BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 16

One punt.. That's it. After that punt on the first series, the only time the Charger offense gave the ball back to the Titans was on a kneel down at the end of the game. Merry Christmas ANALYSIS followers....this team was just an absolute machine yesterday. The offense was just crazy...every player got the ball and they all did something with it. You know the names...the entire offense got involved, and it was wonderful to watch. First round bye secured....a nice couple of weeks to fine tune lies ahead. From 2-3 to 12-3 with the next game academic. 


Briefly, I must acknowledge several components of the offense. I could go on and on about Jackson, Rivers, Gates, Sproles, Tolbert, etc. but that is too obvious. I would like to talk about two things today: balance..and the line. The different looks and play calls we saw yesterday were fantastic. The runs set up the passes and the passes set up the runs. Sometimes, it all works, and this was one of those days. Even after penalties (calling back a 52 yd touchdown comes to mind) they just came back and hit first downs with no sweat. Third down conversions effortlessly. Balance baby. It is a great thing to have. The other thing that must be mentioned is the return to the lineup of Nick Hardwick. After week 1 against the Raiders he was carted off. They never put him on Injured Reserve because they thought this was possible. For him to return to Center after all these weeks off after a serious injury, and for the line to not miss a beat, is amazing, They switched guys around late in the game...same result. Great blocking. What has happened with this line....rookies...guys out of position...guys stepping up,,,is just sweet. 


On defense, we really did not need to bend but not break. Each time they moved the ball a little bit, we either stopped them or Vince Young gave us the ball on a turnover. Killing momentum. Chris Johnson is a great Back. So smooth and fast... but he cannot beat you if he is down by 4 touchdowns..and I am not aftraid of Vince Young. The guys looked well coached, in position, and in control. Even on some of those long runs, they really had it covered...it was just the intense speed of Johnson that got him clear. This team is just playing with huge confidence. And when the offense holds the ball like that (uh..40 minutes to 20 minutes) it just don't matter folks. 


So, now what do we do? There is always that fine line between resting guys, keeping sharp, keeping momentum, not going soft, etc, etc. There are always those who will say..."well, it would be nice to get a loss into these guys to make sure they are focused and know their limits". Although I  understand this, you cannot dial up losses or wind these guys up like a toy. If they are playing at a high level, you just hope you can reset, refocus, and bring it again. I am not afraid of the bye week...nor am I afraid of the meaningless game against Washington next week. I think this team is as focused and confident as it has ever been. They have faced teams desperate for a win in their own house: Dallas and Tennessee. And they have faced emotional teams going for broke: Cincy. They beat them all. I said after the Browns win, "If these guys can turn it on and off depending on who they are playing I am a very happy fan". Well, I think we are there folks. There is no need to worry about the bye, or fret about who we are playing. There will be time for that later. Now, lets get these guys as healthy as possible, realize we are playing at least one home playoff game, be happy we will only have a max of 2 playoff games before a chance at the big one. This is no different than what was said in the ANALYSIS early on when they had just beat the Chiefs to go to 3-3. You only line up against one team at a time. Just beat that team. 


A great season thus far and a great Holiday treat. Have a Happy New Year, secure in the knowledge that there will be games in January and maybe, just maybe, BEYOND. 

BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 15

First thing’s first: The Chargers are AFC West Champions and, as a result, have clinched a spot in the playoffs. Their 4^th consecutive AFC West title and 5^th in six years! I have said it before…but when we were 2-3, most of us looked at our upcoming schedule and were left hoping for a wildcard spot. Now…we are going in the front door.

Nine straight wins…17-0 in December…late heroics…this season is beginning to take on mythic qualities. Yesterday’s win was nearly a carbon copy of previous wins against Dallas, the Giants, and the Eagles. Get the ball into Rivers’ hand last…make sure we have the last possession…and if this team is within a score...they will get there. Since when have we had such confidence in a Charger team? Answer: Never.

Here is an excerpt from last week’s ANALYIS (because it is always cool to quote yourself):

Look, lets be real, they gave up LONG drives and lots of yards….but no big plays. That is the recipe people. That is how this Charger team will need to beat good teams. Keep the play in front of you, make tackles, and don’t give up touchdowns. The ANALYSIS identified this recipe early and it is obvious that this is the game plan.

Uh….once again, this is the way it played out. The Bengals came in following the tragedy surrounding Chris Henry…and played an inspired game. Their passing game had been horrible in past weeks…yet, like all teams, they found the answers against a soft Charger defense. Carson Palmer was unmolested most of the day…threw for over 300 yards, and it was a darn good thing he did not get the ball back late in this game. Although we bottled up their good back Benson most of the game, the Bengals still got some big plays from Ochocinco and some of their other receivers. Once again, the Chargers made a no name tight end look awesome, giving some guy named Foschi 7 catches for a bunch of yards. Once again…we gave up way too many 3^rd down conversions…some of them very long ones. Once again, no pressure on the QB all game long. Sigh….

But, what we did do (despite the long bomb to Ocho) is keep the play in front of us and force them into long drives. Recipe, baby. The Chargers lately are like going to Juanita’s taco shop; you look at the menu…you think about getting something new and exotic, but at the end of the day, you get the Carne Asada. Why not? It is always good and it always works.

I read an article that said outside of Rivers, Jackson, and Gates…the Chargers are an average team. I tend to agree. But, that is enough right now. If Gates is not having a big day…Jackson is. And Floyd and Sproles just always seem to come up big. Touch for touch…I would take these guys over any number 3 or 4 receiver out there. We are spreading the ball around and it is just great to watch. LT looked solid…in fact, I thought he should have got more touches.

The final score was 27-24, but lets be real…we had this game salted and let it go. Early in the 4^th quarter, we were up by 11…had made a big stop…and had the ball and all the momentum. That interception off of Gates’ hands was brutal. Gave the Bengals life…and a short field. For them to tie us up was rough…after a 97 yard drive….but, you need to put the bullet in Phillip’s head. 54 seconds is plenty of time for this offense. There is just no panic in this team. Even with a 10 second runoff due to the injury to Mruckowski, we still made three big plays to get in range.

And Nate Kaeding. Give it up. That kick would have been good from 62 yards. Nate has the highest percentage of field goals made IN NFL HISTORY. This never gets mentioned. He is remembered for last second misses against the Jets and the Patriots in the playoffs early in his career. But this guy is money…and what a massive confidence builder for the team to know you have a guy like this on the sideline. He says in his post game quote that he is “motivated by fear of failure” and “still has problems with his head”. Wow….best percentage ever and he admits that? Awesome.

So, be proud today ANALYSIS FOLLOWERS! Be very proud. This team has overcome a lot. Injuries all year long (maybe more yesterday?) and some tough games. They have won the West…if they win one out of their last two they get a bye in the first round and a #2 seeding in the playoffs. They play on Christmas day next. Don’t be surprised if Norv rests some guys given the short week and the travel to a tough place to play. Remember…Norv is “managing” the team…and for my money he has done a great job. The Titans are hot….playing well…and they have the best running back in the League. This is a tough game. Incredibly, the Bolts don’t necessarily need to win this game. If they win their final game at home against the Redskins, they lock up the bye regardless of what happens this week. Any of us would have not thought that possible early on. The question we must now ask…at any point during this nine game winning streak, have we played our absolute best? Have we played a truly complete game? I still believe we have not….and that is a good feeling.

Happy Holidays!

BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 14

Now that was a good win.

The Chargers continue their crazy late-season form…extending an 8-0 streak this season and an unbelievable 16-0 December streak with an impressive and convincing win against Dallas. Looking at the stats, this game was close…pretty much even in terms of yards, first downs, time of possession, and overall plays. What impressed me however, was how COMFORTABLE the Chargers looked. This is a team that is just playing very confidently right now…on both sides of the ball. I am not going to get overly gushy….but watching moronic Jerry Jones flip his pen in disgust at the end of the game just punctuated what the Chargers have and Dallas does not…..confidence and belief. As Charger fans, we are used to holding our breath at the end and hoping for some good luck. No longer.

Let’s review. The ANALYSIS has been a bit repetitive as of late. I acknowledge this and know that you all rely on razor sharp observation and witty commentary. I have consistently provided this, but the formula for these Charger wins remains remarkably consistent…so there is not a lot of variability in recent Analyses. On offense…an accurate, mistake-free passing game filled with big first down throws and downfield chunks of yardage. A running game that is doing just enough…keeping defenses honest and the clock moving. An offensive line that has become wonderful at pass blocking yet still needs a lot of work in run blocking. On defense…a secondary that has improved exponentially and a rotation on the defensive line and linebacker corps that keeps guys fresh and firing deep into the 4^th quarter. This defense is not going to scare anyone….and I mean anyone….but they keep their team in it, they never stop, and they play their best late in the game when it counts. That is a formula that can work.

The offense never had a three and out in this game. They moved the ball every time they had it. These long drives and clock killing exploits are awesome. I don’t know what Norv has been putting in his cereal but these game plans have totally changed. This is a fun, varied offense that really keeps people guessing. Everyone on this team can catch the ball..and when you see big catches by Kris Wilson, Tolbert, Naanee, and Floyd…you know the big guys like V Jackson and Gates are probably going to catch a few too. Just awesome to watch. As we have said each of the last 5 or 6 weeks…Rivers is totally in command. One bad throw in this game…his first INT in 5 games. He knew it…everyone knew it, and he came back and fired away afterward…not letting it bother him. Now that is a quarterback.

LT…while once again bottled up and ineffectual most of the game…got going late and had some awesome 4^th quarter runs. I still worry about us going deep into the playoffs without a real running game, but we are doing enough..and LT is running hard again, which is great to see. I cannot praise our makeshift O-line enough. Dallas has a great rush and we completely held it in check. Just one coverage sack all day long despite playing with two rookies on the right side of the line and a back up Center? Amazing.

The Defense. Well, that goal line stand was epic. They used to bring Brandon Siler in only on short yardage situations. You wonder why? Siler and the rest of the defense (props also to Tim Dobbins) just buried Dallas on 4 straight rushes. Awesome. And this was after Dallas had run through them for 15 plays on a massive drive. That…plus the missed field goal put the doubt back in Romo and company’s heads…and they went to halftime with lots of missed opportunities staring them in the face. All game, the defense was strong. Look, lets be real, they gave up LONG drives and lots of yards….but no big plays. That is the recipe people. That is how this Charger team will need to beat good teams. Keep the play in front of you, make tackles, and don’t give up touchdowns. The ANALYSIS identified this recipe early and it is obvious that this is the game plan. When I look at some of these plays and see jerseys with names like Siler, Oliver, Gregory, Scott, and Ellison making plays…you have to be pumped as a fan. These are guys that were supposed to have a small role (or no role at all) this year, and they are playing huge. With Merriman at half speed and no Weddle or Jamal…again, I’m repeating myself…but this is impressive.

So..10-3. Coming home to face Cincy in what could very well be the battle for the number 2 seed and a first round bye in the playoffs. If they beat Cincy, I just don’t see them dropping out of that ranking. Amazing. For all of us who thought that it would be a struggle just to make a wildcard after the successive beat downs by Pitt and Denver….I guess the motto is never give up on these guys. They keep getting better. Confidence and belief…this team keeps taking each game as it comes, staying focused and doing what they need to do. The headlines all talk about how Dallas is self-destructing…Dallas lost it…Dallas having a bad December. The ticker on ESPN even said “Rivers bails out Chargers as Bolts slip past Dallas”. Huh?…we trailed once in the game and that was 3-0. Fine with me though, other teams don’t want to play us. Let’s just keep earning respect.

BOLT ANALYSIS -WEEK 13

Down to the Final Four ya’ll. Four games left in this season of contradictions and craziness. I hope…I really hope…that this Charger team is good enough to actually win a game geared down like they were yesterday and come back strong against the good teams they will be facing. If this team is good enough to “just do enough to win”…then I am a very happy fan. It could not have gone better for Norv’s crew yesterday for three quarters. Playing without Merriman, Castillo, and Weddle on defense relegated our team to that ever-popular “bend but don’t break” style of play. The first three series’ by the Browns were ridiculous…that team moved the ball effortlessly. Touchdown on the first drive after 6 minute drive…Field Goal on drive two after a lucky stop and a dropped pass…and then AFTER A 9 MINUTE crusher of a drive…Brady Quinn holds the ball too long and fumbles to the Chargers. That sums up the season for those guys. A 66 yard TD pass from Phillip to bowling ball fullback Tolbert and we had the lead, despite being completely rolled by the Browns for three drives. A halftime score of 13-7 was lucky.

OK. OK. So the third quarter was complete domination. The Chargers took over and asserted their dominance on both sides of the ball. Ending the quarter 27-7 was nice. And Norv could not stop grinning on the sideline. His players were safe…the lead was safe…all was good in the world. Until the end of the game that is. Look, I know we had a huge lead but giving up 16 points in the last quarter, big conversions, and an onside kick to this team is troubling. For the Browns to be down by one score at the end of the game is awful…and if they had made that 2 point conversion (and got the ball back as they did). They would have had the ball with a chance to tie. This has happened to us before (read: both Raider games) and we won…but I don’t like the message it sends. Again…we got the “W” and we have an awesome 7 game winning streak going, but you just wish we had that dagger in the heart..that silver bullet to bury these teams. Am I asking for too much or being unrealistic?

Let’s talk about our offense. Rivers to Gates. What the hell? How good are these guys together? If Norv had not been so desperate to get LT over Jim Brown’s record in this game…and let Phillip keep throwing…who knows what the score would have been or how many catches Gates would have had. Let me say this…when Gates is healthy he just cannot be covered. Period. One guy…two guys…he just cannot be covered. An amazing game by him. The passing game was flawless…great protection, great schemes, varied play calls. We had short and long passes, screens, even a halfback throw from Naanee. A great game plan by Norv. Phillip has 373 yards, no interceptions. Like a well oiled machine right now. Despite LT passing Jim Brown (nice moment with his salute by the way) the running game was pretty poor all day long. Keep in mind…this is the worst team in the league. They have had so many injuries on defense they are playing a bunch or practice squad guys. LT seemed to be at half-speed all day, just going through the motions. Again, our line seems to have really gelled at pass protection, but run blocking does not seem to be improving. I am no expert…is it LT or the line? Or both? Who knows, but this running game needs to complement our incredible passing game if we are to succeed.

The defense…well, not so hot. Playing without the three starters and holding a big lead into the 4^th quarter makes it tough to criticize. So I won’t. Brady Quinn had no pressure all day…although that was really by design (remember to bend guys, but don’t break). We had two sacks but they were the result of guys being blocked way upfield and then coming back to Quinn who held the ball for too long.

Let me just say that I hope we can really turn it on and off because we have some big ones coming up. Dallas….Cincy….Tennessee…and Washington. That is our final 4. With massive losses by New England and Pittsburgh yesterday, we have a chance to lock in on a #2 seed and a first round by. We control that..although I hope our guys are not counting playoff seedings yet. Over-confidence is something that has grabbed this team before. If we cannot turn it back on after our geared-down win, we have some tough matchups coming and Denver lurks in the rearview mirror. What kind of team are we? A seven game winning streak is great in the NFL…even if it has included wins against Kansas City twice, the Raiders, and the Browns. You gotta beat who you line up against right? We are 9-3…none of us would have said that was possible after being 2-3 a few months ago. Keep it going boys. Gear it back up again.

BONUS COVERAGE: The OREGON DUCKS heading to the Rose Bowl with one of the most incredible turnarounds in recent memory. Losing their opening game on National TV to Boise State (plus the infamous punch by LaGarrette Blount). Losing their top three senior performers for most or all of the season…they still win the Pac 10, and will go to the Rose Bowl favored. Crazy.

BOLT ANALYSIS -WEEK 12

Well, they lifted the blackout in San Diego at the 11^th hour and actually put the game on TV. A good thing for the fans..not so sure for the network. A couple of plays after halftime, this game was 35-7 and it was pretty much not worth watching from that point on. Back in Week 7..a struggling Charger team played the Chiefs in their house and crushed them 37-7. Here is what I said after that event: You can only line up against one team at a time. And we lined up against the perfect tonic for our ills..the Chiefs.

I must echo that here in Week 12. As we discussed back then…we need to stop worrying about playing our “best” or playing “good” teams. We just need to line up and beat the team in front of us. I see a focus on our team that we have not had recently…and I think they would have played even better had the Chiefs not self-destructed like a poorly made pipe bomb. This game was tied at one point…with the Chiefs driving easily with the ball. If Jamaal Charles does not fumble at the end of a long carry (nice play Jammer) who knows how that changes the tenor of the game? This time, we jumped on it…and kept jumping on it…turning 4 Chiefs turnovers into 28 points. The Chiefs did everything wrong…interceptions, fumbles, a safety, a snap over the head, a pass off a helmet, bad penalties, and bad throws. Despite our best attempts to make Chambers look like Jerry Rice and make Jamaal Charles look like vintage LT…we just kept taking advantage and making plays. It is tough to keep up focus when you are that far ahead…but we managed…even while putting in many of our backups. Let’s start with the good stuff:

It is beginning to sound a bit stale…but Phillip Rivers is completely in control of this offense. He was crazy accurate again…21 for 28…317 yards…2 touchdowns…0 interceptions. A couple of long bombs to Jackson broken up by nice plays, or he would have had 400 yards and another TD. He is just awesome right now…and the line is giving him time. He was hurried once yesterday that I remember…right in the beginning of the game. Other than that..our line is making it work. Hats off to new guy Dombrowski, subbing for Jeromy Clary. A false start penalty or two…but a great debut by a rookie from San Diego State who never expected to even play this year. We have had a lot of guys like this come through for us.

And…of course, there is Gates. When he plays the Chiefs…he is just in his own stratosphere. So wide open most of the day you just wondered what the heck was going on? Two great TD catches. And, if the game was not so out of hand, who knows what kind of numbers he and Phillip would have put up. You could almost see the frustration in Phillip’s face toward the end “Just let me throw the damn ball!” But, being up 43-14 is a good problem to have. Finally, the Defense, despite liberal subbing in and out and makeshift formations, they were very good. Jammer seemed everywhere….Larry English was energetic…Phillips blew up some plays. Brandon Siler continues to emerge as a very solid middle linebacker. The most impressive part was that 3 MORE DEFENSIVE STARTERS got hurt and left the game…and we still never looked in danger. This team is getting more and more confident…and backup guys are getting more and more exposure. That will only help later.

And now for the bad: Well, it’s not really THAT bad…but it is troubling. Let’s see…Weddle sprains his ACL, Burnett has a concussion, and Merriman’s tendinitis in his foot is “too painful to continue”. Nice that it was a blowout….or these would have been massive injuries. Every team has injuries…especially this time of the season…but don’t you think ours are getting a little ridiculous? We just keep losing guys. For my money, Weddle is playing the best football of his short career so him missing a few games is rough. Merriman, after coming on pretty well a few games ago, has been reduced to a decoy and largely ineffectual player again. Expect all of these guys to sit against Cleveland for many obvious reasons. Finally, it is not really THAT bad…but LT’s fumble and overall rushing inadequacy is troubling. He so clearly is mentally checked out when he leaves the field these days; he was not ready for that play and fumbled into the end zone. This is a guy who fumbled once in TWO YEARS while he was carrying the ball more than anyone else in the League. Clearly, this liberal subbing him in and out for a play here and a play there looks to be our immediate rushing future. He wants it…but I don’t like it…he seems to never get any momentum going. Again, tough to tell given the nature of this game….but still awkward.

OK…perhaps the best thing is our next opponent. Cleveland is probably the worst team in the League at 1-10. They have nearly no weapons and this will be a cold-weather game..so look for a Classic “Norv Management” game. The two games after this are at Dallas and home against the Bengals. Good teams. Look for Norv to sit all these injured guys and hope the Bolts can win on the road against the hapless Browns with a conservative, back-up laden lineup. We are saving up for the stretch drive, people. If Norv’s master plan comes true, we will be the healthiest we have been when the playoffs hit. Hmmm…..that might get interesting. Just keep focused on the team in front of you.

BONUS COVERAGE: Don’t forget to watch the battle for Oregon and the Rose Bowl this Thursday night. Go Ducks!

BOLT ANALYSIS -WEEK 11

A blowout…a beatdown….a laugher. These words have rarely applied to this Charger team this year, especially in a game against a “good” team. The Chargers went into a game hyped up because of its division-control implications…and absolutely demolished their rivals 32-3. This is just another example of why sports, and the NFL in particular, remain the only “must see TV” on TV. The turnarounds and plot lines are just fantastic.

Lets rewind for a moment to the WEEK 6-BOLT ANALYSIS. This was after the Broncos beat us up on National TV at home. Here is what I said at the time:

First, we must give credit where it is due. The turnaround in Denver has been remarkable. We hung nearly 100 points on this team last year in two games. They lost their QB, their coach of many years, and a number of other players. Despite this turnover, and the fact they were picked by everyone to stink up the joint...at 6-0 now they are exactly what you want your team to be...tough, relentless, physical, and opportunistic. They don't ask their guys to do too much. They just do it hard and fast and well. I admire them for it.

What a difference a few weeks makes. You cannot draw this stuff up. Denver had a bye after that game…and has not won since. Four straight losses…some of them by big margins, with a team that does not in any way embody any of the adjectives I used. Yesterday, I am sure all ANALYSIS followers stood up at some point and yelled at the TV: “They are who we thought they were!”. A fraud.

Let’s start with the coaching; pulling Simms out after 4 passing attempts was horrible. True, they were trailing 13-0, but that sends the message to the team that you cannot win without a hobbling and uncomfortable Orton. Even if that is true (and if it is based on Simms’ deer-in-the-headlights approach it is) it smacks of panic. The play of the game however, was right after Orton came in…he completes three great passes to the 4 yard line, the Bolts treating him like the second coming of Joe Montana. Then, the fumble by Moreno into the end zone. The already whisper-quiet Denver fans just got popped like a balloon—a score there would have reversed that. No energy and very little emotion the rest of the way. Add to that bad luck play the following: numerous penalties, a terrible decision to kick an on-side kick, a terrible decision to go for it on 4^th and 5, and a total of 3 turnovers…and you have a disaster on your hands. But…the most telling thing to me: the Broncos gave up. On both sides of the ball they looked completely defeated. Even in our worst moments, I can safely say the Chargers have never given up like that. It was pathetic. If that was my team…it would have been tirade time. Awful.

Let’s talk about our team. Offensively, Norv was thrilled. Calling 43 rushes for 203 yards! Wow. You could just see that Phillip wanted to throw the ball, and with a coach like Evil Bill, we probably would have hung 45 points on them. But, Norval is a game manager of course, and he was happy tacking on field goals, dominating the clock to the tune of 38 minutes to 22, and letting Hester and Tolbert mop up with big run after big run. LT, probably spurred on by thoughts of baby LaNorval, ran hard. Did not have a ton of openings, but it is great to see him pumped and trying so hard. It is winning folks…it does that to you.

Defensively, the same red flags exist. I think I am done thinking that we are going to have that all out improvement. We are who we think we are. The bottom line is that we gave up 3 points…why would the ANALYSIS be critical? Well, because we still employ the bend-don’t-break style and it is frustrating at times. Our vanilla 4-rush defense cannot get pressure. But…it must be said that it is working. Our coverage is excellent downfield…Jammer and Cromartie are taking guys out, and slot guy Steve Gregory has been a revelation since switching from safety. I still live in fear of what Manning or Brady would do to this defense, but if it means wins now…who knows or cares? Our offense can score…if this defensive style can turn long drives into field goals, we can win games. Period.

So…a 5 game winning streak! Who would have thought? We now have a home game against the Chiefs next week and then to the 1-9 Cleveland Browns the following week. We have a chance to really do some good here. If Norval (and the hope promised by baby LaNorval) can keep us focused, this could be a pretty impressive streak. Roll on, boyz.

BONUS COVERAGE: The great state of Oregon is where it is at in college football. Oregon vs. Oregon State for the Rose Bowl. Awesome. The Oregon game in Arizona (44-41 in 2OT for those who missed it) was epic. The Ducks never say die…they are a very tough team to put away. Oregon State is playing the most consistent and best football in the conference. This is going to be a very fun game. Tune in 12-3 for the Civil War.

BOLT ANALYSIS -WEEK 10

Last week I personally thanked Tom Coughlin for calling such conservative plays in the Charger win over the Giants. I thought about doing the same this morning for Andy Reid. Conservative play calls in the first half that led to three chip shot field goals instead of any touchdowns. That sounds like another team I know! However, in full consideration of the Charger win yesterday, to thank Reid would be to take away from a real victory…and the most balanced offensive performance we have had this year. And that is not fair. How many times have you heard clichés in football like: “They are the best 5-11 team in the game”, “They are the most suspect 8-0 team I have ever seen”, “Even at 4-8, this team is one of the best teams around”. Forget that stuff…you either win or you lose. And the Chargers are finding ways to win that are exciting, if scary at times.

Let’s start with the good stuff…and there was a lot of that. Props first to LT, who has his best game of the year by light years. Looking fast and dangerous…how pretty was that 20 yard TD run….he turned those tired one yard plunges into the line into nice 5 yard bursts. This game showed you that having a running game is crucial. The balance it provides, the time it takes off the clock, and the rhythm it gives the offensive line. Two scores and almost 100 yards for LT. Welcome back and keep it going.

And Rivers. I have been gushing about this guy for a couple of years now. He was incredibly efficient yesterday, 20-25 for 230+ yards and 2 scores with no picks. Just about perfect. Even with V Jackson having an invisible day (1 catch for 10 yards) he found new targets…Naanee, Tolbert, Floyd….and, of course, the incredible Antonio Gates who had just a massive game with third down conversions and big catches throughout. The line held up against a surprisingly vanilla Philly defense and every time we had the ball we looked good.

Which brings up an important point. The play calling. I don’t know what lit a fire into the Charger play callers but this was the most interesting, varied game plan we have had this year. We did not dial up the deep throws because we did not need them. Outside runs, different blocking schemes, using slot receivers, wildcat direct snaps. This was fun. Hats off to Norv for mixing it up. And….perhaps most importantly…hats off on that final drive. The Chargers got the ball back with 7:00 + minutes left and zero momentum and rolled for all but 30 seconds of that time. Just awesome. Letting Rivers throw…not being too conservative…picking up huge 3^rd downs. That drive was just brilliant. Leaving McNabb with no time outs and a long field that reduced the danger considerably. That is a drive that gives you confidence. You need to keep the ball in that situation and our guys iced the game.

Which brings me to the red flags. Same old stuff guys….no pass rush. 55 passing attempts! McNabb was standing back there so long on most of his passes he started growing roots. Merriman was completely invisible as was our disappointing first round draft pick Larry English. Where has this guy been all year? Answer: getting blocked 10 yards upfield and never smelling the quarterback. After a good first half, Phillips was gassed and was just going through the motions. Our inside guys did no better. Now…to be fair, Philly abandoned the run early and used 4 and 5 receiver sets all day long. This forces us to go with a 4 man front at a maximum. Clearly, our 4 man front is outmanned. We got nothin’..even with no hint of a running game from Philly. (Interesting side note: this was the second straight week the opponents’ #1 rusher has gone out with injury, Jacobs for the Giants and Westbrook with the Eagles. That is a nice break). The only time we put any pressure on was when we sent a safety or linebacker to blitz. Even 90% of those got picked up. This is a problem. I cannot fault Ron Rivera too much for playing the “bend but don’t break”, especially with a good lead…but the second half was way too close for my liking. 450 yards passing! Come on, guys…any chance to send a blitzer? I keep hoping for a big improvement in pass rush…but this was a step back.

In summary however, and back to the original point, a win is a win. This was a nice one against a good team. Our second such win in as many weeks. A 6-3 record. And, how does this sound: FIRST PLACE CHARGERS?. Well, not quite yet as we are tied with Denver (nice losing streak by the way). Going into Denver next week gives us no breather. Win, and we control things. This is what you play for. Just win, baby.

BONUS COVERAGE: In a move that will have the sports talkies getting all excited all week long, Evil Bill B of New England goes for it on 4^th and 2 from his own 28 against the Colts. Wow. Massive stones? No confidence in Defense? Dumb? Whatever the result, I just loved the look on his face when that play did not work. Loved it. Sorry Paul, but that was pretty choice.

BoLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 9

I’d like to personally thank Tom Coughlin. Finally, we found a coach that is as much of a “game manager” and is as conservative as our own sad, beleaguered Norv. Punting once on 4^th and 1 in our territory, kicking two field goals late following conservative play calling when they could have stuck the knife in finished it. This game was so similar to many Charger games over the last couple of years where we just could not finish…I found myself almost feeling sorry for the Giants. Look at the time of possession…38 minutes to 22! Jughead Manning completed almost every pass he threw. They ran through us early…and passed through us for many first down conversions. A drive of 10+ minutes that included conversions of 3^rd and 6, 3^rd and 10, 3^rd and 18, and 3rd and 5 as well as two drives of more than 7 minutes. That is a lot of time for our Defense to be on the field. But…a funny thing happened. They could not score. The “bend but don’t break” defense did just that. A missed field goal and over 100 yards in penalties did the rest along with incredibly conservative play calling. Giving Phillip a chance with 2+ minutes late was just inexcusable.

Lets be real, we should have lost. Two bad interceptions by Phillip in the 4^th quarter should have done us in. Instead of first and goal at the 4 yard line…that huge holding penalty saved our butts to push them out to the 14. Instead of using Eli…who had not missed all game, Coughlin ran the ball and relied on his defense. Bad move. The only time the Chargers make any sense offensively is when Norv has no options. The two minute drill at the end of the game is the best this team can be because nobody can match up with Jackson, Gates, Floyd, Sproles, etc. Too many weapons. Look at the rest of the day’s play calling…MORBID. Norv (or whomever is responsible) cannot adapt. The run blocking and LT are terrible right now. Anyone would be with these up the middle calls. Every time Sproles is in…it is a screen pass…every time LT is in it is up the middle. It sure seems like every defensive coordinator of other teams must watch tape and say “It cannot be this easy, can it?” All the Chargers have right now is a rocket-armed Quarterback who seems impervious to pressure and the big receivers who cannot be covered. Jackson is scary good. Just scary. Despite the one horrible stretch where Gates dropped two cream puff passes and Floyd another one….that last drive was just a thing of beauty. Why? Because Norv was taken out of the equation. You cannot outthink yourself when you have no options.

On the defensive side…to be fair, the Chargers are playing with as much as they have right now. With both of their inside linebackers out (Burnett and Dobbins) and obviously without Jamal…we did as well against the run as we could have. Pass rush was again below average. We did have some big sacks…make no mistake. But Manning was 25-33! He was standing around most of the day…our downfield coverage was great considering he had so long to wait for someone to get open. I do see some signs of life in our pass rush…maybe one of these days we will play a complete game. But the bottom line is that we did not give up big plays and that gave us a chance.

So…here we are at the halfway point of the season. Somehow we are 5-3. I think we are starting to see who we are. A team that will try to keep games close. A team that simply does not have the horses physically on the lines to dominate games. A team with good enough pass blocking to allow the big guys to make plays, a team that will struggle to run the ball all year. A team that still needs to show it can match up with an elite team. But, perhaps most importantly, I think at the midway point we can say that we have a team that is never out of a game.

BONUS COVERAGE: I truly hope that all you sports fans out there saw the Breeders’ Cup Classic. There are moments in sports that are truly so glorious that they really defy description. The performance by Zenyatta, to end her career an undefeated 14-14 against an amazing field of male horses was one of those moments. Being in the grandstand, hearing the adoration from the roaring crowd, watching her pre-race antics, and then seeing the incredible stretch run, was a very special moment for a beautiful but struggling sport.

BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 8

It was a game only a Norv could love. Despite winning their second in a row…and 13^th in a row against the hapless Raiders…the ANALYSIS is puzzled by this latest game. If someone handed me the box score after the game, here is what I would see:

• Only 180 yards given up by our defense? Awesome!
• 5 sacks, including two by Merriman. Wow!
• V Jackson…over 100 yards receiving. Great!
• 100 yards rushing and LT with 2 rushing touchdowns. Finally!

So, why I am left feeling a little less than impressed? The ANALYSIS must remind itself of recent postings (FOOTNOTE: See “ANALYSIS WEEK 3 “Managing the Game”, and see WEEK 7 “Take one game at a time”).

OK, now that we have reviewed the issues, let’s focus on the positives. A win equals positive feelings in the locker room, a winning record and a Denver loss means the AFC is not completely lost, a second straight solid defensive performance has to lead to enhanced confidence. The Chargers appear right now to be a bit like Viagra. Kind of embarrassing to take..but, you have to admit it works (at least that is what I’ve heard).

Starting the game with an interception by a vastly improved Cromartie, a bomb to Floyd, and a Wildcat TD with LT was just awesome. I thought..maybe Norv is taking off the gloves. Two additional wonderful TD drives (with Red Zone touchdowns) made it seem that this would be a laugher. But, as per usual, the Chargers played down to the competition. An interception by Rivers, a fumble by Sproles on a punt, an allowed punt return of 60 yards. The Bolts allowed the Raiders 4 scores on a total of 106 yards of drives. Can’t do that guys. There is no way the Raiders should have had the ball at the end of the game down only one score. Unacceptable. Norv kept calling those running plays…eating the clock….and grinding it down. I must say that the 15 play, 8 minute 4^th quarter drive was an absolute work of art. Perfect. First and goal at the 3 though…and only a field goal? We just cannot do that. A false start, a missed pass, etc. etc. That game should have been iced.

The same two bugaboos surfaced again. First bugaboo, a patchwork Offensive line that is getting manhandled. We still keep going up the middle despite the fact that our O line starts every play getting pushed back 3 yards into the backfield. Once you take away the middle of the field from us (and the unbelievably good Vincent Jackson), the plays shorten, the options narrow, and our O line weakness is exposed. The second bugaboo, is that despite 5 sacks, Jamarcus Russell was standing around on most of passing plays waiting for someone to come open. Three or 4 of those sacks were coverage sacks when he started to move out of the pocket and got caught. It is just the fact that the Raiders are so darn bad that they did not cash in on some of those plays.

Bottom line..a win. And some good things. We know what we need to work on. We now head into a crucial stretch, ya’ll. Away to the NY Giants and Jughead Manning, Home to Philly, and Away to Denver. A season defining stretch perhaps. We have 4 wins and three of are against suspect folks: Raiders(2), Chiefs. The one that was decent was against Miami, who still has a losing record. The Giants have 5 wins and 4 of those don’t really count: Raiders, Chiefs, Tampa, Washington. Their only decent win was against Dallas. So, who is the real team? The Giants have lost 3 in a row. Can we make it 4? Let’s start defining this team. The window of opportunity is there.

BONUS COVERAGE: How ‘bout my OREGON DUCKS putting the beatdown on USC. Just awesome. 35 first downs! What? A 5’9”, 160 pound freshman running for almost 200 yards on SC? Cool. Go Ducks!

BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 7

What a difference a change of opponent makes. This week's ANALYSIS will focus on something that hopefully was gained in spades on Sunday: Confidence. Lets preface this by saying that Kansas City is bad. Maybe really really bad. But perhaps our problem here in high-expectation land is that we are always looking ahead..always measuring our Boyz against the next "good" team we are going to play. I think that is all wrong. You can only line up against one team at a time. And we lined up against the perfect tonic for our ills..the Chiefs.

The first half of this game was pretty much perfect. LT has 60 yards in the first quarter...V Jackson had 100 yards in the first half, Rivers was untouched, and our Defense looked great. Lets forget for a moment that we were playing the Chiefs and just focus on the fact that we finally looked tough...we were in position...we had a PASS RUSH. So that is what pressure looks like. It looks very nice doesn't it. The 3-4 defense can be so effective (has to be effective) when you pressure the QB. It is nice to watch when it works. And, back on offense, we converted 3rd downs, got some running lanes, and protected the QB. In the rain of the second half, this game devolved into a sloppy, yucky affair. LT has 11 carries for 70 Yards at the half and finishes with 23 carries for 72? Wow. Pretty gross. It did not really matter though, because the defense was in complete control, picking off Cassell 3 times, blocking a punt on special teams, and Sprolie broke through for the big TD. 37-7. Nice to have one where you can actually breathe in the 4th quarter.

So, back to confidence. This team either has too much of it and fails..or, more recently, appears to have none of it..and fails. This game was a great one to build that back up. Much like a savvy horse trainer will take a struggling horse and put him against weaker for a couple of wins, a team needs to remember how to win...how to finish...how to stick the knife in. It is just such a mental game..much more so than anyone wants to lead on. The defense can only benefit from its pummeling of KC, because it can start believing that the plays are there to be made. I am not sure what woke up Steven Gregory and Eric Weddle but those little undersized guys looked fantastic in this game. They moved some players around...moved Gregory to the 3rd corner role instead of Cason and moved Paul Oliver to strong safety for much of the game. It worked, these guys looked comfortable and made plays. Merriman really looked like he was trying...getting involved..opening up plays for others. Phillips with two sacks...Dobbins was everywhere playing in place of Burnett. Guys stepped up and looked tough. Again, forget who they were playing. This is an NFL team and it is good to feel good about yourself. Next opponent is the Raiders, who finally benched the woefully underprepared Jamarcus Russell and go with the much feared Bruce Gradkowski. They got crushed 38-0 at home by a Jets team that had been beaten by Buffalo. Confidence builder...it would seem we should keep this going next week.

So, what did we see that we need to work on? Well, how about 8 rushes to LT from the 1 or 2 yard line and a total of zero yards? I completely understand Norv's insistence to give LT the ball over and over in this situation. And...I agree with it. We NEED to get LT off...we NEED to get his confidence up. Our offensive line simply cannot run block. Period. This is a team we pummeled all game long and we could not block them at all on the goal line. Our guys can pass block, but their run blocking is atrocious. Now..a couple of things to throw in. Uh..hey Norv, when the first 7 LT rushes up the middle and to the left did not work, did it occur to you to try something else? Outside run? Direct snap? Play action and screen? Something. I was down with trying to get LT in the endzone (and he did if it was not for a silly play by dombrowski to not report to the referee) but that was hard to watch. Just because we are up by 20 points or more does not mean we can have three first downs inside the 5 and score 2 fields goals. Not acceptable. This run blocking is really a problem. In fairness, again I must raise the play calling issue. When LT is in...they bring in two tight ends, line up in the "I" and snap the ball. Everyone in the free world knows it will be LT up the middle. When Sproles comes in, they mix it up, do different things and trick the defense. 8 rushes from LT and all 11 chiefs know what is coming. That is a good recipe to fail. There was a time when the Bolts could say..."we are better than you, come stop us". No more. They need to mix it up.

That is about all I can criticize...except maybe some dumb penalties. For now, the ANALYSIS will not concern itself with playing a "good team". The ANALYSIS would like to support a confident Charger team, winning on the road in the rain by daylight, facing a next-week opponent in complete disarray. Gotta beat the team that lines up in front of you...lets just focus on that for now. And Confidence.

BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 6

About midway through the 4th quarter last night, I felt a strange sensation. It replaced the usual mixture of anxiety, doubt, and unease that I feel during most Charger games. It was somewhat liberating in its simplicity. It was a release of expectations. It was the embrace of the cold reality that this BOLTS team is simply not as good as we all thought they were...or thought they should be.

Now, as I have said in the past, the ANALYSIS attempts to avoid the true highs and lows of fandom. This game, however, put an exlamation point on everything that is high and low about this team. The highs: A great first half, great downfield passing, a wonderful punt return for a TD, good looking comeback running by LT. The lows: an unbelievably bad second half, two special teams touchdowns!, complete lack of adjustments, complete lack of pressure, complete lack of blocking ability. I could pick apart certain plays, I could focus on optimistic views like, "If only we had been tougher on Special Teams". I could focus on the fact that we had a 6 point lead in the 3rd quarter despite the 14 special teams points. But, all that is academic. This team is not good enough to play a good team. And that is what I would like to discuss.

First, we must give credit where it is due. The turnaround in Denver has been remarkable. We hung nearly 100 points on this team last year in two games. They lost their QB, their coach of many years, and a number of other players. Despite this turnover, and the fact they were picked by everyone to stink up the joint...at 6-0 now they are exactly what you want your team to be...tough, relentless, physical, and opportunistic. They don't ask their guys to do too much. They just do it hard and fast and well. I admire them for it. They got their butts kicked in the first half...yet adjusted perfectly, found the weaknesses, and throroughly outplayed us late. Norv and Ron Rivera were left, yet again, looking lost. Uttlerly outcoached by a 32 year old with no big names on his team. Jon Gruden showed a great clip in the second half on his "effort drill" where his defensive team in practice at the blow of a whistle all sprint to the endzone with 100% effort no matter how far away it is and at what point in practice they are. That is Denver and that is not us.

When I talk about the release of expectations..and about this team not being that good...I think we all believe now that it starts at the top. Norv Turner was brought in to manage a group of great players after a 14-2 season. We were flying high on expectations and many felt (myself included) that coachng was secondary...just let our talent speak for itself. Despite the slow starts of 2007 and 2008 we found a way to make the playoffs in successive seasons. I defended the coaching...saying players need to make plays. With regard to poor starts and weak games...we were left grasping for reasons...."well, we just need better blocking", "well we just need Merriman back", "if only LT is 100%". No more excuses folks...the bloom is off this rose. The team just does not believe in Norv, and it does not believe in itself.

Lets start with coaching, Norv and Rivera do not adjust and the team knows it. Nowhere was this more evident that the first drive, where LT was FINALLY back in action, running hard and pumped up. On the 2 yard line, with a head of steam, Norv takes out LT, puts in Sproles and hands off UP THE MIDDLE with a 5'6" 180 pound back. The same play that was stuffed against Baltimore. This to me, is the worst play call of the year. You have a chance to get the team pumped up and believing in LT again...and to get LT believing in himself. Even if he gets stopped, you need to go to the hot hand. Norv's explanation..."that is the play that came up and we thought we had a good chance". BS. That is poor coaching....poor player management...and a morale killer. The team went on to have a great half offensively...but the stage was set and the sideline grumbling was apparent. The game has passed Norv by...somehow still calling up the middle runs and deep routes late in this game with Denver blitzing on every play. Where are the quick hitters, the slants, the outside pitches? Keep your QB out of harms way. But no, the plays continue to be called as if these are the 1992 Dallas Cowboys with Norv taking liberties with a great line and a great team. That is not the Chargers. No adjustments, no wins. I don't see Norv changing now.

And now the player expectations. Losing Jamal Williams was huge...losing Hardwick was huge. But Merriman is back and is ineffective at best. He talked smack all week long and then did not make a positive impression on a single play that I saw. Same can be said of many of our defense..where are these guys? Phillips? Castillo? anyone? anyone? No killer instict..Kyle Orton is standing back there just waiting around. Same old story. Our blitzes are covered easily, our upfield rush is non-existant. We cannot adjust...we cannot compete against good lines.

So, what now? 3 1/2 games out of the division lead. Can this team fight for a wildcard? Sure. Can this team make the playoffs? Sure. But do any of you believe this team can go far in the playoffs? No. It is time to realize that this "generation" of Charger players are simply not as good as advertised. We will win our share of games...we will score some points and be entertaining. But come December and January....playing in a meaningful game is highly unlikely. Lower your expectations, faithful Charger fans, and we can still have some fun...just not the kind of fun we want to have.

BOLT ANALYSIS- MIDWEEK NEWS BREAK

News hits the airwaves today that Clinton Hart has been cut from the team. Surprising in its timing as it sure does seem we are thin at Strong Safety. We are now looking at rookieKevin Ellison and undersized Steve Gregory to fill the void. This cut is big news…not just for the player…and Hart was a good character guy and a good team guy..but for what it represents to the team. Clinton Hart was one of the many defensive players that AJ signed to large, long contracts after recent good seasons. Others include Shaun Phillips, Jyles Tucker, Steven Cooper, Luis Castillo. Hart has appeared slow, out of position, and ineffectual in every game since he signed that contract. The fact that AJ will cut a starter with such a large contract mid-season tells me some important things: 1) This defense is playing for their jobs right now, 2) AJ is not afraid to admit he made a mistake and void a big contract, 3) the large contracts of other players are meaningless if they are not performing. This sends a big message. Not sure how much of an impact this will have on our secondary (we re-signed D-lineman Ian Scott so we won't be adding another safety) but look for the rookie to be tested on Monday night.

BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 5 (SPECIAL BYE EDITION)

As you all know, the BOLT ANALYSIS never sleeps. Week 5 presented a much needed break for the Chargers, one that hopefully will result in a renewed sense of purpose. The ANALYSIS will take this opportunity to opine on the current state of the Chargers, the state of the AFC West, and some notes on the NFL in general.

State of the Team

The ANALYSIS has long prided itself on not leaning too far toward the positive or too close to the negative. Given this, a 2-2 record at the Bye is not a terrible thing. In fact, in making preseason predictions, all of us had to look at Baltimore and Pittsburgh as two of the most difficult games on our schedule. Let’s briefly review the following comment that came out of the BOLT ANALYSIS-SEASON PRIMER AND PREDICTIONS:

“I think our problem areas will, once again, be pass rush and our offensive line. We are starting a rookie at Right Guard in Vasquez, and Jeromy Clary remains a weak link at Right Tackle. These guys will be tested and we need to be able to both run and pass block to let our "skill" players do their thing. Toughness at the line of scrimmage is my #1 concern."

Well, we all know what has happened since then. This “#1 concern” blew up…losing Jamal Williams and Nick Hardwick for the season. Losing newly acquired Trevor Johnson and Louis Vasquez for several games. This, of course, after the news that Ryan Binghom (starter) was lost for the season in practice. An already weak link for us just made weaker. Recovering from these injuries is part of the game, but it does take a toll on a team. Guys are playing in unfamiliar roles, guys are being put in situations before they are “ready”, etc. It is not an excuse…you need to play the guys you have…but it is a reality that the game gets much more difficult. We have guys playing on our line who were signed originally for the practice squad (Dombrowski), guys cut by Kansas City (Broome), and a guy who was working for Enterprise rent a car (Ngwebuo). Despite this, we could have easily been 3-0 after our first three. Some mistakes, some bad play calls, and we missed an opportunity to beat the Ravens. The wins against the Raiders and Dolphins were not pretty…but they were wins. Our best game was our loss at that point…and we had a right to feel OK.

Then comes a game where we could have made a statement. Stepping up on National TV against a good team with its own injury issues. We made a statement all right. We showed that we are not ready to play good teams. Getting dominated at the line of scrimmage. Period. Both sides of the ball. D line getting pushed back 5 yards on each play…pass rushers feeble…coverages confused. A big blow to confidence and the psyche of the team. Leading AJ Smith to call his team “bewildered and soft” at times. I could not have come up with two more descriptive words. That is exactly how they looked. Merriman fights back in the press…saying that is uncalled for. Well, we can only hope that it fires them up and puts some spark in their step. Confidence is a huge issue with this team. A win next Monday night is the only way they get it. Will we show up and start looking like a cohesive unit, or will the bewilderment continue?

I was tempted to do a quarterly position analysis now that we are through 25% of the season, but I would really need to give nearly the whole team an incomplete so far. We have not really seen LT, we have not really seen Merriman, we have a cobbled together D line and a patchwork O line. I prefer to wait until the halfway point to try and grade this team. I just don’t think they have shown enough yet.

State of the AFC West

While the Raiders and Chiefs have played to expectations…it is official, the Broncos are good. I was not a believer until this weekend. They had gone 4-0 with wins against Oakland and KC, a last second tipped pass win over Cincy, and an ugly win against a underperforming Dallas team. I really thought New England would beat them. Well, talk about confidence. This Denver team is playing with it in a big way. Next Monday is, I hate to say it so early, a must win game. Falling behind Denver by 3 ½ games without a tiebreaker would just be brutal. They are a team playing under control, they are well coached, they are playing to their strengths. They have a ball possession offense and a physical, quick defense. They are going to come into SD with a head of steam and we are going to need to beat them. Hard to believe we are looking up at these guys already, but that is the case. Odds makers have made the Chargers 3 ½ point favorites. They are on National TV again…this is big. This is a who-do-you-want-to-be-when-you-grow-up kind of game.

The NFL

Besides the crazy story that is the Broncos, we need to look at Manning, Manning, and Favre as the leaders of undefeated teams? Ouch. Adding insult to injury, these three teams look just great. Throw in Drew Brees and the Saints and you have quite a quartet of undefeated teams. It is a long season…and some of these guys will falter…but right now there sure looks like a large gulf between the haves and the have nots in the NFL. Which pile do we fall into? Tune in on 11-19.

BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 4

It is a long season. Thankfully, that is true. These are the words that Charger management has lived by over the past several years as this team continues to be an early-season disappointment. Last night’s prime time beatdown was just the latest in a seemingly endless series of “we are just not that good” moments. But..the BOLT ANALYSIS prides itself on not giving in to overreaction, hyperbole, and doomsday tactics. This was one game out of 16….had the Chargers won it would still count as only one game. With all ANALYSIS however…we must look at HOW this game was lost. If there was ever something called a “good” loss…this was not it.

The Steelers came into this game hungry…sure…the World Champs with a record of 1-2 and having lost two games late to seemingly inferior teams. You know they were going to be motivated. However, the fact remains that they were down a couple of their best players with Polamalu out and Willie Parker hurt. Their starting running back was a guy who was benched the week before because he was confused on the playbook. The line had not been protecting Ben and the defense was having trouble making sacks. So, forget the 0-13 San Diego record at Heinz field. We had a chance to take advantage of these facts.

It took me the first 6 plays to realize we were not going to. That first drive was a humiliation. Not one single player on our defense was prepared or physically able to withstand their Pittsburgh counterpart. Completely blown off the ball on the line, the corners not wanting contact, missed assignments, bad tackling. And that was just the first drive. It continued. An 11 play 75 yard drive….a 90+ yard drive. Just like that, halftime came down 21-0 and we had run only a handful of plays. It did not get better in the 3^rd quarter. The biggest slap was Pittsburgh going for it on 4^th and an inch from their own 30 yard line. No respect. Then again, everyone in the free world knew Big Ben was going on a sneak. No problem. First down. Beatdown continues. Late in the game of course, the Chargers..as they always seem to…made it interesting. Gates was just great. Rivers started hitting downfield passes. A strange and lucky fumble return for a TD..an onside kick that worked. Suddenly, with 4:21 left to play we were down one score with a red hot offense. JUST MAKE ONE STOP. You saw Phillip yelling at the Defense…you saw LT yelling at them…but all you saw from Cooper, Merriman and Company was blank stares. They did not want to go out there. They were beaten. Even Cris Collinsworth, calling the game, said “have some heart here…just make one stop”. No truer words ever spoken. But…not a chance. The Steelers effortlessly went down the field. Killed 4 minutes when it mattered most and kicked a long field goal to put the game out of reach.

Afterwards…the quotes began: “we were not doing our job”, “they really took it to us”, “it was not our night”, “we did not execute”. Same old tired stuff. Some stats:

• LT 7 rushes for 15 yards… 15! Suddenly, Sproles is no longer part of the game plan? LT looked like he was trying…which is good…but the O line is dismal.
• Steelers 32 first downs, 8-12 on 3^rd down, 500 total yards (165 by their backup running back). Big Ben was 26-33. Wow.
• Time of possession: 40:20 to 19:40.

And some sad, but true, observations:

Our “stars” are not stars: Merriman has never been the same since he has been off steroids. Now, I know he is coming back from a major injury…I know he is playing hurt. But watching him helplessly flail against the Pitt line is just very sad. And Cromartie, I am afraid, is a fraud. I have tried to avoid this…giving him the benefit of the doubt after being allegedly hurt last year. But this uber-athelete is just that: a great athlete. He may not get beat on many deep balls because of his speed. But his football sense is average at best. Penalties in key situations….weak and half-hearted tackling…and beaten on simple moves consistently. The guy is just not that good.

Our coaches cannot (or do not) adapt. Without Polamalu playing center field…we had one mismatch: downfield passing. Yet, we did not open it up and play sandlot football until we were down 28-0. That was our only chance…and the coaches just keep trying for a “balance of plays” that are not there. I mean 8 rushes in the whole game tells you what you need to know about our offensive line’s ability to block. But…lets just try and get the ball downfield. It is all we have. And we did it late….but too late.

Don’t let the final score or the late TDs fool you. This was a crusher. We got dismantled by this team. Once again proving we are not ready for prime time. But…we will not overreact or bring out the hearse. As the ANALYSIS said last week, our offense can keep us in games, however lopsided. We just have grave issues on defense. And now, we are looking up at the incredible 4-0 Denver Broncos. What? Two games out already?. Here we go again. The bye week might help…get some guys healthy. We come back on primetime again against Denver in two weeks. That game will have massive meaning for us. That is the first of 3 against our AFC West foes. Really…all three are must-win games. It is a long season…and now we will need every bit of it.