The things that haven't happened this season

[Robin Miller]

I'm copying this post from another forum (the Chargers forum on the NFL
Forum website) because I think it's an excellent list of the many ways
in which I (and I think a lot of us) thought this team might improve
this season.

--Robin


> Think about all of the things that may or may not have been reasonable, but that we counted on this season to get back in the playoffs.
>
> Rivers would revert to his 2010 level of elite play and cut down on the turnovers. Hasn't happened and he has made some breathtakingly bad throws. He has shown over the past two games that he is still capable of elite play IF he could take back those one or two bonehead plays a game. But he hasn't...
>
> Mathews would stay healthy, stop fumbling and be our workhorse back. He got hurt, fumbled a couple of times and now Norv doesn't trust him in key situations. He has run well at times and caught a few passes, but the big plays aren't happening and to date what we gave to trade up was not close to being worth it.
>
> Our pass rush issues would finally be solved. We got a supposed steal in Ingram, English was back healthy, SP's foot was healed, Barnes was back, JJ was added to the mix primarily as a run stopper but also allowing the other OLB to stay fresh. Instead we rarely get to the QB (even when blitzing) and only have 14 sacks after 9 games good for 26th in the league. Ingram has 2 1/2 more personal foul penalties than sacks. English sucks so bad he is now a healthy scratch.
>
> We let VJ walk and the combo of Meachem and Royal would make up for, or at least minimize, the loss. Instead Meachem looks like a bust, Royal can't stay healthy and has shown nothing out of the slot. Amazingly, Alexander already has more yards receiving in 2 games than Meachem has through 9 games.
>
> Our oline was a mess last season, but stabilized over the final 5 games so we gambled and signed Gaither and hoped that the other 4 guys would get better with more time together. Instead we got the Gaither who got released, Green looks horrible, Hardwick looks like he is slowing down, Vasquez has flashes of being good and horrible, and Clary looks like the 2009 version. Our line is a now complete disaster and really showing zero signs of improving. Rivers never has a pocket to step into, gets hit far too often and it's not surprising his play is going down.
>
> Cason and Jammer would bounce back. Well, maybe that wasn't really counted on except if our pass rush was substantially better than last year. It hasn't and Jammer looks bad and Cason worse.
>
> We decided Manusky was the scapegoat for the defense and replaced him with Pagano. While we have cut down on the yardage allowed, we still look horrible against good QBs, rarely come up with big plays when it counts against teams not from KC, and he doesn't seem to be able to react when other teams adjust, especially in the second half of games (though a part of that is on the way the offense plays in the second half).
>
> This team was going to be tougher mentally because of all the veteran players we added for quality depth. Instead this team is soft and wilts when punched. Teams should know by now that all they need to do is stay close and we'll find a way to choke.
>
> I guess you could say a couple of things happened:
>
> Bigby has been a small upgrade over Gregory, but is nothing more than an average safety.
>
> JJ has been as good as expected in sealing the edge in the run game. Not much of a pass rusher, but we expected that.
>
> The defensive line has been solid against the run for the most part. We surely don't ever seem to collapse a pocket though.
>
> It's amazing how we missed so badly on so many things. Well, not really - Norv is our coach.

[ScottW]

On Nov 12, 10:23 am, Robin Miller <complex....@invalid.com> wrote:
> I'm copying this post from another forum (the Chargers forum on the NFL
> Forum website) because I think it's an excellent list of the many ways
> in which I (and I think a lot of us) thought this team might improve
> this season.
>
> --Robin

I think it's largely a load of crap which I'm sure is a shock to you.

>
>
>
> > Think about all of the things that may or may not have been reasonable, but that we counted on this season to get back in the playoffs.
>
> > Rivers would revert to his 2010 level of elite play and cut down on the turnovers. Hasn't happened and he has made some breathtakingly bad throws. He has shown over the past two games that he is still capable of elite play IF he could take back those one or two bonehead plays a game. But he hasn't...

This part is true.

>
> > Mathews would stay healthy, stop fumbling and be our workhorse back. He got >hurt, fumbled a couple of times and now Norv doesn't trust him in key situations. >He has run well at times and caught a few passes, but the big plays aren't >happening and to date what we gave to trade up was not close to being worth it.

I see teams packing the box daring Rivers to carry the day...he can't.
Few...if any teams...can consistently run the ball when Ds load the
box.
Chargers are no different.

>
> > Our pass rush issues would finally be solved. We got a supposed steal in >Ingram, English was back healthy, SP's foot was healed, Barnes was back, JJ >was added to the mix primarily as a run stopper but also allowing the other OLB >to stay fresh. Instead we rarely get to the QB (even when blitzing) and only have >14 sacks after 9 games good for 26th in the league. Ingram has 2 1/2 more >personal foul penalties than sacks. English sucks so bad he is now a healthy >scratch.

More QB pressure is always good but there are signs. Liuget is
playing really well
and Ingram is still a rookie.

>
> > We let VJ walk and the combo of Meachem and Royal would make up for, or at >least minimize, the loss. Instead Meachem looks like a bust, Royal can't stay >healthy and has shown nothing out of the slot.

I've asked for a slot receiver for a long time...yet has Rivers never
had one that produces? How many have tried and failed? What was the
one common problem? The QB.

Rivers just isn't accurate in hitting the slot guy on the quick
slant, cross or out.
IN TB he threw a 3rd down pass on a quick out move to wide open
receiver that had to be a catch and run up the sideline as the WR
cleared for a first down. Instead Rivers was too low and the receiver
had to go to the ground for the catch. It goes in the books as a
catch but could just as well as been incomplete. He's never been
accurate to hit the crossing receivers. He hits flies posts and
hooks...but the crossing receiver is a tougher throw that Rivers is
simply not accurate enough to hit consistently.

>Amazingly, Alexander already has more yards receiving in 2 games than >Meachem has through 9 games.

It's the matchup. TB is the leagues worst secondary. Lots of
receivers put up numbers against them. Let's see how he does in
Denver.
BTW...with Floyd and Alexander we should be good at WR. We don't
often use more than two wides with our TE & RB and need to protect
Rivers anyway.
Still we lost.

>
> > Our oline was a mess last season, but stabilized over the final 5 games so we >gambled and signed Gaither and hoped that the other 4 guys would get better with >more time together. Instead we got the Gaither who got released, Green looks >horrible, Hardwick looks like he is slowing down, Vasquez has flashes of being >good and horrible, and Clary looks like the 2009 version. Our line is a now >complete disaster and really showing zero signs of improving. Rivers never has a >pocket to step into, gets hit far too often and it's not surprising his play is going >down.

I would agree that the O-line isn't great...but this is just grossly
overstated.
Rivers has had many clean pockets and still not made a good throw.
He's bailed from ghosts and backfooted unnecessarily far too many
times.
Between the O-line giving up pressure and Rivers feeling pressure from
ghosts we get the horrible results. If Rivers was taking the plays
that are there...we'd be fine.

>
> > Cason and Jammer would bounce back. Well, maybe that wasn't really counted on except if our pass rush was substantially better than last year. It hasn't and Jammer looks bad and Cason worse.

Jammer is having a decent season. Cason is the one getting picked on
but I think he's actually improving. Hard to tell week to week as
it's all about matchups.
Jackson certainly didn't look like an 11M$ receiver against him.

ScottW

[Robin Miller]

ScottW wrote:
> On Nov 12, 10:23 am, Robin Miller <complex....@invalid.com> wrote:
>> I'm copying this post from another forum (the Chargers forum on the NFL
>> Forum website) because I think it's an excellent list of the many ways
>> in which I (and I think a lot of us) thought this team might improve
>> this season.
>>
>> --Robin
>
> I think it's largely a load of crap which I'm sure is a shock to you.
>

Shocked! I'm shocked, I tell you.

:-)

--Robin'