SN: Chargers Team Report

Robin Miller · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 85

You can find this article at:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=350383

Chargers Team Report
February 10, 2008

Kevin Acee
For Sporting News

PERSONNEL ANALYSIS

Lorenzo Neal turned 37 in December, he has lost a step, and he's in an
offense that does not need or want the fullback and now has a young
player -- Andrew Pinnock -- right behind him. All that, plus the fact that
Neal still sees himself as a starter, will lead to his release this month.
The Chargers would like to keep him as a role player, and they don't want to
pay him the $1.5 million he is set to make. . . .

The Chargers have more than $25 million in working cap room this spring, but
that does not portend activity in free agency. Not only will they return 20
of their 22 starters on offense and defense, but they're working on signing
some of those players to big contracts. DE Igor Olshansky's pact is up after
next season, and LT Marcus McNeill, OLB Shawne Merriman, QB Philip Rivers,
DE Luis Castillo and WR Vincent Jackson, can become free agents after the
2009 season. That's a lot of money the Chargers plan on putting out to keep
their nucleus. . . .

The Chargers need to figure out what to do at backup quarterback. There is
little concern that Rivers (knee) won't be ready by the start of the season.
But a team with legitimate Super Bowl designs does not want to risk
beginning the season with untested Charlie Whitehurst as its starter.

SCOUTING REPORT

All RG Mike Goff has done in his four seasons in San Diego is be consistent.
While C Nick Hardwick and the left side of McNeill and G Kris Dielman have
gone to Pro Bowls and right tackle has been in flux, Goff has just played
every game. He has not missed a start since 2002, when he was with the
Bengals, even though he has suffered some serious injuries. He has gotten
better at pulling and is an excellent pass blocker. Goff, 32, has one year
left on his contract, after which the Chargers will look elsewhere. They can
only hope to find someone as dependable.

DRAFT BUZZ

The Chargers don't need to fill a starting spot, so they will concentrate on
building for the future more than most teams. Their only real need for 2008
regarding front-line players is at No. 3 cornerback. They will spend the
next month looking closely at players such as Oklahoma's Reggie Smith or
Troy's Leodis McKelvin. If a top DB is not available at No. 27, the Chargers
could draft an offensive linemen who eventually can replace Goff or RT
Jeromey Clary. But offensive line depth can be had in the later rounds, too.
With no second or third-round pick, the Chargers' next pick will probably be
a supplemental fourth rounder, where they will take an offensive lineman or
a running back.

Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved.

Archived from group: alt>sports>football>pro>sd-chargers

myancov · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 16

> ...Goff, 32, has one year left on his contract, after which
> the Chargers will look elsewhere.

why is that, exactly ...?

Robin Miller · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 85

wrote in message @h11g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>> ...Goff, 32, has one year left on his contract, after which
>> the Chargers will look elsewhere.
>
> why is that, exactly ...?

You know, I wonder that myself. He's been good, not great, and that's the
kind of affordable player that a good team needs to fit around its stars.

--Robin

Kurgan Gringioni · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 114

On Feb 12, 1:20 pm, "Robin Miller" wrote:
> wrote in message
>
> @h11g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
> >> ...Goff, 32, has one year left on his contract, after which
> >> the Chargers will look elsewhere.
>
> > why is that, exactly ...?
>
> You know, I wonder that myself. He's been good, not great, and that's the
> kind of affordable player that a good team needs to fit around its stars.

There's age, but O linemen can be relatively long career-ed in the
NFL.

ScottW · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 11

On Feb 12, 1:20 pm, "Robin Miller" wrote:
> wrote in message
>
> @h11g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
> >> ...Goff, 32, has one year left on his contract, after which
> >> the Chargers will look elsewhere.
>
> > why is that, exactly ...?
>
> You know, I wonder that myself. He's been good, not great, and that's the
> kind of affordable player that a good team needs to fit around its stars.

Just play the Seau tackle for a loss in the red zone play a few
times.

Mistakes like that lose Championships.

Plus..in case you haven't noticed, Chargers really struggle running
right.
I have no problem keeping Goff as a valued experienced backup if
he's ready to make that transition in his career.
But I think we need to upgrade the O-line, and clearly Goff has no
upside
left to his game.
IMO, there isn't a single current starter on the Chargers line
who is not "upgradeable". None.

ScottW

Kurgan Gringioni · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 114

On Feb 14, 2:49 pm, ScottW wrote:
> On Feb 12, 1:20 pm, "Robin Miller" wrote:
>
> > wrote in message
>
> >@h11g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
> > >> ...Goff, 32, has one year left on his contract, after which
> > >> the Chargers will look elsewhere.
>
> > > why is that, exactly ...?
>
> > You know, I wonder that myself. He's been good, not great, and that's the
> > kind of affordable player that a good team needs to fit around its stars..
>
> Just play the Seau tackle for a loss in the red zone play a few
> times.
>
> Mistakes like that lose Championships.
>
> Plus..in case you haven't noticed, Chargers really struggle running
> right.
> I have no problem keeping Goff as a valued experienced backup if
> he's ready to make that transition in his career.
> But I think we need to upgrade the O-line, and clearly Goff has no
> upside
> left to his game.
> IMO, there isn't a single current starter on the Chargers line
> who is not "upgradeable". None.

After all the money spent on Dielman, they definitely will not be
upgrading him.

Randall Turner · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 48

>> IMO, there isn't a single current starter on the Chargers
>> line who is not "upgradeable". None.
>
>
> After all the money spent on Dielman, they definitely will not
> be upgrading him.

McNeil, Dielman and Hardwick are probably starters for the next three years.
Yet, all three could be improved upon. I think the NFC is the class league
for interior linemen now. I don't think either of our guards could start for
Green Bay.

PBDepot · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 47

On Feb 14, 4:41 pm, "Randall Turner" wrote:
> >> IMO, there isn't a single current starter on the Chargers
> >> line who is not "upgradeable". None.
>
> > After all the money spent on Dielman, they definitely will not
> > be upgrading him.
>
> McNeil, Dielman and Hardwick are probably starters for the next three years.
> Yet, all three could be improved upon. I think the NFC is the class league
> for interior linemen now. I don't think either of our guards could start for
> Green Bay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Either do I, though I think McNeil could still have that potential to
be great if he works hard enough at it.

As for Goff and the right side, it's hard to find serious fault in a
line that gave LT back to back rushing titles. A line who was a force
to be reckoned with one year in the red zone with Cam, and the next
year one that was not under Norv. So while I do think they need some
help for next season, I'm at total loss as to where that should be.
Which is the real reasons, and which are just speculations of the
problems... it's a puzzling one to say the least.

ScottW · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 33

"PBDepot" wrote in message @e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Feb 14, 4:41 pm, "Randall Turner" wrote:
> >> IMO, there isn't a single current starter on the Chargers
> >> line who is not "upgradeable". None.
>
> > After all the money spent on Dielman, they definitely will not
> > be upgrading him.
>
> McNeil, Dielman and Hardwick are probably starters for the next three years.
> Yet, all three could be improved upon. I think the NFC is the class league
> for interior linemen now. I don't think either of our guards could start for
> Green Bay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Either do I, though I think McNeil could still have that potential to
be great if he works hard enough at it.

As for Goff and the right side, it's hard to find serious fault in a
line that gave LT back to back rushing titles. A line who was a force
to be reckoned with one year in the red zone with Cam, and the next
year one that was not under Norv. So while I do think they need some
help for next season, I'm at total loss as to where that should be.
Which is the real reasons, and which are just speculations of the
problems... it's a puzzling one to say the least.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well....Football Outsiders seems to agree with me.
A very interesting breakdown of overall line performance.
Chargers are apparently a dismal 24th overall.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol.php

Notice the "stuffed" ranking. 30.
They just aren't physical enough to move the
pile on some teams.

ScottW

ScottW · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 33

"ScottW" wrote in message $n42.13992@newsfe08.phx...
>
> "PBDepot" wrote in message
> @e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> On Feb 14, 4:41 pm, "Randall Turner" wrote:
>> >> IMO, there isn't a single current starter on the Chargers
>> >> line who is not "upgradeable". None.
>>
>> > After all the money spent on Dielman, they definitely will not
>> > be upgrading him.
>>
>> McNeil, Dielman and Hardwick are probably starters for the next three years.
>> Yet, all three could be improved upon. I think the NFC is the class league
>> for interior linemen now. I don't think either of our guards could start for
>> Green Bay.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Either do I, though I think McNeil could still have that potential to
> be great if he works hard enough at it.
>
> As for Goff and the right side, it's hard to find serious fault in a
> line that gave LT back to back rushing titles. A line who was a force
> to be reckoned with one year in the red zone with Cam, and the next
> year one that was not under Norv. So while I do think they need some
> help for next season, I'm at total loss as to where that should be.
> Which is the real reasons, and which are just speculations of the
> problems... it's a puzzling one to say the least.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Well....Football Outsiders seems to agree with me.
> A very interesting breakdown of overall line performance.
> Chargers are apparently a dismal 24th overall.
>
> http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol.php
>
> Notice the "stuffed" ranking. 30.
> They just aren't physical enough to move the
> pile on some teams.

BTW...if you scroll down they break it down
by position. Not one in the top ten.

ScottW

Kurgan Gringioni · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 114

On Feb 15, 9:40 pm, PBDepot wrote:
>
> As for Goff and the right side, it's hard to find serious fault in a
> line that gave LT back to back rushing titles.

You could say that in 2006, but not of 2007. The play of the line
definitely degraded this year.

Randall Turner · Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 48

"ScottW" wrote in message $n42.3859@newsfe08.phx...
>
> "ScottW" wrote in message
> $n42.13992@newsfe08.phx...
>>
>> "PBDepot" wrote in message
>> @e6g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>> On Feb 14, 4:41 pm, "Randall Turner" wrote:
>>> >> IMO, there isn't a single current starter on the Chargers
>>> >> line who is not "upgradeable". None.
>>>
>>> > After all the money spent on Dielman, they definitely will not
>>> > be upgrading him.
>>>
>>> McNeil, Dielman and Hardwick are probably starters for the next three
>>> years.
>>> Yet, all three could be improved upon. I think the NFC is the class
>>> league
>>> for interior linemen now. I don't think either of our guards could start
>>> for
>>> Green Bay.
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> Either do I, though I think McNeil could still have that potential to
>> be great if he works hard enough at it.
>>
>> As for Goff and the right side, it's hard to find serious fault in a
>> line that gave LT back to back rushing titles. A line who was a force
>> to be reckoned with one year in the red zone with Cam, and the next
>> year one that was not under Norv. So while I do think they need some
>> help for next season, I'm at total loss as to where that should be.
>> Which is the real reasons, and which are just speculations of the
>> problems... it's a puzzling one to say the least.
>>
>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>
>> Well....Football Outsiders seems to agree with me.
>> A very interesting breakdown of overall line performance.
>> Chargers are apparently a dismal 24th overall.
>>
>> http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol.php
>>
>> Notice the "stuffed" ranking. 30.
>> They just aren't physical enough to move the
>> pile on some teams.
>
> BTW...if you scroll down they break it down
> by position. Not one in the top ten.

Even though the Chargers office is indicating they'll pick a DB, many mock
drafts I've seen have us picking someone like West Virginia's left guard. (I
forget his name. Stoopit college players.)

PBDepot · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 47

On Feb 16, 7:16 am, "ScottW" wrote:
>
> Well....Football Outsiders seems to agree with me.
> A very interesting breakdown of overall line performance.
> Chargers are apparently a dismal 24th overall.
>
> http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol.php
>
> Notice the "stuffed" ranking. 30.
> They just aren't physical enough to move the
> pile on some teams.
~~~
Interesting. Obviously a far cry from 2006 when their "stuffed"
ranking was #1.

PBDepot · Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 47

On Feb 16, 8:52 am, Kurgan Gringioni wrote:
> On Feb 15, 9:40 pm, PBDepot wrote:
>
>
>
> > As for Goff and the right side, it's hard to find serious fault in a
> > line that gave LT back to back rushing titles.
>
>
>
> You could say that in 2006, but not of 2007. The play of the line
> definitely degraded this year.
~~~
I agree, though my real question is why? Was it all a decline of
talent, or maybe strength of opponents, or even Norv's playcalling? If
it's a decline of talent then the solution is obvious. If it's
anything else, then not so much.

ScottW · Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 33

"PBDepot" wrote in message @e23g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
On Feb 16, 8:52 am, Kurgan Gringioni wrote:
> On Feb 15, 9:40 pm, PBDepot wrote:
>
>
>
> > As for Goff and the right side, it's hard to find serious fault in a
> > line that gave LT back to back rushing titles.
>
>
>
> You could say that in 2006, but not of 2007. The play of the line
> definitely degraded this year.
~~~
I agree, though my real question is why? Was it all a decline of
talent, or maybe strength of opponents, or even Norv's playcalling?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Or Rivers options out of a play? I recall a few plays early
where they line up in a power set and the D starts stacking
the point of attack where they hand the ball to Neal on
a quick hitter behind Deilman.
I yell for a check to a pass to Gates....but they run
the called play, and got stuffed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If
it's a decline of talent then the solution is obvious. If it's
anything else, then not so much.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think new coaches, young receivers and QB.
Unsure about switching out of a play and burning
a blitz. There are few teams we can line up against
and say we know you know what we're going to do...
and you still can't stop it. Well, yes most teams can.
I'm looking forward to next year being a different story.

ScottW

The Chargers! We are going to win .

Chargers need to run more Almost can't believe I'm posting this, after we complained almost all season that Norv didn't pass enough. --Robin

Chargers with third-and-one Running outside cost the game. MT's a power back. Run him twice straight up the middle in that situation. The Chargers needed a TD and didn't get it. The Pats' defense is much better than I thought it was. Conversely, nothing about Norv's offensive gamep

Chargers = Cheaters And Merriman is leading the pack. ~ The New England Patriots "God's Team"

After last night ... Chargers 9-7 At best. Chicago is going to kill you guys.