Cbz40
The Grand Poobah
- Messages
- 31,387
- Reaction score
- 39
With a loss, Chargers will be in dire straits
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: October 4, 2007 Where's Jake Plummer when you need him?
During Jake the Snake's QB days in Denver, the rivalry between the Chargers and Broncos was predictable. Plummer would win the games in Denver with his smarts and feet, always making two or three big plays. Meanwhile, coach Mike Shanahan would do a masterful job catching the Chargers' defense off guard with his running attack.
In the rematch in San Diego, the Chargers would keep Plummer in the pocket and pound him. The series usually was a split.
Now that Plummer has retired to Idaho, the Chargers-Broncos series is unpredictable.
For four games, the Chargers have operated like the toilet in need of a plumber. Their supposed Super Bowl season could be flushed away if they lose to the Broncos on Sunday in Denver. The Chargers' disappointing 1-3 start is the talk of the league. Whether it's coach Norv Turner's play calling or defensive changes installed by coordinator Ted Cottrell, the Chargers have lost the lightning from their attack.
All appeared to be heading in the right direction when the Chargers jumped to a 16-6 lead over the Chiefs on Sunday. Running back LaDainian Tomlinson finally found open spaces to run. QB Philip Rivers moved the offense. The defense finally showed life. Then came the second-half collapse and 24 unanswered points by the Chiefs.
The Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer for not winning a playoff game. Now, the Chargers are in early danger of not making the playoffs. Turner faces lots of pressure to turn the team around in Sunday's must-win game in Denver.
The AFC West race is wide open because of the Chargers' disappointing start. With 11 Pro Bowlers back from last season, the Chargers were a trendy Super Bowl pick. The bad start dampens that bid because the Chargers won't have a prayer to catch the Patriots or Colts for a home playoff game if they lose Sunday. It looks like those teams will be at a 12- or 13-win level.
Turner has not lost the locker room. The team works hard and is optimistic. A loss to the Broncos could change that. It will be up to the team's veteran leadership to keep things together.
The good news for the Chargers is that the Broncos are going through similar struggles. Jim Bates was hired to toughen the defense, but the Broncos have been soft. Shanahan traded for cornerback Dre Bly to team him with Champ Bailey so Denver could have arguably the best 1-2 coverage tandem in football. While the Chargers are giving up just 114 passing yards per game, it isn't because of Bly and Bailey.
The Broncos' defense has struggled against the run (181 rushing yards per game). The Broncos changed many of the defensive linemen, but they didn't come up with answers to fix the problems. In many ways, they've gotten worse.
Week 5 has become a week of desperation for many franchises. The Chargers-Broncos heads the list.
1. Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers: NBC went for the long, historic rivalry between these NFC North teams, but this one could be hit-or-miss. Count on Brett Favre to put on a show; it's the Bears that are the problem.
Chicago has been so off its game that this could turn into a Sunday night dud. Bears QB Brian Griese, in his first start this past Sunday in place of Rex Grossman, couldn't reverse the worsening trend of turnovers for Chicago's offense. Running back Cedric Benson continues to get off to slow first-half starts. After missing four defensive starters in Sunday's 37-27 loss to the Lions, the Bears may have to go into this game without starting cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher.
Chicago must mount a good running game. As hot as Favre has been, they can't expect to win a high-scoring passing game against the Packers. This is the most important game of Benson's career with the Bears.
2. Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints: Panthers defensive tackle Kris Jenkins received mixed reviews for calling out his teammates for lacking heart. The Panthers have played terribly in two home games, losses to the Texans and the Bucs. The Panthers have been underachieving, and it's going to affect the job security of coach John Fox.
As bad as things have been for the 2-2 Panthers, things are worse for the Saints, who have to turn their season around in this game. The Saints are 0-3 and have to make due without running back Deuce McAllister, who is out for the season with a knee injury. The Saints continue to lead the league in dropped passes and miscues at wide receiver. Coach Sean Payton took the bye week to make fixes. If New Orleans loses, the Saints will become the Aints again for this year's playoff race.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Indianapolis Colts: Bucs coach Jon Gruden hoped to be driving a Cadillac into the RCA Dome on Sunday. Now, he's going to have to rely on Rent-A-Wreck to get through the rest of the season. Running back Cadillac Williams' season-ending knee injury, along with the loss of left tackle Luke Petitgout, will be hard for the Bucs to overcome. They must rely on a running back-by-committee concept led by Michael Pittman, who is 32 years old. Donald Penn must take over at left tackle.
Rex Brown/Getty Images
With Cadillac Williams sidelined, the Bucs' offense could struggle.
With Williams leading the committee backfield and QB Jeff Garcia running the offense, the Bucs were eighth in the league in rushing (137 yards per game). Figuring a way to squeeze out more with less talent is Gruden's challenge.
Even though there is an outside chance the Colts could rest banged-up Marvin Harrison and Joseph Addai, they have enough weapons to get by. The Colts want to go into the bye week at 5-0.
4. Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers: There is a Super Bowl feel to this game. The Steelers issued a warning about counterfeit tickets being circulated. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was disappointed with the officiating in his last meeting with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL. Going to Pittsburgh and pulling the upset still won't satisfy him, but it would be a nice start. The problem facing the Seahawks is that any NFC team must play a perfect game to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
Like Seahawks fans, Steelers fans are loud and create a great environment for the home team. With a good running game and great defense, the Steelers are structured to win at home. QB Ben Roethlisberger has something to prove in this one. He didn't play well in the Super Bowl victory and would like to put on a better show in this game.
5. Detroit Lions at Washington Commanders: Are the Lions for real? This game could be the test. The 3-1 start keeps hopes alive that QB Jon Kitna is more prophet than optimist regarding his 10-win prediction, but arguably the Lions caught teams at the right time in their wins. The Raiders, Vikings and Bears were ripe for being defeated when the Lions played them.
Detroit will catch the Commanders with wide receiver Santana Moss injured and the right side of the Washington offensive line a patchwork. For the Lions to win, though, they must rely on their defense. Commanders coach Joe Gibbs has gone more to a running offense with Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. If Detroit can stop them, the Lions could pull the upset.
6. New York Jets at New York Giants: Is it time to talk contract extension for Giants coach Tom Coughlin? The Giants are 2-2 and the schedule isn't that hard for the next few weeks. Even though the Giants are thin on defense, they are starting to come together. With Chad Pennington at quarterback for the Jets, the Giants' pass defense doesn't have to worry much about deep passes because Pennington rarely throws the ball farther than 20 yards downfield.
The Giants may be vulnerable to long drives, so they must win the battle of field position in the Meadowlands. They'll have the home locker room and home crowd behind them. The Jets haven't shown much ability to put pressure on quarterbacks, which should help Eli Manning. Manning lets his mechanics go awry when defenders get near his feet. If the Jets can't pressure him, he can step up and make big throws downfield.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs: The Jaguars may have saved their season with the road victory over the Broncos two weeks ago. The Chiefs have a huge home-field edge on Sunday, but so did the Broncos when they lost to the Jaguars.
Strategically, this game isn't hard to figure. The Chiefs will run the ball, with Larry Johnson going against a Jaguars defense that is giving up 137 yards per game on the ground. QB Damon Huard will test the Jaguars' pass defense with tight end Tony Gonzalez. The Jaguars must be worrying that the Texans and Titans might be moving ahead of them in the AFC South, so they can't afford to lose to a team like the Chiefs.
8. Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers: 49ers QB Trent Dilfer still resents going to the Super Bowl with the Ravens and being cast away as their quarterback the next season. He has bounced back fine, emerging as one of the more dependable backup quarterbacks in football. With Alex Smith out for about a month with a shoulder separation, Dilfer isn't facing his ex-mates at a particularly good time. Baltimore's defense is disappointed with the Ravens' 2-2 start.
Even though Monster Park isn't their house, Ravens defenders should be ravenous. It's going to be hard for San Francisco's 32nd-ranked offense to be better than its 14-point average in this one.
9. Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots: Good thing Browns coach Romeo Crennel took care of business in keeping those calling for his job at bay by winning Sunday's game against the Ravens. Crennel can come into the Patriots game with a clear conscience. He's not going to get fired for losing to a team that few teams have a chance to beat.
The Patriots look unbeatable. Tom Brady and Randy Moss are embarrassing pass defenses. Sammy Morris can come off the bench and outproduce Laurence Moroney in the backfield. The Browns have a major weakness against the run, so it's not hard to figure what Brady will do. He'll hand off to the backs and then come to the sidelines to watch safety Rodney Harrison make big hit after big hit now that he's coming off suspension.
10. Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans: Don't look now, but all of a sudden Falcons QB Joey Harrington is looking like an effective quarterback in coach Bobby Petrino's offense. He's completing 71.2 percent of his passes and has a 98.2 quarterback rating. Harrington has been doing it without a running game. Atlanta is generating only 89.2 yards a game on the ground and is averaging just 14 points per game.
With Titans D-linemen Kyle Vanden Bosch and Albert Haynesworth dominating the left side of opponents' offensive lines, the Falcons might have a tough time getting much going. Harrington has been playing well, but it's a bit of a mismatch going against Titans QB Vince Young, who continues to get better.
John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
By John ClaytonESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: October 4, 2007 Where's Jake Plummer when you need him?
During Jake the Snake's QB days in Denver, the rivalry between the Chargers and Broncos was predictable. Plummer would win the games in Denver with his smarts and feet, always making two or three big plays. Meanwhile, coach Mike Shanahan would do a masterful job catching the Chargers' defense off guard with his running attack.
In the rematch in San Diego, the Chargers would keep Plummer in the pocket and pound him. The series usually was a split.
Now that Plummer has retired to Idaho, the Chargers-Broncos series is unpredictable.
For four games, the Chargers have operated like the toilet in need of a plumber. Their supposed Super Bowl season could be flushed away if they lose to the Broncos on Sunday in Denver. The Chargers' disappointing 1-3 start is the talk of the league. Whether it's coach Norv Turner's play calling or defensive changes installed by coordinator Ted Cottrell, the Chargers have lost the lightning from their attack.
All appeared to be heading in the right direction when the Chargers jumped to a 16-6 lead over the Chiefs on Sunday. Running back LaDainian Tomlinson finally found open spaces to run. QB Philip Rivers moved the offense. The defense finally showed life. Then came the second-half collapse and 24 unanswered points by the Chiefs.
The Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer for not winning a playoff game. Now, the Chargers are in early danger of not making the playoffs. Turner faces lots of pressure to turn the team around in Sunday's must-win game in Denver.
The AFC West race is wide open because of the Chargers' disappointing start. With 11 Pro Bowlers back from last season, the Chargers were a trendy Super Bowl pick. The bad start dampens that bid because the Chargers won't have a prayer to catch the Patriots or Colts for a home playoff game if they lose Sunday. It looks like those teams will be at a 12- or 13-win level.
Turner has not lost the locker room. The team works hard and is optimistic. A loss to the Broncos could change that. It will be up to the team's veteran leadership to keep things together.
The good news for the Chargers is that the Broncos are going through similar struggles. Jim Bates was hired to toughen the defense, but the Broncos have been soft. Shanahan traded for cornerback Dre Bly to team him with Champ Bailey so Denver could have arguably the best 1-2 coverage tandem in football. While the Chargers are giving up just 114 passing yards per game, it isn't because of Bly and Bailey.
The Broncos' defense has struggled against the run (181 rushing yards per game). The Broncos changed many of the defensive linemen, but they didn't come up with answers to fix the problems. In many ways, they've gotten worse.
Week 5 has become a week of desperation for many franchises. The Chargers-Broncos heads the list.
1. Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers: NBC went for the long, historic rivalry between these NFC North teams, but this one could be hit-or-miss. Count on Brett Favre to put on a show; it's the Bears that are the problem.
Chicago has been so off its game that this could turn into a Sunday night dud. Bears QB Brian Griese, in his first start this past Sunday in place of Rex Grossman, couldn't reverse the worsening trend of turnovers for Chicago's offense. Running back Cedric Benson continues to get off to slow first-half starts. After missing four defensive starters in Sunday's 37-27 loss to the Lions, the Bears may have to go into this game without starting cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher.
Chicago must mount a good running game. As hot as Favre has been, they can't expect to win a high-scoring passing game against the Packers. This is the most important game of Benson's career with the Bears.
2. Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints: Panthers defensive tackle Kris Jenkins received mixed reviews for calling out his teammates for lacking heart. The Panthers have played terribly in two home games, losses to the Texans and the Bucs. The Panthers have been underachieving, and it's going to affect the job security of coach John Fox.
As bad as things have been for the 2-2 Panthers, things are worse for the Saints, who have to turn their season around in this game. The Saints are 0-3 and have to make due without running back Deuce McAllister, who is out for the season with a knee injury. The Saints continue to lead the league in dropped passes and miscues at wide receiver. Coach Sean Payton took the bye week to make fixes. If New Orleans loses, the Saints will become the Aints again for this year's playoff race.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Indianapolis Colts: Bucs coach Jon Gruden hoped to be driving a Cadillac into the RCA Dome on Sunday. Now, he's going to have to rely on Rent-A-Wreck to get through the rest of the season. Running back Cadillac Williams' season-ending knee injury, along with the loss of left tackle Luke Petitgout, will be hard for the Bucs to overcome. They must rely on a running back-by-committee concept led by Michael Pittman, who is 32 years old. Donald Penn must take over at left tackle.
With Cadillac Williams sidelined, the Bucs' offense could struggle.
With Williams leading the committee backfield and QB Jeff Garcia running the offense, the Bucs were eighth in the league in rushing (137 yards per game). Figuring a way to squeeze out more with less talent is Gruden's challenge.
Even though there is an outside chance the Colts could rest banged-up Marvin Harrison and Joseph Addai, they have enough weapons to get by. The Colts want to go into the bye week at 5-0.
4. Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers: There is a Super Bowl feel to this game. The Steelers issued a warning about counterfeit tickets being circulated. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was disappointed with the officiating in his last meeting with the Steelers in Super Bowl XL. Going to Pittsburgh and pulling the upset still won't satisfy him, but it would be a nice start. The problem facing the Seahawks is that any NFC team must play a perfect game to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh.
Like Seahawks fans, Steelers fans are loud and create a great environment for the home team. With a good running game and great defense, the Steelers are structured to win at home. QB Ben Roethlisberger has something to prove in this one. He didn't play well in the Super Bowl victory and would like to put on a better show in this game.
5. Detroit Lions at Washington Commanders: Are the Lions for real? This game could be the test. The 3-1 start keeps hopes alive that QB Jon Kitna is more prophet than optimist regarding his 10-win prediction, but arguably the Lions caught teams at the right time in their wins. The Raiders, Vikings and Bears were ripe for being defeated when the Lions played them.
Detroit will catch the Commanders with wide receiver Santana Moss injured and the right side of the Washington offensive line a patchwork. For the Lions to win, though, they must rely on their defense. Commanders coach Joe Gibbs has gone more to a running offense with Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts. If Detroit can stop them, the Lions could pull the upset.
6. New York Jets at New York Giants: Is it time to talk contract extension for Giants coach Tom Coughlin? The Giants are 2-2 and the schedule isn't that hard for the next few weeks. Even though the Giants are thin on defense, they are starting to come together. With Chad Pennington at quarterback for the Jets, the Giants' pass defense doesn't have to worry much about deep passes because Pennington rarely throws the ball farther than 20 yards downfield.
The Giants may be vulnerable to long drives, so they must win the battle of field position in the Meadowlands. They'll have the home locker room and home crowd behind them. The Jets haven't shown much ability to put pressure on quarterbacks, which should help Eli Manning. Manning lets his mechanics go awry when defenders get near his feet. If the Jets can't pressure him, he can step up and make big throws downfield.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs: The Jaguars may have saved their season with the road victory over the Broncos two weeks ago. The Chiefs have a huge home-field edge on Sunday, but so did the Broncos when they lost to the Jaguars.
Strategically, this game isn't hard to figure. The Chiefs will run the ball, with Larry Johnson going against a Jaguars defense that is giving up 137 yards per game on the ground. QB Damon Huard will test the Jaguars' pass defense with tight end Tony Gonzalez. The Jaguars must be worrying that the Texans and Titans might be moving ahead of them in the AFC South, so they can't afford to lose to a team like the Chiefs.
8. Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers: 49ers QB Trent Dilfer still resents going to the Super Bowl with the Ravens and being cast away as their quarterback the next season. He has bounced back fine, emerging as one of the more dependable backup quarterbacks in football. With Alex Smith out for about a month with a shoulder separation, Dilfer isn't facing his ex-mates at a particularly good time. Baltimore's defense is disappointed with the Ravens' 2-2 start.
Even though Monster Park isn't their house, Ravens defenders should be ravenous. It's going to be hard for San Francisco's 32nd-ranked offense to be better than its 14-point average in this one.
9. Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots: Good thing Browns coach Romeo Crennel took care of business in keeping those calling for his job at bay by winning Sunday's game against the Ravens. Crennel can come into the Patriots game with a clear conscience. He's not going to get fired for losing to a team that few teams have a chance to beat.
The Patriots look unbeatable. Tom Brady and Randy Moss are embarrassing pass defenses. Sammy Morris can come off the bench and outproduce Laurence Moroney in the backfield. The Browns have a major weakness against the run, so it's not hard to figure what Brady will do. He'll hand off to the backs and then come to the sidelines to watch safety Rodney Harrison make big hit after big hit now that he's coming off suspension.
10. Atlanta Falcons at Tennessee Titans: Don't look now, but all of a sudden Falcons QB Joey Harrington is looking like an effective quarterback in coach Bobby Petrino's offense. He's completing 71.2 percent of his passes and has a 98.2 quarterback rating. Harrington has been doing it without a running game. Atlanta is generating only 89.2 yards a game on the ground and is averaging just 14 points per game.
With Titans D-linemen Kyle Vanden Bosch and Albert Haynesworth dominating the left side of opponents' offensive lines, the Falcons might have a tough time getting much going. Harrington has been playing well, but it's a bit of a mismatch going against Titans QB Vince Young, who continues to get better.
John Clayton, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame writers' wing, is a senior writer for ESPN.com.