How is LT doing and will he be ready.
No idea. He rolled his ankle and said it was fine, but then got tight on him at the end of the game. They’re saying he’s a gameday decision, but knowing his history of playing through injuries I’m willing to bet he’ll be out there on Sunday (although maybe in a reduced role).

What about your defense, w/ Luis Castillo?
Castillo is always hurt, but it’s especially worrisome because Jacques Cesaire has been hurt since the second day of camp and they’re expecting him to start at the other DE spot. The Chargers defensive line is a major question mark right now, especially with the depth being so young (Nwagbuo and Martin). The initial plan of having Castillo/Williams/Cesaire starting and Ryon Bingham (now on IR) backing them up is not exactly working out.

How come you couldn’t stop the Raiders!?
Because, number one, that is one tough team. That’s a punch-you-in-the-mouth, Bill Parcells-like team. If Russell can ever hit a receiver with a football, they’ll be really dangerous. Also, the injuries on the defensive line had a lot to do with it.

What’s Merriman’s story with Tila and his return from injury.
Tila story is over. No chargers filed, no charges going to be filed. Shawne and the San Diego DA basically called her out on lying 5 different times before it became obvious that she was just doing it for PR for her new website. His knee is not quite as good. Although it is healthy and feels fine, Shawne has to get back in football shape with his body and then the knee needs to catch up. Against the Raiders, he was dragging the leg and was handled easily by the Raiders LT (he used to beat double-teams). I think he’ll be good in the second half of the season, but won’t be his typical self against Baltimore.

Why didn’t Shaun Phillips do anything for my Fantasy team, which has defensive player stats (sacks, INT’s)?
Because Shaun was getting a lot of double-teams. As Merriman and English get better (English looked lost against Oakland), that will clear up room for Shaun. He’ll get his numbers and he’s a big threat for INTs this season.

I’d rank the Chargers offensive weapons like this:

1. Rivers
2. Gates
3. Vincent Jackson
4. Darren Sproles

Gates keeps the coverage in the “middle” range, which opens room for VJ to stretch the defense deep. When both of those guys are healthy and Rivers gets time in the pocket, the Chargers are unbeatable.

The Chargers ran zero screen passes to Darren Sproles against Oakland. Chargers fans are just as clueless as to why this happened as I’m sure you are. He’s very effective in just about everything he does (kick returns, punt returns, screens, WR routes, running the ball outside or inside), and can certainly dominate a game if he’s not accounted for when he’s on the field. I hate to say it, but there’s no way to stop Darren without injuring him. No defense is going to stop him on a screen pass. My suggestion would be for the defense to keep their eye on him and win the battle at the line of scrimmage. If they see the screen developing, they can stop it.

That and he died in Baltimore, drunk and lying in a gutter.

Or something like that…

Do you know of any Ravens bars?

I remember watching some special on NFL Network where there are these crazzzzzyyyy Kansas City Chiefs fans in the heart of Philly. They have a bar dedicated to watching Chiefs games. Why the Chiefs of all teams?

I recently moved to Philly. Do you know of any Ravens bars?
I do not, but the bars that I frequent are kindof unbiased instead of being Eagles bars. Fox & Hound on 15th and Spruce is a good one, lots of TVs. The Bards around 21st & Walnut has the best Guinness in Philly, and is generally quiet, but the tvs are small and I think there’s only 2.

Why do Colts fans call Rivers "Marmalard?"
It’s something that Big Daddy Drew from Kissing Suzy Kolber made up. It started in 2007, when everybody thought Rivers’ trash-talking was over-the-top and his throws had no power to them (having no knee ligaments will do that). I have no idea where he came up with the nickname, and the whole bit is a bit played out (I think Drew himself would admit this), but that’s where it came from.

Is LT donezo?
That’s not a real word. And yes, as far as being a top 5 back in the NFL, he is. He is still serviceable however, because he still has good moves, good speed and great vision. Whereas two seasons ago he was Barry Sanders or Gale Sayers, at this point he’s more like Fred Taylor. Not bad, but now what he once was.

How about them injuries?
They suck. The Raiders beat the crap out of our offensive line. I had no idea a defense that wasn’t in Baltimore or Pittsburgh could be so violent. One of the commenters at BFTB said it best, right when the game ended, when they said “Can we have our bye week next week? Please?”

Yes and he has crushed them without mercy. I’m pretty sure he stole Ronde Barber’s shoes at the end of the game against TB last year just to further the embarrassment.

Vincent is 6’5" and built like a MAC truck. He can also run like a cheetah and jump out of the gym. VJ was a project pick (the Chargers drafted him out of Div I-AA Northern Arizona) because he couldn’t run routes and had a problem with not looking the ball into his hands. He still occasionally drops the easy ones, but for the most part he’s solid with his hands. His route-running seems to get better every game.

If Rivers didn’t love spreading the ball out to anybody who is open, VJ would be mentioned along with Moss and whoever else is the top WRs in football today.

Well, I’ll agree with the points below that he’s still not in the same category as Brady and Peyton Manning because he is yet to win a Super Bowl. Why he’s not mentioned along with Brees, I have no idea. My best guess is because the media generally ignores San Diego when they’re not picking them to win the Super Bowl.

He was far and away the best QB in the NFL last year and he didn’t even make the Pro Bowl!

thanks for sharing 117. here’s your cookie.

All signs point to Vasquez being able to go, but he’s still a rookie who doesn’t know how to run-block. I think he was fine by the end of the game, they just didn’t want to risk it. Hardwick is in a boot, but they’re saying he’s a game-time decision. I am very concerned about the possibility of having our backup Center (who is actually a Guard) going up against Ngata.

What is his name, anyways?

He was voted the fiercest Mascot in the NFL.

Let’s just say I’m not excited about it. Even if they do manage to get pressure, the Chargers have always had problems with QBs that can get out of the pocket and run. It seems the only ones we really excel against are near-statues (Brady, Manning, Favre, Russell, Cutler). After the Raiders game, Chargers fans are most worried about the health/performance of the offensive line and the lack of pass-rush from the defense (1 sack, by the backup DT). There are a lot of people who will be eyeing Oher as the guy the Bolts should’ve taken in the first round.

English is a backup, but gets rotated in. The starting pass-rushing OLBs are Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips.

Well, I’ll agree with the points below that he’s still not in the same category as Brady and Peyton Manning because he is yet to win a Super Bowl. Why he’s not mentioned along with Brees, I have no idea. My best guess is because the media generally ignores San Diego when they’re not picking them to win the Super Bowl.

He was far and away the best QB in the NFL last year and he didn’t even make the Pro Bowl!

Of course the preseason games were blacked out…No surprise there.
However, it is surprising to me that our home opener against a quality team will be blacked out; that does not bode well for future games this season being televised here…
Normally, if there is a high certainty of rain, “The Q” (Qualcomm stadium) will be at 75% occupancy…but there is no chance of showers…So I really do not have an answer for you (other than the obvious economic factors playing into the discussion)
It looks like all of us here in S.D will have to hunker down and weather the rolling blackouts this season…

The biggest problem San Diego faces as a sports city is that a large majority of the population moves there instead of growing up there, and are therefore fans of other out-of-town teams. For the past few years, the Chargers have come dangerously close to not selling out a lot of their home games for this reason. The argument that there’s better things to do in SD is just silly. I think the economy has pushed a couple thousand people away that would’ve normally bought tickets, so the Chargers go from “dangerously close to not selling out some games” to “probably not going to sell out most games”.

Not that I’m buying into the theory, but nobody in their right mind calls their best play on 3rd and 30. You have literally zero chance of converting the first down. Just call the play that offers the least amount of risk and a chance at picking up a few yards. I would’ve called for slants over the middle.

i would add in “establish the Run.”

It’s what we do best and with your question marks on D-Line, as well as your Linebackers seeming to re-learn their positions against Oakland, I’d say we need to pound that rock and throw blockers at every blue jersey we see. I want Merriman to be fighting through a mass of blockers just to get inside at Ray Rice on a 2nd and 6 running play.

If the Ravens establish the run and get an early lead, we may be the hardest team to play against. If we can’t do that, it’s a different game entirely.

Unless Flacco is even better than we think he is.

You think Sproles can’t outrace the Ravens DBs and LBs.

Also, “What a nut” is not a legitimate criticism unless you’re talking about T.O., Pac Man or Plaxico.

merriman is a shelf of himself.

Norv was Cam’s mentor, so the same may be true for the Chargers’ defense.

I just finished fighting the Swine. It is terrible. 556 cases at UMD since the semester started.

You need to learn how to use the “reply” button.

315

Sure there’s rumblings. Every football team has fans that overreact or flat don’t know what they’re talking about.

The Chargers have made it very clear, Sproles will never be a feature back in San Diego. They just don’t think he’s capable of it. There’s talk of him being a better weapon, but not a better running back. There is the possibility that Michael Bennett could start in place of LT, and considering how good Bennett was in the preseason a lot of people expect him to be better than LT.

Merriman is what he is at this point. If he’s ever going to return to his form as one of the top pass-rushers in the NFL, it’s not going to happen in week 2. His knee is still not 100%, and he needs to get back into football shape. If you ask me, he’s got a little too much bulk and not enough flexibility after spending the last year in the gym. Just my opinion though.

The only way to stop a screen pass is to sniff it out and have all of your defensive front seven run towards it before the ball is thrown. Luckily, about 3-4 years ago, teams that liked to run screens figured out that the WRs should be running routes in case this happens. So you’re left with either Sproles getting the ball with good blocker or Rivers getting a ton of time and no pressure in his face. Either way, it’s a win.

of that photo in my Ravens-themed basement!

Isn’t everybody on the hot seat? If the Ravens went 2-14, wouldn’t they consider a coaching change?

If the Chargers win the AFC West and win at least one playoff game, as they’ve reliably done for two years, they will keep him.

Last year was actually a good year for Norv as a head coach. The same way Belichick got credit for getting 10 wins without Brady, Turner should get credit for getting 8 wins without Merriman or a semblance of a pass rush. Also, LT was injured all season and Rivers was returning from knee surgery (just like Brady, except you never heard about it).

Look, Norv was hired to win playoff games and he’s done that. That’s a step past where Marty Schottenheimer was able to get. If you look at the past two seasons, the Chargers have had unbelievably bad luck when it comes to health in the playoffs. If you can find a way to attribute that to Norv, I guess he’s a bad coach, but I actually think he’s a very good coach who made some bad decisions (taking jobs with Washington and Oakland) and has had some bad luck.

Since people love to pile on, Norv will always have critics until he wins a Super Bowl. Even then, he’ll still have some that say he’s a bad coach and anyone could’ve won with that team, etc. etc. People love to hate on Norval.

The Ravens would be better without purple…

That’s blasphemous, sir, and I’ll thank you to recant your statement.

We got rid of McAllister because he was a cap casualty and had lost a step and couldn’t stay healthy…

We ditched C-Mac because he wasn’t buying into Harbaugh’s system. A good question would be how good a player would have to be for Harbaugh to overlook a problem like that. At that point in his career, McAlister definitely wasn’t. I wonder if Harbaugh would even consider it at all, regardless of a player’s skill.

are you getting out of sheppard pratt for the game? if so a bunch of us are going to the Emerald Tavern around 3. if i don’t see you there i will call you about next week tuesday or wed.