I said I would look at this team differently if they won in Atlanta and I kept my word. But they showed that they are exactly what we feared on Sunday. We can focus on four straight passes down by 8. But I’ve been spending the better part of the last 4 seasons complaining about the playcalling. McCoward? Wisenhunt? I don’t know who is to blame in the end. Going back to the Washington debacle of 2013, you can’t tell me that Whiz is above reproach. Matt Slauson was on 1090 saying the plays got in late and that everyone including Rivers looked frustrated with each successive gunning play. Then McClueless came out an said that no more players would be interviewed like that.
It’s the same idiocy of Schottenheimer, AJ and Norv. It starts with Dean, but this sort of stubbornness only works if you have results to back it up. The Chargers have the opposite and yet they cling to their foolish ways. Even Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole, who I rarely agree with, told Dan Sileo that McCoy shouldn’t be afraid to let these guys talk. Fix the problem, he said. Of course, McCoy IS the problem. Actually, Dean is for letting this guy stick around. I don’t care how many injuries these guys suffer, McCoy gets the least out of them. Another guy I don’t often agree with, Nick Canepa, said that McCoy gets his guys to play for him–badly. It’s not that he’s rallying them. They can compensate for his stupidity until crunch time when it always wins out.
I mentioned that I was going to the Mule Saturday night. It was amazing and you can get a losless copy of the show here. In between sets, I met a guy all decked out in Charger gear. He told me that we should be 7-0. My response was that I hate Mike McCoy. I listened to the first half on the drive back and what was clear was that the offense didn’t take advantage of good opportunities. They drove for a TD and were keeping Denver’s offense down. But even without Talib and with more than one series starting on the opponents’ side of the field they couldn’t get points. Sure, Bosa looked like he was held in the end zone. Yeah, the penalty on Gates was iffy on the two-point conversion. But when you miss field goals and get extra points blocked you put yourself in a bad spot. They had their chance to take out the Broncos at home and couldn’t do shit.
The win in Atlanta glossed over a lot of stuff. For one, Joe Barksdale didn’t try at all for that fumble which was returned for a score. Then on Sunday, he totally checked out. Were those illegal formation calls dubious? Possibly. But why would the refs give you the benefit of the doubt when you’re playing like you have no idea what you are doing out there. Then after Rivers threw what became a Pick Six, he just stops running. Rivers, on the other hand, chased the guy down to the goal line. After Barksdale deactivated his social media accounts, some people on Facebook were suggesting that only “fake fans” would criticize him. I’m not suggesting people should be overly vicious and I am sure some people went too far. But when your owner doesn’t hold coaches accountable and those coaches don’t hold players accountable what do you expect?
It sounds like there is no realistic shot for Prop C to get passed so the people of San Diego are supposed to be in limbo for another season? The Chargers talked a lot about righting the wrongs of last season but their actions (or lack thereof) speak volumes. Tennessee has been everything the Bolts haven’t been thus far. In the preseason opener, their first offensive play was called by a charity winner and still went for a big gain. It’s alumni weekend and the powder blues are coming out. I don’t think a win saves the season, but if I’m going to keep watching it would be nice. Kevin Acee has said all along that injuries will keep this team down but that McCoy should be gone. I would really like to see what this rapidly depleting bunch could do with any semblance of a head coach.
Anyway, I’ll be back in front of the set tomorrow.
JIC,
RLW
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