Chargers Stuff...

[boozeman]

Gameday: Cowboys Should Have Advantage vs. Chargers Defense

Posted 2 hours ago

David Helman DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer

The Cowboys answered many of their criticisms in a Week 3 beatdown of the Rams. The next question will undoubtedly be “Can they maintain it?” Dallas has not been good at sustaining momentum in the recent past, as back-to-back 8-8 seasons can attest. If the Cowboys grab a win on the road against San Diego, it would be the first time they were two games above .500 in the first month of the season since 2008, when they started 3-0.

Winning on the road is rarely easy in the NFL, but several key stats work in the Cowboys’ favor. Firstly, the Chargers struggle to stop the running game. They’re giving up an average of 130 yards on the ground per game during their 1-2 start, which is something the Cowboys will be happy to hear given their emphasis on running the ball well. If that weren’t enough, San Diego can’t stop the pass either, with the most passing yards allowed in the league thus far at 1,022. The only Chargers defender with an interception this season is Cam Thomas – a defensive tackle.

Those two facts open up the possibility for a big day from the Dallas offense, provided the offensive line can perform. The last time the Cowboys went on the road, they surrendered three sacks and could not run the ball in what wound up being a close loss. Apart from the Chargers’ porous run defense, they’ve managed just six sacks this year – tied for 24th in the league.

Chargers

San Diego might have had the most heartbreaking season so far among NFL clubs. If not for a stunning fourth quarter rally by Houston and an improbable last-minute drive by Jake Locker and the Titans, the Chargers could be sitting at 3-0 rather than 1-2.

The aforementioned Chargers defense is a large part of that. Locker blew up for 299 yards Sunday against San Diego, after he was held to 148 and 125 by the Texans and Steelers, respectively. The Chargers have allowed yardage totals of 449, 511 and 452 so far this year. San Diego’s lone win of the season came against Philadelphia, which is ranked 30th in total defense.



Luckily, the San Diego offense has recovered some of its old potency under first-year coach Mike McCoy. Phillip Rivers is once again playing at a high level – for the time being – after disastrous efforts in 2011 and 2012. Rivers combined to throw 53 touchdowns in the past two seasons, but he also threw an absurd 35 interceptions. This year he’s already thrown eight touchdowns while averaging 266 yards per game. More importantly, he’s taking care of the ball with just one interception and no fumbles so far.

The Cowboys were able to nullify Jared Cook in the win against the Rams, but that may prove tougher with Antonio Gates returning to his old form. Gates is roughly half way to his 2012 yardage total with 228 yards and a touchdown so far this season.

That passing attack, combined with a decent running game, should provide a solid test for a Cowboys defense that is riding high after dominating St. Louis. Dallas ranks 13th in the league in total defense, while the Chargers sit at 11th in total offense.

 

[boozeman]

Gameday: Chargers’ Players To Watch Have Familiar Names
Posted 4 hours ago

Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout


Dallas Cowboys:

The Nemesis: Jason Hatcher

How these Cowboys defensive tackles play against the Chargers, might have the biggest bearing in the outcome of the game. When you study Philip Rivers and what he likes to do in the pocket gives you clues how you need to attack him. Rivers is not going to be a threat to run with the ball, and he never has been. It’s rare to see Rivers look at the rush, he is one of those quarterbacks, that keeps his eyes consistently down the field and deals with the rush by feel. Rivers likes to slide forward in the pocket and teams historically have had the most success against him by rushing him from the middle of the pocket.

This is where Jason Hatcher will have an opportunity to do the majority of his damage. I like the matchup inside with Hatcher on Chad Rinehart or Rich Ohrnberger if he is in the game for Rinehart. Jeromey Clary on the opposite side, on tape, looks better than either Rinehart or Ohrnberger. Where the Chargers might try and help these guards is with Nick Hardwick but then Kiffin can counter with inside pressure from Sean Lee or Bruce Carter by walking them up inside and holding Hardwick in place. In what we have seen from Hatcher this season, I expect a productive day from him.

The Weapon: Tony Romo

The sample size for Tony Romo for games against the Chargers is very small, like one career game small. Where the Chargers have struggled is in the secondary, where they are last in the league in pass defense. This group just does not have a dynamic playmaker that could go out there and just shut a guy down. Romo has been outstanding in two areas through three games and that is with his accuracy and committing turnovers.



The Chargers in this current state, do not have the personnel in the secondary to keep him from attacking them with his receivers and tight ends. I do not expect Chargers defensive coordinator, John Pagano to allow Romo to pick him apart one throw after another. The Chargers on tape play a great deal of zone coverage to try and protect their secondary. What I feel like they might do, is bring pressure with five or six in hope that they can get home before Romo can get the ball off. It’s a risky move because one of the strengths of this Cowboys offensive line has been it’s pass protection. If the protection does hold up, Romo can get in one of those zones where every throw is right on the money and that will make a very long day for the Chargers.

Under The Radar: Caesar Rayford

With Anthony Spencer officially lost for the season with the knee injury, the focus now turns to those that will have to step up to take his place. George Selvie has done an outstanding job but who in this defense can be that next guy? With the addition of Drake Nevis and David Carter inside at defensive tackle, it allows the coaches to move Caesar Rayford back to his more natural position at end.

We all saw what Selvie was able to do in his preseason opportunities, but there was not a more productive player rushing the passer than Rayford in his time with the Colts. Rayford was active his first game last week against the Rams and did a solid job of playing tackle. He was active and when working in stunts, he didn’t get knocked around or pushed out of position. What I saw with the Colts, was a player that thrived off the edge. When he was able to attack the outside shoulder of the tackle, he was difficult to block. I liked him much better as a space player, than one that had to deal with the tight confinds of the being a tackle. As this season progresses, George Selvie is going to need a break or two and it will be up to Caesar Rayford to be there when that happens. In my view, he has the talent to handle the assignment.

San Diego Chargers:

The Nemesis: Philip Rivers

When I was working in the league as a Pro Scout, I always had a great appreciation for the type of player that Philip Rivers was. His toughness and competitive spirit was always a pleasure to study. When Rivers is on, he can be one of the top quarterbacks in the game but when he is off, the problems tend to compound. Through three games of this 2013 season, he is one of the top quarterbacks in the league and this is no accident.

He is leading his team in every sense of the word. He has fully embraced this offense that Mike McCoy has installed in San Diego. You see more accurate throws and less of him trying to force the ball. You don’t see the mistakes that have troubled him in the past. He is taking full of advantage of the weapons around him. Guys like Antonio Gates, Malcolm Floyd, Eddie Royal and Danny Woodhead are making plays for him. Where Rivers can hurt this Cowboys defense the most, is with those throws that he is not afraid to make, down the middle of the field. When he can slide forward in the pocket, he can snap off some big time throws. I fully expect Philip Rivers to make several throws in the area to see what he can get from this defense.

The Weapon: Antonio Gates

The same year that Jason Witten was drafted by the Cowboys, Antonio Gates was signed by the Chargers as a college free agent. When you talk about mismatch players and their impact on the game from the tight end position, Witten and Gates are most likely the first two players mentioned. Throughout Gates’ career he has had to deal with more injuries than Witten but this season he looks healthy and that same successful player that we have seen over the years.

Gates is running routes well and it doesn’t matter if it’s in the open field or down in the red zone. He continues to find ways to get open and Philip Rivers is getting him the ball to make plays. What will be interesting about this matchup with the Cowboys is how will Monte Kiffin and this defensive staff choose to play him. Under previous defensive coordinators, we have seen Brandon Carr handle a tight end that was more like a receiver. Kiffin might just use Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox to handle the job both did a nice job last week against Jared Cook of the Rams. Gates is so athletic but his size, like Witten, gives defenders so many problems down the field. There are a couple of different ways that Kiffin could go here but whatever he decides that will be an all day job for that player.

Under The Radar: Corey Liuget

This Chargers defensive front has struggled to get consistent pressure other than from Dwight Freeney, but a player to keep an eye on is defensive end, Corey Liuget. When you study their front, the one area you do notice is that Liuget is off the ball in a hurry. Usually with two gap players, it is read then go but Liuget is not that way. He is quick to attack and try to make himself a disruptive player. He can be a difficult player to handle one-on-one because of quickness but power as well. Plays with an impressive first step. Has some quick twitch.

On tape, he plays with a high motor and gives a nice effort to get to the ball. He does a nice job of using his hands and you can see him shedding in order to get in on the play. He is very athletic and you see it in his game. He can work down the line and keep himself free. Will slide up and down the line to play different positions. Lines up as an end but you will also see him play as the tackle in the nickel rush. These Cowboys guards have to be ready for his quickness and power because if they are not, he can cause some problems in the middle of this defensive line.

 

[boozeman]

Say that reminds me...

Did you guys know that Antonio Gates used to play basketball?

 

[boozeman]

Fokou says Chargers tried to break his arm

Posted by Mike Florio on September 25, 2013, 8:12 PM EDT

Titans linebacker Moise Fokou has a pretty good excuse for an unnecessary roughness penalty he drew in the first quarter of Sunday’s win over the Chargers.

Fokou claims that, basically, the Chargers tried to Fokoup up his arm.

“They were trying to put my arm in a blender,” Fokou said, via Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. “That’s what they were trying to do. It was kind of like a fight or flight kind of feeling, just mano-a-mano, survival of the fittest. I felt that my arm was in a compromising position and when I got up my first instinct was to kind of defend myself, right, wrong or indifferent. That’s just how I felt.”

Fokou said he’ll appeal if he’s fined, as he should. The “All-22″ film from the game shows Chargers guard Jeromy Clary clutch Fokou’s arm and then fall to the ground while holding it, in what looked like clumsy pro wrestling move. Only after that does Fokou take a shot at Clary.

If anything, Clary should be fined for blatantly trying to injure Fokou.

 

[boozeman]

Manti Te'o will make NFL debut on Sunday


Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 7:34 PM

Manti Te'o is set to make his rookie debut for the San Diego Chargers this Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, according to reports. Te'o practiced fully Wednesday for the first time since injuring his foot in August. The Chargers no doubt hope the rookie can spark a defense that has been hit-or-miss this season.

Te'o went to San Diego with much fanfare after the being selected early in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He is coming off a spectacular senior season at Notre Dame that was tarnished by a bad performance in the BCS National Championship game and a public scandal involving a fake girlfriend. Te'o's offseason problems haven't followed him to San Diego, however. Reports out of OTAs indicated that Te'o was adjusting well to NFL life and was ready to play an important role for the Chargers in 2013.


Whether Te'o will play extensively against the Cowboys remains to be seen. Given his time spent away from the practice field, there may be some rust. That said, Te'o may very well be the Chargers' best option at inside linebacker. The team was missing Te'o and fellow inside linebacker Donald Butler during last weekend's loss to the Tennessee Titans, a game that was decided by a late 94-yard touchdown drive led by Jake Locker.
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[NoDak]

My sources tell me we're wearing our blues.

 

[boozeman]

O-line beat up as Chargers prepare for Cowboys : SEPTEMBER 25, 2013 : Updated: September 25, 2013 6:52pm


SAN DIEGO (AP) — Right tackle D.J. Fluker was the only starter on the offensive line practicing Wednesday as the team began preparing for the Chargers' game with the Dallas Cowboys.

Otherwise, the line was made up of a mixture of backups as the Chargers compensate for a wave of injuries.

Not participating were left tackle King Dunlap, left guard Chad Rinehart, center Nick Hardwick and right guard Jeromey Clary. Dunlap has a concussion, Rinehart has turf toe, Hardwick has shin splints and Clary, a sore clavicle.

"There's not time to worry," quarterback Philip Rivers said. "However we end up when we get to Sunday, we have dealt with it in the past. We expect to win and expect to do well."

Hardwick and Clary could play on Sunday.

But Mike Harris, who started nine games at left tackle last year, could be securing Rivers' blind spot against Pro Bowler DeMarcus Ware. And journeyman Rich Orrnberger could be at left guard if Rinehart isn't ready.

"Hopefully, some guys can improve and be well by Sunday," Rivers said. "But if not, we'll go. We've been through it before and I have confidence in the guys that would be called on.

"A few of the guys that are going to be called on are veterans — they have played a bunch of games. So we'll be fine. You certainly hate to have guys injured in those spots, but guys are going to have to step up and go."

Coach Mike McCoy said the starting five might not be known until Sunday.

"There might be some game-day decisions we have to make," he said.

Rivers doesn't know which players will be in front of him but he does know the Cowboys' reaction to the Chargers' plight.

"I can tell you Dallas doesn't care," Rivers said.

Notes: LBs Donald Butler (groin) and Manti Te'o (foot) returned to practice. ... Indications are that wide receiver Malcom Floyd (neck), who didn't practice, will miss Sunday's game. ... To add depth to the depleted offensive line, the Chargers signed guard/tackle Stephen Schilling and added guard Andrew Tiller to the practice squad.

 

[boozeman]

My sources tell me we're wearing our blues.

My sources say the same.

Hope they are just joking us again. Those krazy guys.

 

[boozeman]

Dallas Cowboys CB Orlando Scandrick: Chargers QB Philip Rivers can talk all he wants, he backs it up
By Jon Machota
jmachota@dallasnews.com
6:28 pm on September 25, 2013 |

IRVING – Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick played well during an August 2011 scrimmage against the San Diego Chargers.

Like he has been doing the last couple of weeks, Scandrick was lined up on the outside that day at AT&T Stadium. Starting corners Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins were out with injuries.

After the scrimmage, Scandrick said he talked with Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, picking his brain to better understand what Rivers was seeing on the field.

The two, who are both known to do some gameday trash-talking, will likely see a lot of each other on Sunday when the Cowboys travel to San Diego.

“He’ll do a lot of talking but he backs it up,” Scandrick said. “He can talk all he wants. For the last nine or 10 years, that team has been on his back. I got a world of respect for him.”

Shortly after Scandrick made those comments, Rivers was asked about the 26-year-old cornerback during a conference call at Valley Ranch.

“He’s a heck of a competitor,” Rivers said. “He can play at the outside corner position, obviously, and he’s a real crafty guy there in the slot when he plays the nickel. I best describe him as a football player, which means he’s just a complete player.

“He’s so competitive. He has a knack for making plays and he plays the ball well. He’s certainly a big contributor for them.”

 

[NoDak]

My sources say the same.

Hope they are just joking us again. Those krazy guys.

Whoa. I wonder if my sources know your sources.

It would almost be like we know each other. Like... We're friends.

You wanna be friends? Amigos? We could talk on the phone for two hours and stuff.

~creepy smile~

 

[boozeman]

Whoa. I wonder if my sources know your sources.

It would almost be like we know each other. Like... We're friends.

You wanna be friends? Amigos? We could talk on the phone for two hours and stuff.

~creepy smile~

Did we just become friends, Stephen?

 

[boozeman]

Chargers run into another challenge with Romo
By Kevin Acee 05:06p.m. Sep 25, 2013

The Chargers have noticed a dumbed-down Dallas Cowboys offense and a spruced up Tony Romo.

Discussion of those things have brought some raised brows and wide eyes during locker room conversations this week.

“He’s been a lot more protective with the football and making good decisions,” linebacker Donald Butler observed.

The Chargers are uneasy about this development. They should be, with the troubles they’ve had containing quarterbacks, particularly mobile ones.

But do not fret. The Chargers have a plan.

They believe the way to stop the new-and-improved Romo is the same way you stymied the old unpredictable Romo.

“We know that once he’s rattled and what not,” said defensive end Corey Liuget, “it’s easy to take him out of the game.”

Cool.

But – even if the Chargers had actually been making more than a handful of plays on defense the past two weeks – that’s not as easy against Romo as it used to be.

Much like Philip Rivers -- who, as you may have heard, in recent years had similar issues with the turnovers -- Romo is getting rid of the ball quicker and being afforded more comfort in the pocket in 2013.

The results, through three games: a 72.2 percent completion rate that ranks second in the NFL and six touchdowns to one interception.

Yeah, where the assumption was that last week in Nashville would be a respite for a struggling Chargers defense, there is no doubt this Sunday will be a challenge for a unit that has been torn apart by quarterbacks who, like Romo, can move a bit.

The Chargers accomplished their goal of keeping Michael Vick from running in Philadelphia, but they did allow him to throw for a career-high 428 yards.

This past Sunday, Jake Locker had arguably the best of his 14 career starts, passing for 299 yards and a touchdown and running for 68 yards and a score.

Again, there is a plan.

“You just got to get after him,” linebacker Jarret Johnson said. “Somebody has to defeat a block.”

He said that with a tinge of frustration in his voice, understandable in that the Chargers’ defensive front has had trouble doing that.

And even if they were able to get where they can challenge Romo, there is another facet to shutting him down. He is better than most at extending plays and improvisation.

“You have to just try to wrap Tony Romo up,” Butler said. “You see a lot of times where people have him wrapped up, and he swivels out somehow. You have to get as many hats to him as possible.”

We’ll see how those plans go, given that Locker, nowhere near as discerning as Romo, was able to scramble as he did.

“I think we underestimated his speed and overestimated ours,” Butler said.

Now, Butler returns this week after missing last Sunday with a groin strain, and presumably the debut of Manti Te’o will help.

The Cowboys were thrilled to run 34 times in a 31-7 victory over the St. Louis Rams last Sunday and would certainly be happy to do so again this week. Three dozen rushes come about when a team is comfortably ahead, so the Chargers don't want that, but neither do they want Romo flinging the ball all over Qualcomm Stadium.

“It’s a simple offense,” Liuget said. “They don’t do too many plays. The key is to definitely hit Romo early and try to take Romo out of the game and put the ball in (running back DeMarco Murray’s) hands.”

In that the Chargers defense is only allowing the NFL's fifth-most rushing yards, as opposed to it's NFL-worst pass defense, that's probably a sound plan.
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I really wish we could make guys like Liuget eat their words. But I doubt we will.

 

[mcnuttz]

So their defense can't stop the run? In the last couple years this would have been a game where we still pass the ball 40+ times.

I hope they stick with what worked well last week. Still can't get over how well the game was played on both sides of the ball.

 

[Texas Ace]

So their defense can't stop the run? In the last couple years this would have been a game where we still pass the ball 40+ times.

I hope they stick with what worked well last week. Still can't get over how well the game was played on both sides of the ball.

They aren't doing a good job stopping the pass either.

Point is, this is a defense that can be exploited all over the field........if we had good coaching and a good gameplan. But because we can't count on either of those two things, we could be in for a struggle.

Hopefully Garrett/Callahan surprise me and this team puts together a good gameplan and we score too many points for the Chargers to match.

 

[mcnuttz]

Maybe so, but I'm glad it's not the dline getting torched.

 

[Texas Ace]

Maybe so, but I'm glad it's not the dline getting torched.

Wait, were you talking about the Chargers or Cowboys?

 

[ravidubey]

I really wish we could make guys like Liuget eat their words. But I doubt we will.

BS, dude, Liuget's talking out of his ass trying to spark his teammates. The Bolts are like 24th in sacks. They are dead last in allowed yards passing and 2nd to last in total defense.

 

[mcnuttz]

Wait, were you talking about the Chargers or Cowboys?

The Chargers can't stop the run, and if this were any of the last few years we would still not pound the ball.

 

[UncleMilti]

BS, dude, Liuget's talking out of his ass trying to spark his teammates. The Bolts are like 24th in sacks. They are dead last in allowed yards passing and 2nd to last in total defense.

Yeah, I'm not sure I agree Romo is easily rattled by sacks or pressure. He's more of his own worst enemy in the fact that if he does throw a INT, he usually starts to spiral downhill and its a flip of the coin if he can pull it back together or keep throwing shitty passes. Some of Romo's biggest INTs have come when he's had little to no pressure on him.

 

[boozeman]

If we win, it will be significant at least in terms of breaking a decade long pattern with the franchise.