I have to admit it, I didn't think the Chargers had it in them. The Jets were favored to win that game by every possible media outlet and I can't blame them. The Bolts stepped into the Meadowlands and stepped up. All I asked was for them to stay relevant for a week and they did. As soon as Bosa got his biweekly late hit and offsides combo, I rolled my eyes and figured he was up to his same old shit. I was pleasantly surprised as what happened next. Tuli has been a revelation and there is no question he giving Bosa and Mack more chances to get at the QB. That final sack where Bosa got Wilson AND the OL was pretty fucking amazing.
Of course, Wilson holds onto the ball longer than most and isn't accurate. But he's beaten Philly and played well against KC. The Chargers rose to the occasion, that's for sure. The secondary did their job as well. Recovering that fumble in bounds was impressive.
I don't care about Herbert's stats and I know he doesn't. The replays of Johnston getting bullied by Gardner prove how raw he still is. He was pushed off the ball by Parsons too on the final play against Dallas. Of course you could argue that some of these plays look like DPI, but certain players just earn those calls. I don't let myself get too wrapped up in that since the Chargers leave us so much more to fret over.
Davis' punt return was a thing of beauty and Dicker with a 55 yarder was especially gratifying against the Jets. That drive before the end of the half was really impressive since Herbert had to earn every yard to set that kick up. I don't love how the line has looked lately. The fact that we didn't turn over the ball is a miracle. Pipkins has really regressed. Linsley isn't coming back so Clapp is who he is. He's better than Sarell, at least.
Moore could and needs to do more getting Herbert out of the pocket. He is protecting a finger, but spent the entire season in 2022 with ribs that would sideline most QBs. He threw a bunch of passes into tight windows and is getting more passes batted down lately. One of those turned into a pick in KC.
My first game in California on Monday Night in 1996. If you'd caught me earlier in the week, I'd spend more time thinking about the win and less about tomorrow. All the questions on Staley remain but there is no question that his stupid 12 yard cushions are appearing less and less. Gilman has been huge in his return so I hope his heel stays healthy. I said that there was no way this team comes back from 3-5. Could they rebound from 4-5? I don't think so. But they are also in a really good spot against the Lions.
Also, my trip to the Silverdome in 1999...
No one really thinks they can win tomorrow, which is just how I like it. They will need to play their best football, but I actually think they have that in them. Ekeler needs to hold on the screens and Kelley needs to get more touches on the ground. I know Herbert isn't comfortable back there and I can't blame him. There will be plenty of Lions fans there tomorrow, since they are in the honeymoon phase of being a good team. But they aren't perfect. The fucking Raiders showed that. Goff can still be forced into mistakes. The crowd will become more and more of a factor each time we prove we aren't going to shit all over ourselves in a big spot. I often remind people that the Rams had more visiting fans in the stands in the against the Niners and Bengals and it didn't stop them. Of course, if Aaron Donald doesn't sack Burrow...it's always a matter of one or two plays.
Tomorrow is a must win and I feel like the team knows it. That doesn't mean they can't be outplayed or outcoached. The Chargers haven't been known for in-game adjustments in quite some time. Kellen Moore has a lot to prove right now. We know Detroit can score a lot, so he's going to need to find a way to generate some offense. Guyton was back on Monday but I don't think he got more than one target. I could sit and complain that no one was really brought in once Williams went down for the year, but this is the team we've got. Until Palmer comes back, they are just going to have to play beyond what we've seen.
The Chargers haven't really delivered in big spots in Sofi. The Browns game I saw in 2021 and the Miami game last year are probably the only two home games where they took out a quality opponent in LA. Before Monday, they hadn't beaten a winning team in two seasons beyond that Dolphin game. The game in Jersey definitely flipped the script for a week. Now they need to do the same thing at home.
They have a great opportunity tomorrow and I didn't think that would be the case going into the Jet game. Except for the Dallas and KC games where he was forced into having to try to win on his own, Herbert has taken care of the ball. That needs to continue. I know I'm not saying anything you didn't already know, FAITHFUL READER. Whether they can do it...I guess that's what keeps us tuning in.
JIC,
RLW
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