BOLT ANALYSIS: THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME

This is getting easy to write. Too easy.

I have always viewed the ANALYSIS much like a pelagic shark...it must move forward at all times or it dies. Right now, I feel a sense of déjà vu each time the ANALYSIS takes shape. Like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, the same thing keeps happening over and over again. I can take a previous ANALYSIS, penned months or even years ago, dust it off, and place it in front of you. It goes a little something like this:

Chargers start fast, make some nice plays, score some points. Quarterback is hot. Defense seems solid enough. Bonehead play sets Chargers back. Team cannot react, cannot stop the bleeding. Coaching flies out the window, team continues to try but continues to make bad plays. Team begins falling apart and makes fatal Bonehead play. Last ditch effort falls woefully short. Team loses.

That is pretty much it (of course it would be written in far more elegant prose).  And that pretty much sums up what happened last Sunday against the Buccaneers. Again, people, I did not root for a Charger loss. I cannot do it. But, when the game ended, I have to tell you that I was not upset. Embarrassed, yes. A little down in the dumps, sure. But not upset. Like Churchill in the war room, followers, we must concede the battle to win the war. We are now 4-5 and I have never heard Charger nation call for Norv’s head so clearly and widely. There is finality to it now; it seems that everyone knows that each loss puts us closer to a new head coach. Will this be the answer?  In the short term, I doubt it, we have many problems. And, quite frankly, replacing the coach alone will not help me rest easier. AJ must go too. More on that in a moment, let’s (briefly) talk about the game.

The Chargers started nicely with a 80 yard TD pass to new pick up Denario Alexander. Please tell me how a guy off the street, with little or no practice, can become our best receiver in a matter of days. When we just spent big money on Robert Meacham (4 year contract), Eddie Royal (3 years), and Malcom Floyd (3 years)?  It is amazing to me. But there it is, and we were up 7. Following a long and sustained Tampa Bay drive featuring their nifty running back Doug Martin and old friend Vincent Jackson, the score was tied. But we kept hurling the ball downfield, with Rivers finding Gates, Floyd, and Alexander on more nice passes. Tampa Bay has the worst passing defense in the League, and one of the best rushing defenses. We kept trying with Ryan Mathews, but it was tough sledding for him. The passing game was almost too easy, with the Bolts nailing a bunch of third down conversions and Philip hitting Gates on a nice TD.

The boys were playing well, and the defense was tightened up, when, there it came....the first bonehead play. Special teams have been a bright spot this year for the Bolts, but when Corey Lynch made a grievous error and left his man to hit a guy far on the outside, he opened up about the easiest punt block in the last decade. Scifres got mugged, and it was a Tampa Bay TD. Just like that. But, the Bolts went back to hurling the ball, and put together a fantastic drive to end the half. A late TD to Floyd and we had the lead going into the half. Rivers was on fire. Bonehead Play #1 did not kill us.

But Bonehead Play #2 did. After a long Tampa Drive put them up 24-21, we were driving again and were around their 20-25 yard line. On third down, Rivers rolled right (never a good thing) and was trotting toward the sideline, when he threw probably the worst pass I have ever seen. I know, I know. Hyperbole. But, really, I defy you to show me a worse pass attempt. He was two feet from the sideline, he could have stepped over, thrown the ball away, or fell down. Any of those would have led to about a 38-40 yard field goal attempt to tie what was a close game. Instead, he dinked one right into the stomach of the surprised rookie corner who started running the other way. It looked like a play in the back yard where you throw one to your kid on accident to make them feel good about their “interception”.  Nobody really knew what to say about it. The commentators...or the ESPN analysts hours later. When Philip said, “I just released it earlier than I wanted too”...he lost me. That is one where the answer to the question is, “I have no idea what I did but I cost my team the game”.  There is no other answer.

When Philip threw another interception late in the game (when the Chargers still had a chance mind you) one could only conclude that the team had once again rolled over and died. This now makes three losses where the Chargers had a lead in the second half. No finish in these guys. And, the sad thing is, they controlled super rookie Doug Martin, and they controlled Vincent Jackson. Neither of those guys did much. But when you give the other team  Pick 6, a blocked punt for a TD, and another pick to set up a field goal...you are spotting them a 17-0 lead. Not gonna win that way. Philip provided highlight reel stuff early, but two of the worst throws ever in the second half. He has the worst QB rating in the 4^th quarter of any QB in the League. That is why we are losing. Our best player is just not playing well.

So, what now? Well, on to Denver...where the red hot Mannings lie in wait. Speaking purely mathematically, a win here by Denver pretty much ends the “race” in the AFC West. That would give Denver a three game lead on us and a sweep in hand for tiebreaker purposes. But, this really does not matter...because we have now lost to the Browns and the Buccaneers and we are circling the drain.

So, on to AJ. Apparently AJ stood outside the tunnel as the Chargers filed off the field after the game. He was looking into the eyes of all the players as they left, not saying anything. What is this about? Some strange “test” of loyalty? Is he judging them....seeing who is sad and who is not sad enough? Is he checking on their demeanor? Is he making sure they have not taken their shirts off? What the hell? This is yet another reason why this silent, brooding, jerk just has to go. The problem is that what will be needed at the end of the year is a bloodletting. The play we have seen from guys like Gaither (who did not play and has missed 5 of 9 games), Meacham, and many others cannot be tolerated, yet my fear is that AJ’s ego will not allow him to cut a guy he just signed to a 4 year contract. That is why both a new coach AND a new Manager are needed. Because we need someone with the guts to change the system...and the culture. It won’t happen with just a coach.

As you remember, my theme for this season of the ANALYSIS was hope and positivity. Uh.......that is not easy......so I will hope for better days in the future. Days with a new attitude, days where the team is fun to watch again, days where the team might lack talent, but plays with heart. We are a broken television, followers, and when was the last time you took a TV in for repairs. Gotta buy a new one.