Rivers Continues To Suck, So Do The Chargers; All But Eliminated

The Chargers showed off why they are one of the worst teams in the NFL by losing to the Broncos for the second time this season yesterday...mainly because of Rivers but another special teams gaffe and the game was never in doubt despite the final score.

Sure, the Chargers jumped out to a 7-0 lead after intercepting Manning and running it in, but that would be the only time the Chargers were even remotely in this game.  The Charger defense was not to blame for this lose...they actually held the Broncos and Peyton Manning down for most of the game...but you have Phillip Rivers throwing interceptions and fumbling the ball, like he has for the past two seasons and a team really can't overcome the obstacles he continues to put up for the team.  The Charger offense was completely inept yesterday with maybe only a couple of first downs during the game, the rest were during garbage time when the Broncos had most of their B squad in.

Most Charger fans have begun to put their "wish list" of coaches together, but I doubt the Spanos family is going to spring for anyone good.  Heck, they are too cheap to can Norv even now...after seeing how this team has sucked this entire season they are still satisfied with "status quo"...it's a complete embarrassment, if you ask me.

What sucks for the Chargers is that they might eek out another win or two which would drop them in the draft but not gain them even a sniff at the playoffs this year.  So unless the Dean Spanos does something out of character, I think a cheap head coach and a mid round draft pick are what is in store for us Charger fans next season...but at least it's more hopeful than the past 3 seasons...

Chargers Lose, Rivers Continues To Stink

The San Diego Chargers traveled to Tampa Bay to try and get a rare east coast win under Norv Turner but the Chargers and, more specifically, Phillip Rivers continue to stink.

Right when you thought Rivers would be snapping out of a "funk" that has had him making poor decisions and turning the ball over...as he had 3 touchdowns and over 200 yards in passing against the Bucs as the Chargers had a 21-17 lead...but then Rivers and the Chargers quickly converted themselves into the team we have seen for the past 3 seasons.  A team that turns the ball over, the defense can't stop the other team and even more distressing these days is the fact that Phillip Rivers just plain stinks.  With the lead and the Chargers inside the 30 of Tampa Bay, Rivers throws a pick six and the Chargers wouldn't see the lead again.

The Chargers scored a measly three points in the second half and end up losing 34-24.  That's a 17-4 run to close out the game. 

Is there really anything left to say?  There doesn't need to be any more examples to anyone to see that he is a bad coach and is getting out coached in EVERY GAME!  After halftime the Chargers are thoroughly trounced by any capable team (sorry KC you are horrible!) and even if the Chargers have the lead at halftime, no lead is safe with them...and really even if the Chargers had any lead going into the 4th quarter, they would be more likely to lose than win because their defense is so paper thin it is pathetic.  Even with the Chargers unable to mount any offense in the second half the defense had it's chances to simply stop Tampa Bay from driving the entire length of the field...but couldn't do that.

Norv Turner is horrible.  Phillip Rivers is awful. And the Charger defense is bad.  I think that about sums up this season and I don't see much hope on the horizon...Denver won't let the Chargers go up by 24 next week and are going to totally put the boots to this Charger team...it will be over by halftime and Peyton Manning will be doing interviews from the sideline halfway through the third quarter...probably won't have much to do other than watch the defense return Rivers' interceptions.

Chargers At The Half Way Point

The San Diego Chargers have finished their 8th game this past weekend marking the halfway point of their 16 game regular season campaign and sit at 4 and 4.  On "paper" a 4-4 record isn't bad and teams have been worse off at this point and still rallied to win a championship.  But what's different about the Chargers 4-4 record is that they haven't even played very many good teams...in fact, with the only exception being Atlanta and Denver, games the Chargers lost both of, the Chargers haven't even played anyone with a winning record.  Add to that, the Chargers lost to teams that had 1 or no wins on the season (New Orleans and Cleveland).  And then sprinkle in embarrassing nationally televised losses in which the Chargers had double digit leads at halftime only to get totally destroyed in the second half by New Orleans and Denver.  Then what you have is a pretty lousy 4 and 4 team.

So what are some of the problems?  Here's what I've seen so far...

Phillip Rivers stinks.  He started stinking last season and it is only compounding into a bigger problem this year.  It's been noted that he hasn't led the Chargers to a fourth quarter comeback since 2008.  If the Chargers do not have the lead in the fourth quarter, which is typically the case, they can not mount any sort of late game offense to come from behind to win the game.

No Big Plays.  Watching other NFL teams, it seems as if other teams are able to have big plays on a somewhat regular basis.  A runningback that rips off a 60+ yard run.  A deep 80 yard bomb that opens the field up.  The Chargers are very "contained" in their offense.  They seem to take the 10, 15, 20 yard plays the defense give them but because there is no big play, the offense has more time to make mistakes on long drives and the Chargers do just that.  Whether it be penalties or turnovers, it seems the more plays the Chargers run the more likely they are going to screw up. 

Poor Defense. Some Charger fans are able to point out some positives on the Chargers defense and I'll say that Eric Weddle is probably the best the Chargers have on defense...but after that, I am not sure there is a "good" player on defense for the Chargers right now.  The secondary is a complete joke.  Quentin Jammer is obviously a little too old and lost a step and Cason and Gilchrist are just plain bad.  I don't mind the way Atari Bigby delivers big hits and seems pretty active for a safety, but I've also seen him miss some tackles, but still is serviceable.  The defensive line and linebackers all essentially get run over and chase the ball on most plays.  Sure, there is the occasional sack and the stats would seem to point that the Chargers have a decent rush defense, but that is because teams have chosen to pass on the Chargers rather than run.  When teams' have wanted to "ice" the game against the Chargers, they are able to run at will and do so.

Norv Turner. The Chargers are exactly what Norv Turner has coached them to be.  Look to last season and the season prior when the talent had departed from San Diego, the Chargers are a stumbling, bumbling embarrassment on the field.

Is There Hope? The short answer is no.  The only hope I would have for this Charger team is if Norv Turner is fired right now and a new head coach is brought in from the outside.  The current coaching staff has all been around Norv Turner and see how a loser runs a team...this team needs to be shaken up and a new attitude...a new winning attitude needs to brought in for anything positive to happen this season.  But everyone knows that Dean Spanos is too cheap to first fire Norv before the season is over (to get his money's worth) and second, Dean Spanos is too cheap to hire a competent coach in the first place...how do you think the Chargers ended up with the losingest head coach in NFL history?  I truly don't think the players on the Chargers are really as bad as they seem to play and even with a new head coach they may not be in the elite of the NFL but the hope is they at least return to being competitive, something more than one coach has accomplished in short order.

Chiefs Are Awful, Lose To Chargers

It's too bad the Chargers have already played the horrible Chiefs twice this season already because having those two wins so early in the season put the Chargers at .500 at 4 and 4.

Beating the Chiefs really proves nothing and like the first match up, the Chiefs really beat themselves more than the Chargers did.  The Chiefs fumbled and bumbled the 4th quarter away and the Chargers simply had to not follow suit.  But with the assistance of two defensive scores, the Charger offense didn't really have many opportunities to squander their lead.

But Phillip Rivers continues his poor decision making...at the end of the first half when the Chargers were up 10-3 and right on the doorstep to score before the half, Rivers forces a throw and gets picked off.  Instead of settling for 3, Rivers makes sure the Chargers got zero.

The Chargers are also fairly anemic on offense, despite the 31-13 score.  After scoring a touchdown in the first quarter, their only touchdown in the past 9 quarters, it took them until the fourth quarter for the offense to finally find the end zone again...against the Chiefs.

No, beating the Chiefs only gave Norv Turner a week to breathe a sigh of relief.  Now the Chargers are set to go to Tampa Bay and Tampa Bay is not that bad a team and certainly not as crappy as the Chiefs.  The Chargers still haven't beaten anyone with a winning record or even a team that anyone would consider even "respectable" so the Chargers haven't proved anything other than they aren't THE worst team in the NFL...the Chiefs and Jaguars might be contending for that crown right now.

Chargers Nearing Bottom, Lose To Browns

The Chargers continue to reveal how awful they really are.  They lose to the (previously) one win Cleveland Browns on a windy, rainy day.  The Chargers were unable to score even a touchdown and settled for two field goals to lose 7-6 in a mostly boring contest between two teams whose defenses aren't really that good but the offense, for both teams, is fairly inept.

The mood in Chargerland is finally one of acceptance that this Charger team is crap.  I had that feeling before the season started but seeing the fanfare from the "super fans" I almost felt guilty in my perception and public outcry that this team was garbage.  But now, the "super fans" have either completely disappeared from the discussion about the Chargers - because they are the ones who continually state that the off season was a good one, that Meachum, Royal and Gaither would be the difference makers and this team would regain it's 2006 (14-2) form and be a factor in the NFL.  No, that is not the case...Meachum hasn't done dick and even dropped what would have been a long touchdown pass on Sunday.  Royal has usually been sidelined with injury and a non-factor this season.  And left tackle Gaither played this last Sunday but will likely be hurt shortly as that seems to be his trend.

Now, most Charger fans are looking ahead to the end of the season and the hopes that Norv Turner will get fired, but I hate to be the bearer of bad news again...remember last season?  Remember when we were told that Norv Turner would be fired last season and then he wasn't?  If there is anything we know and that is Dean Spanos doesn't care about winning or this football team.  He only cares about money.  So if there is a way he can save a buck and keep Turner, I think he will.  Of course it won't take a rocket scientist to do the math and Dean will see the numbers too...that is, no one will be going to the games anymore because the team stinks and that may eventually force his hand to fire Turner...and who knows, if the losing skid goes for a while, maybe it will happen sooner rather than later.

With the loss to Cleveland, there is one thing that is abundantly clear about this Charger team right now...they are a bad team that is capable of losing to any team.  As my previous post mentioned prior to the Cleveland game, where some Charger fans saw the Browns, Chiefs and Buccaneers as three almost guaranteed wins,   think the Chargers will be lucky to win Thursday night against the Chiefs - but won't guarantee it, and come out of this three game "guaranteed wins" with a 1-2 record.  After that, the Chargers schedule gets pretty brutal and they will be lucky to get to 6-10...they do have Carolina, Jets and Raiders left to play...but I think they will be lucky to win 1 out of those three games...the rest of their opponents will have little problem with this Charger team. 

Does It Mean Anything If The Chargers Beat The Browns?

The San Diego Chargers, fresh off two of humiliating losses, where they held double digit leads and end up losing, going away, both games.  Where Monday night's loss wasn't just losing a 24 point lead, it was the revelation that the Chargers are exactly who we thought they were...again...and that is bad.

So now they travel to play the Cleveland Browns after having a week off to stew in the cauldron that fans have ignited a bonfire under.  But will the Chargers actually accomplish anything this weekend?  The short answer is no and no matter the outcome, the Chargers are still losers...it is just a matter to what degree.

If the Chargers beat the Browns, which I don't think anyone is penciling in as a guarantee, it should be expected...heck the Chargers were once the best lousy team in the NFL and now hover above just being a bad team...which the Browns are.  So if the Chargers lose this game, and depending on how bad they look, the Chargers will certainly move themselves into being one of the worst teams in the NFL this season.

So the Chargers are in a "no win" game this weekend...but clearly, they would rather have the win and let the fans and media continue to see them as epic chokers or lose and let everyone know that the descent to the bottom of the league is complete.

Last Night's Loss Shakes Chargerland

I knew last night's epic choke and loss against the Broncos was huge, but I didn't think it would rattle many of the "all is fine" Charger fans.  Heck the Chargers are still tied for the lead in the AFC West, they have a bye and when the left tackle that has played almost 2 games is back, it will be full steam ahead to the Super Bowl.

But not after this loss.  After this loss there is more than one "homer" that has finally taken the step off the bandwagon and joined the "dark side" with many of us other Chargers...where I have essentially been for the past 3 seasons.  The other "homers" have simply disappeared.  They can no longer stick up for Norv Turner or AJ Smith and be taken seriously.  Last season was suppose to free the Chargers of those miserable louses and instead we just get another season of the same courtesy the owner, Dean Spanos...thanks again.  Norv Turner should have been fired last season and this is what the Chargers get for not doing so...a humiliating, prime time, Monday Night Football debacle.  As I was driving to work and listening to the sports talk radio - note, not from San Diego - and during the "casual conversation" regarding the game one person said "You almost come to expect San Diego to self implode because they do it so often." and that is why the Chargers get no respect...nor do they deserve any.

I thought the Chargers were at least a pretty good lousy team, now I think they are just a lousy team trending to becoming a bad team.  Unfortunately, I wish I could say this is coming as a surprise to me but this blog is evidence I am fully aware of how awful this team is now and has been.

Chargers Post Epic Choke Against Denver

As I am writing this, there is 2:00 left in the game... The Chargers are down by 11 points, 35-24.

The Chargers, like last week, jump out to a nice first half lead and then totally fold up the tent and call it a game and this week was in even a bigger epic fashion than last week...

After owning the first half, picking off Peyton Manning and ruining ESPN's pre-planned Peyton Manning lovefest, going up 24-0, then Phillip Rivers, literally, hands the ball to the Broncos in the form of 2 pick sixes and a fumble recovery for a td as well as an additional interception.  I've stuck up for Rivers for a long time but I can no longer do so.  Last year, I had hoped, was just an aberration, but Rivers seems to be getting worse and worse every game.  It is almost painful to watch how predictable he has become with throwing interceptions and bad passes.

The second half, the Broncos had no fear of the Chargers and the Chargers had no interest in trying anymore.  They were completely and thoroughly embarrassed on national television, something that is standard operating procedure under Norv Turner's tenure as coach of the Chargers.

The good news is that the Chargers won't lose next week because it is their bye week...the bad news is that ESPN and every other sports outlet is going to be slobbering over Peyton Manning's cock for the next week...but he didn't win this game...Phillip Rivers lost this game for the Chargers...plan and simple.

The Chargers were in first place going into this game and I suspect that will be the last time they will sniff "contention" for the rest of this season.

Norv Turner can not out coach anyone, it has been proven time and time again.

Is the season over?  No and those with hope will still have it.  Unfortunately, this season is going just about as well as I thought it would...

BTW, the game is over, and Rivers ends the game with SIX turnovers.  Tirico is already trying to get Gruden off of Manning's cock so he can get his turn...

DISGUSTING is all I can say.

Saints Score 17 Unanswered To Beat Chargers

The Chargers are still, exactly who we think they are...not good.

This past weekend's game was against the winless New Orleans Saints and most of the people I talked with, most agreed the Saints would likely win the game.  I wasn't shocked because the word on the Chargers is very well known by now...they are the best of the lousy teams in the NFL and people aren't willing to put the Saints in the lousy category yet, even despite their defense being horrendous.  Well, as any team on the skids needs to feel better about a season that isn't going so well so far is a visit from the Chargers.

How'd the Chargers fare then? Who, if you listen to the Charger homers, have this high powered unstoppable offense led by offensive guru/mastermind and head coach Norv Turner.  Chargers super offense was 4-12 on third downs.  And then on the other side of the ball, the Chargers have this revamped defense that is going to shut down opposing teams, or at the very least, keep the game close...the Saints were able to go deep on the pathetic Chargers secondary at their leisure.

Charger homers are crying about the officiating, but that happens every week.  If the Chargers would have won there would have been barely anything said about the officials because in Charger land where everything is always great (tomorrow) the only reason the Chargers lost was because of a bad call...which is complete bullshit. 

The Chargers offense can easily be stopped by even the worst defense...as we just witnessed and the Charger defense is exactly like it was last year...worthless.  The defense is unable to stop any quality team when it really matters.

The Chargers host the Broncos this week on Monday Night Football.  ESPN and specifically Jon Gruden can't wait to slobber all over Manning.  I don't think the Broncos are all that good either, but I've lost a lot of faith in Rivers' decision making and there is nothing I have seen from this year's Charger team that is leading me to believe that they will be a factor in the postseason...but there is still plenty of season left and they certainly have plenty of room to improve...the question is, can they and will they improve?  Norv Turner has the track record to show that they probably won't.
 

Static-X - 9/22/12 - Fargo, ND

Last week I went to the Static-X show in Fargo and it rocked!

I have finally got the pictures uploaded after trying a variety of "new" methods to get them onto the internet.  Anyways this show does have a tale to tell before the show even started...

It's Friday, September 21st and I'm just hanging out at home.  One of my buddies calls me at about 6:30 to (drunkenly) say he is at Hooters and I should come down for a beer.  (Note: I do not regularly frequent Hooters but now that I have a friend that does, I do so on occasion but is not by my choice).  I say "Sure" and as a matter of fact, I need to swing by and pick up my free Static-X tickets from my friend so I don't have to worry about that the next day.  So I stop by and grab my tickets and head on down to Hooters, I barely sit down when my friend says, "Hey, isn't that Wayne Static over there?" One look and there is no doubt about it, there is Wayne Static and his wife eating at Hooters.  After they were done eating they were nice enough to take some pictures with me and my friends and also autograph my tickets.  It was pretty cool to say the least.

Now onto the show...which rocked!  Static-X came out and played mostly their older stuff and tore it up.  They started out with Wisconsin Death Trip and that got the place going right off the bat.  Some other personal favorites that they played was "He's A Loser", "Bled For Days" and for their encore, Wayne asked the crowd what we wanted to hear and because I had declared that I would be yelling (and hearing) one of my favorite songs that it would get played, "Love Dump", it was at that time me and my friends started the "Love Dump" chant and within seconds Wayne and the band broke into it.

I've seen Static-X a few times and they are always a good show.  This particular time the drummer was completely insane... more than once I was watching him and his crazy antics during almost every song...it was both good and hilarious at the same time as he had this jet powered fan blowing up so his long hair was flying about and he would frequently be standing up and on his drum stool pounding on cymbals or drums...whatever the song required...it was pretty crazy!

Anyways, this post has a few of the pics I took from that evening, if you want to see more, including myself with Wayne, his wife and my friends click here.
 

Chiefs Have 6 Turnovers, Chargers Win

The Chargers took advantage of a sloppy Kansas City Chiefs team that turned the ball over 6 times including a pick 6.  As long as the Chargers didn't self implode, like the Chiefs were doing, they were going to win this game.

Phillip Rivers continues to play fairly erratic.  Threw a pretty poor interception and there were times his throws were off the mark.  He had a wide open Meachum and underthrew him...if it would have been on target, in stride, would have been an easy touchdown.  He still is able to manage the game and be fairly efficient, but I think he may have issues going deep accurately which would help defenses defend against this team.

Jackie Battle started at runningback in front of Ryan Mathews, who fumbled last week and with his past history of being a back with ball control issues it looks like he will be playing in select situations for a while.  Battle did a fine job, running and catching the ball out of the backfield.  The run game, though, seemed to bog down in the second half, when the Chiefs knew it was coming.  If the Chargers are going to be able to play with the lead, they are going to have to be able to effectively run the ball in the second half, something they struggled with in this game.

Special teams for the Chargers was decent.  Nate Kaeding hurt himself on Friday and the Chargers got Nick Novak and he filled in nicely.  The Chargers even recovered an onside kick in the second half, not sure why Norv wanted to really pour it on, but he certainly had little mercy for the Chiefs yesterday.

Next up the Chargers travel to New Orleans and play on Sunday Night Football and it will be an interesting game...if you looked at the records, the Chargers are 3-1 and the Saints are 0-4, one would think the Chargers are the clear favorite.  The Saints will be desperate for a win and the season is still young.  As I've said many times before, the first 6 games of the NFL season are relatively meaningless...sure you don't want to be 0-6, but teams don't begin to "rise to the top" until the second half of the season and your season is not lost if you can get to 4-4 at the 8 game mark. 

With the Chiefs win, that's 2 road games I didn't think the Chargers would win.  If they beat the Saints that would make it 3 and I won't complain...but I am still waiting to see if this Charger team can beat a playoff caliber team.  The Saints, at this point, are clearly not at the same level they have been the past couple of years and that may be just the break the Chargers need to pull out the win.

Chargers Are What We Thought They Were: Bad

The San Diego Chargers got absolutely destroyed by the Atlanta Falcons.  Was I surprised, no because prior to the season starting I had predicted the Falcon blowout.

This San Diego Charger team is a typical Norv Turner team a pretty good bad team.  Norv Turner has the team and the talent that can beat almost any below mediocre team in the NFL but also will get blown out by any team with any sort of competence.

A person doesn't have to go far to find out why the Chargers lost, it's the same reasons it always is when the team has been coached by Norv Turner.  Ryan Mathews fumbled inside the 10 yard line, like usual ... he will likely get hurt during the next game and be out until the season finale to run for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Phillip Rivers is bad.  Whatever happened to him last year is still with him and what that is, is throwing up bad passes.  There are times I think he just drops back and throws the ball wildly...because that's what it looks like as he was good for 2 more interceptions this past game.  The Charger defense is horrendous...as expected.  The Falcons had no problems sustaining drives and moving the ball whereas the Chargers were a complete mockery on both sides of the ball.

Nope, no surprises here.  The Chargers have a game against KC next week, which I give them a 1 in 4 chance of winning.  The Chiefs will play hard coming off their first win against the Saints giving them a ton of confidence.  The Chargers will be threat to no one this season, as I expected.  Another wasted season under Norv Turner and AJ Smith.

Chargers Beat Titans, 2-0, In First Place

Week 2 is in the books and the San Diego Chargers are 2-0 after a dominating win against the Tennessee Titans.

A big surprise of the day was that Antonio Gates was unable to play but his backup, Dante Rosario, caught 3 touchdown passes.  The Chargers passing offense looked fairly good, but their run game continues to lack.  Ronnie Brown and Curtis Brinkley just don't seem to be NFL caliber backs right now.  Jackie Battle, who I think is 4th string, came into the game and outrushed both those two who are ahead of him on the depth chart.

I really don't want to dwell too much on this game because out of the first two games, I thought the Chargers had a coin flip chance against the Raiders and the Titans game was one I thought the Chargers should win.  Chris Johnson is their only offense and he has been shut down for two straight games.  I also think the Titans are a team that will struggle until later in the year or maybe not at all.

When the season started, I looked at week 3 as the first "real" test for the Chargers when the Atlanta Falcons come to San Diego.  After watch Atlanta play Denver last night on Monday Night Football, I think Atlanta is still a good team, just not as good as I originally thought.  Micheal Turner doesn't look like the Turner of old and also got popped for a DUI after the game.  So Atlanta may have some distractions on their side that may come into play.

So if the Chargers start the season 3-0 with a win over Atlanta, it will be nice and the Chargers may be catching a few breaks early this year.  And the other nice thing about watching the game last night (Denver-Atlanta) was watching Peyton Manning throw 3 interceptions in the first quarter.  I was getting a little tired of all the people lining up to kiss his ass before the season started and after game one...I doubt the line is getting much shorter but at least they are more quiet for a week.

Chargers runningback Ryan Mathews has been said to be ready for the season and is going to play against Atlanta....the question I have is how long until he gets hurt again?  My guess: shortly after he fumbles for the first time.

Its a long season, as we all know, and it is good to be in first place.  But being in first place in September means nothing....being in first place at the end of December is when it matters.

Chargers Start Season With A Win Against The Raiders

The San Diego Chargers beat the Oakland Raiders last night to end the first week of the 2012 NFL season.

I felt this game was essentially a coin flip as to who would win and was quite surprised that the second half was essentially dominated by the Chargers.

The key to this game was when the Raiders lost their long snapper and they then had 3 botched punts where the Chargers, who got excellent field position in each instance, was still unable to get anything more than a field goal in each instance but that was enough as neither offense looked too overwhelming.

My breakdown...first, the run game... Ronnine Brown was not that good.  He didn't seem to have a natural "instinct" to cut outside when it was open or cut back through the hole if it was closing...he seemed, to me, to take the ball and run the exact route that the play called for, even if it meant running right into the defense.  "Better" running backs see the hole collapsing or no opening and will alter their path to maximize their run...Ronnine Brown didn't seem to do that at all.  I think the Chargers had a total of less than 40 yards of total rushing...many analyst will cite that as a deficiency in the offense and could be the reason for losses later in the season.

Rivers did have time to throw the ball, so the offensive line was able to handle the Raider pass rush...but that doesn't mean the offensive line is good, it was just good in this game.  Rivers looked solid as he spread the ball to a number of receivers.  Robert Meachum, the Chargers big free agent pick up in the offseason has yet to be any sort of factor in games.  Malcolm Floyd made a few nice catches including the Chargers only touchdown reception.

The defense played well.  I thought the secondary did a good job and that is the area with the biggest concern for me...the secondary.  The Chargers did have a few sacks and were able to get some pressure on the Raiders QB, Carson Palmer, and that will certainly help the secondary out.  Atari Bigby, at safety, made a bunch of plays and is a solid defender, if his play continues at this level it will be a big plus for the Chargers.

The Chargers have their home opener this week against the Titans... The Titans took a beating in New England last week and their QB got banged up.  The Chargers, from my observation, didn't look like they had too many injuries and if they can improve, they should be able to handle the Titans at home.

NFL Season Kicks Off - Charger Predictions

Tonight is the night many a sports fan in America loves...it is, literally, Christmas in September.  The NFL season opener is tonight.  For some reason, having the first game on a day other than Sunday just seems weird to me...but that's today's NFL for you.  If I get distracted, which is fairly easy, I may even forget there's a game on tonight...of course if it was the Chargers, that wouldn't be the case.  Instead, I get to wait until, literally, the last game of the weekend, 9:30 PM (my time) on Monday night to start watching the San Diego Chargers 2012 campaign begin as they play the Raiders.  And with that, here is my "predictions" for the Chargers and this season...

To recap, last season I had the Chargers going 9-7 and not make the playoffs. The Chargers actually finished at 8-8 and missed the playoffs.  So, I'm going to pat myself on the back and think to myself that being one game off isn't too bad in the prediction business.

So, let's recap the method to my madness in making my prediction for this season and if you are a frequent reader of my blog, then you probably already know where I am going...

And that is first and foremost and has to be always at the foundation of every discussion involving the San Diego Chargers this season and that is Norv Turner.  I sound like a broken record but I truly believe that as long as Norv Turner is the head coach this team will not do much of anything except disappoint.  I think this season he has primed this team to disappoint more so than any other year he has been coach and with his history with the Chargers, he is certainly "trending down".

Phillip Rivers looked horrible last year with no receivers, the Chargers still don't have any quality receivers.  The Chargers offensive line is weak and they have no depth and, as of right now, no left tackle.  Antonio Gates, as great as he is and as much of a warrior as he is, has been battered and injured for most of the past 4 seasons but still may be Rivers' only receiving option.  The run game, with a poor offensive line, will probably be non-existent as well, forcing the Chargers to become a one dimensional, pass only team.  Being a pass only team with competent receivers and a good quarterback is not a bad thing the NFL, unfortunately for the Chargers they don't have any competent receivers with the exception of Gates who is a tight end.

The defense, essentially the same as last season with a couple of additions.  The secondary is horrible.  Jammer has lost a step and because he is the only guy that can actually play man-to-man is often left alone and he gets preyed on.  Cason and Gilchrist are horrible and will get burned routinely.  The defensive line hasn't shown any muscle and is controlled at the line of scrimmage by even the most mediocre NFL offenses.

The special teams for the Chargers will likely continue to lack for the Chargers.  The Chargers have a decent field goal kicker in Kaeding, who can kick a field goal from a country mile as long as it is during the regular season...once the playoffs start, Kaeding is no longer a factor and instead is a detriment to the Chargers.  The Chargers haven't had anyone returning kicks or punts that is effective for some time and often have poor tackling and poor coverage so opponents usually get a short field to work with when they gain possession of the ball.

So now let's look at the schedule and see how the Chargers are going to do...

Just quickly glancing at the schedule I think there is an almost obvious break in the schedule where the Chargers season goes from easy to hard and that is at week 10...

If the Chargers can post as many wins as they can the first 10 weeks they may actually be able to "sneak" into the playoffs...those first 9 games (and a bye) are: @Oakland, Tennessee, Atlanta, @Kansas City, @New Orleans, Denver, (bye), @Cleveland, Kansas City and @Tampa Bay.  If the Chargers were even respectable I would think they would get out of that stretch at 6-3, maybe even 7-2 ... but knowing the Chargers under Norv Turner I know a few things...first, the Chargers suck on the road even to bad teams.  Second, the Chargers can beat bad teams at home...sometimes.  So with that knowledge here's how I  break it down, the first nine games: At Oakland...the Chargers use to own the Raiders, now the Raiders are just as inept as the Chargers.  Both these teams seem to lay down to the other when on the road and I think that is the same again this season.  Tennessee at home may be a win, but I don't guarantee it.  Atlanta will run Micheal Turner down the Chargers throats until the deep bomb to Roddy White runs the score up.  Under Marty Schottenheimer the Chargers could beat the Chiefs in KC, under Norv Turner the games are usually an embarrassment for the Bolts as a KC team that lookes inept against other teams runs wild on the Chargers.  At New Orleans...this won't even be close at half time.  Drew Brees will either get benched before the start of the 3rd quarter or break the single game record for passing yards against the Chargers. Then Peyton Manning comes to San Diego...the Chargers know Manning and this is a game the Chargers have a chance and may eek out a 3 point win.  On the road to Cleveland, this game may be a winnable road game for the Chargers, but likely will be close.  Against KC at home, the Chargers will find a way to win that game to "stay in the hunt" in the AFC West.  The road game against Tampa Bay will bring the Bolts right back to Earth as they Chargers can't beat anyone on the east coast in their stadium.

So, 9 games in the Chargers are 3-6 and now get to the "meat" of their schedule...

So the next 7 games...Chargers at Denver...lose.  Manning, if he did indeed lose the first meeting against the Chargers, will make the proper adjustments and beat the Chargers with little effort.  Baltimore comes to San Diego and their defense alone will likely be able to beat the Chargers.  Ray Lewis will look like the all-pro he once was, something he won't show in most other games but does so against Norv Turner coached teams, and a healthy dose of Ray Rice will be all the Ravens need to destroy the Chargers at home.  The Bengals come to town next... a team that knocked the Chargers out of the playoffs 2 seasons ago when the Bengals had nothing to play for and the Chargers had everything to play for.  The Bengals have gotten younger and better the Chargers have gotten worse.  Bengals win.  Chargers then travel to Pittsburgh a team that they, seemingly, only have beaten once and that was in the 1994-5 AFC Championship game.  I don't expect the Chargers to be even competitive against a well disciplined team that the Steelers will be.  Chargers former defensive coordinator and now Carolina head coach  Ron Rivera comes to town with this explosive Cam Newton.  Rivera, with a defensive background, will pick the Chargers apart and embarrass his former bosses.  Chargers travel to play the New York Jets...see the comments regarding east coast teams and also factor in that the Jets, regardless of good or not, have an arrogance that the Chargers players cower under. Jets win a close one.  And, like the past few seasons, the Chargers start the season against the Raiders and then end the season against the Raiders and like the last few seasons the game won't matter for the Chargers and the Chargers will just crush the Raiders.  Norv Turner and GM AJ Smith will be retained as hope for next season already has begun.

But as you can see from my observations, I have the Chargers going 4-12.  I have said that 6-10 is hopeful, but I really don't see 6 wins on the schedule.  Instead I see a poor defense giving up big plays and lots of points. I see an offense that will likely be playing from behind and have trouble maintaining ball control and putting points on the board.  I continue to see deficiency in the special teams game.  But most of all, I see a team that doesn't look like it is NFL caliber.

I hope I am wrong.  I hope I can come here each week and write about what an amazing game the Chargers had in a victory over their latest opponent.  I hope that in January I am writing about how excited I was for the playoffs to start.  Oh, and how I wish I could be hopeful...I wish I could think..."Hey, this could be the year." but that isn't even a consideration at this point.  Like the broken record I am and like last season, Norv Turner has removed any hope I may have had for this year a long time ago.  Because of Norv Turner and AJ Smith, I have ZERO hope for the Chargers succeeding this season.  They know their jobs are suppose to be on the line this season, but that will have little impact on how the team plays.  I don't think there is a player on this team that will "put it all on the line" for Norv or this team.  I've always said that Phillip Rivers is a "winner" a guy that hates to lose and I think that is still true.  Unfortunately for him, he is stuck with a loser, Norv Turner, and that's the guy who's driving the car to loser land.

Preseason Wrapping Up - Chargers Hurting

Even though many of the starters for the San Diego Chargers either didn't play at all or saw limited action in last week's preseason game against the Vikings, the Chargers continue to have a roster full of injured players.  One bright spot is that their starting running back, Ryan Mathews, is doing running drills during practice.  The downside to that, is the sooner Mathews gets into the lineup the sooner he will be hurt.  It's too bad for him and the Chargers...

Today's big news from Charger camp is that the Chargers have 6 cornerbacks and 4 of them are hurt.  What I find funny is that out of the 6, none of them are very good...sure Jammer is still fairly solid but he has clearly lost a step, the rest of the bunch just plain stink.  Cason was burned by the Vikings more than once and if he is a starter, I think other teams will prey on him with delight.

The other big news is that Jared Gaither,  supposed starting left tackle for the Chargers, will have another MRI and may not play in week one.  If you are tuned into the homers of Chargerland, this is devastating news.  The Chargers offensive line is pretty weak as is, and now this...it doesn't paint a pretty picture right now for the Chargers offense.

Oh, and the replacement refs...if the preseason is any indication as to how well or poorly they will be in the regular season it doesn't bode well.  I did watch a bit of the Chargers-Vikings game and there were 2 CLEAR fumbles...in regular time, that the refs in both instances called incorrectly.  Norv Turner, in a rarity, made 2 successful coach challenges, but the plays should have never resorted to a challenge because it seemed very clear, cut and dry, that the ball was fumbled and recovered by the Chargers...

Chargers have one more preseason game against the 49'ers.  Rivers and others didn't play in the last game so it will be interesting to see if they see some action in this last game or if it will just be scrubs for the entire duration.

Homer Charger Fans Have Excuses In Hand And Ready

The preseason is barely half over and if a person read the San Diego Chargers injury list, you'd think it was the midseason.  It is littered with names that are suppose to be "impact" players this season for the San Diego Chargers.  So the blind homers in Chargerland, that predicted a 12-4 (or better) season next year are already getting their excuse sheet filled out.  We lost because our fourth best receiver is out until October.  We lost because our runningback was out until week 4.  We lost because our offensive line is hurt.  We lost because, we lost because, we lost because....yet, other teams that WIN despite their 4th best receiver being hurt or their runningback is dead or they have no offensive line is not a valid comparison when comparing them to the Chargers.

So, making my forecast for next year's Charger team is really taking all these blind homers for what they say.  Prior to the preseason, the Chargers had an elite running game...with the loss of Ryan Mathews the Chargers (apparently) have no running game.  The Chargers had an elite passing attack but because they lost Vincent Brown, their receiving corps are decimated...this despite him likely being a #4 receiver for the Chargers.  And their re-signed, backup left tackle, Jared Gaither, hasn't played a down in the preseason meaning the offensive line is of no effect.

Yet, those in Chargerland figure the Bolts will easily take double digit wins next season...I still contend that it will be double digit losses and using their own logic against them....

Preseason Game 2 - Chargers vs Cowboys

The Chargers had their second preseason game this past weekend and continue to be unimpressive.  Yes, score watchers will quickly point out that the Chargers won the game ... but that was only because of the second half and the play of the scrubs...so yeah, maybe the Charger scrubs are better than the Cowboy scrubs, I'll give those in Chargerland that.

But let's take a look at what all the kool-aid drinking Charger fans have put their stock into next season and how that panned out...

Phillip Rivers looks bad...in last season form.  This could be because he has no one to throw the ball too because the Chargers "star" free agent pickup, Robert Meachum, has done nothing so far this preseason.  While on the topic of wide receivers - and I contend the Chargers don't have any worthy wide receivers - is that a young "stud" receiver, Vimcent Brown, broke his ankle and is out at least 2 months if not longer.  In Chargerland there was debate as to how "awesome" a season Brown was going to have by some.  Also on the offensive side of the ball, re-signed LT Jared Gaither has yet to practice or play and he is suppose to be a key link to securing the Chargers offensive line.

As far as defense goes...I think it was acceptable.  I don't put much stock in the Cowboys offense and for the first half, when it matters, the only scores Dallas got were due partly to the turnovers.

So this preseason game did bring back flashes from last season...Rivers turning the ball over and the Chargers, for the most part, being ineffective on the offensive side of the ball until they were well behind.  As we know, I don't put much stock in the preseason but I certainly don't find any reason to change my sentiment for the upcoming season, that being less than hopeful for an above .500 year.  I continue to go to the Chargerland message board(s) and read all the hope and promise these fans have... I just don't see what they are seeing because they still see Super Bowl Champions as the only outcome this next season.

Chargers Preseaon Underway

Well, Chargerland (the land with delusional Charger fans) continues to prep for the upcoming Super Bowl parade that the San Diego Chargers will earn after this season.  This despite a minor set back in the starting runningback for the Chargers, Ryan Mathews, who broke his clavicle in the very first preseason game.  I'm not saying I am "right" as of right now, but I did mention how the only thing I knew about Mathews, to this point as a Charger, is that he gets hurt and fumbles and until he does something different I wasn't about to assume that the Chargers running game was going to be much improved from the last 2 seasons with Mathews fumbling and missing playing time with injuries.  Those in Chargerland had the Chargers run game being vastly improved with many stating that THIS year was going to be Mathews break out season....just like last season was suppose to be.

I continue to have low expectations for the Chargers this season...I continue to think 6-10, which is laughed at and ridiculed in Chargerland.  In Chargerland no one has dared to predict less than 10 wins next season...I am a Charger fan, yes, but also a realist.  I hope I am proven wrong and all any of us can do is wait and see...but even in Chargerland the Mathews injury did send a ripple of concern through the masses...but not to worry... Ronnie Brown is just as good, if not better, than any other runningback in the NFL - quote straight from Chargerland and that is why they think 10-6 is more than plausible in their world. 

Chargers play their second preseason game Saturday night against the Cowboys.  I've said it over and over and over again...that is, preseason doesn't matter.  We all know there are players that could and don't even play a single second of the preseason yet, they are able to compete at the highest level.  This is blatantly illustrated by the preseason itself when teams won't even play most of their starters at any point.  The point of preseason was to get your team ready for the regular season, I think with the season as long as it is, the preseason is just obsolete now.  Football junkies will likely say otherwise, but they are just so addicted to the game that they likely complain that replays of each team's scrimmages aren't readily available for them to watch.

I've been on vacation and the season is starting up so I hope to get some more posts up regarding the Chargers as the season continues.  My pal Darrick and I have a podcast in which we talk about the NFL in almost every episode and if you want to check that out, head over to the Drunken Logic Podcast and check that out.

Tomlinson Retires

Kind of a melancholy type offseason for Charger fans.  It wasn't even a month ago that one of the greatest Charger players, Junior Seau, killed himself and now, another ... and likely THE greatest Charger of all-time, LaDainian Tomlinson is retiring from football.

Tomlinson, without a doubt, is the greatest Charger runningback to play in the NFL.  When he first joined the Chargers, who were awful, he was the reason to watch the Chargers.  Like Barry Sanders, for several of his first seasons with the Chargers, Tomlinson was "on his own" after receiving the "rock"...rarely getting a block or any help at the line of the scrimmage ... Tomlinson would dodge and weave his way through defenders as they helplessly fall to the ground in a failed attempt to even get a hand on him and LT was gone.

Later in his career, opposing teams would stack the box and literally tell every player that the ball is going to #21 and your only job is to tackle him.  The Chargers would line up and do just that, hand the ball off to LT and in a blink of an eye he had blasted through the line of scrimmage and is now in a footrace with a safety who, if lucky, could get a decent angle to force LT out of bounds before scoring a touchdown....if they were lucky.

LT could do it all... he ran the ball, caught the ball and threw the ball.  He was the San Diego Chargers for many, many years.  It was unfortunate the way LT left San Diego to go to the Jets and that does somewhat temper Charger fans thoughts of LT ... but, Tomlinson was welcomed back to San Diego with great cheer.  Word is that his numbered will be retired by the Chargers and rightfully so.