No...Really...I Saw Him Smiling
First, thanks to the fans for not filling up the “Q” so that Saturday night’s preseason opener against Seattle had to be tape-delayed on television. I tuned in at 10:30, and about all I had in me was one quarter.
I’ll leave it to the rest of you to break down what happened after that (and after I went to sleep). I don’t feel I missed anything important, since all the starters were basically gone by the second quarter anyway.
But here’s what I did see:
Opening kickoff:Buster Davis is the return man which tells me the Chargers are less concerned about their oft-injured ‘07 first-round pick getting hurt again than they are about anybody else…After the kickoff, a quick shot of Norv Turner smiling broadly on the sidelines (better freeze-frame that, because I don’t expect to see it very often).
First play:LaDainian Tomlinson is in the game! Certainly don’t want to get him hurt, so it makes sense to have him block a blitzing linebacker. Fortunately, LT doesn’t want to get hurt either, so he misses the block and Philip Rivers is sacked.
Second Down:Time to give LT the ball. But — oh, those tricky Chargers — he’s running to the right. New guard Kynan Forney and tackle Jeromey Clary get no push whatsoever, and LT has nowhere to go.
Third Down:Rivers shoots a pass over the middle to Malcolm Floyd, who drops it. (I quickly think…heck, Vincent Jackson could have done that).
Already in Pro Bowl Form.
Fourth Down:Mike Scifres really is unbelievable. He boots the ball 64 yards in the air, and it hangs up there so long that Jacob Hester is able to rumble down the field and stop the punt return in its tracks.
Seattle Ball, First Down:The Seahawks send running back Julius Jones around the left side and Shawne Merriman is handled easily by tight end John Carlson. Jones sweeps right past the engaged Merriman for a solid six-yard gain. (So much for Lights-Out Dance on the first play)….Jones is then tackled out-of-bounds by safety Eric Weddle for a 15-yard penalty. (OK by me, at least Weddle is hitting somebody).
First Down (after the penalty): Luis Castillo (remember him?) busts through the line to tackle Jones behind the line of scrimmage on a stretch run to the right. Didn’t see him enough in the backfield a year ago.
Second Down: A bugaboo from last season shows up when Carlson, the tight end, gets open between the inside linebackers — in this case, Kevin Burnett and Tim Dobbins — for an easy 14-yard pitch-and-catch.
Third Down:With one yard to get for the first down, big back T.J. Duckett slams into the line. But he slams into Jamal Williams, who stands him up and keeps him short of the first down. Nice….Seattle is forced to punt.
Chargers Ball, First Down: LT tries the right side again. As anybody who watched last year could tell him, there’s not going to be anywhere to go on that side…There’s nowhere to go.
Gates Makes It Look So Easy
Second Down: Rivers throws behind Antonio Gates on a short crossing route, but Gates reaches back and makes the catch anyway. Like picking off a rebound.
Third Down: This times, Gates on a short out-pattern. He’s single-covered. That’s like stealing. First Down.
First Down:Quick screen to LT in the right flat. Play is set up well, but Forney misses his block on linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who stops LT after an eight-yard pickup. The play probably should have gone for more.
Second Down: Another underneath throw to Gates, another first down. Did I mention, it’s like stealing?
First Down: LT runs off the left side this time but still can’t find much running room. (At least you can’t say the Chargers always run left on their first play of every game. This run to the left doesn’t come until play number nine).
Second Down: Rivers throws downfield for the first time. A nice blitz pickup by the offensive line gives him time, but the throw is maybe a quarter-yard too far and Gates can’t pull it in with one hand. It’s the nice blitz pickup that’s most important on this play.
Third Down:Another incompletion, but a Seattle holding penalty in the secondary gives the Bolts a first down.
First Down: With fullback Jacob Hester leading nicely through a hole on the left side, LT follows him for a six-yard gain and nearly breaks it. Hester has become a very dependable lead blocker, if you ask me.
Second Down:Darren Sproles gets his first touch on a short screen pass, the play isn’t set up all that well, and there’s not much yardage to be had.
Third Down:With Gates split out to the right (and again single covered), Rivers double pumps and goes fora big play. Smart call. But Gates is held up by the cornerback, who gets away (luckily) without a penalty being called.
Fourth Down:Scifres again. This time a pooch (Darren Bennett Aussie Rules) punt that dies perfectly at the four-yard line. (I know punting probably isn’t your thing, but I love to watch him kick).
Seattle Ball, First Down:Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck attacks Antonio Cromartie for the first time, and finds Nate Burleson open on a quick slant for a (far too easy) first down. Cromartie has given so much space to Burleson that linebacker Dobbins has to come from underneath to make the tackle.
First Down:Rookie Vaughn Martin gets his first taste of the NFL turf as Seattle guard Rob Sims pancackes him while Jones scoots through the hole for a nice first-down pickup.
Second Down:Another underneath throw beats the Chargers inside linebackers for a first down. (Did I mention that was a bugaboo last season)?
First Down:Jones runs right on a stretch play, and Weddle comes up from the secondary and makes a solid, hard tackle at the line of scrimmage. Here, here, young man. That’s the kind of safety play this team needs!
Second Down:Ron Rivera opens up the playbook, sending two linebackers in on a blitz from Hasselbeck’s blind side. Shawn Phillips and Burnett run a stunt as well, and Phillips slips through inside the tackle to pressure the QB and force a throw-away. (Look forward to seeing this play with Merriman and rookie Larry English working together).
Third Down:This time Antoine Cason comes on a corner blitz. He doesn’t get there, but Hasselbeck hurries the throw anyway and the pass in incomplete….Seattle has to punt.
I shut off the TV, and call it a night. Most of the starters call it a night as this point (late in the first quarter) as well.
– Ello
