POLL: Is It Time To Bench Rivers?

[jamrock]

Wonder who Kurt Warner was talking about here:

I understand 1 of my strengths was recognizing coverages & processing quickly - but I am continually frustrated by 20+ Mil $ QBs who’s eyes are in the wrong place & don’t seem to know what they are looking at?? Am I crazy to be critical about this? Are my expectations too high?

[SDBORN]

yup time to move on. he doesnt even look like he cares that he's throwing picks around like its candy during halloween.

Rivers is a great guy, and passionate about football and winning. Sadly I think he is just too reckless on the field. Too focused on gunslingin when he should just be taking what the defense gives him.

The drive with 4+ mins left was a perfect example.

One of the biggest problems is that we have had soft coaches who don't seem to hold him accountable and give him freedom to do what he wants on the field. He's not the only one our coaches have taken too long to hold accountable though.

But Ultimately he is the most important position on the team and without reigning in Rivers there is no hope for us. Sometimes I feel like he just locks in on his target pre snap no matter the situation. Other times its just a bad decision or read, missing wide open guys. It is just happening all too often at this point.

The real question now is whether or not a coach can actually control rivers or if that is just a futile attempt to begin with. He may just be too set in his old ways at this point.

[Topcat]

Rivers is a great guy, and passionate about football and winning. Sadly I think he is just too reckless on the field. Too focused on gunslingin when he should just be taking what the defense gives him.

The drive with 4+ mins left was a perfect example.

One of the biggest problems is that we have had soft coaches who don't seem to hold him accountable and give him freedom to do what he wants on the field. He's not the only one our coaches have taken too long to hold accountable though.

But Ultimately he is the most important position on the team and without reigning in Rivers there is no hope for us. Sometimes I feel like he just locks in on his target pre snap no matter the situation. Other times its just a bad decision or read, missing wide open guys. It is just happening all too often at this point.

Agree. Lynn appears to be intimidated by Rivers, or maybe he's been handcuffed by the ownership and/or TT. Remember, when they hired Lynn, he had to accept the pre-condition of having Whiz as OC and Gus as DC...wouldn't be surprised if there were other strings attached...

[SDBORN]

Agree. Lynn appears to be intimidated by Rivers, or maybe he's been handcuffed by the ownership and/or TT. Remember, when they hired Lynn, he had to accept the pre-condition of having Whiz as OC and Gus as DC...wouldn't be surprised if there were other strings attached...

Lynn shows weakness in this area in general. It took him way too long this season to relieve King of his punt returning duties. And I still wouldn't be surpised if he let's him put return again next week.

But ya I can see why Lynn could be intimidated. Rivers has been a veteran qb forever and Lynn is just a small fry in terms of head coaching jobs. The power struggle and frustration is brewing. Whiz is gone. We are in the process of elimination until we get to the root of the problem.

[richpjr]

Lynn shows weakness in this area in general. It took him way too long this season to relieve King of his punt returning duties. And I still wouldn't be surpised if he let's him put return again next week.

But ya I can see why Lynn could be intimidated. Rivers has been a veteran qb forever and Lynn is just a small fry in terms of head coaching jobs. The power struggle and frustration is brewing. Whiz is gone. We are in the process of elimination until we get to the root of the problem.

I'm betting King is returning punts next week. Lynn commented after the game that King was having a lot of trouble losing the punts in the lights which is why he used Pope late.

[Topcat]

I'm betting King is returning punts next week. Lynn commented after the game that King was having a lot of trouble losing the punts in the lights which is why he used Pope late.

So, does Pope have better vision than King?

[richpjr]

So, does Pope have better vision than King?

Who knows, Lynn said King was struggling with the lights in pregame warmups. Of course, when he said that I was wondering why he had him returning punts at all. If we had not recovered those punts it would have been even uglier.

[jubei]

He doesn’t care? Really? The guy that just gave us what 15 years to this shit organization suddenly doesn’t care?

comes to a point in everyone's career that it's time to hang it up. it is that time and yes I believe he doesnt care anymore. Did I say he didnt care in previous years? No. I said it doesnt look like he cares ANYMORE...to borrow a line from TC "he's throwing stuff up for pix" (or something like that) at an ALARMING rate! and he doesnt seem to care that he's doing so. at this point I dont care if they continue to play him because it'll probably mean the team will get a higher draft pick.

[richpjr]

comes to a point in everyone's career that it's time to hang it up. it is that time and yes I believe he doesnt care anymore. Did I say he didnt care in previous years? No. I said it doesnt look like he cares ANYMORE...to borrow a line from TC "he's throwing stuff up for pix" (or something like that) at an ALARMING rate! and he doesnt seem to care that he's doing so. at this point I dont care if they continue to play him because it'll probably mean the team will get a higher draft pick.

If you want to say he is done, that is fine but to think that a guy as competitive as Rivers doesn't care is just beyond stupid.

[jamrock]

If you want to say he is done, that is fine but to think that a guy as competitive as Rivers doesn't care is just beyond stupid.

he cares a lot. I see it more as the weight of expectations crashing down on him. had the look of a mentally spent person with the games on the line at both oakland and KC

[Guest]

Yes.
He is basically saying its a year to year decision.
Although I do expect him to play in 2020.

I also think 2020 is his last season......because i think the Chargers will finally draft a QB in the 1st rd in 2020.

TT has shown when they want a player they will trade up and get him. The only thing that will get in the way of moving up is if they finish this season strong....end up 9-7 and win a wildcard game. Then they are a final 8 team and would draft around 24-25. Likely too low to go get a top QB. If they still draft one early, it will likely be the 4th QB as the top 3 will likely be gone.

I dont want to see them settle.
I dont like Plan B of free agent QBs.....but Bridgewater, Tannenhill, Winston, Brissett will likely remain where they are.....leaving Mariota as the possibility. Maybe he can be better on his 2nd team.

Chargers have struggled this year and if it continues, they won't make playoffs and could end up picking around 10-12. If thats the case then they can and should pay the price to move up to #1 and get the future franchise QB.

2020 1st & 2nd & 3rd.
2021 1st & 2nd.

Should be enough.

They get the top 1st back in the trade.
So it cost them 4 picks.
2020 2nd & 3rd. And the 2021 1st & 2nd which if they have a solid seaaon in Rivers last hurrah could be a low 1st and 2nd.

Even if they had to cough up more picks to get the deal done. It doesnt mortgage the future. It sets up the future. The rookie sits for a year. Even if Rivers retires and does not play in 2020. Taylor starts and the rookie sits. This new franchise QB is a 15 year plan. So the 2020 and 2021 picks will be nothing in the grand scheme. 2022-2035 drafts you are building & fortifying the team around the new Franchise QB.


Get it done Chargers.

I disagree with the approach suggested in the above quoted post.

First, let's identify what is actually happening. Does anyone really think that Rivers has lost anything physcially? I agree that Father Time is undefeated in that Father Time always wins at some point, but that point does not appear to be now with Rivers. What I see is a horrible OL that has resulted in Rivers getting hit as he throws, rushing his throws, making questionable decisions under pressure that is there and occasionally feeling ghost pressure because there is real pressure so much of the time. My view is that all or most of that goes away if Rivers gets even mediocre OL play. Rivers does not appear to be in physical decline.

A protected Rivers is a top 5 QB in the league right now. Why the team's management has chosen not to set up their best player to succeed at times over his career is mind boggling and truly a shame.

Now, it is clear that Rivers will not want to play forever, so I do think we will ultimately need the QB of the future. But why would we want to set up the QB of the future for failure by not having a better OL in place when that QB takes over? Does anyone really think that QB will do better without Rivers' experience when he is under extreme pressure from the very beginning? With all of the high draft capital gone to get the QB in the scenario of drafting a QB in 2020, what is going to be used to build the OL?

Also, I think Telesco has done some good things for the team, but the trade ups mentioned have been terrible in every instance for one of two reasons--either the player was not worthy of the trade up and/or the circumstances suggested that nobody was coming to get the player that we urgently traded up to get (we wasted the draft picks for no good reason whatsoever).

In addition, which QB in the 2020 draft is a worthy long term replacement for Rivers? I am not sold on any of them and am even less sold on the notion of giving up multiple draft picks to get such a questionable prospect.

In my view, there is a QB with elite potential that is likely to enter the 2021 draft that would be worthy of trading up to get. That QB, of course, is Trevor Lawrence, regarded by many as the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck. Now, as we have seen from Luck, the does not guarantee greatness, but I would like the idea of moving forward with Lawrence. Simply put, he's the guy.

In light of the above, my approach would be to 1) sign Rivers through the 2021 season and say goodbye to him just after his 40th birthday (when the prospect of actual physical decline is more realistic); 2) use picks from the 2020, 2022 and 2023 drafts to maximize draft capital for the 2021 draft; and 3) fix/improve the OL through other draft picks and free agency. Then, in the 2021 draft, do whatever it takes to trade up to #1 overall and get Trevor Lawrence and have him behind an OL that is at least something better than terrible. I would trust Telesco when it comes to a prospect that seems so obvious at this point.

[pacstud]

QB talent falls, regularly.

I'd rather spin the late 1st early 2nd round wheel than trade up.

Trading up for a QB is risky business.