Biggest reason we didnt make the playoffs last year

[Boltjolt]

You kind of have to look at all of the games and find the overall reoccurring negative theme, because whenever you lose 7 games but miss the playoffs by 1 game, someone could make the argument that any one of those games, had you won, would have put you in the playoffs.

As much as I'd like to say, the kicking game cost us the playoffs... had me made that FG in the Dolphins game, we go 10-6... you can also say, had the Chargers not given up 200+ rushing yards to the Eagles, maybe they win that game instead of losing by 2 points. Or had the Chargers not surrendered 170+ rushing yards in both Chiefs games, paired with 3 Rivers INTs, maybe the Chargers win one of those games. The Jags game, the Chargers gave up something on special teams, surrendered 130+ yards on the ground, got boneheaded penalties, had a player not play smart after an INT, and threw a boneheaded pick in OT.

The reoccurring negative theme(s) in most of our losses were bad special teams play (everything, not just the kicking) and run defenses.

Well gee, if your going to say that, we should of won them all had there not been any mistakes or bad play lol. I mean....i guess if they had not of blocked us so well and ran so good on us we would of won them all lol. Nope, it comes down to big breakdowns like STs and such. I said this before, the year the Colts won the SuperBowl, they had one of the worst if not the worse run defense in the league.
Or, ...Hec let's just say If Stewart wasn't our STs coach, we would have went 11-5.

[Chargerville]

[Boltjolt]

Our average was 131, not 140+ and we weren't last. Washington was last with 134 per game.
Go to the 16th ranked rush defense and their average per game was 111 for a difference of 20 yeards so the difference isn't as huge as you two seem to think it is.

The team ahead of us and 29th against the run at 130 per game was the Bengals and we had a better record than they did. So perhaps it wasn't the run defense.

[Chargerville]

When I gave that average, I was talking about the average rushing yards allowed in their 7 losses, which just happens to be 151.4 yards a game.

[Chargerville]

It's about what factor(s), if you had to pick one or two, caused us the most games... why did we lose? We lost 7 games. Obviously there were many factors, but what if we had to just pick 1 or 2 and narrow it down to the main reason we lost or missed the playoffs. For me it's not about, could the Chargers have made the playoffs with their rush defense, it's about what 1 or 2 factors caused us the most games.

I still say rushing defense and special teams.

[Panamamike]

When I gave that average, I was talking about the average rushing yards allowed in their 7 losses, which just happens to be 151.4 yards a game.

Teams also tend to run more when leading on the score board. we were still 5th in pts allowed at 17 per game. pts are what matter.

So i will say our inability to run when needed and our "Special" teams each had at least as big a factor as our run D.

[Chargerville]

Teams also tend to run more when leading on the score board. we were still 5th in pts allowed at 17 per game. pts are what matter.

Points are what matter, and the points per game in the 7 losses was at 23, which was most likely higher due to surrender an average of 151.4 yards on the ground in those same games.

[Panamamike]

Points are what matter, and the points per game in the 7 losses was at 23, which was most likely higher due to surrender an average of 151.4 yards on the ground in those same games.

What was the turnover battle like? Any ST big plays against? Did we cough up any late leads in where we couldnt run the clock because we couldnt run when needed?

[Panamamike]

Points are what matter, and the points per game in the 7 losses was at 23, which was most likely higher due to surrender an average of 151.4 yards on the ground in those same games.

Fyi....23 pts per against is about nfl avg. U shouldn't lose all those games.

Our D was not our failing pt. Top 5 vs pass, pts, and 3rd down. Do i want a better run D? Would it have helped us? Yes. Was it the reason for not making the playoffs. IMO not even close.

[Chargerville]

Fyi....23 pts per against is about nfl avg. U shouldn't lose all those games.

Our D was not our failing pt. Top 5 vs pass, pts, and 3rd down. Do i want a better run D? Would it have helped us? Yes. Was it the reason for not making the playoffs. IMO not even close.

Even if it is about the NFL avg, not a single team made the playoffs last year that surrendered 23 points per game. And only one team (9-7 Detroit) surrendered 23 points a game and finished the season with a winning record.

Their average in games against the playoff teams they faced... KC, PHI, NE, JAX, BUF, KC was 24 points per game.

The Chargers also played 9 games against teams that ranked near the bottom in points scored, DEN, MIA, GIANTS, OAK, DEN, BUF, CLEV, JETS, OAK... and only surrendered 14.6 points per game against them.

[Boltjolt]

Even if it is about the NFL avg, not a single team made the playoffs last year that surrendered 23 points per game. And only one team (9-7 Detroit) surrendered 23 points a game and finished the season with a winning record.

Their average in games against the playoff teams they faced... KC, PHI, NE, JAX, BUF, KC was 24 points per game.

The Chargers also played 9 games against teams that ranked near the bottom in points scored, DEN, MIA, GIANTS, OAK, DEN, BUF, CLEV, JETS, OAK... and only surrendered 14.6 points per game against them.

Those 23 per game id bet wasnt all on the defense. Im sure there was a big punt return , a fumble or INT that gave the other team great field possition. And like i said we were next to last in run defense and the Bengals were one ahead of us with 1 less yard per game and we had a better record than they did by 2 games and were a FG away from making the playoffs.

I repeat, a FG away from making the playoffs!!
You can analyse all this stuff til your blue in the face and we stil were a FG away from the playoffs. Who gives a shit if a lot of our opponents were near the bottom of points scored!

[Chargerville]

We missed the playoffs because we failed to win 1 more game...and all of those games count... not just the Dolphins game.

What's the NFL average on making a 44 yard field goal? If it is high, it sure hasn't been a guarantee here in SD/LA over the years... even prior to that kick.