WEDNESDAY TAVERN TALK: GAME NOTES
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OAKLAND RAIDERS AT SAN DIEGO CHARGERS GAME TWO
1. Raiders have no passing game and struggle to throw the ball with any consistency. When they scored 31 points, they threw the ball just 12 times. Their pass offense might be the worst in the NFL.
2. Chargers’ corners cannot cover anyone, but they might be able to cover the wideouts of the Raiders. There is no speed or ability to make plays on the team. 
3. Chargers struggle to get off the field and allow a team to control the ball for over 32 minutes. They cannot make plays on the ball. They allow a 40-percent conversion rate on third down.
4. Chargers are bad right now at zone and man. They have no coverage to hang their hat on.
5. Their lack of team speed shows up in this area; they have recovered just 4 fumbles all season. Fumbles are a result of speed and power-hitting the ball carrier, and that is not the Chargers this year.
6. Raiders go games without a reception from their wideouts. If TE Zack Miller doesn’t make a play, they won’t get one. He has twice the amount of catches of anyone else on the team.
7. Raiders can run the ball on anyone but struggled against the Chargers last year. This year, Chargers’ defense looks small and non-physical. Luis Castillo looks like half a player now and plays with no power or explosion. 
8. When Raiders have to pass block, their offensive tackles get exposed as soft and easily powered back.
9. Justin Fargas runs hard but is not a real threat in the passing game, and he limits what the Raiders can do from a pass protection scheme.
10. Best player on the Raiders is Shane Lechler, the punter. He controls field position and makes it a long field for their opponents.
11. The more LT runs, the fewer points the Chargers will score. He cannot make a big play right now and has no burst or power in his lower body. But where he is really hurting the team is in the passing game; he used to be good for one big play a game from the passing game.
12. The Chargers have 6 rushing touchdowns all season, which is normal for a bad 4-8 team. They are not the same team as they were in any phase.
13. The key to making the Chargers struggle is forcing Phillip Rivers to move around and reload his arm. He is not very nimble and makes poor throws when he has to reload and fire. Either sideways or up in the pocket is best for making him miss throws.
14. Raiders are a solid defense but get worn down as the game progresses. Teams control the ball on the Raiders for 32 minutes a game because of their 25-percent third down rate. The Raiders have enough defense to win, but not enough offense to compete.
15. Raiders are much better with Chris Johnson at corner than they ever were with DeAngelo Hall. And they’re better with Hiram Eugene at FS than Michael Huff.
16. With the Raiders, it’s all about their pad level in the D Line. When they play with a flat back and adhere to pad level they are good. But when they get high, they are bad.
17. Chargers should run some no-huddle to wear down the Raiders on defense. Make Tommy Kelly and Terdell Sands stay in their stances for as long as possible.
I guess Russell will skud a missile off of the back of Grove's head, deflecting twice as high as a Lechler punt, and for the first time in his young NFL career Gallery will demonstrate some sembelance of awareness and snatch the ball outta the air and rumble 70 yards to pay dirt. Raiders win 7-0. Weird Al spends every minute of practice over the next 4 weeks trying to recreate that play so he can incorporate it into the playbook.
After the '06 season, A.J. Smith's hubris blinded him to the fact that the great team he built could not be turned over to less competent hands when they were so close to the prize. Do you think he has any regrets about not making a more decided effort to coexist with Marty?
I read that on a flight home from a game, Smith assured Tomlinson his career would not be in vain (meaning he'd win a title). I wonder if they have revisited that conversation lately.
Is there a Charger fan that feels Norv should stay?
Plucky, if you don't mind, I'd like to add to that. I noted there was a post on your Diner Post, Mike, about GMs & Head Coaches in two tiers. San Diego is a perfect example. GM here never had a guy he wanted coaching yet picked the players he thinks are best for their system. How can you even define a "system" when you literally have turnover of your entire coaching staff the way the Chargers have had? It's entirely unfair to the players and not just LT. If I were LT what I would really be upset about is the departure of Lorenzo Neal - totally ended his tenure as scariest runner on the planet.
Thanks, Sonny. Perfectly stated. (Sigh...)
You're a lot more insightful than your on-screen persona would have us believe.
Rico - the scary part is that at this point, that really doesn't seem all that far-fetched of a scenario.
Johnson and Eugene have a good bit of fan support in their promotions as well.
San Diego's decline began with the passing of the man who helped build the Super Bills and was a key person in their front office.
LT might have lost speed and explosion, he's still got better stats this year than Mike Vick. That trade set them ahead quite a while.
Although it is true Neal's departure hurt his team, Oakland lost two fullbacks from its roster and still puts up some pretty good run stats. Imagine what the Raiders run game could look like if they had any kind of pro passing game, and had either of their initial fullbacks still healthy.
AJ Smith had a lot of help in the Tomlinson deal, the more he moves away from that moment the greater his own evaluative disparity will play into their performance, or lack thereof.
The Raiders have Warren playing in the middle of their line as well, he's been a good rotation member. If Joseph can continue to improve on a comeback effort they could have some depth there for helping the coming off season's negotiation phase.
Hey Michael, The reason the Diego's look smaller might be as result of their having to back away from the "roids" table. You're right on about using the no-huddle to wear the Raiders defense down. The game will once again require Rob Ryan to make a key 3rd down stop. Ryan will play his imfamous soft umbrella prevent defense that will run key defenders down the fild. Rivers will make a key conversion underneath for the 6 yards needed. This will give all the momentum back to the chargers who will give LT the ball to highlight the comback win. I hate to admit it but we won't beat the Chargers as long as Al keeps his clown Co-ordinator on the payroll. Final score 20-17 SD.
Yeah, cuz fan support of promotions is really important to a football team's development. What a maroon.
The Chargers have some bad attitudes and it doesn't surprise me that they are imploding. Two years ago, Ladainian called Bill Belichick "classless" because a couple of Patriots players imitated Merriman's classless and obnoxious dance after the playoff loss (as if Belichick had any control of that). Last season, Rivers taunted Jay Cutler from the sideline and called him a baby during a game. You don't see championship teams taking part in that petty and immature behavior, and it doesn't surprise me that this team seems to implode more and more at every sign of adversity.
lifer, you raise a very good point, look at Luis Castillo tonight and think of how he looked last year. I need that kind of diet...
Hey, wait a minute, that's not fair to Castillo, it's not like he has a history of steroid use.....Oh wait, yes he does, sorry.
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Dec 03, 2008
05:32 PM
Hey Mike,
You say that the Raiders can't pass at all (certainly true) and that the Chargers can't cover anyone. So what will happen?