Last Years Record - Discussion

[chargeroo]

End of the day games like the Chargers and Patriots can happen. Sadly it seems to be a trend with our team with Rivers as quarterback. It's not all his fault, but we've blown at least two good opportunities in the Rivers era. So maybe you are right that we weren't a true 12-4 team, then again it might just be the case that we can beat people up in regular season, but when it matters in the play offs we choke.

The defense gave up 35 points in the first half and you blame our QB? That doesn't even make sense.

[blueman]

And that D was missing 6, 7 starters?

[Cdn Bolt]

The defense gave up 35 points in the first half and you blame our QB? That doesn't even make sense.

The D deserves some fault but the O did nothing after the 1st TD. Here are the series. 3 and out, 7 plays 24 yds, Rivers 0-2 in 2nd set of downs, 4 plays 26 yds, Rivers 0-2 in 2nd series, then another 3 and out.

I have no confidence in Rivers sometimes.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=401038959

[Steve]

Our OL was the big failing. Rivers was under pressure on his 5th step. Not much you can do if the WR aren't open and the pressure is coming when the QB hits their 5th step.

[Xenos]

Our OL was the big failing. Rivers was under pressure on his 5th step. Not much you can do if the WR aren't open and the pressure is coming when the QB hits their 5th step.

Shore up the interior oline with better and more consistent players, and we see an even better offense next season IMO.

[wu-dai clan]

Steve, Xenos, it is easy to picture the Raiders getting Quinnen, too.

Oh wait Chucky has a surprise.

[chargeroo]

The D deserves some fault but the O did nothing after the 1st TD. Here are the series. 3 and out, 7 plays 24 yds, Rivers 0-2 in 2nd set of downs, 4 plays 26 yds, Rivers 0-2 in 2nd series, then another 3 and out.

I have no confidence in Rivers sometimes.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/playbyplay?gameId=401038959

Now go look at the patriots series by series. They ate up our defense. I agree that it wasn't a good day for the O either but I think the D stunk in that game. On the other hand, I can't recall ever seeing a team cover our receivers as well as the patriots covered on that day. I said during the game, it's like they are in the huddle and know what routes we'll be running.

[Boltjolt]

Now go look at the patriots series by series. They ate up our defense. I agree that it wasn't a good day for the O either but I think the D stunk in that game. On the other hand, I can't recall ever seeing a team cover our receivers as well as the patriots covered on that day. I said during the game, it's like they are in the huddle and know what routes we'll be running.

Spy Gate

[blueman]

Spy Gate

All day.

[Steve]

Everyone stunk vs NE. That happens after we spent so much energy going out and taking Baltimore behind the woodshed the week before. The fact that we stunk across the board vs NE kinda proves it. We didn't lose individual matchups, NE did everything well at will. The Chargers were emotionally spent. I don't necessarily think you can draw too many conclusions from the game.

I look at the draft and work under the assumption that only a couple 2 or 3 draft picks are going to have an impact in any given season. That is the number of quality picks that we have (rounds 1-3). After that, it is pretty much luck if they have a major role. It certainly happens in the NFL, just not often.

So the question is really what areas can we invest those 2 or 3 picks to make the team good enough to beat Pitt, KC, NE and/or Baltimore (presumed front runners in the AFC next season)?

Last season, we were :
Turnover diff +1 (15th overall) - note 5 of our 14 defensive int were inside our own 10 yard line
8th in explosive passes allowed, 18th in explosive runs allowed.
7th in explosive runs, and 5th in explosive passes
Our lack of turnovers was canceled by creating more explosive plays than we allowed. That was pretty much the reason for our success, since while we were good, we really weren't great in other areas.

Defense
8th in points allowed
9th in total yards allowed
9th in pass yards allowed
9th in run yards allowed
18th in 3rd downs conversion rate (misleading since the middle of the pack is so tightly clustered, the takeaway is we were not particularly good or bad)

Offense
6th in points per game
11th in total yards per game
12th in passing yards per game
15th in rushing yards per game
16th in 3rd down conversion rate (again for 3rd down conversions, so many teams are so tightly clustered, that the overall ranking is almost meaningless, except to say were just kinda average).

[beachcomber]

Steve.... did you leave us hanging ??

my fill in the blank answer sorta surprises myself, and.... would volunteer that we need to/can increase our explosive run plays (maybe why I subconsciously like Bryce Love ?), and in turn increase our points per game.... almost counterintuitive or not overly logical, as am a bit of the school that defense wins championships, and....

we do have AL as our HC.... play to his (running game) strengths ??

[NoMoreChillies]

Spy Gate

my tin foil hat theory:

Patriots are using drones to record practices, flying so high that people cannot see them from the ground and with camera technology they zoom in and get all the plays opponents are running. This is so hard to detect that it will only come to light 15 years after BB retires and writes a book for $$$.


call it the Lance Armstrong theory.