Chargers' loss this Sunday will be the beginning of their decline this year

[Sunqueen212]

The media has dubbed SD a powerhouse, which is deserving since they had a 14-2 record last year. But, I see a significant decline in their number of wins this year. 11-5 is my prediction. Anyway, two "powerhouses", one with a chip on its shoulder the other feeling disrespected. I like the Pats chance in this matchup.

I am not certain this is going to be one of the best games of the season. It will be a hard-hitting grinder for sure, but SD will have too many turnovers. Their quarterback is a good one, and will undoubtedly get better in a couple of years, but Rivers is inexperienced and will be confused by a BB defense that is well-rested and focused, unlike last time.

SD is not as good as advertised evidenced by their sloppy win against Bears. IMO they will have at least 5 losses this year, but will play well vs. the Pats by feeding off of pent-up frustration from last year. In the end, the Patriots will pull off a win. It will be a high-scoring nailbiter. Their 27-24 loss to our beloved Pats will only be the beginning of their decline into mortality for the year.

 

[patsox23]

The Patriots are going to win this game by more than a TD. Book it. This one they play their asses off, a fire under them, FOR Belichick. It's a shame Rodney cheated too - I'd love to see him in this game. It's gotta kill him not to be there. Idiot.

 

[95stang]

I have been excited about this game too. I do think all thats going on is a distraction, and I hope it goes away soon.

As a side note, I would be interested in what other teams do in the area of trying to figure out play calls compared to what we have done. I feel if we did something wrong and get punished (thats fair) then so should others if they are guilty too.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

Seriously-I'd like to see how many coaching blunders Norv makes.

When he was the Skins coach-it was the norm every year for the Eagles/Cowboys/Giants to outcoach his tail in Dec.

 

[PatriotsReign]

The media has dubbed SD a powerhouse, which is deserving since they had a 14-2 record last year. But, I see a significant decline in their number of wins this year. 11-5 is my prediction. Anyway, two "powerhouses", one with a chip on its shoulder the other feeling disrespected. I like the Pats chance in this matchup.

I am not certain this is going to be one of the best games of the season. It will be a hard-hitting grinder for sure, but SD will have too many turnovers. Their quarterback is a good one, and will undoubtedly get better in a couple of years, but Rivers is inexperienced and will be confused by a BB defense that is well-rested and focused, unlike last time.

SD is not as good as advertised evidenced by their sloppy win against Bears. IMO they will have at least 5 losses this year, but will play well vs. the Pats by feeding off of pent-up frustration from last year. In the end, the Patriots will pull off a win. It will be a high-scoring nailbiter. Their 27-24 loss to our beloved Pats will only be the beginning of their decline into mortality for the year.

OK, not bad my queen! I'm "fairly" impressed.

I'd like to add that the Chargers weakest link is their secondary so we need to really establish the run early to get them to creep up. Although their linebackers are excellent, I think our O line is good enough to break some big gainers outside. that way, we can really spread the field to open up the passing lanes.

The BIG issue is that if we pass too much, we'll put the ball in LT's hands way too often. I'd love to see us try to run most of the game and control the clock. With a guy like LT, you don't even need a passing game.

 

[CanadianBoltFan]

The media has dubbed SD a powerhouse, which is deserving since they had a 14-2 record last year. But, I see a significant decline in their number of wins this year. 11-5 is my prediction. Anyway, two "powerhouses", one with a chip on its shoulder the other feeling disrespected. I like the Pats chance in this matchup.

I am not certain this is going to be one of the best games of the season. It will be a hard-hitting grinder for sure, but SD will have too many turnovers. Their quarterback is a good one, and will undoubtedly get better in a couple of years, but Rivers is inexperienced and will be confused by a BB defense that is well-rested and focused, unlike last time.

SD is not as good as advertised evidenced by their sloppy win against Bears. IMO they will have at least 5 losses this year, but will play well vs. the Pats by feeding off of pent-up frustration from last year. In the end, the Patriots will pull off a win. It will be a high-scoring nailbiter. Their 27-24 loss to our beloved Pats will only be the beginning of their decline into mortality for the year.

So you have determined after ONE game, the first game of the season when SD played a very tough defense, a better defense than the Patriots, that they are not as good as advertised.

What an expert you must be to evaluate a teams season on opening day.

Pretty hard to look "sloppy" the way the Jets played.

The Patriots will get all they can handle on Sunday. Expect a far more physical game than the Jets and a defense that will get after Brady. Your offensive line will be far more challenged this week.

 

[Fencer]

The Pats have started the decline of many a team by exposing the secret master way to clobbering them.

But if they were going to do that to the Chargers, it would have happened last January.

I think the Pats will exploit talents like AD, Moss, and Brady -- only one of whom was on the team last January -- to give the Chargers a pretty sound drubbing. But that's not something that's going to create a blueprint for teams without players of that kind to follow.

And remember something, Bolts fans -- those are almost pure additions. The Pats didn't have Harrison or a healthy Seymour in January either, and even apart from those two were possibly just as battered by the long season as the Chargers were.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

So you have determined after ONE game, the first game of the season when SD played a very tough defense, a better defense than the Patriots, that they are not as good as advertised.

What an expert you must be to evaluate a teams season on opening day.

Pretty hard to look "sloppy" the way the Jets played.

The Patriots will get all they can handle on Sunday. Expect a far more physical game than the Jets and a defense that will get after Brady. Your offensive line will be far more challenged this week.

Personally-I thought Chicago controlled the tempo of that game. Rex actually looked pretty decent. And do they MISS Thomas Jones-otherwise, those 2 fumbles wouldn't have happened.

You're right-I wouldn't judge any team after one game, but being a Dallas fan myself-I've watched alot of Skins games for years. As the season wears on, Norv will snatch defeat from the hands of victory. Personally, I hope he does well(he was an integral part of our SBs)-but I was relieved Jerry didn't hire him at the end.

OTOH-Norv is calling his own plays(unlike in Wash and Oakland-who had horrible playcallers)-so things may be different.

 

[TripleOption]

a defense that will get after Brady. Your offensive line will be far more challenged this week.

Sweet. That means that Moss, Stallworth and Welker are locked up with DB's in Man coverage. Who do you think wins that war?

The 3-4 can bring 4-5 defenders without compromising pass coverage. They will bring at least 5, as Merriman will be a rush end.

If they want to bring 6 or 7, they will either void zones or get into Man. If they think they can do what they did to the Bears and bring pressure with the Nickel CB, they are insane. If Brady sees it and hits Welker or Moss, it's 6 points.

 

[FloridaPatsFan]

I like our chances this sunday, but everything I have read coming out of the Chargers this week is that they are still pissed about last years playoff game. I don't think this is going to be an easy game for us at all.

If there is one thing I have learned watching the NFL since the 70's, its this: You are not as good or as bad as you are on opening day.

In other words, we should throw out last weeks game as an indicator of how good we are, as should the Jets (being blown out).

 

[wistahpatsfan]

Being pissed does not translate into wins. Being more prepared with a better game plan and better talent does.

I think Grossman looked decent but we all know what that means...SD didn't play defense very well. The only alternative is that Grossman suddenly became an effective quarterback....

 

[njpatsfan]

I think the decline happened at 00:00 of the clock in last years playoff game. I have never seen a team become so unhinged - including their front office. Who fires a 14-2 coach ?

And their play on Sunday. Ordinary - perhaps mediocre. Merrimann had 3 tackles and zero sacks, and was all but invisible most of the game. And the bears used the same playbook that BB used last year - contain Tomlinson and make Rivers beat you. If the Bears hadn't turned the ball over so many times, it would have been a big loss at home.

You are hearing some of the same mouthings from the players as last year - but without the same confidence. It doesn't seem to be the same team we played last year. Sometimes losses like that just shatter a team.

We'll find out next Sunday.

R

 

[WaBoltsFan]

Confident much? Must be nice to own a time machine. Perhaps you should have let BB borrow it last week to figure out the plays after they happened, rather than cheat and steal them.

 

[Patriot_in_NY]

I think that this whole CAMERA-GATE puts a huge chip on their shoulder. One they have not had in years (2001-2002).

I'd expect a fairly motivated team to show up on Sunday night.

 

[MiChargers]

I think the decline happened at 00:00 of the clock in last years playoff game. I have never seen a team become so unhinged - including their front office. Who fires a 14-2 coach ?

And their play on Sunday. Ordinary - perhaps mediocre. Merrimann had 3 tackles and zero sacks, and was all but invisible most of the game. And the bears used the same playbook that BB used last year - contain Tomlinson and make Rivers beat you. If the Bears hadn't turned the ball over so many times, it would have been a big loss at home.

You are hearing some of the same mouthings from the players as last year - but without the same confidence. It doesn't seem to be the same team we played last year. Sometimes losses like that just shatter a team.

We'll find out next Sunday.

R

Yeah, it's the Chargers organization that has become unhinged. Have you read the paper today? Your team, organization, and this forum is in disarray. This Sunday's game will be good. However, if we do lose, do you really believe that losing one game (in week 2 no less) to a top-ranked team will be our demise. Yeah, we might as well write off the season. Could you guys be more self-absorbed? If the Pats lose, I'm pretty sure you will still have a great season.

 

[godef]

SD is not as good as advertised evidenced by their sloppy win against Bears.

Hey, just remember how sloppy the Pats looked last season in the opener against the Bills. They ended up a heartbeat away from winning it all.

 

[scout]

I live in Chicago and have been reading some qoutes from the Chargers. You would think, after barely beating a team while playing at home, you would have a little less bravado. The defensive coach, Ron Rivera had called Grossman a mental midget, you could get inside his head. So, now that we are in the middle of next week, Chargers lb Matt Wilhelm is talking to the press about it. Shaun Phillips in an interview on Sirius radio is saying Cedric Benson is soft. Saying give him a couple of shots and he will fold and take it in. Phillips then said that what San Diego was doing will haunt Benson the rest of his career.
What a class outfit. It's not like they blew the Bears away. If they meet again this year (hopefully not) it will not be at San Diego.

 

[ribanez]

I hardly think that you can guage any team's season based on their first game performance. Does anyone really think that Philly, New Orleans, Baltimore or Chicago won't be contenders at the end of the season?

This is only the 2nd game of the season. A loss by either team will not diminish either team's chances of making the playoffs.

 

[patpatriot]

So you have determined after ONE game, the first game of the season when SD played a very tough defense, a better defense than the Patriots, that they are not as good as advertised.

The Pats beat the Bears last year. That means they have a *better* defense than the Bears. And their offense is slightly better than the Bears don't you think? The Bolts are beat up from a very physical game Sunday and have to travel to the East Coast to face an angry team fired up to prove to their critics that they are legit and to shut them up once and for all.

I like the Pats chances in this one.

 

[ribanez]

The Pats beat the Bears last year. That means they have a *better* defense than the Bears. And their offense is slightly better than the Bears don't you think? The Bolts are beat up from a very physical game Sunday and have to travel to the East Coast to face an angry team fired up to prove to their critics that they are legit and to shut them up once and for all.

I like the Pats chances in this one.

I'm a Charger fan and I like the Pats chances this Sunday too, but a loss this Sunday will not be the end of their season nor will it mark the beginning of their decline.