Everybody Done Opening Presents? Good, Now Back to Work.

A few words about our Chargers from the game last night:

The commentators spent plenty of time during the Charger’s 23-3 win over the Broncos, opining on the reason for the Charger's turnaround this season (they are currently 10-5 after a 1-3 start). There was talk of an “adjustment period” and of “buying-in” to the new coaches’ philosophies on offense and defense and there was even talk of a players-only meeting headed-up by LT which coincided with their current 5-game winning streak.

All that may have played parts in the turnaround but here is one thing we do know: These Chargers are looking more and more like the ’06 Chargers. The Chargers at the beginning of the season looked nothing like this and we put this fact squarely at the feet of Norv Turner and Ted Cottrell. While the apologists at the San Diego U-T were falling all over themselves covering for the coaching staff, we were wondering why it was that the best all-around running back in the game (Tomlinson) wasn’t being utilized more and why the two best edge-rushing outside linebackers (Merriman and Philips) were playing in pass coverage? We’ll credit Turner and Cottrell only for finally waking up to the obvious.






Back-up QB, Billy Volek is uhhhh… how to say this politely… is a disaster. The commentators were saying how with pending free agency after this year, Volek was “auditioning” for a payday. If that’s the case, then Volek is the ’04 Presidential candidate, John Kerry. It seemed to us that every time Kerry made a public appearance or made spontaneous remarks out on the campaign trail, his numbers immediately dropped 2 or 3 points. Whether it was his dainty Brahman fingers doing delicate battle with a Philly cheese steak sandwich or emerging from the woods in Wisconsin with 7(!) ducks (over the limit, we were informed), we can’t remember a candidate who had more flat-out bad photo ops.

But we were talking about Volek, weren’t we? What happened to this guy? He used to be a very serviceable back-up who acquitted himself quite nicely in some spot-starting for the Titans just 2-3 years ago. Now, he’s botching hand-offs when that’s all that’s asked of him and throwing interceptions…. on screen passes, no less (in Tennessee a few weeks back). This is particularly worrisome because the starter Rivers is hobbling around on a bum knee and Volek may very well see some playing time in the playoffs.

And what’s happened to the Broncos? Well, a lot of things. Head coach, Mike Shanahan also makes all the player personnel decisions. This arrangement simply doesn’t work. The head coach in the NFL has too much on his plate to be making personnel decisions as well. This is compounded by Shanahan’s hubris in thinking that he can plug any ol’ 7th round draft pick running back from Humpty-Dumpty St. into his zone-blocking (and legal but ethically-challenged chop-blocking) running game and produce a 1,400 yard rusher. Now, Travis Henry ain’t chopped liver but the fact remains there has been zero continuity at the running back position for the Broncos since Terrell Davis retired 6-7 years ago. Eventually, this is going to catch up to your team.

OK. We’ll stop while were behind. Going to try to put something together here shortly in way of an end-of-the-year poll which we think you all will enjoy.