Chargers Rested, Beat Broncos

Last night was a game I had determined would be a statement game for the Chargers...at least in my eyes.  I needed to see a convincing win to have some hope that the Chargers could be competitive and make a run to the playoffs and the Chargers satisfied my curiosity by beating the Broncos pretty handedly...

I was a bit concerned when the Broncos marched right down the field on the opening possession and scored a touchdown while the Charger defense seemed lost for most of that drive...then the Charger offense went three and out to start the game and I was just waiting for a Charger miscue that would open the door for the Broncos and let them steal the game...but after the Broncos ran a fake double-reverse play it seemed as if it was a challenge to see who has the better arsenal of trick plays so the Chargers ran a fantastic fake punt play where punter Mike Scifres threw a nice pass to get a first down and then later the Chargers had Patrick Crayton throwing the ball which didn't work as well, but showed a few new wrinkles in the Charger playbook.  After the Chargers converted on that fourth down play it was nothing but Chargers from that point on...

Phillip Rivers threw for four touchdowns and his one interception took the place of a punt and really didn't hurt the Chargers at all,,.just PR airing it out and trying to get a long ball to his receiver.  The Chargers went into halftime up 21-7 and, in the 3rd quarter the Broncos may have had a chance to get back into the game and as the ESPN crew was saying on a 3rd and long play, what a huge play this could be for the Broncos if they could stop the Chargers, Rivers hits Darren Sproles, who in the open field is still as good as they get, and he is GONE ... 57 yards to score and that had to all but deflate the Bronco sideline...

The Chargers probably played their most complete game of the year...Nate Kaeding was back and missed a 52 yard field goal but the conditions were less than ideal and by the looks of his kickoffs, he still isn't 100%.  The Charger defense, wasn't overly dominate but effective.  Got a few sacks and some pressure, picked Orton off once.  But probably the best news of the game was there really wasn't a special teams miscue and in fact, you factor in the fake punt, the special teams played pretty well.  Punt protection still has me concerned but now with a fake punt play in your pocket, it may start to keep some teams honest and lessen that punt rush.

The Chargers can control their own destiny by winning out...it's a short week and another prime time game...this time in Indianapolis.  The Chargers have historically matched up well against Peyton Manning's Colts and the Chargers really can't afford to lose any more games, especially to AFC opponents...with the Texans looking crappier and crappier each week, a win in Indy would clearly be a win on the road against a quality opponent...something the Chargers need to do and will help them with any playoff chance they may have. 

A loss makes the road that much tougher for the Chargers, but with games against Raiders, Chiefs and Broncos all on the horizon certainly doesn't mean it will be the end of their playoff hopes. 

Vincent Jackson will be with the Chargers and hopefully Antonio Gates is getting better and would return as well...it would be great to have those two weapons to use against the Colts.

Technology: No Longer Outliving People

I recently was thinking about how fast things are changing these days and it all started with the thought of records...there are already grown people that have never owned or even heard a record being played.  Soon, there will be those that will have never heard of or owned a cassette and next up is the CD/DVD.

I amazed myself and, as usual, realize how old I am getting, because not only did I own records, cassettes and cd's, but I also was totally into the 8 track era as well..which was very short-lived.  I then begin to think about all the things that at one time was a "staple" in America and has now all but faded away...like old media formats like the record and cassettes. 

The newspaper...an industry that at one time was a giant in America...dictating public opinion.  Fifteen years ago a person would have laughed at you if you said that a successful newspaper's days were numbered, but that is more fact than fiction today.  Does anyone really think a newspaper, like today's, is actually going to exist? 

Television will be next.  First will be the local affiliates to slowly disappear.  The networks really can't afford to have affiliates any more and they really don't need them either.  The affiliate was needed in the early days of television because it was the only way to get your network signal to people...now with satellites and the internet an affiliate is merely a pass-through in today's world.  Affiliate's have also lost a lot of their luster...at one time your local ABC, NBC or CBS station would bring you coverage of local events and because there were only 8 channels available, they got huge ratings (locally).  Now with cable and satellite television, local programming looks like...well, local programming...cheap.  And the affiliates themselves aren't doing them selves any service ... they fill their available air time with low-budget syndicated programs or just take the easy route and air infomercials.  If/when the networks cut their affiliates, they will quickly evaporate.  Large market stations may be able to continue if they had a profit making news department or develop other programming ... which was the old model that has been abandoned...but I would bet that small markets would have close to no surviving affiliates if the network cut it's ties with them.

The internet is obviously the new frontier which is quickly ruining many "mainstay" businesses in America...like the newspaper and television.  But the real point of this post was to just reflect on how, at one time, technological advances would last several generations before it would be replaced but now, in just my lifetime, I have seen the success and demise of so many industries when, at the height of their popularity, a person couldn't even phantom the extinction of it, but now is all but completely gone. And what totally blows my mind is the things they would teach me in school that weren't even relevant soon afterwords or even by the time I was done with school would already be obsolete...

Things like I learned typing, when I was 15 in school on a typewriter...it was at least electric, but I can totally recall how to format typing a letter, how to figure out how to center a heading and so on...by the time I was in college, 3 years late, I had a computer that did all that.  In school we were taught BASIC program language, but were told up front it wasn't to teach us how to program a computer but to teach us how a computer thinks...BASIC program language was around for maybe 3 years and became obsolete.

I am just amazed at how in my lifetime I will have seen so many things come and go...and not just go, become totally obsolete...

Chargers: Quest For Playoffs Begins Monday

It is becoming all to familiar for the San Diego Chargers and their fans...since Norv Turner became head coach of the Chargers, the Chargers have started their past three seasons in lackluster form only to rally late in the season to not only make the playoffs but win the AFC West in doing so...in the case two years ago, the Chargers had to win the AFC West to make the playoffs.  So as the season began and the Chargers began to lose games to teams that they should have beaten not many people panicked...just the same old Chargers...and what has benefited the Chargers to some degree, in the past, is that the other teams in the AFC weren't very good and even "spotting" the Chiefs, Raiders and Broncos a 2, 3 or 4 game lead in the division, the Chargers would end up on top.  Will the 2010 campaign for the Chargers end with a similar result?

The Chiefs, after starting out strong, lost to Denver last week and now alt the teams in the AFC West are separated by just 2 games, the Chargers being 1 game back.  The Chargers have to play the Broncos twice and the Raiders and Chiefs each yet this season so the Chargers certainly can "help their cause" by winning against their division rivals...if for anything for tie-breaker purposes, which right now the Chargers are 0-2 in the division, which will not help in any tiebreaker decision.

The Charger schedule has shaped up so that the Chargers could make a charge into the playoffs...besides their division opponents they play @Indy, @Cincy and San Fran.  Obviously Indianapolis will not be any cake-walk and if San Fran can get their poop in a group, they should be in contention for the NFC West title and will be playing for keeps.

The Chargers have Malcom Floyd and Legedu Nannee returning to practice, but my biggest concern, in terms of receivers, would be the status of Antonio Gates.  As of now he is a game time decision and after not playing against Houston has had almost 3 weeks to recover but his status is still up in the air.

The Chargers are playing Monday night against the Broncos...the Broncos beat the Chiefs very handedly this past week, but I think that game exposed as to how weak Kansas City is and not so much as to how much better the Broncos are becoming.

Of course the wild card in the Charger-Bronco game will be special teams.  The Chargers have difficulty going an entire game without at least one special teams gaffe, if not multiple.  Punt blocking has been exposed and I would expect the Broncos will try to exploit that aspect as most other teams have this season against the Chargers.  Field goal unit, Kaeding has been rehabbing and I do believe will be returning to the Chargers soon...but if he continues to miss field goals it won't matter.  Most long time Charger fans have little faith in Kaeding and I am in that camp.  Kaeding will make any field goal that isn't important but miss any and every field goal in a playoff game.

The Chargers haven't helped their season much at all this year but a win on Monday night will brighten their playoff chances... a loss doesn't extinguish their hopes but makes the climb that much harder...and sometimes I think that is the end goal for the Chargers...never make it easy on themselves (or their fans!).

Chargers Head Into Bye After Beating Texans

Yes, I know I'm waaaayyyy behind but I've been extremely busy this past week with a ton of work and a little bit of fun that has kept me from getting a post up here sooner...

In fact, I've been so busy at work I was working this past Sunday and had to watch the Charger game over the internet and the feed wasn't all that great...I have lucked out in the past and have gotten a nice HD feed of the Charger games, but not this time...

The Chargers finally get a road win but it wasn't easy...the defense had to make a play to stop the Texans potential game winning drive...and they were able too with some help from the Texans...Andre Johnson is raved about as being a great receiver, and he probably is on most days, but against the Chargers there were at least two times when the ball bounced off his hands and the final time, during the final Texan drive, cost them as it was intercepted.

Phillip Rivers is on pace to break a ton of passing records...the down side to that typically means the team is bad because he is passing so much.  Not only is Rivers on pace to break passing records, he is doing it with, literally, a different batch of receivers every week.  I was really skeptical of the Charger chances of winning when it was announced that Antonio Gates wouldn't be playing, but this Ajirotutu kid came out of nowhere and has had a couple of decent games for the Chargers.

The Chargers have their bye week and they play Denver...there should be no excuse for the Chargers to not win that game and get ready for Indy the following week...

Chargers Beat Titans

The Chargers escaped this past Sunday's game with a win and broke a three game losing skid, but the Chargers couldn't win comfortably and had to hang on until the end...but primarily due to their own doing.

The game started like many typical Charger games of the 2010 season...with a special teams gaffe...a blocked punt that resulted in a safety.  The special teams of the Chargers have already reached historically bad levels and look to set new lows for specials team futility before the season ends.  On the bright side, Darren Sproles looked like his old self and was able to return some punts back for respectable gains...something that hasn't happened this year.

And before I go much further I really need to devote a section of every game recap to Antonio Gates.  This guy is simply awesome...so much so it is almost expected of him each and every week.  He has been playing with a toe injury for the last couple of games, likely reinjured a toe that kept him from playing some games a few years ago.  He was a game time decision but played through the pain and was a huge impact...even injured, you can tell how much better of an athlete he is then many others on the field.  Double and triple team him and he still finds a way to get open...it's too bad no other Charger receiver is even in his league.

Phillip Rivers continues to remain rock solid.  His one interception was a desperation throw that ended the first half, so only on the stat sheet does that one hurt.  Rivers set a new record for most yards passed in the first 8 games...but unfortunately, in all the stats I have seen, when a QB has to throw for record yardage, their team has basically stunk and is doing so out of necessity.

The Charger run game made an appearance this past Sunday.  Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert both had respectable games...both got dinged up but both returned to play.  Ryan Mathews is a rookie and is suppose to be the Chargers long term future at runningback...he has already missed a few games due to injury and does seem to be a bit injury prone...something that won't allow him to become a premiere runningback unless corrected.  Tolbert, to me, looked very impressive ... he reminded me of former Charger runningbacks Natrone Means and Marion Butts...big, powerful runningbacks that will punish the defense.  Unfotunately, history has shown that these type of powerbacks might have 2 seasons of use and then get injured or just taper off in production...regardless, if Tolbert is in his prime, he should be used while the chance is here.

I still remain very suspect of the defense.  Sure on paper the Charger defense is a top 10 defense...but watching them play I would never guess it.  The Chargers had blown coverage on more than one play, the Titans capitalized on one blown coverage but missed out on the others.  More savvy and opportunistic quarterbacks would have feasted on the Chargers mistakes.

The Chargers couldn't put the Titans out of their misery...even when scoring their last touchdown the Chargers needed an extra point to make the game a 9 point game a thus, a 2 score game with not much time remaining...the Charger's special teams makes another gaffe and they blow the extra point with a botched hold and the Titans will get the ball back, down by 8 with a chance to tie the game...the Titans get good field position and 2:48 left on the clock and are able to drive to the 15 of the Chargers but no further...the Charger defense had held and the Chargers hang on for a win.

The Titans helped the Chargers during this game a lot.  I do believe there was a couple of times the Titans committed a penalty on third down that gave the Chargers a first down and overall, the Titans.  And although the Charger defense still is prone to giving up big plays, they were able to keep the Titans out of the endzone on two possessions in the fourth quarter...something I was very surprised at.

Is this the turning point for the Chargers?  Most agree they can't afford too many more losses and going 5-3 in the second half of the season probably means you miss the playoffs.  The Chargers have a road game to Houston and then their bye week.  Houston just lost last night to Indy so they will be coming off a short week...but also hungry for a win.  Houston wants to prove its a legitimate AFC team and beating the Chargers would keep them in that discussion.  The Chargers haven't won a game on the road yet and are going to have to do so if they want to have any chance at the playoffs.