Thoughts on our O vs the charger D...

[gfish24]

I think it could be a good match up for us... 2/3 games we've proved we can move the ball via the run and the pass... their run D seems suspect and their secondary has had some issues. I think our O may have a real shot of controlling the clock and keeping the sd o off the field... thoughts

 

[Marino613]

While I am still in the "hoping for more reasons to be optimistic", I think there are a few things that work in our favor on offense.

1 - Fasano - So far it looks like TEs have been able to play well against this team.
2 - R&R - the chargers haven't been particularly great against the run. Their best game last week was against a hurt McFadden
3 - Our OL - improved from week to week 4 sacks, 2 sacks, 0 sacks. While the chargers did sack russel 6 times, that was the first particularly good game they had pressuring the QB. I think Our OL, while very young, has more going for it then Oakland and Pennington, when he is on, is good at avoiding the sack and making the smart play.
4 - their Pass D - ranked very low, despite Cromartie. Despite Pennington's limitations, this could be the week they a couple of deep shots if they aren't in the direction of Cromartie.

If our OL doesn't do its job well though, all of that will fall apart.

Just my thoughts.

 

[nosleep]

If Ndukwe keeps it together we'll be in good shape IMHO. He cost us too many plays in the Cards game.

 

[dlockz]

While I am still in the "hoping for more reasons to be optimistic", I think there are a few things that work in our favor on offense.

1 - Fasano - So far it looks like TEs have been able to play well against this team.
2 - R&R - the chargers haven't been particularly great against the run. Their best game last week was against a hurt McFadden
3 - Our OL - improved from week to week 4 sacks, 2 sacks, 0 sacks. While the chargers did sack russel 6 times, that was the first particularly good game they had pressuring the QB. I think Our OL, while very young, has more going for it then Oakland and Pennington, when he is on, is good at avoiding the sack and making the smart play.
4 - their Pass D - ranked very low, despite Cromartie. Despite Pennington's limitations, this could be the week they a couple of deep shots if they aren't in the direction of Cromartie.

If our OL doesn't do its job well though, all of that will fall apart.

Just my thoughts.

1-I agree TE is the key to attacking SD
2-Actually SD has been pretty damn good against the run. They have not given up a 100 yard game to a player and the last two weeks they have held teams to 113 combined rushing yards for an average of 56 yards a game. Oakland without McFadden was a top 5 rushing team and they still had Bush who had 90 yards week one.
3-Our Ol for thier Dl . We shall see. They are young and still jelling. Jyles Tucker has done an admirable job filling in for Merriman with 3 sacks. I think we will be solid in protection but our receivers will cost us a few sacks, they just are not getting open fast enough.
4-The key so far to beating the Chargers D is being patient go for the under neath stuff and use the Te's and RB's. Going deep on this team really has not worked as well as people would assume. They consistently hold receivers under 10 a reception. They dont get beat deep alot. They have alot of talent at corner with Jammer, Cromartie and Cason.

5- The one key weakness our secondary has shown is giving up the big play. We have given up three plays over 50 yards and two of those were over 70 yards. We did shut down NE's deep ball but with the loss of Brady thier deep game has severely suffered or maybe they are just taking babysteps. I do think that affected them greatly against us and they could have exploited our secondary with a healthy Brady. Also thier running game was very dinged uped. Maroney was questionable and did not play and Jordan was doubtful and did play some but they had to start Sammy Morris. So imagine we had to start a game without Pennington, had Ricky Williams doubtful and Ronnie Brown questionable. I do really think we as fans are overrating our team based on one week that in my opinion was almost a perfect storm.

 

[BigJP]

Im nervous as hell, I feel alot of things have to fall into place which I think will but realistically for me it could go either way
GO PHINS!!!

 

[Marino613]

2-Actually SD has been pretty damn good against the run. They have not given up a 100 yard game to a player and the last two weeks they have held teams to 113 combined rushing yards for an average of 56 yards a game. Oakland without McFadden was a top 5 rushing team and they still had Bush who had 90 yards week one.

I am less high on their run defense then you because:

Week 1 - 139 YDS vs. Carolina
Week 2 - 145 YDS vs. Denver

They did well week 3 vs. the Jets, but the Jets only attempted 13 runs and two of those were by favre, so I am not sure we can really count them. The Jets were playing catch up the whole game and threw 42 times, so the 41 YDS rushing impacted their stats mightily. It could be that they stuffed the run early and that was the issue, I don't remember, but I don't think the Chargers can use this game to claim they have a good run d.

Week 4 The Raiders did very well running the first two weeks with Fargas having nearly 100 YDS game 1, and McFadden and Bush each having great and very good games respectively week 2. Fargas has had over 5 YDS a carry this season but has been out the last 2 games. The Raiders were nothing special on the ground against B-Lo either in Week 3, so without Fargas and a limited McFadden due to injury, I am not sure we can toss this one up to a good job by the Chargers on the ground.

So I take back what I say about their Run D, it MAY be good, but they were not good the first 2 weeks and their success the 2nd two weeks are open for questioning.

Thanks for the news on the deep game. I was wondering if a lot of their weakness at passing was purely the short stuff to TEs and RBs. And, I definitely agree with you that it is too soon to think we are a good team based on one game. As I said, I am looking for reasons for hope and I don't think I said anything that was too fanciful based on one game.

 

[Dr. Phin]

They have good CB's, but the rest of their defense appears average. I believe we will be able run against them. We will also be able to hit them with the TEs and the backs our the backfield. I don't think we will have a problem with offense against these guys, the questions is whether we will be able to stop theirs.

 

[Marino613]

One potential problem of "our O vs. the charger D" as the topic says is in fact our D vs. their O!

For example, I think their run D is not as solid as their average would suggest. For example, it was the fact that the Jets needed to play catch up against them that limited their running ability. Unfortunately for us, as has been pointed out already in this thread, our secondary has given up some big plays and they are quite capable of making big plays on offense.

If we are playing catch up the whole game, that can turn us one dimensional and can severely limit our O against their D.

Just a thought.

[Edit: Of course, if the weather is a factor, that can easily eliminate this problem]

 

[MiamiDolfan85]

While I am still in the "hoping for more reasons to be optimistic", I think there are a few things that work in our favor on offense.

1 - Fasano - So far it looks like TEs have been able to play well against this team.
2 - R&R - the chargers haven't been particularly great against the run. Their best game last week was against a hurt McFadden
3 - Our OL - improved from week to week 4 sacks, 2 sacks, 0 sacks. While the chargers did sack russel 6 times, that was the first particularly good game they had pressuring the QB. I think Our OL, while very young, has more going for it then Oakland and Pennington, when he is on, is good at avoiding the sack and making the smart play.
4 - their Pass D - ranked very low, despite Cromartie. Despite Pennington's limitations, this could be the week they a couple of deep shots if they aren't in the direction of Cromartie.

If our OL doesn't do its job well though, all of that will fall apart.

Just my thoughts.

of course he got sacked 6 times.....any line with Gallery is a gaurantee 5+ sacks....

 

[Boltjolt]

While I am still in the "hoping for more reasons to be optimistic", I think there are a few things that work in our favor on offense.

1 - Fasano - So far it looks like TEs have been able to play well against this team.
2 - R&R - the chargers haven't been particularly great against the run. Their best game last week was against a hurt McFadden
3 - Our OL - improved from week to week 4 sacks, 2 sacks, 0 sacks. While the chargers did sack russel 6 times, that was the first particularly good game they had pressuring the QB. I think Our OL, while very young, has more going for it then Oakland and Pennington, when he is on, is good at avoiding the sack and making the smart play.
4 - their Pass D - ranked very low, despite Cromartie. Despite Pennington's limitations, this could be the week they a couple of deep shots if they aren't in the direction of Cromartie.

If our OL doesn't do its job well though, all of that will fall apart.

Just my thoughts.

Everybody thinks Cromartie is our best CB because he got a lot of INT's last year and that is great but he isnt our best CB. Cro is still learning and he still takes a backseat to Jammer as the best CB on our team. Jammer quietly blankets his guy every week. He just doesnt get a lot of INT's.

Our defense is getting better! NT Jamal Williams is getting up to speed after sitting out all of preseason and had his best game against the Turds and we get ILB Steven Cooper back this week which makes the guy that was subbing for him ( Derek Smith) go to the bench and that is a big relief. He was AWFUL and most of us were hoping they would cut him.

 

[Marino613]

Everybody thinks Cromartie is our best CB because he got a lot of INT's last year and that is great but he isnt our best CB. Cro is still learning and he still takes a backseat to Jammer as the best CB on our team. Jammer quietly blankets his guy every week. He just doesnt get a lot of INT's.

Our defense is getting better! NT Jamal Williams is getting up to speed after sitting out all of preseason and had his best game against the Turds and we get ILB Steven Cooper back this week which makes the guy that was subbing for him ( Derek Smith) go to the bench and that is a big relief. He was AWFUL and most of us were hoping they would cut him.

Thanks for the Injury and lack thereof update and the clarification re: the CBs. I am not a regular bolts watcher.

Besides DLockz already pointed out to me that the issue wasn't the deep ball like I thought. Will an improved LB help you guys with covering TEs and RBs? That could change things...