My God the Chargers look good

[bottomset]

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They have Turner...who is basically like LJ when Holmes was the starter in KC

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thats the point LT doesn't need to get the ball at all in the second half of a 20-0 game that you have totally dominated, save those touches for game situations that matter, and its better to have both in top form at the end of the season

[anatta]

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They looked absolutely fantastic. With any other coach they would be serious SB contenders.

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Neither I nor my friends are fans of Marty. I find what seem like obvious mistakes in his play calling and game decisions. His problems in the playoffs are well documented.

GM AJ Smith isn't exactly enamored with Coach either, as I understand. Fortunately, he has surrounded him with good coordinators, Wade Phillips for example. AJ's eye for talent is certainly impressive (Castillo, Vincent Jackson, McNeil in the 2nd, Merriman, Cromartie with middle first rounders).

Marty does have a rare combo of old-school coach and a fired-up "rah-rah" mentality. I think the guys respond and certainly play hard. In the playoffs, when everybody is jacked up anyways, I would rather have Bellicek to dissect and prepare a team.

On the bright side, Marty did open up offense for Rivers yesterday, and the defense has switched from a bend don't break to a more aggressive approach as their talent level has improved.

[anatta]

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they will overuse LT again this year, moreso than last year and fade at the end of the season again

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The good news, LT doesn't take a lot of hard hits. Bad news, just takes one. So long as he has his quickness, I am not too concerned with all his touches early in the year. Its when he tweaks something later, slows him a bit, then starts getting into car wrecks a regular basis...

Unlike Priest Holmes, at least LT doesn't have to worry about Merriman turning the lights out.

[capone0]

Anatta-I agree that the SDC have looked good. The real answers to whether they are SB contenders will come in the coming weeks.

They have some tough games after this early, very easy stretch.

@Bal
Pit

Then a stretch of a couple easier games in @SF, @ KC, STl and Cleveland.

Then you have

@ Cincy
@ Denver

These will be the statement games. They also goto Seattle later in the year.

Statement games aren't made against the Raiders and Titans. Although the team showed they will pound bad teams, and make them pay.

[anatta]

I agree with everything you said. I don't think McNair is that good anymore, I don't think Ravens can run vs. Chargers well rested front 7 in two weeks. But Rivers hasn't faced any pressure(I think 0 sacks allowed) and Ravens secondary opportunistic.

Chargers will go conservative v Ravens. Marty ball likely since he will not want to have Rivers hurt or have Ravens defense score when their offense will likely struggle to do much of anything. Low scoring game.

[anatta]

A little Bolts Brief as they head into the bye week.

In a post last week I said, "Antonio Cromartie is as suspected a total freak who plays nickel situations and he matched up well with tall guy Bennet and shut him down."

To elaborate, that's "freak" as in: 4.28 forty and 42 in. vertical freaky. He's a 6'2'' 210 pound rookie corner...arms to his ankles. Check him out...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htdp7JRi0hY


This guy fell to 20th pick due to injury history. He started all of ONE GAME at Florida State! His numbers are from the combine so its clear he has healed. This could be the steal of the 2006 draft. (well okay Reggie Bush is THE steal...)

Merriman fell to 12th pick overall, picked just after Dallas' LB Ware. I heard on draft day that there were questions about his attitude. He was known as a workout beast, but I think a they thought he partied too much or something. Maybe his friendship with Lavar Arrington hurt him. No problems in reality. He is obsessed with film study and wants to be an all time great. Trivia: He was the youngest player in the league last year. His "lights out" nickname comes from his high school days when he knocked out 4 players in one game...as a sophomore [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] !!


DE Luis Castillo fell to the 28th pick overall after he admitted to all 30 teams in a letter to steroid use in college for an injured elbow. He could join fellow lineman, All-Pro Jamal Williams (widely considered the best nose guard in football), in Hawaii. (Jamal was a supplemental draft pick in 1998 and anchors the 3-4 defense).

The late GM John Butler (who died of lung cancer at 58) signed hoopster TE Antonio Gates who hadn't played football in 4 years, since high school.

BTW, I want to congratulate the Raiders, who due to their bye, won't be losing this week. Commitment to Excrement.

[MacGuyV]

Merriman might be the first player ever to lock up the Defensive POY after 1 game; what a beast.
What a horrible time to have your bye week though; early and with all that momentum.
Butler made a couple headscratching FA signings in his day, but I suppose that's true of most personnel guys. Very good on draft day.

[Jeff W]

I think that while Cromartie technically started only one game at FSU, he probably got the majority of the snaps at CB in his sophomore year--he earned first-team all-ACC honors.

He is a beast tho... FSU coaches said he's the best athlete to come out of FSU since Deion Sanders. He's played well so far and hopefully he can continue to develop and avoid injury.

Marcus McNeill also looks good so far at Left Tackle--very impressive for a rookie.

[capone0]

The 9ers on another message board were in LOVE with this guy. But there's no way we could get him unless we made a deal with Denver to get 2 first round picks or if he fell to the second round which was doubtful.

With that being said I like V-Diddy (Davis) a lot.

[CharlieDontSurf]

I'm curious to see what team signs Turner to a big RFA contract at the end of this year