Chargers show flashes

[oneinchpunch]

I did not expect the Chargers to win. However, to lose in the similar fashion that made me despise the Norv Turner regime makes me so extremely disappointed.

Good post, but it really looked like "Same shit, different coach" out there last night.

Agreed. I really thought they came out with a ton of intensity. Unfortunately they couldnt maintain that level for very long.

[Parcells]

I find evaluating an offensive lineman very difficult, but I though Fluker played well. Watt was kept in check, and his biggest play of the game was batting down a pass, and part of the reason he was looking to bat down a pass is because he couldn't rush the passer. Still, the rest of the O-line just could protect Rivers and/or Rivers is just too much of a statue to be successful behind this line.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

The sun was in my eyes. Excuses are all the rage today.

Statistically we weren't very impressive. Rivers with 195 yards and a 48% completion percentage and one pick. The 4 TDs were good. We gained just 80 yards on the ground on 20 carries. That 4 yard average looks good until you pull out Rivers 1 carry for 18 yards. Our backs averaged just 3.26 ypc. Didn't run the ball well, didn't really try to in the second half. We were given a short field twice and did score TDs so that is good but Houston really dug themselves a hole in the first half. Houston was at a distinct disadvantage in not having real film to study on our offense. They got noticeably better on defense as the game progressed and shut us down completely in the second half.

Who's advancing excuses? Not me.

Naturally, your stats reflect the full game. And as I said, for 2.5 quarters, the team played pretty well. I believe they had like 212 yards in the first half and 51 in the second. If our offense is such crap (esp our QB), why would a top flight D like Houston "be at a disadvantage?" Because they didn't have film on us? It's the same old same old, right? Or our coach/coordinator did something creative? Pick whichever of those you like.

I see some positives here, though you can't acknowledge them (unsurprisingly). I've been saying all offseason that this team isn't talented enough. 6 wins was my prediction several months ago. I stand by that. But I don't see a bottom falling out 3 win team like you. I could be wrong (I'm capable of saying it), but I saw a team that showed more than I thought it would. I see some talented players and units, just not enough. And not often enough.

Say what you want, use whatever stats you like, but our offense showed a little something last night. Offensive line looked pretty good for most of the night....certainly improved, but not world beaters. Saw some receivers making some plays. Nobody dominant, but credible players. Some big drops in the second half, but Rivers isn't devoid of weapons. Saw a QB hitting all the passes, making good decisions and calls at the line and leading with confidence through the first series of the second half. Obviously, the pick is what you'll focus on but it is what it is. Running game in the first half wasn't spectacular, but it was enough that Houston decided at halftime that they needed to shut it down and make the Bolts one dimensional. I agree with you that the staff's decision to abandon it completely was a head scratcher. And doing that really hurt Rivers' effectiveness, IMO. Until we have more and better around him and until he's cured of what ails him (Admittedly might not be possible), he should be more manager than focus and that's going to take a ground game.

I'm not by any stretch saying this is a great team or making excuses, I just think an objective analysis would see the positives. I realize yours isn't, and 'analysis' is really only parsing information to construct the pre-determined agenda, but objective and balanced analysis still carries some weight with folks around here.

[Boltx]

Fix the tackling and find a way to get off the field on 3rd and longs and I think at the very least this team becomes less gut wrenching to watch and probably helps their chances to win games by A LOT.

[BoltBalls]

I'm going to hold out hope for at least another week. It's going to be a tough matchup travelling to Philly to defend against that fast Eagles offense but maybe McCoy and company can make the proper corrections and get this team playing solidly at the end of the game to close out (or produce) a win.

[Den60]

Who's advancing excuses? Not me.

Naturally, your stats reflect the full game. And as I said, for 2.5 quarters, the team played pretty well. I believe they had like 212 yards in the first half and 51 in the second. If our offense is such crap (esp our QB), why would a top flight D like Houston "be at a disadvantage?" Because they didn't have film on us? It's the same old same old, right? Or our coach/coordinator did something creative? Pick whichever of those you like.

I see some positives here, though you can't acknowledge them (unsurprisingly). I've been saying all offseason that this team isn't talented enough. 6 wins was my prediction several months ago. I stand by that. But I don't see a bottom falling out 3 win team like you. I could be wrong (I'm capable of saying it), but I saw a team that showed more than I thought it would. I see some talented players and units, just not enough. And not often enough.

Say what you want, use whatever stats you like, but our offense showed a little something last night. Offensive line looked pretty good for most of the night....certainly improved, but not world beaters. Saw some receivers making some plays. Nobody dominant, but credible players. Some big drops in the second half, but Rivers isn't devoid of weapons. Saw a QB hitting all the passes, making good decisions and calls at the line and leading with confidence through the first series of the second half. Obviously, the pick is what you'll focus on but it is what it is. Running game in the first half wasn't spectacular, but it was enough that Houston decided at halftime that they needed to shut it down and make the Bolts one dimensional. I agree with you that the staff's decision to abandon it completely was a head scratcher. And doing that really hurt Rivers' effectiveness, IMO. Until we have more and better around him and until he's cured of what ails him (Admittedly might not be possible), he should be more manager than focus and that's going to take a ground game.

I'm not by any stretch saying this is a great team or making excuses, I just think an objective analysis would see the positives. I realize yours isn't, and 'analysis' is really only parsing information to construct the pre-determined agenda, but objective and balanced analysis still carries some weight with folks around here.

Actually, I said in another thread that they looked better than I expected. But, half of our points came off of Houston mistakes, the tipped ball INT and the missed FG. Like I said, Houston had nothing to go by as far as our offensive scheme. Now there is and teams will be more prepared to defend against us.

[BoltBalls]

Actually, I said in another thread that they looked better than I expected. But, half of our points came off of Houston mistakes, the tipped ball INT and the missed FG. Like I said, Houston had nothing to go by as far as our offensive scheme. Now there is and teams will be more prepared to defend against us.

Our team will be more prepared to defend against the new Eagles offense now also since we have film to work with. It goes both ways.

[Vermstyr]

So you would have preferred a blowout loss?

Have you been taking lessons from OIP about putting words into people's posts? LOL I never said that.

It is absolutely not my fault that the team looked like the team we have hated for the past few years, I don't know why people have to hate on my post that says it like it is. It's not even like I am hating on the team, all I said is that the game looked like it was 'same shit, different coach' and if you disagree with that then you did not watch the game. I never even said the rest of the season would be SSDC, I simply said last night's game.

Y'all are too hyper for realistic conversation after the loss I see. Last year the team showed plenty of flashes of talent otherwise we could not even have been able to score or have close games, it isn't like there was no talent on the team at all last year otherwise we'd have kept none of the players, so the flashes of good are no different than what we saw last year if the team imploded in the 2nd half.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

Actually, I said in another thread that they looked better than I expected.

I didn't see that, but congratulations. It's rare to see you say anything positive at all.

[Den60]

Our team will be more prepared to defend against the new Eagles offense now also since we have film to work with. It goes both ways.

Yes. Of course we knew what Houston was going to do on offense last night. Depth is going to be a big problem this week, especially up front. People are talking about how gassed we looked in the second half last night too.

I have been pointing out our issues with a lack of depth on defense since the beginning of free agency. I also said I was worried about our defense against the run. Houston gained 120 yards with a 4.3 ypc from their backs. Our backs gained more than a yard less than that.

[BoltFan84]

Chargers looked pretty good for majority of this game. Defense was solid, but 3rd-and-longs are killer, and lead to D staying on field too long & getting gassed at end of game. By contrast, Texans D had more juice at end of game, since we scored quick & early, after which they successfully got off the field on 3rd down, in 2nd half.

On Offense, we need to see if there's enough potential outside of Rivers, since Rivers will give us brilliant games, but won't provide for winning record on his own.

[Den60]

I didn't see that, but congratulations. It's rare to see you say anything positive at all.

Like I've said, this isn't a 49er board. How about this, we won 3/4's of the game.