Ok, so I’ve been listening to a fair amount of Pearl Jam. Last week I watched the first half on TV up until we got the 8-point lead. Then I listened in the car as we surrendered the tying points. Then I watched for a while as my friend and I drove to The Garden for the Dead and Company show. I listened to the fourth quarter and OT in the car.
What a fucking shit show. If Melvin Gordon isn’t hurt, then why did he basically pull up before the first down marker early in the game. This is a guy who was running over people left and right earlier in the year. He level a Raider out of bounds and now he’s bracing himself for impact? So Lynn goes to Ek-el-er, who scores two touchdowns. I can’t fault Lynn for keeping him in after the first Boston interception. It’s not like Gordon didn’t fumble last season against New Orleans in a similar spot. No Gordon hasn’t fumbled all year, but he wasn’t doing shit all day on Sunday. The crazy thing is not only did Ekler fumble, but that it originally looked like it was returned for a touchdown. It was the Bolts’ version of “Miracle At The Meadowlands,” but they not only avoided giving up seven–they didn’t even surrender the field goal. That was because Tre Boston, who could have ended the game with a pick 6, got his second pick in the last two minutes. When I heard on the radio that he ran out of bounds, I assumed he was giving himself up to avoid fumbling or something. You know, Marlon McCree and all. But even Matt “Money” Smith, one of the worst play-by-play guys I’ve ever heard, said at the time he didn’t understand Boston’s thinking.
But seeing the footage of him afterwards celebrating and taunting his way out of bounds was beyond sickening. Anthony Lynn says he’s never seen someone make a stupid play like that. However, these guys continue to do these things on his watch. Is he benching anyone? Does he chew them out? Why is Travis Benjamin still getting key targets when he’s done nothing to deserve them? Why is he still returning kicks? Tyrell Williams has done so much more bad than good, so why is he still in there in front of Mike Williams?
I know I asked these questions after the Patriots game, but this shit is still happening. CBS’ Will Brinson was on The Mighty 1090 saying Lynn has cost this team at least four games already. He might be right. Wisenhunt has been awful. There were plays in Jacksoville where Gordon was just hanging out in the backfield with no idea of what to do. These guys get up to the line and seem completely clueless. I read Wisenhunt recently alluding to the Washington debacle of 2013 with Mathews not getting the ball on the goal line. He’s the one who called the fucking plays! He still does.
It seems like just yesterday that I was bitching about Ralph Friedgen not being imaginative enough. The Washington was one of many games that made me doubt Wisenhunt, but Reich was so bad that people forgot. Meanwhile, Reich is doing great in Philly. These guys only suck with us? We have new players, a new coach, and a new city and have EXACTLY THE SAME TEAM. Novak finally hits a 50-yarder and it still doesn’t matter. They gave up field goals to Josh Lambo. The late hit on Bosa looks a little shady, especially when you look at the high-low job on Rivers. But when you don’t look like you have no idea what you’re doing out there, refs don’t tend to give you the benefit of the doubt. The Chargers couldn’t run out the clock in Indy last year either. I get why you want to run the ball, but maybe try to get a first down however you can? Hunter Henry has been so badly neglected it’s crazy.
Fortunately, I was able to get out of the Christmas Eve game against the Jets. If it actually meant something, I’d find a way to go. But this team isn’t making the playoffs mostly because it doesn’t deserve to. Coaching has been part of it, but they’ve blown so many chances so far. They will not go 10-6 and the only way they go 9-7 is if 10-6 is needed to get in. They’ll win a few and make it seem like they might do something, but in the end they won’t. It’s the same thing they do each game. When they were up by eight, they needed to put the game away. But they ran some shit play and had to punt. Of course, Kaser has been great all year but was awful in the fourth quarter when we needed him the most. He got hit in the first quarter but another stupid penalty made it moot.
I don’t know what they’ll do against Buffalo. I assume the first-time starter will have the game of his life. But what’s more likely is that the Chargers win a few games and then follow the pattern they’ve always followed. What would 7-9 do? The offense has been relatively healthy and they haven’t done shit. The defense was solid but couldn’t finish the game against Blake Bortles. I haven’t seen a change in culture, no matter what Joey Bosa says. Lynn looks over his head, like the two coordinators-turned-coaches that came before him. Does Dean refuse to hire someone who is established and might be too autonomous? That’s what everyone says. With rumblings of Jon Gruden coming back to the Raiders, maybe the Chargers should go after Del Rio. At least he’s taken two teams to the postseason.
Anyway, talk to you before Thanksgiving.
JIC,
RLW
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