Chargers Beat Jaguars, Above .500 At The Bye Week

It's been almost two weeks since the Chargers beat the Jaguars fairly handedly and now after having last weekend off the Chargers travel to D.C. to face the Redskins.

So far, this season, the Chargers have surprised me by their play...in that it is much better than I had anticipated...but also, how bad the NFC East is.  Prior to the season started I didn't think the Chargers could beat any of their NFC opponents.  Now, I think the Chargers could sweep that division...already beating the Eagles and division leading Dallas...the Redskins are up next and then the lowly Giants later this season.

Another surprise is how well the AFC West as a whole is doing.  For the past couple years many could argue that the AFC West was one of the weakest in the league, it is now one of the toughest.  The Chargers have yet to play the Broncos and the Chiefs...both above the Chargers in the division...so the Chargers need to stay focused because the season is only going to get tougher for them and crucial division games loom on the horizon.

Chargers Beat Colts On Monday Night Football

For a week ESPN had promos on their stations that featured Andrew Luck passing the ball and verbiage that tempted viewers to tune in Monday Night to watch Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts play on ESPN's Monday Night Football.  Barely a mention or even a notation that Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts were playing the San Diego Chargers.  So it was kind of an extra special pleasantry when the Chargers proceeded to beat the Colts on Monday Night.

The Chargers continue their up and down season...winning a game and then losing the next.  Beating teams people don't think they should be able too and then losing to teams that people think they shouldn't.

I do think the Chargers are improved from last year and will give McCoy some credit so far.  The team hasn't been totally obliterated by another team and is fairly competitive each week.  Once consistency is found, the Chargers could elevate their game to a level that may be playoff worthy.

What's weird is watching the Chargers one week, when they can't get a first down to save their life and their defense unable to get off the field...then the next week, against a team like Indianapolis - many would say a "quality" team - the Charger offense ran the ball down their throats, something the Chargers have been unable to do to any team so far this year and the defense was somewhat formidable...what it amounted to was that the Chargers had the ball for long periods of time as they had nice long sustaining drives and the defense held the Colts out of the end zone which maintained leads for the Chargers throughout the game.

Chargers travel to Jacksonville...which Charger team will be there?  If the Chargers lose to the Jaguars, it will just illustrate that the Chargers a team that is still too inconsistent to be good.  If the Chargers win, then they will know how to come off a big monday night football game, travel to the east coast and do what it takes to win on the road.  Last season the Chargers could lose to any team on the road, regardless of their quality, if this Charger team is going to begin to move in the right direction, winning east coast road games is something that needs to happen more often.

Chargers Look Like Chargers Of Old...Turnovers, Bad D and No Run Game

It was a late night game, the San Diego Chargers versus the Oakland Raiders...word is, the latest scheduled game on the west coast in NFL history...which guaranteed that 75% of America would be sleeping during most of this game.  Some would think that the Chargers failed to wake up for it as well.

The Chargers reminded me of the Charger team of the past few seasons...bad.  Muffed kicks, interceptions, poor defense and absolutely no running game.  The Chargers failed to execute in every facet of the game...offense, defense and special teams...something that they failed to do in most games under Norv Turner the past few seasons..but after seeing the Chargers find some success on the offensive side of the ball and not fail as bad as in the past on special teams, this season did have some promise.  But Sunday night showed that this team is still very far away from being consistently decent.

The Raiders defense was up for the task of stopping Phillip Rivers and the Chargers offense...although, Rivers from the beginning was looking like the Rivers of the past two season as well as he lobbed a ball to no clear Charger receiver and was picked off on the first possession. Rivers would end up with 3 interceptions on the night...more than doubling his season total.

The Charger run game can not be found anywhere.  The Chargers had a total of 32 yards rushing for the game...the Raiders QB, Terrelle Pryor had 31 by himself for the Raiders.  Which just illustrates how poor the Charger defense is and how much better the Raiders defense is.  The Charger defense was seen running around all night...rarely in position to stop the Raiders or make a play...which has been a theme for this season already.  The Raiders defense had pressure on Rivers, their secondary was covering well and they shut down the run...invert that statement for the Chargers who had little to no pressure on Pryor, secondary coverage was horrible and the Chargers couldn't shut anything down.

Then there's the special teams...something the Chargers have struggled with the past few seasons but things seemed like they were getting better....well...not.  Eddie Royal muffed a punt in the first half that set up a Raiders score and later the Raiders would block a Chargers field goal attempt.

Just to make things as bad as they could for the bolts, Danny Woodhead would also fumble the ball that the Raiders would recover and score on.  The Raiders led this game wire-to-wire and the Chargers were never in a position to even make the game competitive...when they had the opportunity to narrow the gap it was the Chargers who couldn't make the plays to do so and the Raiders always capitalized on the Chargers ineffectiveness overall.

The Chargers are still not a good team...they are not a consistent team.  The first step towards becoming either, in my opinion, is the defense.  The defense for the Chargers has been nothing but horrible so far.  Sure the turnovers and mistakes made by the offense are obstacles, but the Charger defense has done nothing so far...no timely interceptions, sacks or fumble recoveries... in fact the Chargers have just 1 interception and 1 fumble recovery on the season, which puts them second to last in the league for turnovers.

The Chargers host the Colts this weekend...the Colts have a decent defense and offense and compared to the Chargers, their team is extremely stout.  If the Chargers are going to even have a chance against the Colts, the Chargers are going to need to protect the ball and force some turnovers...something that wasn't done this last week....last season....or even the season before....

Rivers Sharp As Chargers Beat Cowboys

When this season started out for the San Diego Chargers one of the "unknowns" was whether or not Philip Rivers could return to his old form and be an effective starting quarterback.  The past previous 2 seasons Rivers has looked fairly bad to awful...turning the ball over during crucial times in games and failing to lead the Chargers, when behind, to game winning scores.  Rivers had a pass deflected and intercepted late in the first half and the Cowboys ran it in for a touchdown to go up 21-10...a feeling of another game down the toilet was beginning to creep into my thoughts...but, the Chargers were able quickly drive down the field and get a field goal just before halftime and went into the locker room down 21-13.

Dallas would not score again.  The Chargers defense seemed to let the Cowboys get a few first downs every series, but would do just enough to stop the Cowboys short of scoring in the second half.  In the first half, Dez Bryant was looking like a beast as he outjumped the shorter Charger db for a score and then on a catch and run, he seemed to easily glide away from Charger defenders.  But the Chargers defense made just enough adjustments to keep the cowboys contained.

Rivers was on target all day...throwing for over 400 yards and Antonio Gates had 140 of those yards and a long touchdown score in the fourth quarter that made the game a 2 score lead for the Chargers.  The Chargers defense then came up with a big turnover as the Cowboys fumbled the ball at the goal line with 2:42 left to play...sure the Cowboys wouldn't have taken the lead but it gave them a chance to win it...the turnover ended all that.

Even though the game was played in San Diego anyone watching it may have thought it was in Dallas as there were plenty of Cowboy jerseys in the stands and the cheers as Dallas did well seemed louder than for the Chargers...hopefully, if San Diego continues to do well the Charger fans will begin to show up again.

Dwight Freeney was injured during the game...that could be a big blow for the defensive line if he misses some time.  Even though his stats may not show it, he might be the Chargers best pass rusher....with other teams having to focus on him it has allowed others to get free and benefit from his attack.

Chargers are 2-2 right now, which is better than I thought they would be doing at this point...next up, they travel to Oakland.  I think the Raiders are improving and aren't of doormat status anymore...in fact, the way things are shaping up, the AFC West is actually turning out to be a pretty formidable division again...Broncos and Chiefs both have yet to lose and the Chargers and Raiders are playing decent enough to beat "bad" teams. 

If Rivers continues his solid play and the defense can start making more plays, the Chargers could certainly be a "surprise" team this year...of course they have yet to play the Broncos or the Chiefs to see how they stack up against those teams...but so far, the Chargers aren't a totally "bad" team...

Chargers Choke Again, Titans Win; Chargers Defense Non-Existent

The San Diego Chargers are back to their old self again...choking games away.  After a surprise road win in Philadelphia the Chargers had a chance to gain some respectability and win back-to-back road games...but instead, like in week 1 and many times last season, the Chargers had the lead and the ball in the fourth quarter and end up losing in spectacular fashion.

The Charger offense is playing alright but with the ball and time a ticking, head coach Mike McCoy chose predictable, no gain running plays to try and eat some clock late in the fourth quarter and rather than get a first down that would have ended the game, the Chargers end up kicking the ball to the Titans with 2:12 to play, no timeouts and 94 yards to score a touchdown...with :21 seconds left, the Titans - with the worst passing offense in the league - score on a 35 yard touchdown and go on to beat the Chargers.

The Chargers defense is horrible...how horrible?  Just read above...but to reiterate, the Titans are one of the most conservative offenses in the league and were able to drive at will to win the game against this Charger defense.  The Chargers defense is ranked 31st (out of 32) in defense and watching the game on Sunday a person would really begin to wonder how awful is the 32nd ranked team (which is Washington).

The Chargers offense isn't playing bad...but not enough to close out games...but that may have something to do with the coaching.  As for the defense, I think it problems are both...poor personnel and poor coaching. 

Next up for the Chargers is the Dallas Cowboys...the only team that looks respectable in the NFC East at this time.  I know they ran it up against the Rams last week and are playing well...if the Chargers defense continues to play like it has so far this season, Tony Romo could have a career day...

Chargers: New Head Coach, New Season, Phillip Rivers & Defense Still Chokes

Is this still the 2012 football season?  Is Norv Turner really gone from the Chargers?  Because the 2013 Chargers did their best impression of the Norv Turner 2012 San Diego Chargers where the team puts in a marvelous first half only to not come out of the locker room at half time and surrender a 20+ point lead to lose a football.

And Phillip Rivers continues to SUCK and in epic fashion.  Of course he was good for a 2nd half pick six and the offense, as a whole, failed to do much, if anything, for the majority of the second half... they were completely inept.

But let's not let the defense off the hook...they were equally hapless in their efforts to try and stop the Texans from simply marching down the field at will, with long sustained drives...a couple extended thanks to Charger penalties.

With 10:42 left in the third quarter the Chargers take a 28-7 lead and many people may have thought the Chargers were going to win this game going away...but no...Rivers and the rest of the Chargers simply folded up and let the Texans run all over them for the remaining 25:00 of the game and cranked out 24 unanswered points to crush the Chargers.

The Charger defense is as bad as it ever was.  Phillip Rivers is as bad as he ever was...sure he had 3 TD passes, but the pick six late in the game is the same old crappy Rivers we've seen for the past two years.

Chargers could have stunned a lot of people with a thrilling upset to start the season out...instead, they just live up their reputation of being colossal choke artists.  Don't count any team out of a game with the Chargers, regardless of the score...the Chargers don't have the fortitude to bring it home.

An Annual Tradition For Others: Optimism For The Chargers

Huh...what's this?  I'm awake....I am here...What could possibly awaken me from my blogging slumber you wonder?  Well... a quick peek at some of the Charger forums has done it again.

Here I am, thinking I am going to go to the Charger fan forums to read about how this team is still a ways away from being competitive again...because I would think anyone that has paid any attention to the offseason so far would have a tough time telling me, or any other Charger fan with a clue, that the Chargers are not only going to win the AFC West but deep into the playoffs.

But what do I see and read?  Exactly that.  The Chargers, these fans trumpet loudly, are so very close to 10 wins already and with just a little bit of luck, can go 12-4 next season.  While I would love to be drinking the kool-aid that they are serving, I just find that as far of a stretch as possible as you can imagine.

Being a blind, super homer fan doesn't mean you know more than any of the other fans, but going to these fan forums and even trying to mention anything to the contrary is often greeted with "what do you know?" and "you aren't a knowledge football fan, such as I..." and so on.  Yet, these "super fans" have year in and year out clamored about how the Chargers are just (literally) one bad call, one miss tackle or one play away from the Super Bowl each and every year.

My favorite line of logic this offseason is that the Chargers were just a bad break away from so many close games last season and if they simply flip that stat, they are instantly above .500 again.  Well, these people conveniently forget that in most, if not all of those "close game" losses, the Chargers likely had the lead going into the fourth quarter or late in the fourth quarter and simply could not close the deal.  The team collapsed on itself and a big reason is on the defensive side of the ball...but the offense deserves it share of the blame too...but the defense was epic in its failures late in games last season. 

The Charger defense hasn't changed much and the secondary looks to be about the same crappy secondary that gave up big plays last season.  Unless the player's from the Chargers are no longer getting beat deep and missing tackles, then that would be a noticeable improvement...but the players the Chargers are sending out to play defense, especially the DB's, have been beaten routinely game after game.  I don't think there is a defensive scheme that is going to help the Chargers secondary out, but if the new coaching staff of the Chargers comes up with one, I will be pleasantly surprised.

We still got a ways to go until kickoff of the 2013 season so there is time to do more assessment of this Chargers' team...but so far, I have not been impressed with this offseason.

The State Of The Chargers...In My Mind

The NFL draft is this weekend and I think most every year I make sure to make an entry stating how I really am not that interested in the draft and how over hyped the draft is and this year is no exception.  As per usual...Let me know when the draft is over, who the Chargers have signed and are these new players going to be any good and help the team win a Super Bowl?

But this offseason is an offseason that reminds of what it is like to be a Charger fan...there really isn't much to look forward.  But what makes this offseason sting even just a little bit more for me is the fact that it has been validated that Dean Spanos is cheap (in the wrong areas) and not committed to winning a Super Bowl.  You see, this offseason is the aftermath of Dean's "gamble" and stay the course with two bozos that did nothing to earn their retention.  That move stunned and shocked me and when last season played out the way it did, most fans that share my sentiment simply sat back and could say that it should have been expected, because it was for me.  Norv Turner proved one thing and one thing only while he was the coach of the Chargers...and that was how inept he was at coaching.  Former GM AJ Smith, the "genuis" behind hiring Norv, followed Norv's inept coaching style with reckless draft picks, paying too much for unproven players and basically leaving the Chargers thin at almost every position and "hoping for the best".

So why is hope still very faint this offseason you ask?  While let's start at the top...again and as usual...and that means Dean Spanos.  It is clear that when he is hiring a GM and a coach, affordability is his number one criteria.  Going after anyone proven or "high dollar" (Parcells, Cowher, etc.) is not even an option in his personelle searches.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind grabbing some young "up and comer" but those people are usually already making some waves before they do ascend to those positions.  The Chargers hired, as their coach, someone who essentially held the clipboard for Peyton Manning last season.  Does anyone think that Mike McCoy was drawing up and calling the plays for the Broncos last season?  Of course not...when the Broncos got Manning they instantly sat him down and said what plays do you want to run Peyton?  And then during the game, Peyton essentially decides what play to run at the line of scrimmage...yep, the head coach of the Chargers is the guy that would pat Manning on the back and say good job after every score and that was about it.  I think hiring McCoy as the coach is Spanos' way of trying to get some cheap intel on the Broncos rather than improve his own team.

McCoy, along with new GM Tom Telesco, have a variety of interesting challenges coming up...the Chargers are essentially short a running back, the entire offensive line, 2 dlinemen, at least 2 db's, at least 3 lb's among other needs.  And, as per usual, the Chargers don't sign any high profile free agents to fill any of those needs so now its either up to trades or the draft to fill those spots.

Do I have much hope for the Chargers next season?  No, not really.  But like I tend to ALWAYS say...I hope to be proven wrong...unfortunately I went into last season expecting a 6-10 season and the Chargers surprised me (and everyone else) by winning a game in Pittsburgh - something they have never done in the regular season - and thus made it to 7 wins...but the signature of last season was the game against Denver when the Chargers were up 24-0 at halftime and then Phillip Rivers, and company, bumbled, fumbled and stumbled that game and the season away.  That was just one of several games the Chargers had a lead and then surrendered it in glorious, flame out fashion...proving that they were not a team made up of winners but quitters.

Every season, it seems, that a team that was horrible last season makes significant improvement and become relevant again.  The Chargers haven't been competitive in the NFL for the past 2 seasons...maybe Mike McCoy and Tom Telesco are just what this team needed and things begin to improve.  To their advantage, the Chargers are in one of the weakest divisions in football ... but not for much longer... the Broncos are a respectable team again, the Chiefs are young and I think they could be very good.  If the Chargers don't turn things around this season they could certainly be in contention, with the Raiders, for the doormat of the AFC West.

Chargers: Is It Just The Offensive Line?

It's been a good month since the San Diego Chargers ended a miserable season and since then they have "cleaned house" in regards to their coaching staff.  Most pundits and fans all agree that moves was long overdue...me included. Now is the next step for this franchise...is next year a "rebuilding" year or is it season that the Chargers, with a few personnel moves, could return to contention.  One point that many "knowledgeable" Charger fans continually vomit up is...Fix the oline, then everything else will come.  Well, there's where I am going to veer off of a bit...

Yes, the Chargers offensive line last year was horrible and does need some fresh faces.  But I also want to remind many of those same "knowledgeable" Charger fans that they were the very same people saying that signing Jared Gaither last season was a huge pickup and that would certainly solidify the line...forgetting that Jared Gaither has been a bum his entire career and proved to be such one all of last season.

No, in my opinion, the Chargers have more to look at than just the offensive line...but will stay on the offensive side for starters...let's start with Phillip Rivers, he needs to prove he is even worthy of being an NFL QB again and not the quarterback that over the past two seasons has the most turnovers. There were more than one game last season where the Chargers were in command of the game and all they needed to do is not turn the ball over to win and Rivers and Co. did just that.

Skill players, with the exception of Rosario and Gates, there isn't a back on the Chargers roster that did much of anything last season.  I know some fans have high hopes for Vincent Brown, but even that, at this point, is an unknown.  Mathews continues to disappoint with injuries and subpar play.  So many fans of Mathews continue to cling to hope that this guy can do something but the time might be just to let this guy go.  He doesn't break off any big runs and seems like he runs into traffic rather than away from it.  When you see a rookie like Doug Martin playing on a Tampa Bay  team reel off big runs in a losing cause I wonder why Mathews in three years has yet to be able too?  

The defense...I really didn't think the defensive line was all that bad, but overall the Chargers defense wasn't that good.  The linebackers are old and slow and the secondary is just bad.  Eric Weddle at safety is probably the only db worth retaining.  Some Charger fans would be quick to point out that the defense did "seem" too keep the team in games but you also need to remember that the Chargers' offense was likely going 3 and out on most of their possessions...so even if the Charger defense did make a stop or two, it was never when the game mattered or when it was meaningful.  The Charger defense is, as it almost always seems to be historically, decent until it really matters then it is really bad (see 4th & 29).  

Sadly, the only "improvement" I saw on the Chargers last season was their special teams...and it wasn't anything special...just not the epic failure it was in 2011.  Not sure if Novak is the man to be kicking...so that maybe a need as well.

This is the NFL and more than one team has been able rise up to contender status after having a fairly poor season the year before.  Of course with Peyton Manning bringing the Broncos back to life all the pressure (and media attention) is on the Broncos in the AFC West.  If the Chargers could at least become more disciplined and eliminate turnovers, they easily could become, at the very least, respectable...and that is something that could happen as soon as next season with the right people in the right places.

Manti Te'o's Fake Girlfriend Exposes Lazy Journalism

By now most everyone has either read or heard about the Deadspin article exposing Notre Dame's star linebacker, Manti Te'o and now we are in the "aftermath" period of that story.  Here's are the points that I find the most interesting in this entire story, for I am not a big Notre Dame or Manti Te'o fan, I was unaware of how "big" this story was at the time and now how big it has become.

The first is the lazy journalism.  Sure, people are quick to say, are you really going to fact check every time someone says they are in remorse because someone died?  No, you don't have to do that...but when you look at the circumstances of this entire episode, you would think that the impact this "girlfriend" had on Te'o's life - he broke down and cried more than once - you would think at one point someone that was putting together their "feature" on Te'o they would have tried to contact someone that knew the deceased girlfriend to get some comments from them...a family member, neighbor, co-worker, friend, etc... but no, neither ESPN nor Sports Illustrated nor did any of the other media outlets that were quick to pick up Te'o's story and run with it.  What likely happened, is the journalist made a half-hearted effort to contact someone but because of deadlines and what not if that part of the story fell through, oh well, the "meat" of the story, Manti Te'o, is still there for ya.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg for shoddy reporting...we can go on and on about how the major media, once again, didn't let facts get in the way of a good story.

So let's move to the phase this story is in now, namely that Te'o is saying he was "duped".  Notre Dame, ESPN and other media outlets are going along with that angle and even making up excuses as to why it could be plausible that this happened.  To that I say HA HA!  The only reason Notre Dame, ESPN and the others are trying to stick up for this liar is because they don't want to admit that they were swindled...but EVERYONE knows that Te'o and his pal were doing this knowingly and for personal gain.  All ESPN, Notre Dame and the others that are defending this guy's excuse is to simply put a plea to their viewers...that buy into everything they say..."is hey, we were swindled just like you!"  But the reality is, if ESPN and the others don't like it when they dictate the story...ESPN likes to manipulate the story to their liking and here they were manipulated...but they can't be wrong, so they side with Te'o and say that he is just an idiot...which is still true...but he is also ranked as one of the biggest lying scumbags of all time as well.

Chargers New GM and Coach, First Thoughts

So the Chargers have finally shed themselves of AJ Smith and Norv Turner to the delight of many Charger fans, me included.  Of course there is always the fear that the team may get someone worse but for the Chargers getting "worse" was more than likely if they continued with those two bozos.

So who do the Chargers get to replace them...a couple of "new" guys to the mix.  GM Tom Telesco and coach Mike McCoy.  I really don't know too much about either one of them so they will get the benefit of the doubt from me until I see more of what they do to the team.  I will say that I am a little apprehensive about Mike McCoy who was the offensive coordinator for the Broncos.  I typically don't like coaches that were once a coordinator on a team that had some success ... and the Chargers should know that much of the "success" the Broncos have had is because they play in one of the easiest, softest divisions in the NFL for the past couple seasons...the AFC West.

I will say that I would rather start with two guys that haven't already been in the NFL and have failed with the likes of Norv Turner, Wade Phillips, Josh McDaniels, Ken Whisenhunt, etc.  I think having a "fresh face, fresh approach" around the Chargers in both these positions is already a positive change.  Hope can hopefully reenter the locker room and the players return to playing with a purpose...something that Norv Turner could not get the Chargers to do.

So with that, my final statement on these hirings is that I will reserve judgement until further notice.

Chargers Win And Then Fire Turner, Smith, Season Wrap Up

Yes, the San Diego Chargers did their best once again to end the season on a "high" note and did so again this year by beating the Oakland Raiders in the final, meaningless game of the season and finish the year at 7-9.  And the 7-9 record is actually an inflated record, imo.  The Chargers did not beat any team in the playoffs this season or any team with a winning record.  The Chargers did post two of the most humiliating, embarrassing losses in franchise history...the game against Denver when the Chargers were up 24-0 at halftime and go on to lose by double digits and the biggest choke of them all...4th down and 29 yards to go against Baltimore.  Just stop Ray Rice from running 29 yards down the field and the Chargers would win against the Ravens but failed to do that and go on to lose.  There were other loses for the Chargers, most in the fourth quarter, that for "good" teams would be gut wrenching but under head coach Norv Turner those loses are taken as "business as usual" for the Chargers.

The Chargers' owner, Dean Spanos, finally fired Norv Turner and GM AJ Smith...something he should have done 2 years ago, but instead decided to save some money and stick with these losers for this past season and the outcome was exactly about what I expected.  Sure 7-9 is a game or two more than I thought they would win but let's put this into perspective...the Chargers won 3 out of their last four games, all four games were against non-playoff contenders.  The Steelers, Jets and Raiders are all teams that have "packed it in" and the one team that beat the Chargers, at home was Carolina and they just didn't beat the Chargers, they DESTROYED them.  Sure the stat sheet says the Chargers are 7-9 but in reality their season ended after 12 games and are 4-8, the last four games were equal to the preseason.  Then let's look at the "quality" of their four real wins, when the Chargers were playing when it mattered...2 against Kansas City, the worst team in the league, 1 against Oakland close to the worst team in the league and 1 win against Tennessee...again, another team that is towards the bottom of the league.

I am really upset about how this season went?  No I am not....I was prepared, just like I was last season.  For anyone that read my preseason predictions, it should be no surprise how this season transpired.  The only "curveballs" the Chargers threw my way this season were the epic second half collapses this team went through.  It seemed as if the team would play well in the first half but then wouldn't show up at all in the second half.  If anyone was going to point a finger at poor coaching, I think that says it right there.  Other teams (and their coaches) were able to make adjustments during the game...the Chargers, not so much so.

So now the Chargers are in the process of interviewing a new GM and then will likely turn their focus towards a new coach.  I don't think the Chargers are in that bad of shape...with the exception of their offensive line...and other coaches have gone to a team and made an immediate impact, so why couldn't it be with the Chargers?  Kansas City appears to be hiring Andy Reid and most "pundits" think that will greatly improve that franchise that has been down for many years now.  The Broncos breezed through the AFC West and unless the Chiefs, Chargers and Raiders do something to improve, the Broncos will continue to benefit from their ineptness.

Norv Turner: Winning When It Doesn't Matter

In typical San Diego Charger fashion, under head coach Norv Turner, the Chargers win...almost looking impressive doing it, against a team that cares less than the Chargers do.  That's the inspiration Norv Turner does bring to the table.  When your team is eliminated and the games no longer, he can somehow inspire these players who, seemingly, haven't cared about winning a football game in some time to finally pull together and win a game.  The Chargers last two wins have been on the road against teams that normally beat the Chargers when they come to their house...the Steelers and the Jets.  But the Jets are in total disarray with a multi-quarterback drama and that has trickled down throughout the team as a whole where no one on the Jets really seemed to take much interest in beating the lowly Chargers.

As I have said in the past, I don't really "cheer" for the Chargers to lose and am glad they are at least showing some pride.  But let's be honest here...winning the final two games is just dropping the Chargers further down the draft board...not that the draft is that big of a guarantee of future success either.  The point is really, that like previous two years, under Turner, and now this year, the Chargers seem to "finish strong" ... albeit meaningless.

This is just one more reason that there should not be even in full second of time elapsed from the conclusion of this weekend's game against the Raiders, regardless of the outcome, and word should ring out that Norv Turner is FIRED.  Any additional time only makes me more apprehensive.  In fact to help the play-by-play guy, he should have something similar to his prepared: "And the final from Qualcomm is Oakland 15, San Diego 38 and I've just been told that Norv Turner has been fired..."

Chargers Completely Give Up

Not really much to say about the Chargers and this last week's game against the Carolina Panthers because the Chargers didn't show up.

It's fairly clear that for some reason the team decided the road game against Pittsburgh would be their "last effort" because the team barely even went through the motions this past weekend as the Carolina Panthers, a team that if you look at their record you would think the Chargers at home would have at least a chance against, but no, the Chargers are coached by a man who they have quit on 3 years ago.

Ryan Mathews, got hurt and is likely out for the season.  No surprise, that has been the report every year since he joined the league...a fine replacement for LaDainian Tomlinson...not.  Mathews, I am fairly certain, won't have a 100 yard game this season nor a rush of longer than...oh, just guessing... 20 yards...and of course not 1,000 yards.

Rivers, on pace to lead the league in turnovers as he continues to turn the ball over...this past game his choice of turnover to treat everyone to...the fumble... he treated us all with multiple fumbles as he was getting sacked within seconds of getting the snap.  Thanks offensive line and Phil for your less then even caring effort...it would have been easier just to leave the ball on the ground so the Panthers could pick it up rather than actually pretend to snap the ball and block...

Does anything more need to be said about how awful Norv Turner is?  Offensive genius?  The Charger defense, which I have ZERO faith in and is horrible in its own right, has been the better squad for the Chargers...the offense is a complete joke and laughable in almost every regard... no run game, no pass game, no big plays... 3 and out...that's the Charger offense.  And all against the Carolina Panthers.

At least the Jets will have something to smile about for Christmas because even though they suck too, the Chargers will most likely put forth below  minimum effort in this weekend's game and the Jets should be able to rebound from their disgraceful Monday night loss.  Heck, they'll probably give Tebow the start and then you'll really get some "buzz" because he'll look like an all-pro, all-star and not have to do much of anything other than not turn the ball over...Rivers, the veteran QB for the Chargers will show him how to do that and probably multiple times!

Jesus God do the Chargers suck.

ESPN: Lazy Documentary

As most know I try and avoid ESPN as much as possible, but being a sports fan there are times when ESPN lures me into their web and I usually regret it.  This is just another example of that.

I have had people tell me how wonderful ESPN's 30 for 30 series is and I have occasionally watched one but it wasn't until I watched the Bo Jackson episode that I noticed that the "analysts" raving about Bo Jackson and commenting on his past were all ESPN employees.  That just goes to show you how lazy ESPN has gotten..."Let's do a show on Joe Montana...send the intern up the third floor and get all the tv personalities to come down and talk about Joe Montana, then we'll just throw some highlights together, dramatic music and bam...new show."

But here's the funny part...that during that Bo Jackson episode their "analysts" were never labeled as an ESPN employee!  It's like they knew they would get spotted on their laziness because Mike Greenberg was a "Radio Host", Marcellius Wiley "Former NFL Player", Chuck Klosterman "Author".... and all of them are actually all ESPN employees.

ESPN is horrible and this is just another example of how they are ruining sports. 

Chargers Beat Steelers, Meaningless Late Season Wins

The San Diego Chargers went into Pittsburgh, a place they have never won in the regular season, and beat the Steelers...handedly.  This is something the Chargers haven't done to a team with a winning record at all this season and surprised most everyone.  But of course does this victory do the team any good?  Well, other than giving some of the players some confidence, it really doesn't.  It also began to send panic amongst the Charger fan base that it could be the beginning of the "retaining" of Norv Turner.  If the Chargers somehow win their remaining games against some of the worst teams in the NFL (Carolina, NY Jets & Oakland) they would inch to .500 and fans begin to worry that Dean Spanos will employ the same logic he did last season when he said he would fire Turner if the team didn't make the playoffs and then went on to not do so because of a "solid finish" to the season...which could be replicated this season.  If that should happen, I would have to think that a revolt amongst the fan base would then happen.  I essentially wrote off the past two seasons and if the unthinkable should happen again, Turner is retained as head coach, next season is already over before it began...again. 

I am not a fan to "cheer" for my favorite team to lose to improve their draft pick or for much of any other reason...but if I have to "cheer" for the Chargers to lose just to get rid of Norv Turner, I am seriously considering doing that.

Chargers Have Given Up...Duh

There really aren't many Charger fans that were even remotely surprised by the latest Charger loss.  Sure, it was another 4th quarter collapse that "good" teams would be gnashing their teeth over and contemplating what minor adjustments need to be made that would have turned that loss into a win. But not the 2012 San Diego Chargers.  I think the Bronco 24-0 debacle is what broke the will of this team and the 4th and 29 play of last week showed that this team has truly given up.

Sure, the Chargers will go through the motions of showing up to appear as if they are playing football, but it is quite clear that they don't care about winning or even trying.  Phillip Rivers continues to look like one of the most hapless and worthless quarterbacks in the league as he turns the ball over twice in the last five minutes...which the Chargers had a 3 point lead at that point.  Bengals go onto win in a very dull, lack luster game.

Is it all Rivers fault?  No.  It's a total team effort on sucking but it does start in the trenches and it is has been well noted that the Chargers front five is worthless.  Rivers has but a micro second upon the snap to get rid of the ball, flee or get flattened.  The Chargers are one of only a few teams that have yet to have a 100 yard rusher...not because they don't have someone that can rush, just that they don't have anyone to block for him.

The Chargers have all but packed it in for this season and so I am close to doing the same.  I was watching the game this past Sunday but was having more fun playing pool and hanging with my pals then watching the Chargers stink it up again.

Pittsburgh is next up on the docket for the Chargers and the Steelers could just as likely treat the game as a practice because if one thing is certain, the Chargers have no interest in winning any more football games this year and with it being in Pittsburgh, it will be a beat down.

Chargers Post Another Epic Choke; Chargers Stink

In what has become a theme of the 2012 season, the San Diego Chargers found an epic way to lose another football game.  Like blowing a 24 point lead and losing by double digits isn't epic enough way to lose and be the laughingstock of the NFL, the Chargers continue to find ways to display their full suckitude.

All the Charger defense had to do was to stop the Baltimore Ravens from converting on a fourth and 29 and the game would be over.  And fourth and 29 you would think a team would try a deep pass or something down the field...not the Ravens for they know how deficient the Chargers are...they simply dump the ball off to Ray Rice who then proceeds to make the Charger defense look like an episode from the three stooges...as Charger defenders collide into each other and glance off of Ray Rice which thus leads to the Ravens to tying the game.  Sure the game goes to overtime and the Chargers had a chance to save some face...but like much of this year the Chargers stop scoring in the second half and going into the fourth quarter up by 10 points couldn't even muster another field goal to either put the game away or win it in overtime.  The Chargers were able to make 2 first downs on their first possession in ot but didn't cross midfield and went three and out on their next.  The Ravens, meanwhile, seemed to know they controlled the game.  After failing to convert on many third downs throughout the game the Ravens found new life in the latter stages of the game and converted on many third downs and on 3 and 10 in overtime, they completed a 31 yard pass that set up the game winning field goal.

There is little doubt in my mind that the Chargers have now descended into being one of the two worst teams in the NFL.  The Chiefs maybe the only team lower than the Chargers, because Jacksonville seems to be playing better these days.

And here we are Monday morning...and so far no sign or hint that Norv Turner is going to get canned anytime soon even after the embarrassment that is becoming the 2012 season.  I, like many other Charger fans, are simply stunned that Turner continues to be the head coach despite the mind-numbing way this team loses under him.  There is little hope in Chargerland and even a 6-10 season has become "hopeful", something that some other Charger fans were certain to rip into me when I made that assessment prior to the season starting...funny thing is, really can't find too many of those Charger fans anymore.

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 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.