Changes needed going forward

[thelightningwill]

The Chargers came out in the 2nd half and scored a TD, got a stop on defense, scored another TD, and followed it up with another stop. That's when the mistakes piled on in succession. After a 9 yard completion to Keenan Allen here's what happened.

-Green misses a block and allows TFL on 2 and 1

-Gates drops a pass on 3rd and 3

-Scrifes punt only goes 22 yards

-Gilchrist drops interception

This, it's like they ran out of gasssssss.

I'm full of gas and low on grass.

[Guest]

Throw in Jerry Attaochu's energy off the edge and Darrelle Verrett in the secondary I can see them getting off the field on a more consistent basis.

Did the writer screw up here, or was that supposed to be a comparison to Revis?

[Beerman]

Did the writer screw up here, or was that supposed to be a comparison to Revis?

Yea. He was Deion Verrett on game day.

[thelightningwill]

Yea. He was Deion Verrett on game day.

Haha. Neon Jason doesn't have the same ring.

[Asela]

Can we lean on Mathews a little more in a situation like that where we have the lead in the 2nd half?

Are we a RB by committee now? The "token" touches for Woodhead were brutal. Mathews is perfect for this scenario as he can break those arm tackles by tired defenders in the 2nd half. He had like what - 11 carries or something the entire game? TWO reverses to Royal? Entire offensive gameplan was out of sorts.

I don't know what Reich was doing with the game plan. Seemed very simple. I don't recall any screens, WR screens, roll outs, etc to slow down the AZ rush. Why not getting Woodhead out in space? The 2 pitchouts were nice. Just seemed like such a conservative game plan that got more conservative in the 4th qtr. 3 all out blitzes in a row on Rivers and Reich can't figure out how to protect Rivers?

Whisenhunt had a very nice game plan and calls for the Titans in KC. Nice win for Ken.

[homeless simpson]

When a team goes a bit more conservative late in the game, isn't that the HC's decision and part of their game managing responsibility?

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

We took our own momentum away by downshifting the play calling from what was working into a maximum conservative field position and run the clock trust your defence game plan. They stopped doing what worked! Never stop doing what works!

[Steve]

The playcalling changed because we couldn't stop the Az blitzes up the middle. I doesn't matter what play is called if the OG are getting beat on all of them.

[Beerman]

Still don't get why they didn't shift to swinging it out of the backfield to the RBs vs all those double A gap blitzes. Yes the CBs are solid tacklers, but that's an easy 5-7 yards before he's getting tackled. Even quick WR screens would have been better than trying to repeatedly complete passes over the middle.

[thelightningwill]

Still don't get why they didn't shift to swinging it out of the backfield to the RBs vs all those double A gap blitzes. Yes the CBs are solid tacklers, but that's an easy 5-7 yards before he's getting tackled. Even quick WR screens would have been better than trying to repeatedly complete passes over the middle.

I assume you weren't talking about Cromartie.
I don't think the passing attempts were all that bad - just the catching attempts.

[Yubaking]

Still don't get why they didn't shift to swinging it out of the backfield to the RBs vs all those double A gap blitzes. Yes the CBs are solid tacklers, but that's an easy 5-7 yards before he's getting tackled. Even quick WR screens would have been better than trying to repeatedly complete passes over the middle.

Exactly right. I was begging for screens during the game. Swing passes to RBs would have been good also. How difficult is it to figure out that if the defense is sending people right up the middle, get the ball to the perimeter quickly, especially with blockers in front?!

[Steve]

Still don't get why they didn't shift to swinging it out of the backfield to the RBs vs all those double A gap blitzes. Yes the CBs are solid tacklers, but that's an easy 5-7 yards before he's getting tackled. Even quick WR screens would have been better than trying to repeatedly complete passes over the middle.

Except it is hard to get the press man picked off if they are being that aggressive up in press. Even if you do, what about the guy who was pressing the WR or TE who is blocking? It comes down to numbers, and if the other team is playing all their coverage up tight, then there is always one more guy up too close to block, then we have blockers.

The better option might have been to play a bunch to the right, with a TE to the left (or even the guy opposite Cromartie to the left), then just quick pitch to Mathews, letting Dunalp free release, , and then let Mathews outrun the edge rusher, and just follow Dunalp in space. By going bunch away, you take most of the DB in position to defend the perimeter out of the equation and put them on the side away, and probably any additional help.

The other thing was just more bunch formations. The whole point of the bunch is to force press defenders off, because they will get picked off by all the rubs and lose leverage on the routes that form in the releases. We got the one big throw to malcolm on 3rd and 4 in the 3rd qtr out of a classic bunch look (32 yard completetion), we just need to do more of that.

We got a lot of spread iso looks vs the cards with guys spread out, which must have been the plan, but when you don't win the match ups, getting the look we wanted didn't help much.