The Boss To Play Halftime At The Super Bowl

Excellent news came out this morning... I will continue to not have to pay attention to the halftime act at the Super Bowl because this year it is Bruce Springsteen who will be providing the entertainment.  I doubt I will ever have the urge to watch a Super Bowl halftime... I think the first and last halftime act I watched was in 1980, when I was 10, and of course the halftime act was 'hyped' up...and then I watched it and realized that there was no need to watch any halftime acts of the Super Bowl....ever again and I haven't.  This year will be no exception...I think the Boss might actually be the weakest act of recent... Sure Janet Jackson was weak too and Springsteen is probably right there.  Not sure how he is going to fill a half hour with hits, but I suspect a slow ballad/tribute song in the mix to consume some time...

Chargers Rally To Beat Raiders

The Chargers started the fourth quarter down 15-3 to the Raiders, score 25 points and win the game 28-18 which is the positive note for the Chargers in a game that they looked sloppy offensively and extremely loose on defense.

The Charger defense allowed the Raiders to move the ball at will during the first half...a continuing trend for the Chargers.  Cromartie had another game in which he didn't seem to play well with a couple of penalties and a couple of poor defensive plays.  The Charger offensive line was absolutely horrible, the Raiders had consistent pressure on Phillip Rivers and although the stat line for Tomlinson looks pretty good (106 yards, 2 td's) the Raider defense had stopped Tomlinson (and his backup Sproles) for most of the game until a 41 yard late in the game essentially iced the game.  Tomlinson also dropped an easy pass that would likely have had him scoring again as he was wide open inside the red zone.  Tomlinson and Rivers also had a miscue in the first half where they were unable to make a handoff exchange in their own endzone which gave the Raiders a safety.  And just as kicker Nate Kaeding was beginning to be noticed for his accuracy as a kicker he misses 2 field goal attempts.

So how did the Chargers win this game?  Two Raider turnovers in the second half, with the second being a fumble recovering for the Chargers inside Raider territory.  The defense was able to get pressure on Jemarcus Russell in the fourth quarter and the defensive coverage seemed good...something that was lacking for most of the game.

Of course the Charger fan will take the win but at the same time realize that Ted Cottrell continues to be fairly predictable in the beginning of games and as a result, the Chargers have had to come from behind in almost every game this season...and at the very least, with the exception of the Jets game, the Chargers have not been able to dominate anyone on both sides of the ball.

The Chargers are on the road again next week, traveling to Miami to face the Dolphins.  The Dolphins will be fresh off their bye week after an unbelievable win over the Patriots.  So the Chargers best be prepared because the Dolphins are not a guaranteed win for anyone...

Injured Chargers Return

The Charger team is looking like it may be getting up to full speed... yesterday every member on the Charger roster practiced.  Hopefully this is a sign that Tomlinson and Gates will both be able to perform at a high level and with the starting offensive line finally getting a chance to play together, I am hoping the Chargers look good against Oakland this Sunday.

Chargers Destroy Favre's Jets, Raiders Next

This past Monday Night the San Diego Chargers were able to 'right the ship' and literally destroy the New York Jets.  Brett Favre was throwing interceptions, Cromartie was picking Favre off and running back for touchdowns, there was a pass rush, Phillip Rivers looks like the real deal and with Cris Chambers the Charger offense is looking good.  

Antonio Gates is still nursing a sore toe and although LaDainian Tomlinson did score twice on goal line dives, both of these Charger weapons were relatively quiet...although Gates' lone reception was for a touchdown.

This week the Chargers travel to Oakland to take on the Raiders who got killed by the Broncos in week 1, killed the Chiefs in week 2 and lost in the final minutes last week in Buffalo.  Buffalo is looking like a respectable club and to play them tight in their home does say something about this Oakland team...namely that they could be tougher than one thinks.  The Chargers need to remain focused and not take the Raiders lightly or because the Raiders will most certainly be bringing their A game against the Chargers...

But, if the Chargers can get some pressure on Russell and force him into making bad decisions, the Chargers could capitalize.  I think the Charger offense should hopefully continue to click and if the defense can hold when they need to the Chargers should win this game.

Chargers Look To End Bad Luck

The first two weeks of the 2008 NFL season has been a tough one for Charger fans... in week 1 we saw Jake Delhomme drive the length of the field to score a touchdown on the very last play of the game to beat the Chargers at home.  And then last week's unbelievable outcome... Ed Hochuli giving the game to the Bronco's ... has Charger nation reeling.  

Brett Favre, who lit the Chargers up last year with the Packers, is coming to town to do some 'gunslinging' the question will if the Chargers will be ready for him.  The Charger defense has not been good and a poor defense against a guy who likes to throw bombs does not bode well for the bolts.  Cromartie admitted to how poorly he played last week, now let's see if he can straighten it up for the Jets.  Tomlinson did practice on Friday but said he was still bothered by the toe but is optimistic about playing on Monday, but with the way Darren Sproles has been playing, Tomlinson will get as many breaks as he needs.

The Chargers haven't jumped out to a lead in their first two games and have had to play from behind most of the game...it would be refreshing to see the Charges come out and get on the board quick.  I think Rivers has played really well so far this year and if there is a weak spot for the Chargers it is the defense and maybe most glaringly, the lack of a pass rush.  If the Chargers can get some pressure on Favre then things should look better for them...if not, I think Brett could have a career game against a young secondary that has shown it can be picked apart.

SNL - James Franco Videos

Here are some videos from the SNL hosted by James Franco...

McCain Approves Open:

George and Lenny:

Yankee Stadium: Scorsese & Perez:

SNL Digital Short: Hey! (Murray Hill):

O.J. Jury Selection:

TNT Promo: The Looker:

Hochuli Graded Down For Blown Call

The NFL really cracked down on Ed Hochuli and his blown call that gave Denver the win this past weekend... they are "grading him down."  That essentially translates into doing nothing and sweeping the entire issue under the rug...

This league may begin to resemble something corrupt if this is the action that is taken in how game's are decided...

SNL - Micheal Phelps Video

Here's the promo for the show...



Fake commercial for jar glove...


SNL Digital Short - Space Olympics


Charles Barkley Show - Bella Korolyi, Phelps


T-Mobile - Fav 5


Micheal Phelps Diet

Ed Hochuli Gives Broncos The Victory

Unfreakin' believable...

Ed Hochuli, known Charger hater and NFL referee made sure the Chargers were not going to beat the Denver Broncos yesterday...

In the first half, Cris Chambers makes a reception, is clearly down when Champ Bailey rips the ball from him and was rule a fumble recovered by Denver.  Trying to review the play, the replay equipment mysteriously isn't working and thus, the play stands as called... no quick whistle there...

And then in the fourth quarter Jay Cutler clearly fumbles the ball and the Chargers clearly recover the fumble...but Ed Hochuli whistles the play dead when he realized that Denver would end up losing the ball and the football game, gives the ball back to Denver and the Broncos go down and score a touchdown and because Shanahan knew that this might be his last best opportunity to beat the Chargers, goes for 2 and the Broncos win a game that was gift wrapped by Ed hochuli and his crew of officials...

Sure the Charger defense is still totally crappy but the Chargers were down 21-3 at one point in this game and should have won the game...but everything else in that game is overshadowed by the totally bunk call that gave the Broncos the victory.  I'm sure Ed had a great time in Denver and the Bronco fans I am sure are his biggest fans...

2 games into the 2008 season and the Chargers have lost 2 heartbreakers already... ugh...

The Lights Are Out For Merriman's '08 Season

Shawne Merriman decided today to have surgery and not play the 2008 season.  Merriman said he didn't feel right and felt it would be best if he would shut it down for the year and get surgery.

The rest of the Charger defense will need to step up to fill his void especially his replacement who just signed a nice 4 year deal with the Chargers, Jyles Tucker.

Chargers Lose On Last Play Of Game

Week 1 of the 2008 NFL season is in the books and the San Diego Chargers are 0 and 1.  The Chargers were behind most of the game to the Carolina Panthers and with 10:09 left to go in the game the Panthers were up 19-10 after a Panther field goal.  The Chargers rally to take the lead 24-19 and kick the ball back to the Panthers with 2:27 remaining in the game...the Panthers made it look easy as they drove down the field and with no time left on the clock connect on the game winning 14 yard touchdown pass.

Really not too suprising if a person watched the entire game... the Panthers were able to run on the Chargers all game long and the Panther offense really had little to no resistence the entire game. Delhomme had plenty of time in the pocket and the Panther offensive line easily handled the Chargers.

The Charger offense took until the 2nd half to get going, but when it did start clicking was looking good.  Tomlinson was held in check with the exception of just a couple of decent carries.  Antonio Gates, who has been rehabbing a bad toe the entire offseason came back to score a touchdown but did fumble the ball which resulted in a Panther run back for a score.

The Charger defense was clearly the weak link in this game...they offered little resistence to the Panther offense and Igor Olshanky's lone sack was the only time Delhomme was pressured the enitre game.

Obviously the season is still early and the first 4 games of the regular season are almost like 'preseason' for the Chargers because many, if not most, of the key players on the Chargers hadn't seen any playing time this season until this game.  Last year the Chargers started out slow from the gate and I think it is almost to be expected again...the problem the Chargers have is that they have the Broncos next week and being a division game is not a game you want to remain rusty or unprepared for because the late-season consequences could be tremedious. 

2008 Chargers Preview

The 2008 NFL season kicks off tomorrow so I best give my Charger preview/prediction/hope post.

And I will start out with this... I still have little to no faith in Norv Turner or Ted Cottrell even though they did take the Chargers to the AFC Championship last year...but for most Charger fans that was the least that team could have achieved without it being a disappointing season.  I say this after personally sitting in the stands and watch Adrian Peterson run all over the Chargers last year.  The Minnesota Vikings had only one offensive weapon last year and every other team in the league except San Diego and Chicago were able to stop Adrian Peterson.  It troubles me that the coaching staff could not find adjustments from taking a beating from basically one form of offense.  The same was with the Packers and the Chiefs loss when both those teams basically kept running the same post play and turned it into huge gains that resulted in their teams beating the Chargers.  But saying that, it clearly shows that Cottrell is probably more inept than Turner and I might agree to that assesment.  The Chargers, though, have so much talent on both sides of the ball they are able to overcome some of the coaching missteps and typically play fairly well.

So what's the deal with the 2008 edition of the Chargers?  Well, we'll start on the offensive side of the ball and for the most part, it is all intact from last year.  Of course the centerpiece of the Charger offense is future hall of famer, LaDainian Tomlinson who is coming off an injury from late last season.  Most of the offseason interviews I have heard with Tomlinson have him expressing how hungry he is this year to win a championship and that the critism of him unable to play in the AFC Championship game has only added fuel for the drive this season.  Phillip Rivers...who has this bizarre throwing motion and at times seems irratic...but to me, seems to have the mental fortitude to be a quarterback.  Phillip Rivers seems like a leader...that he is a guy that when something needs to get done, he will take it personally and get the team on his side.  I like the way he hits the wide open guy...easier said than done in the NFL.  Last year I don't recall how many times the Chargers had a guy that was literally WIDE OPEN and Rivers got the ball to him.  Watching other games, I find it hard to believe that other teams aren't in that same scenario more than a couple of times a game and it is a matter of whether or not the quarterback can find and hit that wide open receiver.  And speaking of receivers, Cris Chambers has already proved his worth on the Chargers and now it is time for Vincent Jackson to step up.  He did have a good playoffs last year but in the regular season he was just too streaky...he was the guy that would drop a pass when he was WIDE OPEN.

Now the defensive side... of course the big news this offseason has been the status of Shawne Merriman.  Merriman has said he is going to play this season and we'll see whether or not he can stand the test of a full season.    I almost expect Merriman to get hurt and his career essentially be over...and not that I want this to happen, just think it is what is going to happen.  I also think that is what the Chargers management thinks as well in signing his backup to a four year deal during the preseason.  But overall the Charger defense should remain a force...especially now that Antonio Cromartie will be playing a full season and starting.  Last season he wasn't starting until a few games into the season and once it was revealed that he is an outright stud he finally got the playing time he deserves.  With Quentin Jammer on the other side of the ball, the Chargers have 2 cornerbacks that I think are amongst the best in the league.  The defensive line remains solid with Castillo, Williams and Olshanksy add the linebackers of Phillips and Merriman/Tucker (his backup) it is a formidable front that should get plenty of pressure on the quarterback and big enough to shut down the run.

Now we look at the schedule... the AFC West is allegedly weak again this year, the Chargers play the NFC South with the game against the Saints in London, the AFC East and of course the other AFC division champs Indy and Pittsburgh.

So my record prediction: 

I think the Chargers should go 4-2 in their division games agains Oakland, KC and Denver.  Realistic, I think the Chargers should sweep the NFC south teams but a game in London and being NFC teams, I could see the Chargers dropping one there to go 3-1 against the NFC South.  Of course the AFC East has the Patriots but the rest of the division doesn't seem as formidable... I think the Chargers beat the Pats but then likely lose a road game to Buffalo or something like that...but end up 3-1 against the AFC East.  The Chargers have owned Indy in the past few years so I think they continue that trend especially since they finally get to play Indy in San Diego but the Pittsburgh game is in Pitt so they will likely split between those teams to go 1-1.

So calculating the numbers, I have the Chargers at 11-5 and I think that is a reasonable expectation for the this team... I think most other fans and many media folks will expect the Chargers with a better record, but I want to put out a reasonable expectation and I think that is reasonable.  Of course regardless of what the Chargers regular season record will be, this season will be gauged on the playoffs.  The Chargers are expected to make the AFC Championship again and anything less will likely be a disappointment and the window of opportunity beginning to shut on this team's current veterans a chance to win a championship.