Well Done. No Excuses here.

[gomezcat]

It was a good post on your part, LT. I would echo what everyone else has said. San Diego is a very talented team with little maturity and leadership.
If there were a way to bring in a real arse-kicker of a coach who knows how to win games, I would do it, because the right coaching staff could bring a Superbowl win for you. IMO, the right person, who would take no prisoners, is Bill Cowher but he would have to be given a lot to take the job.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

Domination on both sides of the ball. Great game. IMO the Pats are the team to beat this year. Scary good. The Brady/Moss connection could be HUGE for you guys. Seau seemed inspired to beat his old team thats for sure.

Grats!


Many of you saw the game last year. Now this debacle. In your opinion do you think San Diego's regression is due to the new coaching staff? With the same team pretty much intact I am finding it hard to figure out why this team is struggling so much. From what I saw last night we'll be lucky to make the playoffs.

Good luck the rest of the year.

Personally, I think SD's problem isn't coaching, its the QB. I dont know what people see in Rivers, but he's got big time happy feet and lousy decision making. If you guys still had Drew Brees, well, you guys would be defending SB champs today. How you guys let him go is beyond me.

 

[Snake]

Domination on both sides of the ball. Great game. IMO the Pats are the team to beat this year. Scary good. The Brady/Moss connection could be HUGE for you guys. Seau seemed inspired to beat his old team thats for sure.

Grats!


Many of you saw the game last year. Now this debacle. In your opinion do you think San Diego's regression is due to the new coaching staff? With the same team pretty much intact I am finding it hard to figure out why this team is struggling so much. From what I saw last night we'll be lucky to make the playoffs.

Good luck the rest of the year.

Thanks for the words, LT. Bottom line..the Patriots is not the same team you saw in January. Your team is pretty much the same. The difference in the Patriots is close to being exponential. The off-season acquisitions have proven to be a big time difference this year. There is no discounting the talent of Randy Moss...three TD's and 17 catches in two games...pshew.

The Patriots has so many weapons this year. Brady..80% completion rate, and two games putting 38 points on the board.

Some of the close-up shots of Rivers made him look like he was a new recruit facing a barrage of mind-boggling and very lethal artillery. He actually looked scared.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Good post, LT.

My view is that the Chargers are regressing a bit and that you really don't need to look any further than the coaching change, as others have said. It's not that I think Norv is a bad coach, or even worse than Marty, but you just can't expect a change on a team that significant not to have a negative consequence in the short term.

Pete Carroll was 8-8 in his last year with the Pats. They moved on to the best coach they've ever had the next year, and he was 5-11. I don't care how good a coach is, this is a complicated game. The amount of information that a player must assimilate about a scheme or playbook is massive, and they must not only learn it, but learn it so well it becomes second nature without thinking. I don't think you can ever expect a change as significant as head coach will not have some wrinkles.

It's way too early to judge the long-term effect of the Norv acquistion. But I don't think there was a moderately serious football fan who didn't think that it would cause problems in the short-term -- at least for this season or the early part of it. I thought that if the Chargers' desire was to try to capitalize on having a great team with great talent to win this year, it was a really dumb move. If the decision was to keep the ball rolling for the long-term with a good coach who was available, it was a smart move. But I don't think the average Chargers fan has the patience for the short term.

Now, all that said, maybe it won't take a full season. I think the Chargers will be a better team in December than they are today, for sure. And they have enough talent to keep the loss total down while that takes effect. I'm not sure they are a candidate for a first-week bye or home field advantage. Maybe. But they are probably on the outside looking in. But that doesn't mean they won't get to and make noise in the playoffs.

 

[ursa99]

Domination on both sides of the ball. Great game. IMO the Pats are the team to beat this year. Scary good. The Brady/Moss connection could be HUGE for you guys. Seau seemed inspired to beat his old team thats for sure.

Grats!


Many of you saw the game last year. Now this debacle. In your opinion do you think San Diego's regression is due to the new coaching staff? With the same team pretty much intact I am finding it hard to figure out why this team is struggling so much. From what I saw last night we'll be lucky to make the playoffs.

Good luck the rest of the year.

San Diego gutted it's coaching staff. Continuity is very important in this league. Changes were made because the GM didn't see eye to eye with the coach. No one could predict if the new coach would be better or worse than the prior coach. Time will tell and so far it's not looking good. To many variables. Sad to say that in spite of enormous talent SD will have a rough time this year.

Bottom line is if you look at what is different from last year the answer so far is yes, it's the coaching changes responsible for the poor start.

 

[MiChargers]

Personally, I think SD's problem isn't coaching, its the QB. I dont know what people see in Rivers, but he's got big time happy feet and lousy decision making. If you guys still had Drew Brees, well, you guys would be defending SB champs today. How you guys let him go is beyond me.

You're right, he does have happy feet. However, that's primarily because the O-line was so crappy. There were a couple of games last year when the same thing happened. However, that's not the real Rivers. I disagree about Brees. He has poor games too. Rivers does need more time to develop though and be able to stand in the pocket with confidence. Last night wasnt a good chance to do that, as our line sucked. He'll get his mo-jo back, no worries. Hats off to your team on a well played game. I wish it could have been a closer game.

 

[BritPat]

LY=MVP,

Thanks for your post.

I see two major problems with San Diego.

1) The GM (AJ Smith?) does not understand that he has to put personal bias aside and manage in a way that sets the team up to win. I am no Marty Schottenheimer fan. I think he chokes in big games going back to Cleveland and KC, but you really have to give a guy who went 14-2 a chance to try and build on that success, don't you?

And then to bring in a coach with a .400 winning % to replace him?

This move confounded me. As a Pats fan, I was glad they did it, but as a football fan, I just didn't get it.

2) LaDanian Tomlinson (I refuse to call him "LT" because in my mind, there was - and is - only one "LT" and he played LB for Giants) and Philip Rivers need to grow up a little. They spend a lot of time making comments about this and that and filming nice intros for the Sunday night game getting out of limos and such and such.

But they do not seem determined to get their heads screwed on in such a way that they are willing to make the sacrifices needed to stay focused on the task at hand. Their physical tools are not in question. It's the old "Bull Durham" thing: "a million dollar arm and .10 cent head".

And this may be partially beause they are young and immature and it may have to do with how they have been coached, but there is just something missing with those two.

They both have tremndous talent and should be leaders on that team, but all they lead is the making excuses and whining and complaining.

There was a story from last night's game - and I don't know if it is true because I was no there - but if it is, you, as a Bolts fan HAVE to be concerned.

The story was that with Chargers get torn a new sphinxter, some Pats fans were hassling Rivers on the San Diego bench from the stands. Rivers responded by pretending to count his money, as if to say to the fans, "I make more money than you, you losers."

Which is an overt sign that this kid measures success by his paycheck.

In New England, we measure success in championships.

Pure class from start to finish.

Very very well said.

 

[BritPat]

I'll be honest. Its their egos. With leaders like LdT, Rivers and Merriman, you have 3 guys who think its their RIGHT to win. The team I saw last night acted as if they just had to show up and the Pats would keel over in awe. That the Chargers wouldn't actually have to give an effort.

Merriman continued to prove his arrogance with his stupid celebrating while down 24-0.

Unfortunately, the Chargers don't have any veteran leadership the way the Pats do. The Pats have established guys (Bruschi, Vrabel, Brady, Troy Brown, Richard Seymour, etc) who RUN the locker-room. Willie McGinest was like the godfather when he was here. If you messed up, he took you aside and let you know it. That's been taken over by the others.

Even Junior Seau has come in and meshed with this team lock, stock and barrel. In fact, Seau has meshed so well, the TEAM made him a captain. And then there's Rodney, who is also a team leader.

Leadership isn't over-rated. Its KEY. And the Chargers don't have enough of it.

A good leader would have pulled Merriman aside and told him to chill. Same with LdT and Rivers.

Rivers will never be a good QB until he can learn to control his emotions. They dominate him. Because they do, he's easily rattled.

Honestly, I think the 9-7 season back in 2002 was one of the best things for the Patriots, because it knocked them down a peg and made them realize they have to show up game in and game out.

I don't know if the players on San Diego are mature enough to learn that lesson. And I don't think that Turner is a good enough coach to teach them.

And another.

Excellent post.

 

[DW Toys]

LT = MVP what do you make of the play of the Chargers O-Line this year so far? I'm not sure LT is to blame for his lack of running yards. The O-Line doesn't seem to be creating the same opportunities. Even the pass protection doesn't look as good as last year.

The WR Davis needs to improve quickly. Put an outside threat on the Chargers O with Gates and LT and they'll be hard to stop. Also the silly penalties on the D need to be cut out. See the Roughing the Passer call last night. They hit Brady really late - just a silly penalty to give away.

The Chargers will still be in the playoffs this year.

Cousin,
They are still young and need to mature. Norv is an excellent OC but not a very good HC lets face it. This was a sideways move if any.You are one loss away from digressing since 2006 with Marty. Maybe Smith should have left instead. Seems like the team played for Marty. He was emotional and Norv seems like a slug.
You need a WR to step up. Actually Caldwell was better than what you have now I believe. If you scheme Gates and gang box LT, Rivers has no reliable options. I think you miss LB Edwards quite a bit. He always played the Pats well. You'll be o.k. To many other weapons.
DW Toys

 

[Fencer]

I think the team lacks heart, and that the players have been spoiled enough you need a coach who instills some heart in them.

Punting on 4th and 4, trailing by more than one score, with 3 minutes to go? Heartless indeed.

But I also agree than a WR upgrade would make your offense seriously scary.

 

[BoltsFan]

Thanks for the words, LT. Bottom line..the Patriots is not the same team you saw in January. Your team is pretty much the same. The difference in the Patriots is close to being exponential. The off-season acquisitions have proven to be a big time difference this year. There is no discounting the talent of Randy Moss...three TD's and 17 catches in two games...pshew.

The Patriots has so many weapons this year. Brady..80% completion rate, and two games putting 38 points on the board.

Some of the close-up shots of Rivers made him look like he was a new recruit facing a barrage of mind-boggling and very lethal artillery. He actually looked scared.

This is true and that's what surprised me the most. The pats offense is hitting on all cylinders 2 weeks into the season. NE's offense is not exactly stopable right now. SD's got a long ways to go if we hope to compete in the post season. The minute NE took the opening drive down the field and scored I knew SD would have to win a shootout if it hoped to win. SD's offense did not measure up. It's one game and it's still early in the season but SD definitely has some work to do.

 

[NE39]

Here is how I see it LT:

The biggest problem the Chargers have is they bought into themselves too early. They believed all the press and got the idea they have arrived, when they haven't even won a playoff game yet. The Pats are hardened to difficulty, and know how the play through them and still make the plays to win. It isn't always going to be easy, so a team needs to learn to persevere. The Chargers haven't yet.

Turner is going to be a lightning rod, but he isn't the biggest problem. He may not be a great head coach, but the players should take more blame.

QB is an issue, too, IMO. Phillip Rivers has a chance to be a real good player, but he still has a long way to go. He needs to learn to stay in control and keep his poise, a QB can't afford to be all nutty and trash-talking. He should calm down and do his job. Like any young QB he will take his lumps at times, and he will need to learn to work through it.

expect a lot more teams to spread your defense out as well. SD is built to stop the run on defense, so the Pats just spread them out and threw the ball rather than beat their head into a wall. That exposed a secondary that struggles at times, and SD will have to learn to counter that. That said, not every team can do it as effectively as the Pats did last night.

SD is still a good team, but there is a lot more to winning in the NFL than raw talent. SD seems to lack those things right now.

 

[The_Dragon]

Yeah I completely agree that late hit was STUPID. Wasn't that on a 3rd down that would have resulted in a punt? As for the O line I think you're absolutely right. Seems Rivers isn't getting any time or even a good pocket to stand in. Same with the running lanes. They just aren't there. It seems there's no real flow to the offense.

I was pretty pissed about the play call to pass on 3rd and 1. Why? Then look at the result pick for a TD. Just terrible IMO.

I am very concerned. I just hope Norville can right this ship, because what I've seen in two games scares me.

That's the one - the pass had gone incomplete to Stallworth I think. The hit itself wasn't bad but it was just so late. Reminded me of the Drayton Florence penalty(headbutt?) last year in the playoffs that threw us a lifeline. If you think about the teams that win c'ships they generally don't get caught for indisciplined penalties like that.

I wouldn't be as worried as you seem to be though - the Chargers are 1-1 after playing 2 of the league's top defenses. One thing they really need to realise now is that they are a top target for every team in the league now. Along with the Pats and the Colts they are in the top 3 three teams in the league and every other team raises their game when playing them. They need to be ready for that every game.

Also every team is going to key in on stopping LT and Gates as a priority - Jackson, Davis, Parker and others will really need to step up this year. As I said I still think they'll be in the playoffs.

Finally, I agree, the 3rd and 1 was a crazy call. The Patriots had stuffed them on a 3rd and 1 before that I think but I fully expected the Chargers to go for it again. I'm not sure if it was a lack of conviction by Norv or was he just trying to outwit the Pats with the play(I assume NE would have expected the run as well).


LT can I ask what you thought when the Chargers hired Norv? Personally I thought it was crazy - the mans track record speaks for itself. I felt the Chargers needed a harder type of coach - someone that would be tougher and more demanding, drive them hard. Norv seems like a nice guy, which is not something I necessarily want in my head coach.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Here is how I see it LT:

The biggest problem the Chargers have is they bought into themselves too early. They believed all the press and got the idea they have arrived, when they haven't even won a playoff game yet. The Pats are hardened to difficulty, and know how the play through them and still make the plays to win. It isn't always going to be easy, so a team needs to learn to persevere. The Chargers haven't yet.

Turner is going to be a lightning rod, but he isn't the biggest problem. He may not be a great head coach, but the players should take more blame.

QB is an issue, too, IMO. Phillip Rivers has a chance to be a real good player, but he still has a long way to go. He needs to learn to stay in control and keep his poise, a QB can't afford to be all nutty and trash-talking. He should calm down and do his job. Like any young QB he will take his lumps at times, and he will need to learn to work through it.

expect a lot more teams to spread your defense out as well. SD is built to stop the run on defense, so the Pats just spread them out and threw the ball rather than beat their head into a wall. That exposed a secondary that struggles at times, and SD will have to learn to counter that. That said, not every team can do it as effectively as the Pats did last night.

SD is still a good team, but there is a lot more to winning in the NFL than raw talent. SD seems to lack those things right now.

I don't know if other teams will be able to spread their defense. They get a lot of pressure on the QB. Luckily, the Pats were able to give Brady time. That was huge. Most teams can't stop he Bolts pass rush. Every team has a clunker game, I don't expect the Bolts to play his bad for the rest of the season, they are just too good. The Pats played an excellent game, the Bolts were pretty bad, simple black and white.

 

[The_Dragon]

Leadership isn't over-rated. Its KEY.


Honestly, I think the 9-7 season back in 2002 was one of the best things for the Patriots, because it knocked them down a peg and made them realize they have to show up game in and game out.

2 points I couldn't agree more with it. The leadership issue applies throughout the league - not just with the Chargers. Luckily for us Pats fans we have so much of it in the locker room and we continue to look for it in the draft in and in FA pickups. See Adalius Thomas.

It would be hard to quantify just how important it is to success.

 

[onegameatatime]

Seems straightforward that:

1. Rivers is average and might get better, but is not great now.

2. SD's WRs are not that good, and Rivers is not good enough to overcome it (unlike TB).

3. SD's DBs are not that good.

On the Pats side:

1. O-line was good enough to stop most of the pressure. Kudos to RBs too, and especially Faulk (the forgotten man).

2. Front 7-9 was good enough to stop LadT.