2022 Official Chargers Season Discussion

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

I too have thought about that - being able to run to either side and gain positive yardage will make a difference in converting the third and fourth downs to first downs. We may also have a big back to use for those situations.

Zion at RG means more options on ANY down, really.

For obvious reasons, the Bolts preferred to run behind Slater, Feiler and Linsley than behind Norton, Schofield and Linsley. Opponents KNEW this, and anticipated it.

In 2022, the Bolts' offense is more diversified. Gerald Everett is-- by conservative estimation-- the equal of Jared Cook as a receiver, but a superior blocker. This gives the offense an edge it didn't have last year, an edge that assists both the air and ground games.

Likewise, Zion should contribute to an increased production in both phases of the offense, improving Herb's protection, and opening holes for whomever is carrying the ball for the Chargers.

Herb's a super intelligent guy who's in the second year of an offensive system for the first time since high school. His understanding and execution can improve, and there isn't any reason to believe it won't.

Spiller-- or, if not Spiller, a late cut waiver wire acquisition, will help preserve Ekeler, and provide a battering ram option for getting the necessary yard or two on 3rd and Short.

There are a variety of levels on which the Bolts' offense *should* be functioning better.

[dmac_bolt]

You need both. A good coach and great players usually wins it all. This year the Rams beat the bengals in the bowl. The better coach won, I would say its close but the bengals had the better QB!

Norval Turner was an offensive genius when he led a Dallas offense chock full of HOFers. And sure enough, his first couple years with LT AG and PR in their prime, and a good enough OL to get it done, he still looked pretty fucking genius. Lo and behold, once LT faded and the OL degraded, Norv dropped into the abyss.

Great players have made more coaches genius than the reverse. In last SB, it was as simple as LA Rams OL gave better protection than the crap Cincy OL. LA’s DL was better vs Cincy’s OL than Cindy’s DL was against LA’s OL. Aaron Donald will tend to do that for a coach. Cincy had a better WR group but QB never had time to get it to them. The trench failed them. And that is pure hat on hat, pad on pad guys winning or losing their battles - no coaching genius applied imo. Not to say McVey isn’t a good coach, i think he is. I just think the difference in the SB was guys wearing cleats.

jmo.

Fortunately - we took a good but flawed roster from last year and improved 3 positions on O, 5 to 7 on D (depending how we count). I don’t know about the punter but assume he will be better than Long. No position is weaker. If Pipkin proves me right and learned to play NFL football … thats another upgrade on O. I do not believe ANY other team made this leap and the Chargers will be as good as any team on the planet. Can Not Wait.

[dmac_bolt]

Zion at RG means more options on ANY down, really.

For obvious reasons, the Bolts preferred to run behind Slater, Feiler and Linsley than behind Norton, Schofield and Linsley. Opponents KNEW this, and anticipated it.

In 2022, the Bolts' offense is more diversified. Gerald Everett is-- by conservative estimation-- the equal of Jared Cook as a receiver, but a superior blocker. This gives the offense an edge it didn't have last year, an edge that assists both the air and ground games.

Likewise, Zion should contribute to an increased production in both phases of the offense, improving Herb's protection, and opening holes for whomever is carrying the ball for the Chargers.

Herb's a super intelligent guy who's in the second year of an offensive system for the first time since high school. His understanding and execution can improve, and there isn't any reason to believe it won't.

Spiller-- or, if not Spiller, a late cut waiver wire acquisition, will help preserve Ekeler, and provide a battering ram option for getting the necessary yard or two on 3rd and Short.

There are a variety of levels on which the Bolts' offense *should* be functioning better.

I think Everett will be superior in all facets of the game. Spiller will be a legit #2 back to alternate with Eke. And I don’t know why, but I think Pip will become a dependable RT. The bigger improvement will be on the D side, and the O will have less pressure to need to score every time they touch the ball. I foresee a lot of 10+ point wins.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

I think Everett will be superior in all facets of the game. Spiller will be a legit #2 back to alternate with Eke. And I don’t know why, but I think Pip will become a dependable RT. The bigger improvement will be on the D side, and the O will have less pressure to need to score every time they touch the ball. I foresee a lot of 10+ point wins.

Here's what I want to see:

Scenario: Opponent has just kicked a FG, to go ahead by 4 points, with 5:12 left in the game.

I want to see the Bolts drive the length of the field to a TD, leaving as little time left on the clock as possible.

Past generations of Bolt teams have left too much time on the clock in those situations, allowing the opponent the time necessary to drive for a TD themselves.

These are situations in which an offense needs to move the chains while burning time off the clock, and that means a reliable power running game. The Chargers HAVE to be able to control the clock better if they're going to consistently close out tight games.

[21&500]

Here's what I want to see:

Scenario: Opponent has just kicked a FG, to go ahead by 4 points, with 5:12 left in the game.

I want to see the Bolts drive the length of the field to a TD, leaving as little time left on the clock as possible.

Past generations of Bolt teams have left too much time on the clock in those situations, allowing the opponent the time necessary to drive for a TD themselves.

These are situations in which an offense needs to move the chains while burning time off the clock, and that means a reliable power running game. The Chargers HAVE to be able to control the clock better if they're going to consistently close out tight games.

Ideally it's the run game but that's everyone's preferred strategy.
imo Herbert needs to be mobilized for specifically this type of scenario
Ala vs Pittsburgh
If it's not a short completion in-bounds, Herb has to be able to get positive yards with his feet, in-bounds.

[sonorajim]

Here's what I want to see:

Scenario: Opponent has just kicked a FG, to go ahead by 4 points, with 5:12 left in the game.

I want to see the Bolts drive the length of the field to a TD, leaving as little time left on the clock as possible.

Past generations of Bolt teams have left too much time on the clock in those situations, allowing the opponent the time necessary to drive for a TD themselves.

These are situations in which an offense needs to move the chains while burning time off the clock, and that means a reliable power running game. The Chargers HAVE to be able to control the clock better if they're going to consistently close out tight games.

I would like to have done that last year.
This season I don't want to see an opponent leading in the 4th. Screw tight games. I want us to take a lead and ride it thru the 4th. Run if we can, keep the ball in bounds, 1st & foremost, score. Play great D.
I expect the D / STs to do a much better job this year. The SB Champ Rams smothered teams with D. I want to be that team this year. --With a better offense.

[electricgold]

Ideally it's the run game but that's everyone's preferred strategy.
imo Herbert needs to be mobilized for specifically this type of scenario
Ala vs Pittsburgh
If it's not a short completion in-bounds, Herb has to be able to get positive yards with his feet, in-bounds.

In thinking about our run game. I'm really wondering IF Ek misses 3 or 4 games this season, how our running game will do? You have to think Isaiah Spiller will be the starting RB in these games, with either Larry Rountree or Joshua Kelley as our #2, with Horvath short yardage... Could we win games against teams like KC or the Rams with this backfield starting, or in Playoff games??

[blueman]

In thinking about our run game. I'm really wondering IF Ek misses 3 or 4 games this season, how our running game will do? You have to think Isaiah Spiller will be the starting RB in these games, with either Larry Rountree or Joshua Kelley as our #2, with Horvath short yardage... Could we win games against teams like KC or the Rams with this backfield starting, or in Playoff games??

All good questions, that won’t get any answers until TC and the coaches see who shines. Nice to have new options as the old ones were meh.

[Heatmiser]

Here is what I want to see.

The Chargers score more goal units than the opponent in every game.

TG

[blueman]

Here is what I want to see.

The Chargers score more goal units than the opponent in every game.

TG

Ding ding ding!

[21&500]

In thinking about our run game. I'm really wondering IF Ek misses 3 or 4 games this season, how our running game will do? You have to think Isaiah Spiller will be the starting RB in these games, with either Larry Rountree or Joshua Kelley as our #2, with Horvath short yardage... Could we win games against teams like KC or the Rams with this backfield starting, or in Playoff games??

Ya that's where I'm not sold as of today, TBD.
I just think we better be ready to have answers if we can't
we all want balance but EOD were a passing offense, that's our strength, so getting Herb to use his feet would be devastating for an opposing defense in those situations.

how many times have we been on the receiving end of those late drives where an opposing qb has passed well all day, just to finish the last drive or two on by running for first downs?

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

In *ANY* offseason, I have to think we'd be feeling good about the addition of players like Kyle Van Noy, Bryce Callahan, and Morgan Fox. Add in a Sebastian Joseph-Day *or* an Austin Johnson, and you'd have a pretty convincing case that the Chargers had made great strides in shoring up the defense, moving forward.

But when the team acquires ALL of those guys in one offseason, and also adds Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson?

That's not a "shoring up". That's a transformation.

The results will look a lot different this year. The defense is now poised to be FAR more productive in forcing turnovers, and putting the ball back into Herb's hands.