BOLT ANALYSIS - WEEK 2

I have never been considered an optimist. At least not to my face. After week 1, when it was clear that the Chargers would be short four key starters on the offensive and defensive lines as well as LT, this game against the Ravens began to look like a bit of a write-off loss. When the news broke the day before the game that one of these injuries, Jamal Williams, was going to be for the season….it really looked bleak. Jamal has been our most consistent defensive performer for years….a constant presence up the middle and a controlling force for our line. Arguably our most important defensive player. With two thirds of our starters on the d-line gone for the season (Ryon Bingham the other) and our new replacement hurt (Travis Johnson) I had visions of the Ravens just crushing us up and down the field. Couple this with two guys named Murcowski and Dombrowski filling in on the line and I had visions of the Ravens defense just stifling us all game long.

Well, it took only a couple of minutes…as long as it took Sproles to go 81 yards on a pass play…to realize that the Chargers were not going to roll over. Drive after drive…all day long really…they could not stop our offense. So many big plays….Jackson, Gates, Sproles, and of course Rivers. When Phillip goes into gunslinger mode…I am just not sure there are too many better quarterbacks in the league. This is the vaunted Ravens defense….and we hung 474 yards on them? 430 in the air? So…that is why there is a bit of optimism to this ANALYSIS, if we can move the ball like that against a good team with all the injuries, I have to believe we will be able to move the ball and score points against anyone. We will be exciting on offense…no matter who we play.

And the defense…rolled, outfoxed, and outplayed early for three scores…regrouped. They made adjustments, the kids on the defensive line got better, they started tackling and, if it were not for the turnovers that led to 10 points, they would have shut them out in the second half.

Now, I said a "bit" of optimism. We left so many points on the field in this game we could have beat the Ravens twice if we had cashed in. To wit:

• FOUR field goals inside 30 yards (22, 23, 25, 29). Good for Nate…but I do not want to see that guy lining up for a field goal less than 30 yards, much less four of them.


• Two inexcusable delay of game penalties inside of the 10 yard line. One of them on the 1 FOOT line that took away an easy touchdown. That is on Rivers and the coaches. Period. Cannot do it.


• Two ill advised interceptions in our territory…one of them a Ryan Leaf moment by Rivers where you just sit there and say, "huh?" Led to 10 crucial second half points.


• A bonehead play by Naanee where, with less than a minute left he danced and pranced around with the ball instead of just diving forward for a sure 1st down and a fresh clock.


• 11 Penalties for 80 yards. Yikes. Just a killer

Which brings us to coaching. I stuck by Shottenheimer and, to date I have stuck by Norv. I always say (perhaps over simplified) that players make plays. Every coaching call is genius if it works. Well, this was a game that gives the Norv haters a ton of fuel. Wow. At the end of the first half, 10 seconds to go, ball on the 6 or 7 yard line. Third down. Norv calls for the field goal team? Lets review…THIRD DOWN…you are at home in front of a friendly crowd. You just had first and goal from the 1 foot line and screwed it up. You have a $92 million QB who is hot. Doesn't any coach in the world say "Try to hit your guy, if you don’t see an opening just throw it 30 yards into the stands?". Now, I know the fear was taking a sack and not scoring any points. But, even if someone comes flying in, Rivers should be able to huck it to El Cajon. Just terrible. You need to play to win. And, the call everyone will talk about…4th and 2 hand off with 30 seconds left. What the F? The worse call may have been on a rushed 3rd and 2 after the Naanee mistake where an uninspired and pathetic attempt at a screen pass was thrown to the dirt. I'm sorry…you have not run the ball all day…Rivers has thrown for 430 yards. They have not shown that they can cover Jackson or Gates or Sproles in the flat. And you run the ball? Right into criminal Ray Lewis' arms. Game over. Nice work Norv. Way to end the game with the ball.

So, 5 trips inside the 10….and 12 points. I am not saying they should have scored 35 points in those trips. But only ONE touchdown on ANY of those drives puts them in a spot where a chip shot field goal wins the game at the end.

So….in summary. Certainly cause for optimism. Backups played well. We outperformed a good team. We adjusted and got better. And we never gave up. All good traits.

But mistakes, penalties and bad coaching decisions killed us. Can we learn and move forward. I hope so. Lets say I'm optimistic.