Tweet
Rotoworld:
With four games in the books for all but four clubs (Green Bay, New Orleans, Miami and Carolina), it’s time to get vaguely serious about on-pace statistics. Some will be gone with the wind before the seasons even change (Eddie Royal’s 20 touchdowns). Others are fun to marvel at, but equally unrealistic (Peyton Manning’s 64:0 TD:INT ratio). Then there are some where you’re not sure what to think.
When Brian Cushing housed Philip Rivers’ 24th pass attempt of the Chargers’ most recent come-from-ahead loss in Week 1, things seemed the same as they ever were in San Diego. Losing remained performance art for a team that fired Marty Schottenheimer after a 14-2 season. Maybe the flames wouldn’t be quite as roaring with Norval Turner departed for the Rust Belt, but one thing was clear: The Chargers were still going to be going down in them on a weekly basis. One of the main reasons was Rivers, a shell-shocked has been who produced almost as many turnovers (47) as touchdowns (54) in 2011-12.
So it could be considered a surprise that Rivers has completed 91 of 113 passes (80.5 percent) since, and tossed only one interception in three games. His Sunday performance — 35-of-42 for 401 yards, three touchdowns and a pick — was the most accurate of all time for a player who threw for at least 400 yards. It’s all added up to an 11:2 TD:INT ratio for the league’s most INT-happy quarterback this side of Mark Sanchez, and put him on pace for 4,796 yards, which would be a new career high. Rivers is completing 73.9 percent of his throws after converting just 63.5 percent of them his final two years under Turner. He’s done this even though:
1. Injuries have limited top downfield threat Malcom Floyd to two games, 90 snaps and 11 targets.
2. His current No. 1-3 receivers (Royal, Vincent Brown and Keenan Allen) combined for two starts and 23 catches in 2012.
3. He’s thrown for less than 200 yards in two of his four starts.
4. Both of his interceptions have been returned for touchdowns.
It makes discussions of whether or not Rivers is “back” rather complicated. What can’t be disputed? New coach Mike McCoy has installed a more intelligent, realistic system than the one Turner ran in 2012, eliminating low-percentage deep passes to underneath wideouts who can’t catch them. Rivers is asked to get the ball out quickly. The Chargers are picking their spots to go vertical instead of forcing them. It’s resulted in plays like Sunday’s 56-yard score to Antonio Gates, where Gates scorched the Cowboys and LB Bruce Carter deep after lulling them to sleep over the middle. Of Gates’ first eight catches Sunday, two went for longer than seven yards (nine and 14). His final two? The aforementioned 56-yard score and a 26-yarder.
McCoy has developed a system that acknowledges his personnel rather than square pegging it into a round hole, much like he did with Tim Tebow in 2011. Can he and Rivers keep it up? It won’t be easy with no one to stretch the field. Allen has 4.7 speed and Brown has averaged 6.1 yards per catch this season. Eddie Royal is Eddie Royal. Gates is 33 with two bad feet. All we know is, McCoy is wringing success out of a player who appeared to be wrung out, and Rivers couldn’t be more on board with his plan
With four games in the books for all but four clubs (Green Bay, New Orleans, Miami and Carolina), it’s time to get vaguely serious about on-pace statistics. Some will be gone with the wind before the seasons even change (Eddie Royal’s 20 touchdowns). Others are fun to marvel at, but equally unrealistic (Peyton Manning’s 64:0 TD:INT ratio). Then there are some where you’re not sure what to think.
When Brian Cushing housed Philip Rivers’ 24th pass attempt of the Chargers’ most recent come-from-ahead loss in Week 1, things seemed the same as they ever were in San Diego. Losing remained performance art for a team that fired Marty Schottenheimer after a 14-2 season. Maybe the flames wouldn’t be quite as roaring with Norval Turner departed for the Rust Belt, but one thing was clear: The Chargers were still going to be going down in them on a weekly basis. One of the main reasons was Rivers, a shell-shocked has been who produced almost as many turnovers (47) as touchdowns (54) in 2011-12.
So it could be considered a surprise that Rivers has completed 91 of 113 passes (80.5 percent) since, and tossed only one interception in three games. His Sunday performance — 35-of-42 for 401 yards, three touchdowns and a pick — was the most accurate of all time for a player who threw for at least 400 yards. It’s all added up to an 11:2 TD:INT ratio for the league’s most INT-happy quarterback this side of Mark Sanchez, and put him on pace for 4,796 yards, which would be a new career high. Rivers is completing 73.9 percent of his throws after converting just 63.5 percent of them his final two years under Turner. He’s done this even though:
1. Injuries have limited top downfield threat Malcom Floyd to two games, 90 snaps and 11 targets.
2. His current No. 1-3 receivers (Royal, Vincent Brown and Keenan Allen) combined for two starts and 23 catches in 2012.
3. He’s thrown for less than 200 yards in two of his four starts.
4. Both of his interceptions have been returned for touchdowns.
It makes discussions of whether or not Rivers is “back” rather complicated. What can’t be disputed? New coach Mike McCoy has installed a more intelligent, realistic system than the one Turner ran in 2012, eliminating low-percentage deep passes to underneath wideouts who can’t catch them. Rivers is asked to get the ball out quickly. The Chargers are picking their spots to go vertical instead of forcing them. It’s resulted in plays like Sunday’s 56-yard score to Antonio Gates, where Gates scorched the Cowboys and LB Bruce Carter deep after lulling them to sleep over the middle. Of Gates’ first eight catches Sunday, two went for longer than seven yards (nine and 14). His final two? The aforementioned 56-yard score and a 26-yarder.
McCoy has developed a system that acknowledges his personnel rather than square pegging it into a round hole, much like he did with Tim Tebow in 2011. Can he and Rivers keep it up? It won’t be easy with no one to stretch the field. Allen has 4.7 speed and Brown has averaged 6.1 yards per catch this season. Eddie Royal is Eddie Royal. Gates is 33 with two bad feet. All we know is, McCoy is wringing success out of a player who appeared to be wrung out, and Rivers couldn’t be more on board with his plan
Comment