at, especially after Novak's missed extra point.

Oh, right, the score! It's tied 9-9, but points are mostly meaningless in the preseason, so whatever.

Enjoy the second half!