Comparing Last Year To This Year

[Kingcrimson]

Looking back, the 12-4 record looks to be a product of clutch play combined with a weaker schedule.

2 score losses against KC, LAR, and BAL.
1 score loss against DEN
1 score win against SF, TEN, SEA, PIT, CIN, and KC
2 score win against BUF, OAK (2), CLE, DEN, ARI

This year, a schedule with mostly defensive teams, combined with bad clutch time play, we sit at 5-8.

Towards the end of last year (final 4 games against CIN, KC, BAL, DEN) we started seeing a preview of this year. Rivers throwing 4 TDs, 6 INTs which we’re seeing a lot more this year, and the inability to score TDs. We even saw it vs BAL in the playoffs.

Though our record is night and day difference, I still don’t think we’ve regressed at all from last year, we’ve stayed about the same, we just played better defensive teams with the AFC South and NFC North.

Good news is, we play the AFC East and NFC South next year which only have 2-3 good teams depending on if you see BUF as one.

[Bolt-O]

PR said that the 2018 season was as likely to go 6-10 and 16-0, depending on breaks, or non-breaks. The same can be said in any year; teams can't control what happens to other teams (except maybe the Pats, lol), or any of what happens in games that are just strange. I just hope that next season there will be less bad luck as far as injuries go, and they figure out a way to keep the QB upright, who ever that might be (and it's probably going to be Rivers)

[ChargersPowderBlue]

It's pretty much the same team. Just with reversal of luck.

There's many players that this team needs to move on from. But the chief QB is not one of them.

[Maniaque 6]

Last year, the Chargers could have been 8-8.
The wins at KC and PIT were, at least, unexpected.

[Caslon]

The Chargers weren't exactly totally decimated by injuries their first five games this season. They were expected to have had a better record by then. It's not like they lost Rivers to injury. Blaming it on goofs and miscues and bad luck doesn't cut the mustard. It happens to teams with par or sub par coaching and off season poor management.

[richpjr]

The Chargers weren't exactly totally decimated by injuries their first five games this season.

Really? Okung, James and Badgley all missed the first 5 games (and more). Henry was injured in the first game. Philips was injured in the second game. Culkin was hurt in game 4. Michael Davis missed the first 3 games. Gordon also held out the first 4 games and took another month to get in football shape.

That is a ton of talented players that absolutely would have made a difference in those first 5 games.

[RyanLeaf4President]

Really? Okung, James and Badgley all missed the first 5 games (and more). Henry was injured in the first game. Philips was injured in the second game. Culkin was hurt in game 4. Michael Davis missed the first 3 games. Gordon also held out the first 4 games and took another month to get in football shape.

That is a ton of talented players that absolutely would have made a difference in those first 5 games.

Get out of here with your facts. We lost all those games because Rivers is washed up and sucks now. If we would’ve started Tyrod from the beginning we’d be 16-0 on our way to a 19-0 super bowl run.

[Caslon]

Really? Okung, James and Badgley all missed the first 5 games (and more). Henry was injured in the first game. Philips was injured in the second game. Culkin was hurt in game 4. Michael Davis missed the first 3 games. Gordon also held out the first 4 games and took another month to get in football shape.

That is a ton of talented players that absolutely would have made a difference in those first 5 games.

Okay then,it take a really talented coaching staff to coach around a few key injuries other than your QB. Wanna deny other coaches are able to do that, against lesser teams whom the Chargers were favored against their first 5 games???

[ChargingBolts]

Get out of here with your facts. We lost all those games because Rivers is washed up and sucks now. If we would’ve started Tyrod from the beginning we’d be 16-0 on our way to a 19-0 super bowl run.

Lol. I love the Rivers is washed up and old takes (I know you were joking).

The thing is Rivers always has 2 or 3 bad games EVERY YEAR since 2006, (a lot of qb's do, just like sometimes a MLB ace just doesn't have it a few games a year), was Rivers washed up and old during those stretches in his 20's as well?

Younger than Rivers, Aaron Rodgers must be washed up as well.

[RollingThunder]

Someone needs to rename this thread to "It's not River's fault it's everything else!". You guys are just as extreme as you think the people on the other side of this issue are.

Sticking to this thread, good teams led by good QB's are expected to fight through adversity and succeed. That's what makes them good.

[Steve]

in the previous 2 complete seasons (2017-2018) 13 teams won 70% or more of their close games. 11 of those teams saw their win totals decline the following season. Last year the cowboys, redskins, dolphins, saints and both la teams were in the 70% club. check their records this year.

good teams have good depth player at key positions. we got lucky the previous 2 seasons. we weren't injury free, but we had injuries where we had depth. this year we have been unlucky where we had injuries. we had them at positions we were weak, and had little or no depth.

the nay sayers who were shouting doom and gloom in preseason were right. in fact many of them called it spot on.

[Topcat]

in the previous 2 complete seasons (2017-2018) 13 teams won 70% or more of their close games. 11 of those teams saw their win totals decline the following season. Last year the cowboys, redskins, dolphins, saints and both la teams were in the 70% club. check their records this year.

good teams have good depth player at key positions. we got lucky the previous 2 seasons. we weren't injury free, but we had injuries where we had depth. this year we have been unlucky where we had injuries. we had them at positions we were weak, and had little or no depth.

the nay sayers who were shouting doom and gloom in preseason were right. in fact many of them called it spot on.

Our failure of O-line depth is where TT badly miscalculated...going into this season, he KNEW that Tevi was poor in pass pro, but rolled with him anyway...but the WORST failure was not having a backup for Okung, who nearly died from a pulmonary embolism all the way back in JULY. ALL. THE. WAY. BACK. IN. JULY, for crying out loud. That's TWO MONTHS TT should have been looking to sign a FA OT or trade for one...but NO, he rolls with Tevi at LT and Scott at RT...AWFUL personnel management...