Patriots at Chargers Pregame Discussion (wk 8)

[sonorajim]

Without Ekeler, this offense will rely too much on the passing game. TT keeps patchwork quilting the RB position. I don’t like that. Ekeler is now being paid good money. I don’t like the role he’s now expected to fullfil. He wasn’t that kind of RB to begin with! Now,it’s like…”you are this teams cowbell RB because of your pay raise.” Fuck that kind of thinking. Imagine the X factor Ekeler would be if the Chargers offense had a legit NFL cowbell RB.
:smoking:

Agree - except TOO MUCH passing game. Herbert, Keenan, Williams are big time stars. They make everything else work. Get them going, throw this shit downfield and feed in some alternates around them. Playcalling matters.

[powderblueboy]

I did bet on him and I won.

What if Tom went to Colts and Rivers went to Tampa?

Think about it.

I'm still betting on Tom with Colts over Rivers with Bucs, because I have more trust Tom and his team will find a way than Rivers and his team. Plus we all know Colts would have added Gronk and AB if they added Brady. So you know, my money is on Tom.

So now its Brady, Gronk & AB vs. Rivers?

Okay, i've thought about it.

If Brady played for the Colts, who would be his go to receiver? Gronk wouldn't last the year if he was put in that position.
You had the green rook Pittman, the washed up T.Y. Hilton, and an over-the-hill Jack Doyle.....i can't see Brady turning dross into gold there.
Marlon Mack blew out a knee, and although they had great production on the ground from Jonathon Taylor, he was a rookie and not much of a receiving threat.

Meanwhile, Rivers would hand the ball off, sit back and let his D take control, & make the occasional big plays to Chris Godwin or Mike Evans.

And although Brady's 3 interceptions in the NFC championship game would be tough to beat;
still, pretty easy decision here. Rivers holds up the Super Bowl trophy in 2020.
And Rivers was half the player that he was 10 years before.

[Bolt4Knob]

Agree - except TOO MUCH passing game. Herbert, Keenan, Williams are big time stars. They make everything else work. Get them going, throw this shit downfield and feed in some alternates around them. Playcalling matters.

If this were Hoodie and Josh McD and the RB is out - they would just throw it, throw it and throw it. STaley and Lombardi , if Ekeler is out - don't need to waste downs establishing the run. Get it to KA, MW, Cook -- short passes, up the field. Let HErbert win you the game

[Caslon]

Agree - except TOO MUCH passing game. Herbert, Keenan, Williams are big time stars. They make everything else work. Get them going, throw this shit downfield and feed in some alternates around them. Playcalling matters.

Get this.Teams have gotten a lot of film now on the Chargers passing game. Meaning Herbert has to thread the needle more often now. Didn’t happen last week. Might be just as challenging this week. What now Staley and your now exclaimed “Super Star” QB? Thread the needle even more, I guess. Teams are starting to thwart completions Herbert made earlier in the season. I definitely noticed that against the Ravens drubbing of the Chargers pathetic passing offense. Me worried? Sort of. This game will tell the tale.

[Formula 21]

Like he did in Baltimore?

He got out coached. And the Bolts came to play, the Ravens came to win. But I expect that adjustments have been made.

[Xenos]

[powderblueboy]

West coast Pat fan opining who has watched many Charger games:

Comments:

a.) I get Chargers games on the TV here all the time. So, I have seen them play a lot whenever they aren't on the east coast or playing at the same time as the Pats.

b.) Offense:

Great QB in Herbert. 65% completions & a 14/4 TD/INT ratio.
Good LT in Slater, we probably can't pressure Herbert on his blindside.
Ekeler is the main man...and he has been having success running it between the tackles more than off tackle.
Allen and Williams have to be taken away from Herbert.
Even then...there's Cook and Parham at TE...both aren't too bad either.
Their #3 is Guyton...but barely used...maybe 4-5 targets a game.
Very aggressive on 3rd/4th and short....

c.) Defense:

Joseph Linval shuts down things in the middle.
Might have to run off tackle away from Joey Bosa.
Wynn is going to need his best game versus Joey Bosa...but I think we will mix in Herron to help out Wynn.
Whatever we do...go away from Derwin James...the MVP of the defense...does it all.
At corner, they are rotating guys in and out...
Expect Asante Samuel to rip BB on twitter before, during, and after the game....his kid is one of their 3 top corners.
No pass rush to fear from the right side...or where ever Bosa or James don't line up...

d.) Special Teams:

We have to ensure that we have the edge here on our coverage and return games.
Bailey should help us with field position as long as we punt block well and keep kicking it out of the back end of the EZ on kick offs.

e.) Coaching:

Staley has been aggressive....maybe the most aggressive coach in the league thus far this year. If not for his aggression the Chargers could be a 2-4 team instead, IMO. I'd like to see BB remain conservative in this game...just wait it out until we absolutely need to be aggressive.

f.) Stadium:

We are 1-1 there...we had our best win last year there and our worst loss back to back....tough call.
I am still undecided on going to the game, but think I might.....

Only fan forum that required that i accept cookies. Probably placed some spyware on my hard drive just out of habit.
Many think the Chargers are over rated.

[Critty]

So now its Brady, Gronk & AB vs. Rivers?

Okay, i've thought about it.

If Brady played for the Colts, who would be his go to receiver? Gronk wouldn't last the year if he was put in that position.
You had the green rook Pittman, the washed up T.Y. Hilton, and an over-the-hill Jack Doyle.....i can't see Brady turning dross into gold there.
Marlon Mack blew out a knee, and although they had great production on the ground from Jonathon Taylor, he was a rookie and not much of a receiving threat.

Meanwhile, Rivers would hand the ball off, sit back and let his D take control, & make the occasional big plays to Chris Godwin or Mike Evans.

And although Brady's 3 interceptions in the NFC championship game would be tough to beat;
still, pretty easy decision here. Rivers holds up the Super Bowl trophy in 2020.
And Rivers was half the player that he was 10 years before.

Sorry, you're missing the point. And since you don't understand organic from mechanical in how it's related to impact and results......let's just move on.

[chargeroo]

Get this.Teams have gotten a lot of film now on the Chargers passing game. Meaning Herbert has to thread the needle more often now. Didn’t happen last week. Might be just as challenging this week. What now Staley and your now exclaimed “Super Star” QB? Thread the needle even more, I guess. Teams are starting to thwart completions Herbert made earlier in the season. I definitely noticed that against the Ravens drubbing of the Chargers pathetic passing offense. Me worried? Sort of. This game will tell the tale.

You are the king of the pessimists.
Look a bit deeper and you will find more things wrong with this team, JH10 and those receivers that the league has figured out.

[Xenos]

[Xenos]

You are the king of the pessimists.
Look a bit deeper and you will find more things wrong with this team, JH10 and those receivers that the league has figured out.

I’m not sure what Caslon posted about threading the needle made any sense either.

[dmac_bolt]

I agree they both have roles in teams wins.
The picking one for me is just to say which is more important to winning. Do you think one has more impact on success? I think players do have bigger impact. I'm on the side of it's starts with the players, the talent actually playing the game.
A lot of coaches actually admit this. Like when Steph Curry breaks records shooting threes. Kerr would be asked about it and joke, "well it's because I'm a great coach" knowing he has nothing to do with with how great he is at the 3 ball.

And I'm just not a fan of Belichick being called this genius all time great coach. My opinion based on his resume is that he has done nothing without Brady or cheating. When he gets called the greatest coach or a genius for those 20 season with Brady. I just don't see it. I see a cakewalk division, the goat QB, and cheating. Belichick will need to actually get back to the playoffs regularly without Brady and with no more cheating scandals and then I'll start to give him more credit.

Pre-2020 I thought BB over TB, but TB got another ring and BB didn’t make the tournament. BB won’t make it again this year, I’ll bet, while TB could well be in SoFi in Feb. Not really enough data to compare and its really hard for any coach to win without a top QB. Exceptions all the time, but those teams are beastly end to end to overcome a mediocre QB. 85 Bears comes to mind.