Nightmares in Sandiego

The much anticipated week two match up of the Sandiego Chargers and New England Patriots disappointed many a viewer as the billed clash of two titans seemed more like a lamb in a slaughterhouse. The Pats demolished the chargers in a very methodical machine like fashion. For me however, the outcome wasn’t as shocking as what the play of the game confirmed. First, it confirmed that Moss plus Brady equals incredibly scary. Moss completely tore up the Sandiego secondary so bad in the first 6 minutes of the game that the entire defense turned to him leaving the likes of Watson, Welker, and Stallworth in man to man or wide open. And what’s scarier, is even with a corner and safety lined up on him every down there on after, moss still managed to make play after play whenever Brady felt like throwing his way. But more consequentially then commenting on the Patriots who as usual are on pace for a playoff clash with the Colts, the Chargers seem to have dropped a step back. The question mark I had about Norv Turner as head coach seems to be coming to fruition as multiple times did I have horrid flashbacks to Gannon taking 7 step drops and getting pummeled. His play calling was atrocious which was only compounded by the poor decision making early on of Phillip Rivers. On the opening drop back Rivers threw a pick to Colvin. Replay showed rivers staring right at the linebacker, and seemed to attempt to toss it over his head into the waiting receiver’s arms, who was still covered on the outside regardless. But why is he even looking to the sideline on the opening drop back? The 3 -4 scheme is designed to take away the edges. Either that Linebacker rushes or drops back on the outside. And much of the first half was called this way from the SD sideline, just putting Rivers in a position to fail. As madden quoted of Norv Turner “we need guys other than Gates and Tomlinson to make plays, so we are going to try and get them involved early.” That statement is unbelievable. Especially considering the weakness OF ANY 3-4 defense is up the gut with the run and over the middle to the Tight End, which the Chargers have the two best in the league. But that’s ok; at half time they will go into the locker room and right that ship. So the chargers come out in the second looking like they should have in the first, efficiently moving the ball up and down the field with the Tomlinson/Gates combo we know and love. Then some receivers start opening up and the offence looks in rhythm with a sequence of 3 - 5 step drops and Tomlinson rushes. Tomlinson is even starting to look in form, like he may be poised to break something big. But that is when the giant question mark of what the chargers will be occurs. New England fumbles the kick return to start the 4th and Sandiego recovers in great field position across the 40. I stare at the screen and see the New England defenders poised to blitz like crazy, and all I can think in my head is “Tomlinson draw, breaks it big" and the chargers will be back in the game. But no, the Gannon killer 7 step drop, which makes regular appearances in nightmares of Raiders fans, pops out, and down goes Rivers. All right, that’s understandable. He wanted to go for the big play downfield to keep momentum. But now its second and 20, in 4 down territory, surely we’ll see Tomlinson run here in the face of another pass blitz. Woops, wrong again, as Rivers stumbles into a seven step drop and gets absolutely wrecked, a fumble follows, chargers recover, 3rd and 30. And in 3rd and 30 not even the annexation of Puerto Rico can save you against Belichek and the Pats. Chargers punt and New England kills the clock (all ten minutes that were left). I wish I weren’t saying this again but Norv Turner killed a powerful Oakland offence that has still yet to recover long after his departure and the talented chargers seem to be on the same path. It begs the question as to what he is thinking, and why he keeps getting rehired. If the Pats can’t stop the Tomlinson run, Gates up the middle combo, who can? The chargers rolled last year with this strategy and for all intensive purposes could have been in that championship game. The wide outs will get involved, as they did last year when Gates and Tomlinson garner all the attention and they are left open or in man coverage down field. It doesn’t work the other way around. And if Turner can’t look at the game film from weeks 1 and 2 and see what’s going on, the Chargers will have an early playoff exit, and Turner will have a very short tenure in Sandiego.