> On Wednesday, November 14, 2012 10:15:09 PM UTC-6, Robin Miller wrote:
> > Acee: Norv? A.J.? Philip? O-line deserves plenty of blame
> > By Kevin Acee
> > Wednesday, November 14, 2012
> > You can say you miss Marty Schottenheimer and want Jon Gruden.
> > Maybe you should miss Kris Dielman and want wholesale changes on the
> > offensive line even more.
> > Let s take a few minutes off from the Norval bashing and look deeper at
> > the reasons for the Chargers failure.
> > That s what the team s brass is doing, because unlike much of the rest
> > of the American football speaking world, the guy who owns the Chargers
> > has not made up his mind how much of the blame falls on Norv Turner and
> > how much falls on A.J. Smith and who is getting canned.
> > It s safe to say Dean Spanos, whose opinion is the only one that
> > matters, still feels much as he did after last season that it s part
> > personnel (meaning Smith, the general manager) and part coaching.
> > I don t expect a decision soon on how much of either is responsible or
> > what to do about it.
> > That last sentence caused a good number of people those interested
> > only in Turner and/or Smith being terminated forthwith to stop
> > reading. But there has to be more to this problem and its solution.
> > In no way are the six guys who have played the snaps on the offensive
> > line the Chargers only problem, but they re near the top of the list.
> > You ve likely made up your mind about Turner and what an awful coach he
> > is, deciding the only thing he could motivate another human to do is
> > fall asleep. So this isn t an attempt to deflect blame.
> > And, hey, Philip Rivers is the one who got spooked by the Buccaneers
> > showing a blitz that never came, and it was he who after rolling right
> > while running away from that phantom rush threw the ball directly to
> > Bucs cornerback Leonard Johnson.
> > Rivers has to stop being so error prone.
> > But the man has needed way too much bleach to clean the grass stains off
> > his uniform this season.
> > This offensive line might not be made of paper, but it is no better than
> > cellophane. That is entirely unacceptable considering the investment it
> > is protecting a QB pulling down an average of $15.3 million who
> > everyone in the league knows is the vane by which the Chargers fortune
> > blows.
> > The Chargers are one of just four teams to rank in the top 10 in both
> > sacks and quarterback hurries allowed. The other three teams who are
> > allowing their QB to be pulverized have sub-.500 records too.
> > Among tackles on either side who have played at least 25 percent of
> > their team s snaps, Pro Football Focus ranks the Chargers two left
> > tackles among the league s 11 worst this season in pass blocking efficiency.
> > Mike Harris, in fact, is ranked last among the 69 tackles PFF grades.
> > Gaither ranks 59th. Right tackle Jeromey Clary is the star of the group,
> > at 47th.
> > Guards don t deal with as much space or speed as tackles, but the
> > Chargers two inside guys are stellar when put up against their tackle
> > teammates. Right guard Louis Vasquez ranks 22nd among all guards who
> > have played at least 50 percent of their team s snaps. Left guard
> > Tyronne Green ranks 33rd.
> > Green has allowed 14 quarterback pressures in 327 snaps. Dielman played
> > 238 snaps before his season (and career) was ended in 2011. He allowed
> > five pressures.
> > Nick Hardwick for so long the man, the captain ranks as the NFL s
> > 26th-best center.
> > The left side of the line retiring suddenly is no one s fault. Dielman
> > and Marcus McNeill had been to six Pro Bowls between them and would be
> > still playing if not for wise choices to preserve their brain and neck,
> > respectively.
> > Defending the signing of left tackle Jared Gaither is easily done.
> > Gaither played superbly, even perfectly, if there could be such a thing
> > in football, for the five games he was a Charger in 11. He was by far
> > the top free agent at the position. He had to be signed.
> > But the results of the line as a whole can t be argued.
> > As far as coaching, neither Turner nor offensive line guru Hal Hunter
> > and his assistant Mike Sullivan forgot how to teach pass blocking.
> > I doubt Turner is here in 2013. If Spanos decides the offensive line
> > (not to mention Robert Meachem and Eddie Royal) are unforgivable gaffes,
> > Smith will be gone, too.
> > But whoever is running things better figure out what to do with at least
> > three of the spots on the line, or they won t be here long either.
> Thats part of what I have been saying. I get Norv has to go. He has not kept the team playing at a high level. I still believe the #1 problem with this team is AJ. The talent on this team has been bled dry over the last few years. He doesn't understand football if he thinks you can plug any warm body into the Oline and make it work. This line is horrible. The D doesn't need a complicated blitz to put massive pressure just bring a guy or 2.
> I don't blame AJ for signing Gaither. What about drafting some OL? When you >lose guys you have to have quality to step in behind them. When you lose your LT >and cut down day arrives and there are LT's out there and you decide you're going >with an undrafted rook as your primary guy, thats unforgivable. And the stats tell >the story the reason he was undrafted cause he is the worst O lineman in the >league.
It's worst than that. Everyone knew McNeil had health
issues...that's why the Chargers were able to draft him. He held up
There was no excuse for the Chargers not have groomed a backup. They
Getting Gaither was a stroke of luck yet he's still questionable. So
