Welcome Brandon Flowers

[blahblahblah]

It was more than that. mid season they suffered the double whammy of losing their pass rush and no longer facing extremely weak competition. Throw in that competition now had some game film on the new scheme and they fell way back down to earth.

I'll reserve judgement on whether or not Sutton's scheme works until they play some games under somewhat normal conditions with some film out there. Regardless, getting rid of your best CB from 5 of the last 6 years because he doesn't fit the scheme is wasteful. I believe it is the job of coordinators to put players in a position to succeed, not the other way around.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

I'd rather have an outstanding defense in the playoffs.

KC was overachieving vs a series of backup QBs. There's a reason multiple people called them paper tigers. And those people were right.

Wait a minute, you are completely ignoring the late season injuries to Houston and Hali. They don't explain everything, but they were significant.

[Boltx]

Sorry to chime in late on the subject, but I don't see how this isn't anything but a great addition to the team.

I guess questions remain about his role in different schemes, KC's fade late in the year, etc. But I think the guy can play football and helps us out at one of our weakest positions on defense. I'm excited to see what he can do for us. And it always helps to weaken a division rival.

[Panamamike]

Wait a minute, you are completely ignoring the late season injuries to Houston and Hali. They don't explain everything, but they were significant.

Absolutely. However, so was facing 6 back up QBs in the first 9 games. Was their D as good as it appeared in the first 9 games? Not in my book. They are also not as bad as they looked down the stretch. KC is good at playing with the lead, but are not made to come from behind.

[Steve]

They don't have the receivers to come from behind.

Alex Smith played very well last year, but if he is going to take them to the next level, they need their passing game to go to the next level. They have lost several of their best OL, they really haven't upgraded their WR corp, and they are looking for a pass catching TE since Tony G left. They can make up for some of the explosive plays with Jamal Charles, but he can't do it all himself.

The thing that adding Flowers does is it fill a gapping hole and makes everyone else not have to worry about covering up for the guy at CB. And the same can be said of several other positions on D. Now our guys can just go out and play, and know they can depend, and that is what lets everyone else be aggressive.

The big thing is going to be seeing how the pass rush comes on. If they can get pressure, then I think we are in great shape. If not, we are still better then last year.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

They don't have the receivers to come from behind.

Alex Smith played very well last year, but if he is going to take them to the next level, they need their passing game to go to the next level. They have lost several of their best OL, they really haven't upgraded their WR corp, and they are looking for a pass catching TE since Tony G left. They can make up for some of the explosive plays with Jamal Charles, but he can't do it all himself.

The thing that adding Flowers does is it fill a gapping hole and makes everyone else not have to worry about covering up for the guy at CB. And the same can be said of several other positions on D. Now our guys can just go out and play, and know they can depend, and that is what lets everyone else be aggressive.

The big thing is going to be seeing how the pass rush comes on. If they can get pressure, then I think we are in great shape. If not, we are still better then last year.

Agree with your analysis of both teams. Those OL losses for KC are troublesome.

Decent tightening in the secondary (and I believe we've accomplished that this offseason), should help pass rush. Improved health from Ingram and Freeney along with addition of Attaochu and health/development of Te'o and Butler should help. Would like to see us add one more solid vet in the front 7. I forsee improvement on D but health is key.

[Mister Hoarse]

I like the QB from Georgia KC took in the 4th. Murray will sit out with an injury his rookie year, but that will only help him I think.

[Beerman]

The Jacksonville Jaguars tried a little shiftiness on third-and-three from their 38-yard line in the third quarter of Sunday’s game.

It may have worked as it was designed, if this were last year’s Chargers defense.

Before Brandon Flowers arrived and made them smarter and better.

Chargers safety Eric Weddle’s man, tight end Clay Harbor, ran left to right as wide receiver Allen Hurns stopped and wide receiver Allen Robinson, Flowers’ man, came back to set a pick on Weddle.

Flowers immediately recognized what was happening, came back from the route and brought down Harbor a yard behind the line of scrimmage.

What you see when watching the play on film is that Weddle actually made a guileful move to narrowly avoid the pick and looked to be in position to make a stop to prevent the first-down conversion. What Weddle saw when recalling the play was a bigger picture.

“He’s not even supposed to be there,” Weddle said, practically giddy. “But he recognizes his guy is trying to pick mine and he makes a play.”

If you’ve been watching the Chargers secondary for any span of years, the sequence was like a fog melting in a warm sun. Weddle didn’t say so, but it seemed like the kind of beautiful art that might bring tears to his eyes.

He’s not alone anymore.

This is not to suggest Flowers and Weddle are the only defensive backs making plays. Certainly, the whole group is better. And that’s the point.

“It’s just awesome,” Weddle said, “to have someone back there who is playing at a high level and believes in himself, believes he’s the best player on the field and plays like it -- and in that, brings up the level of play of everyone on the field.”

It isn’t coincidence that we are seeing a cohesive defensive backfield. It isn’t just experience that has Shareece Wright and Marcus Gilchrist and Jahleel Addae largely improved in their recognition, decision making and tackling.

It’s what happens in games when other things happen the rest of the week.

Like this on Wednesday, a familiar scene at Chargers Park:

Flowers, Addae and Jason Verrett walked toward the locker room after practice, stopped at the edge of the grass, dropped their helmets, took off their practice jersey and shoulder pads, picked back up their helmets and began to jog.

“That’s all Flo,” Addae said after their four laps (about one mile) around the two practice fields. “He’s a wily veteran. He knows if you keep your conditioning up, that eliminates mistakes.”

And there it was. In that synopsis was a big portion of the argument that can be made that why Flowers has been the most important player on a Chargers defense that has suddenly become known for its ability to make stops and close out games.

Flowers watches film like a coach, openly tries to be a coach on the field and in the meeting room, stressing details, pointing out tendencies.

“I’ve been approaching the game like this my whole career,” said Flowers, in his seventh season, his first not as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. “. . . I’ve been doing it this way for a long time. I take pride in being like that.“

His play so far – five receptions (for just 68 yards) on 12 passes his direction, with three passes defended, an athletic and intuitive interception and tied with Weddle for a team-high nine stops (tackles after a gain of three yards or less) – gives his leadership emphasis.

“It’s not always just hearing it from my mouth,” Weddle said. “It’s nice someone else can say it and have some validity.”

Burned by Derek Cox last season, disappointed by a number of other free agents acquisitions over the years, the signing of Flowers in June was met with hope yet trepidation. Flowers played hurt almost all of last season and had what was statistically his worst season.

“I knew a lot of people didn’t know what to expect,” Flowers said. “I put a chip on my shoulder to let them know what they’re getting . . . I had to prove a lot. They brought me in to make plays. This is what I’ve been doing my whole career. It’s fun to be out there healthy again.”

His arrival has changed the defense perhaps more than even the ascension of Corey Liuget and sustained excellence of Dwight Freeney.

That’s not in any way diminishing anyone else’s performance. But what we’re seeing from Flowers can certainly be appreciated.

From the UT today.

That's going to be a very important trio going forward. Verrett and Addae running after practice is a good sign that those hammies are healed up.

[bonehead]

From the UT today.

That's going to be a very important trio going forward. Verrett and Addae running after practice is a good sign that those hammies are healed up.

Why wasn't Marshall running with them??




















INCOMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wheels]

I hope we can ink him to a long term deal before he hits free agency. What a steal he's been. Thanks KC.

[Beerman]

I hope we can ink him to a long term deal before he hits free agency. What a steal he's been. Thanks KC.

Don't think there's a chance in hell TT lets him out the door.

[rikardo]

I hope we can ink him to a long term deal before he hits free agency. What a steal he's been. Thanks KC.

This....