Chargers (-1.5) vs Vikings Pregame Discussion (Wk 3)

[Charge!]

This. Also just makes James a LB already, having him split time SS/LB may sound great on paper, but in practices turns one of the most dynamic D players in the league into a big pile of meh.

agre.... James visually is the biggest fastest, most explosive LBer we have,,,, when he is in the huddle, he looks bigger than any other defender than the DL....
He bolongs in the box where he makes the greatest inpact.....

[21&500]

agre.... James visually is the biggest fastest, most explosive LBer we have,,,, when he is in the huddle, he looks bigger than any other defender than the DL....
He bolongs in the box where he makes the greatest inpact.....

100%
Times 100.

[21&500]

This. Also just makes James a LB already, having him split time SS/LB may sound great on paper, but in practices turns one of the most dynamic D players in the league into a big pile of meh.

I had a similar sentiment for keeping James at SS but as the game evolves, as he ages and loses his ability to cover deep, I agree with you and Mr. Topcat.
look at the success Roquan is having in Baltimore.
James can do that and maybe more at basic ol iLB.

Lets see how Henley does but I'd feel much better with James staying in 1 position, occasionally blitzing, from the 2nd level.

[Charge!]

Moore's offense runs the ball with attitude. I expect to see a strong ground game vs Min's weak run D
I don't know where our pass O went.OL pass blocking isn't good and the play calls / team execution hasn't been there.

Tuli, Murray, DJ, Fox, among others haven't bought in to the apathy.
DB pass D is a clusterf**k. The personnel are better than the product. I see frustration there. That needs to be fixed yesterday.
I'm pissed with Staley over this issue. He & I might be OK if we beat the Vikes.

miraculously beating a bad defense this week does not change that Staley is a bad coach.....

Moore's ofense is about running straight at a defense, not jucking through a defense which is why kelly is starting now.... hwe is a solid strait line runner but nothing special...

Moore's issue is he does not let Herbert scrable out of pocket to buy time for receivers to get open across the field.... this OL is not good enough to give herbert that kind of time if he stays in pocket.... Speed allows receivers to get open or across the field more quickly which makes a QB's life so much easier..... it takes too long for KA and MW to get separation on many plays.... they need to be working in the 2 faster rookie WRs...... instead of using 2, 3 or 4 TE's???..... (no all pros in that group for sure).....

[dmac_bolt]

I had a similar sentiment for keeping James at SS but as the game evolves, as he ages and loses his ability to cover deep, I agree with you and Mr. Topcat.
look at the success Roquan is having in Baltimore.
James can do that and maybe more at basic ol iLB.

Let’s see how Henley does but I'd feel much better with James staying in 1 position, occasionally blitzing, from the 2nd level.

Is Woods ready to start?

[charger1_sj]

Moore's offense runs the ball with attitude. I expect to see a strong ground game vs Min's weak run D
I don't know where our pass O went.OL pass blocking isn't good and the play calls / team execution hasn't been there.

Tuli, Murray, DJ, Fox, among others haven't bought in to the apathy.
DB pass D is a clusterf**k. The personnel are better than the product. I see frustration there. That needs to be fixed yesterday.
I'm pissed with Staley over this issue. He & I might be OK if we beat the Vikes.

It's funny that you say that because according to reports McCarthy fired Moore for not committing to the run game. One game against Miami does not
define our run game. We have another weak run D this week. But Ekeler is missing so we'll see how it goes. Normally I would say run the football
and keep Jefferson on the sidelines.

[Kellyb72601]

Remember the 2009 Chargers. They started 2-3 and in the losses the defense got burned for 38, 34 and 31 pts. After losing to the Broncos 34-23 in week 6, starting in week 7 the defense did a 180 and averaged fewer than 17 pts allowed per game for the rest of the season. They won 11 straight to win the division - the longest single-season win streak in franchise history.

That team was coached by Norv with Ron Rivera as the DC.

Yes, they lost in Charger-like fashion the playoffs to the upstart Jets, but the loss wasn't the defense's fault, despite Cro whiffing on Shonn Greene and Weddle being trukked by him. Kaeding missed FGs of 36, 40 & 57 yards in that game, which the Chargers lost 17-14.

The '09 Chargers also had a pretty good excuse - they lost Hardwick & McNeil week 1 and were starting Murczowski and Dombrowski - neither who had ever played. And they lost Cesaire & were starting Vaugh Martin on the Dline who was a rookie project player & completely overmatched. Then they had 3 tough games Baltimore, @ Pitt, @ Denver.

[21&500]

Is Woods ready to start?

Only 1 way to find out.

[Kellyb72601]

It's funny that you say that because according to reports McCarthy fired Moore for not committing to the run game. One game against Miami does not
define our run game. We have another weak run D this week. But Ekeler is missing so we'll see how it goes. Normally I would say run the football
and keep Jefferson on the sidelines.

It's not that Moore didn't run the ball. Dallas was top 5 in rushing attempts. I don't think anyone could watch the games and say Kellen Moore has ever been averse to running the ball. He just has a tendency to go away from the run in big moments when he shouldn't. Remember that drive we had in Miami backed up on the goal line? It's 3rd and 1 and Moore comes out in an empty formation throwing the ball and taking a big sack. Also that comment may have not had anything at all to do with Moore's play calling other than being a convenient excuse for McCarthy to take over play calling because he wants to. No coach has as much pressure this year as Mike McCarthy. If he doesn't advance to at least the NFC championship he's gonna get fired. So knowing you're probably about to get canned you might as well go down calling your own plays.

[Velo]

The '09 Chargers also had a pretty good excuse - they lost Hardwick & McNeil week 1 and were starting Murczowski and Dombrowski - neither who had ever played. And they lost Cesaire & were starting Vaugh Martin on the Dline who was a rookie project player & completely overmatched. Then they had 3 tough games Baltimore, @ Pitt, @ Denver.

Hardwick & McNeil were offensive linemen, they didn't play defense. My point is that the 2009 team turned it around on defense and that is what led to the win streak.

It wasn't Cesaire the defense lost, it was Jamal Williams, who was lost for the season in week 1. In fact, it was his last game ever for the Chargers. The defense struggled to overcome losing the player who had been its anchor upfront for years.

The Chargers beat the hapless Raiders in week 1, but lost 3 of their next 4 games because the defense was getting trounced. Cesaire played in all of those games. He only missed week 1 and weeks 16-17 and the Chargers won all three of those games. It was the loss of Big Mal that was killing the defense.

But what Rivera did is add two DL from his Chicago Bears defense: Ian Scott and Alfonso Boone. Later in the season they signed Antonio Garay from the Jets practice squad. Rivera created a rotation of DL to keep them fresh, and it worked. The defense righted its ship and the Chargers went on to win 11 consecutive games.

Garay turned out to be decent and took over for Big 'Mal as the starting NT for the next few seasons.

Too bad the offense chargered the playoff game away. That was the game Vincent Jackson got busted for driving on a suspended license. Rivers had to go pick him up. Darrell Revis out-fought VJ for an INT in that game, in addition to Kaeding's missed figgies. The Chargers were the #2 seed and they had the potential to make it to the SB, where it would've been a Rivers-Brees showdown.

[Topcat]

It's not that Moore didn't run the ball. Dallas was top 5 in rushing attempts. I don't think anyone could watch the games and say Kellen Moore has ever been averse to running the ball. He just has a tendency to go away from the run in big moments when he shouldn't. Remember that drive we had in Miami backed up on the goal line? It's 3rd and 1 and Moore comes out in an empty formation throwing the ball and taking a big sack. Also that comment may have not had anything at all to do with Moore's play calling other than being a convenient excuse for McCarthy to take over play calling because he wants to. No coach has as much pressure this year as Mike McCarthy. If he doesn't advance to at least the NFC championship he's gonna get fired. So knowing you're probably about to get canned you might as well go down calling your own plays.

Hate that empty formation for anything other than a hail Mary pass on the last play of the half or game...empty formation totally takes away play action also...

[Kellyb72601]

Hardwick & McNeil were offensive linemen, they didn't play defense. My point is that the 2009 team turned it around on defense and that is what led to the win streak.

It wasn't Cesaire the defense lost, it was Jamal Williams, who was lost for the season in week 1. In fact, it was his last game ever for the Chargers. The defense struggled to overcome losing the player who had been its anchor upfront for years.

The Chargers beat the hapless Raiders in week 1, but lost 3 of their next 4 games because the defense was getting trounced. Cesaire played in all of those games. He only missed week 1 and weeks 16-17 and the Chargers won all three of those games. It was the loss of Big Mal that was killing the defense.

But what Rivera did is add two DL from his Chicago Bears defense: Ian Scott and Alfonso Boone. Later in the season they signed Antonio Garay from the Jets practice squad. Rivera created a rotation of DL to keep them fresh, and it worked. The defense righted its ship and the Chargers went on to win 11 consecutive games.

Garay turned out to be decent and took over for Big 'Mal as the starting NT for the next few seasons.

Too bad the offense chargered the playoff game away. That was the game Vincent Jackson got busted for driving on a suspended license. Rivers had to go pick him up. Darrell Revis out-fought VJ for an INT in that game, in addition to Kaeding's missed figgies. The Chargers were the #2 seed and they had the potential to make it to the SB, where it would've been a Rivers-Brees showdown.

Oh yeah good memory you're right it was big Jamal. I just remember vs Baltimore Vaughn Martin got blown off the ball so bad even the radio crew was talking about it. They also signed that rookie defensive tackle Ngawbo? who played decent for us. Garay came on that season and turned out to be a really nice player.