I’ll keep this short and too the point. The season is over. The Chargers played decent on Sunday but Philip Rivers had the worst game of his career. It wasn’t the three first-half interceptions as much as it was the second half of missing open receivers. However, he did throw what should have been his fourth pick to Marcus Peters and the deflected pass on the bomb could easily have been intercepted. The replay proved that it hit the ground but all that did was delay the agony anyway.
The turning point for me was when the Chargers couldn’t punch it in after the Queefs tried to fake the kick. Sure, I was happy that Rivers didn’t throw another red zone interception. But he didn’t throw a touchdown either. The pass blocking was actually pretty good for once. Maybe Rivers saw rushers were there were none. He was off all day. The running game looked like it could get going when Gordon gained over 50 yards in the first quarter. Under Mike McCoy that would be the cue to bench him, but Gordon reinjured himself anyway. Oliver actually looked quicker than he did against Miami, but it wasn’t enough. The kid that wears #30 should have gotten some touches. He was also wide open on a crucial play.
Hunter Henry wasn’t even targeted? Rivers had no problem forcing it into Gates, who couldn’t hold on for a first down. The third down conversion was much better than it was the first two games, but it didn’t matter. Travis Kelce was a non-factor and THAT didn’t matter. Former Justice Leaguer Colby Underwood, one of many who have given up on the Bolts since the move to LA, pointed out that the run defense was so soft that the sacks made it look like a better performance than it was. The defense definitely kept the team in the game only to see Rivers lose it. But the front four isn’t doing its job. I saw a Bleacher Report link that maybe Mebane should be benched. I don’t know if they have anyone better to replace him but he’s not worth what we are paying him right now. The fact that Jatavis Brown has all these tackles is sadly more indicative of running backs getting to the second level than him making great plays.
The best way to make people forget that your kicker came up short the previous two weeks is lose by enough points that it doesn’t matter. Am I right people? The fact that the Chargers punted twice from the 40 didn’t excite me. Rich Gannon suggested that we shouldn’t lose our mind and expect them to go on the 4th and 10. But Anthony Lynn is really scaring the shit out of me. He made another horrible challenge and seems to have no balls. The 4th down fake isn’t fooling anyone and Keenan Allen looked pretty pissed about it on Sunday. I am sure there isn’t as much dissension as it seems to us, but it’s a bad look. Of course, so is a half empty stadium full of some other team’s fans but that is a whole other topic.
The way the offense was playing, being down 7 points seemed like a hundred. Lynn (or Wisenhunt, who may be the bigger problem) played not to lose until KC broke through. This week Frank Reich has a chance to get his revenge. What little I’ve seen of Carson Wentz has been impressive. He looks poised and is pretty mobile. He was miked up for the Eagles’ 61-yard (another thing we’ll never experience with the Bolts)kick and he had that Riverseque twang. I really don’t forsee a win on Sunday and if they do manage win it’s hard to see how it matters. I already stated that I would miss my first game against the Giants since 1986. It’s Columbus Day weekend and maybe a win would make me rethink my stance. Probably not. As my daughter said as she watched last week’s game with me, “I know they are going to lose in the end, but I just want to see how they do it.”
Happy Yom Kippur,
RLW
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