Pagano

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  • Stinky Wizzleteats+
    Grammar Police
    • Jun 2013
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    #1

    Pagano

    Pegano mixed it up.

    Tom Telesco, like Tom Cruise, felt the need for speed in San Diego.

    Telesco sought fast players when he became General Manager of the Chargers. Said it leading up to his first draft. Then again last winter. Previewing his second draft, Top Gun Tom was consistent. "We want to improve our speed," he said.

    Craving especially a faster defense, the GM has made strides.

    This defense is easier to watch. And its designer and playcaller, John Pagano, is enjoying the discovery process.

    Take the chess match Sunday midway through the third quarter, when San Diego defended the speedy Seahawks on third-and-5 ahead by six points.

    Donald Butler came off the field, a mild shocker. The Chargers signed Butler to a $51.8 million contract in March, off a postseason in which he made big plays at Cincinnati and Denver. Injuries sidetracked him in a few seasons, though. The linebacker has to stay healthy to pay off.

    Rookie linebacker Jerry Attaochu trotted on, assuming one of two inside spots.

    As fast as Butler is, Attaochu is sudden. His timed 10-yard dash last winter was .01 quicker than that of end-linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, the top draft pick.

    Pagano assigned Eric Weddle to spy Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. The Pro Bowler lined up next to Attaochu.

    Rookie Jason Verrett crouched at left cornerback and bluffed press coverage, effectively done with 4.38 speed.

    In the slot was Shareece Wright. He was the team's fastest defensive back until Telesco drafted Verrett 25th.

    At right end was Dwight Freeney, a bookend to Melvin Ingram. Telesco signed Freeney in May 2013 four days after Ingram tore up a knee. He's 34 but has blown by blockers in both games, much like he did last September before tearing a quad tendon. Like Weddle, his football IQ can speed up teammates.

    What happened on third-and-5? Supporting Verrett's coverage, Ingram and Weddle harried a frustrated Wilson into a throwaway.

    Rest dividends?

    Butler cheered from the sideline. Six days earlier, he'd played all 74 snaps inside Arizona's warm, if enclosed stadium.

    Butler made plays, too. Took away Wilson's best escape route on Freeney's first-quarter sack.

    And no defensive effort surpassed his lunging tackle of Wilson, midway through the fourth quarter.

    It was a late-game, fresh-legs play in cruel heat, by a linebacker nagged by groin injuries in 2012-'13. Wilson had used his 4.54 speed to motor ahead on third-and-15. Butler stopped him two yards short.

    Attaochu isn't the only reserve linebacker who joined the third-down rotation. On Seattle's last-gasp series, off third-and-12 with Butler out, Reggie Walker closed fast and hit Wilson to force a short pass.

    The Chargers weren't red-lining the tachometer to generate sufficient RPMs. They ran with the Super Bowl champs. Sunday in Buffalo, it'll be another test of fast feet.
    Go Rivers!
  • thelightningwill
    Go Aztecs and Pads
    • Jul 2013
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    #2
    Because our defense is all about speed and is dressed in blue, should our D's nickname be Heisenberg, bitch?

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    • blueman
      Registered Charger Fan
      • Jun 2013
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      #3
      Nice to see both Pags and Reich (finally) using the guys they've got so well.

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      • oneinchpunch
        Registered Charger Fan
        • Jun 2013
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        #4
        Pagano is so hot and cold it's impossible to get a read.
        Hashtag thepowderblues

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        • MakoShark
          Still Lurking Around.
          • Jun 2013
          • 2876
          • North Alabama
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          #5
          Originally posted by oneinchpunch View Post
          Pagano is so hot and cold it's impossible to get a read.
          Inconsistent must be his middle name.

          I think the biggest change I've noticed is that we are getting pressure with just a 4 man rush. Not every time but way more than last year. That's got to help Pagano's planning and playcalling tremendously.
          sigpic

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          • thelightningwill
            Go Aztecs and Pads
            • Jul 2013
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            #6
            Originally posted by MakoShark View Post
            Inconsistent must be his middle name.

            I think the biggest change I've noticed is that we are getting pressure with just a 4 man rush. Not every time but way more than last year. That's got to help Pagano's planning and playcalling tremendously.
            That's cool. I wish we hadn't busted out he 3-man rush in the 4th quarter against the Cardinals. But, whatever.

            Go Chargers.

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            • zoom
              Registered Charger Fan
              • Jun 2013
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              #7
              Dealing with Spiller will be a challenge. Especially the swing passes. Curious to see what Pagano draws up.

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              • Guest

                #8
                Originally posted by thelightningwill View Post
                That's cool. I wish we hadn't busted out he 3-man rush in the 4th quarter against the Cardinals. But, whatever.

                Go Chargers.
                Right? But at least it was better than Manusky's 2-man-rush™.

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                • Steve
                  Administrator
                  • Jun 2013
                  • 7463
                  • South Carolina
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                  #9
                  Originally posted by MakoShark View Post
                  Inconsistent must be his middle name.

                  I think the biggest change I've noticed is that we are getting pressure with just a 4 man rush. Not every time but way more than last year. That's got to help Pagano's planning and playcalling tremendously.
                  Since we didn't get any pressure rushing just 4 last year, it wouldn't be hard to improve. They do look pretty good so far, and are likely to get better.

                  The disturbing thing about Pagano's D has been that it is inconsistent on fundamentals. We still have issues with getting guys into all the gaps along the line, not shedding quickly and not finishing tackles. To a certain degree, I know that will get better, but when you consider how much of an emphasis it got in the offseason, ....... so far I am a little let down.

                  I am pleasantly suprised that we are playing as much press coverage as we are. Maybe too much vs the Cards, but a much better mix vs Seattle. Now I want to see Freeney and Attaochu on the edge and Ingram being moved around with Liuget on passing downs. I know that Reyes is a decent inside rush guy, but he isn't as good as Ingram, and we have missed a lot of plays because we aren't getting the consistent pressure inside.

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                  • Stinky Wizzleteats+
                    Grammar Police
                    • Jun 2013
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                    #10
                    I heard that if Pegano had the players "his" defence would play press man a lot more that what we have been use to lately. This was from Greg Cossel...
                    Go Rivers!

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                    • homeless simpson
                      Registered Charger Fan
                      • Jun 2013
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                      #11
                      Teo seems like the odd man out since he certainly doesn't fit the speed category nor was he even mentioned in the article.

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                      • blueman
                        Registered Charger Fan
                        • Jun 2013
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                        #12
                        Eh, wouldn't read anything into that.

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