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Published on 11/18/2009 at Wed Nov 18 13:15.
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First Look: San Diego Chargers

Posted Wed Nov 18th by

San Diego ChargersRecord: 6-3
Streak: Won 4
Series vs. Denver: Broncos, 54-44-1
Last time: Broncos, 34-23, 2009
The Line: Chargers by 3

Who’s hot: RB Ladainian Tomlinson. We could easily go with Philip Rivers, since he’s been a large reason for the Chargers’ 4-game upswing, but he got the vote last time, and something about designating that AFC West rival “hot” twice in the same season doesn’t sit well with us. So, Tomlinson gets the nod, for having a two-touchdown performance and getting blessed baby news on the same day.

Who’s not: Chargers secondary. Antonio Cromartie tallied an interception on the last play of the game against the Eagles (when Donovan McNabb was hailing desperate throws), but the corners and safeties have been getting burned. You couldn’t get more open than Eagles WR Jeremy Maclin did in the back corner of the end zone as the Eagles lined up in the red zone. Mental mistakes are hurting the Chargers D on the back end.

Matchup to watch: TE Antonio Gates vs. Broncos secondary. In the previous matchup, Gates went a bit wild in the first half, but then the Broncos lined S Josh Barrett to cover him for much of the second half. Barrett did a damn good job, but the Broncos have been without the second-year player for two straight weeks with a hamstring injury. His status for Sunday is uncertain at this point. Gates has burned the Broncos many times in the past; will the Broncos have their answer to him available Sunday?

  • SivNiz

    Hopefully Law can take care of business against Gates.

  • jaywrong

    siv, whats the rest of your team gonna do? gates is one guy. :p

  • SivNiz

    I'm not really worried about anyone other than Gates and ST. I'm not sure which ST unit will show up.

  • IanHenson

    There's no reason for it not to be like the old days and put Bailey over Gates…

  • Bob

    Ian –
    Bailey on Gates? HAHA That would be awesome. I'd love to see who'd be covering VJ with Bailey busy on Gates. VJ will have a big game this Sunday with Bailey covering him. If it was someone other than Bailey, VJ would have an epic game. Shutting Gates down should be nowhere near the top of your worries. I hope McDaniels game plans as poorly as you. Unfortunately, he's too good of a coach to do that.

  • IanHenson

    God forbid VJ blows us out of the water with another 46-yards this week =P I really don't see a problem with putting our best corner on SD's best receiver and having Bailey pollute the middle of the field. Then again, Mike Nolan is a better defensive coordinator than I am (except in the second half of the last three games, I think between Jordan and I we would have been better).

  • montanacharger

    “Bigmouth Douchbag”???
    You guys are a class act. Pretty cocky for what is about to happen to you.
    Tsk Tsk.

  • http://broncotalk.net Kyle

    I hate Philip Rivers with a passion. Not because of his performance on the football field. He's fantastic, but, as infuriating as that can be when my team lines up against him, that's not the reason. I hate him because he's… well… a big-mouthed douchebag.

  • montanacharger

    “I hate PR with a passion”. Well, that's exactly it. Passion. He's a youngman and that is what he has. Passion. The same passion as hate you display with abusive words he displays in a different way. No one likes a big mouth but his mouth only spouts when he is excited. You Broncs just need someone to hate. Watch your boys shake hands with him after the game. By choice. GLTY Hope Ortin can play.

  • http://broncotalk.net Kyle

    It's all tongue-in-cheek man. Good luck to you guys too.

  • Bob

    VJ only got 46 yards last time because Bailey was on him all game, as well as Dawkins and Hill a few times each for the double team. If Bailey was to cover someone other than VJ, the Chargers best receiver (not Gates, sorry), then all hell would break loose on the long ball.

    The reason Gates has more catches/yards than VJ is because he spends most games in single coverage these days while VJ gets double and often even triple teamed. Defensive coordinators are appropriately worried.

    See the Eagles game. Gates spent a lot of the game in single or poor coverage, which is why he had a good day. VJ was double teamed on literally all 25 pass plays ran by Rivers. On a few plays he was even triple teamed. This is why VJ only had like 10 yards all game while Rivers went 20/25 for over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns. That doesn't mean he's not the best receiver on the team. In fact, 10 yards due to full-time double and triple teaming means the polar opposite.

    So like I said, I hope Denver is dumb enough to put their best db on Gates and leave VJ in single coverage with someone else. Unfortunately, Nolan is too smart for that.

  • Bob

    “The reason Gates has more catches/yards than VJ…” Oops. Gates does have 6 more catches than VJ, but has 64 less yards and 5 less touchdowns, making VJ the #1 receiver both in reality and statistically. My bad. Only Fitzgerald and Wayne have more touchdowns. VJ keeps good company. Marshall only has one less touchdown, but look for that gap to spread as the season rolls on.

  • http://broncotalk.net Kyle

    All comments about Philip Rivers were tongue-in-cheek and with a laughing smile on my face, but it didn't reflect that way. That doesn't reflect the professionalism we abide by so I removed it.