San Diego Chargers Team Page

[NightHawkTH32]

Owner: Tyler Hoyt
Head Coach: Ryan Mack
Defensive Coordinator: John Pagano
Offensive Coordinator: Frank Reich​

 

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Chargers Look to Make Playoff Push
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The San Diego Charger find themselves right in the middle of a heated playoff run with 5 games left to play in the season. At 6-5, the Chargers find themselves tied with the Cleveland Browns and division foe Oakland Raiders for the second wild card spot. They will also be tied with the loser of the Bengals vs Texans week 12 matchup which has yet to be played. Both the Bengals and Texans sit at 6-4 entering that matchup. At 10-1, the Kansas City Chiefs look like they have locked up the AFC West as they are 4 games ahead of the Chargers with only 5 to play. So the Chargers will fight to sneak into a playoff spot and will have to do it against a very difficult schedule. The Chargers will have arguably the toughest road to the wildcard spot. Let's have a look at the remaining schedule:

Week 13: @ Baltimore (10-1)
Week 14: vs. New England (10-1)
Week 15: vs. Denver (5-6)
Week 16: @ San Francisco (8-3)
Week 17: @ Kansas City (10-1)

So there you have it, if the Chargers want to get into the playoffs, they will need to show a ton of heart and play their best game week after week for this 5 week grind. Since taking over ownership of the Chargers in week 8, Tyler Hoyt has seen his team go 2-1, the 2 wins coming in the last 2 games. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come as Head Coach Mike McCoy will need his troops to keep playing good football for the next 5 weeks. Quarterback Philip Rivers (2350 yards, 16 TD, 10 INT) will need to lead his team as he looks to receivers Keenan Allen (541 yards, 3 TD) and Malcom Floyd (445 yards, 3 TD) and veteran tight end Antonio Gates (349 yards, 5 TD) to spread the field out and keep the defense of their toes. The 2 headed rushing attack of Ryan Matthews (537 rush yards, 6 TD, 86 rec yards, 1 TD) and Danny Woodhead (456 rush yards, 6 TD, 122 rec yards, 1 TD) will need to keep the defense honest with Matthews providing straight line running while Woodhead serves as the change of pace back.

The defense will need to step up big time to keep these stellar offensive attacks from putting up points. Veteran outside linebacker Dwight Freeney (53 tackles, 11 sacks) will need to continue to put pressure on opposing QBs and slow the opponents rushing game. The secondary, led by free safety Eric Weddle, will need to lock down opposing receivers and close down the middle of the field. Corners Brandon Ghee (38 tackles, 5 INT) and Jason Verrett (2 INT, 2 TD) will need to provide good man coverage as they will face some pretty good 1 on 1 receivers in the coming weeks.

With the Chargers on the road in Baltimore (10-1) in week 13, lets take a look at the matchup:


QB: Philip Rivers (2350 yards, 16 TD, 10 INT) Joe Flacco (2391 yards, 13 TD, 20 INT)
RB: Ryan Matthews (537 yards, 6 TD) Justin Forsett (769 yards, 6 TD)
WR: Keenan Allen (541 yards, 3 TD) Torrey Smith (628 yards, 5 TD)
TE: Antonio Gates (349 yards, 5 TD) Dennis Pitta (781 yards, 4 TD)
OL: Nick Hardwick ( 6 panckakes, 2 sacks) Eugene Monroe (12 pancakes, 5 sacks)
DL: Corey Liuget (24 tackles, 5 sacks) Haloti Ngata (30 tackles, 6 sacks)
LB: Dwight Freeney (53 tackles, 11 sacks) Terrell Suggs (28 tackles, 8 sacks, 1 INT, 1 TD)
DB: Brandon Ghee (38 tackles, 5 INT) Jimmy Smith (23 tackles, 4 INT, 2 TD)
K: Nick Novak (9/9 FG, Long: 52) Justin Tucker (13/16 FG, Long: 54)

 

[NightHawkTH32]

BOLT UP! Chargers Keep Playoff Hopes Alive!
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The San Diego Chargers continue their late season playoff push with a huge upset win over the 11-1 New England Patriots this week. Coming into the game, most probably didn't think the Chargers had a chance, but that didn't phase the players and coaching staff as they put their heads down and played arguably their best game of the season. With the odds stacked against them and virtually nothing to lose, the Chargers looked fluid and uniform and the defense stepped up their game when it was needed most.

After installed opening drive by the Chargers, the Patriots struck first with a 5 yard TD pass from Tom Brady to Julian Edelman. The touchdown was set up with a 65 yard pass to Andre Johnson. The Chargers were able to get a decent drive going on the next series and were able to get on the scoreboard with a 47 yard field goal by Nick Novak. After forcing the Patriots to punt on their next possession, the Chargers turned the ball over as Alfonzo Dennard picked off Philip Rivers at midfield. The Chargers defense was able to get a big stop on the next drive when linebacker Donald Butler was able to jump in front of Patriots tight end Travis Kelce to make the interception inside the red zone. The rest of the half saw both offenses struggle to move the ball as the Patriots took a 7-3 lead into the locker room.

The Chargers must have received a motivating halftime speech from head coach Mike McCoy because they got the best of the Patriots in the second half. The half opened with a decent drive and 45 yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski to put the Patriots up 10-3. That would be the last time the Patriots visited the scoreboard as it was all Chargers from that point on. The Chargers marched down the field on their next possession and scored on 13 yard run by Ryan Matthews. The TD was set up by a 20 yard run by Matthews on the previous play. The Charger defense stepped up and took over from there, sacking Tom Brady twice on the next series. With good field position after a New England punt from their own goalie, the Chargers were able to take the lead on a 50 yard field goal from Novak. The defensive pressure seemed to be too much for Brady as the Chargers forced him to make bad decisions. The biggest play of the game came on the first play of the 4th quarter as slot corner Brandon Ghee jumped a crossing route from Rob Gronkowski and took it 27 yards to the house to give the Chargers a 20-10 lead. The final blow was delivered on the final drive of the game. With the Patriots threatening to score, corner Corey Webster slid in front of Andre Johnson in the end zone to intercept Brady for the 4th time in the game.

The Charger defense was the key in this one as they racked up 8 sacks on Brady as well as forcing him to toss 4 interceptions. Corner Jason Verrett collected the other interception for San Diego. The bolts got a boost from left end Kendall Reyes as he racked up 4 sacks in the game while veteran Dwight Freeney brought down Brady twice. Quarterback Philip Rivers finished the day with 182 yards passing and 1 interception. Running back Ryan Matthews had one of his better performances on the year, racking up 69 yards and a touchdown on 13 attempts. 2nd year receiver Keenan Allen caught 6 passes for 67 yards.

The Chargers look to keep their chances alive in week 15 as the host the 6-7 Denver Broncos in their final regular season home contest. You can bet that the troops will be in full force in that one as the home crowd tries to push their Chargers to the playoffs for only the 2nd time since 2009.

 

[NightHawkTH32]

The Bolts Charge into the Playoffs
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The San Diego Chargers have snuck into the playoffs after a very nerve-wracking last week of the regular season. After the final week was settled, the AFC had 6 teams at 9-7 fighting for 2 Wild Card spots. After the dust was settled and numerous tiebreakers were applied, the Chargers were given the #2 Wild Card spot in the AFC. They will facing the New England Patriots in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. These 2 teams met in week 14, with the Chargers pulling off the upset on the then 11-1 Patriots in San Diego by a score of 20-10. That big win was a turning point in the season for the Chargers as they would go on to win their next 3 to put themselves in a good spot to earn a playoff berth. This time, it may be a little tougher. The Chargers now have to play on the road at Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots have not lost this season (8-0). The Patriots have outscored their opponents by 127 points at home this season. Facing a playoff veteran team with a clutch QB like Tom Brady, the Bolts are up against it, but according to owner Tyler Hoyt, the team is focusing on themselves this week rather than the opponents. The coaching staff indicated that they need to worry about limiting mistakes and keeping possession of the ball. Last time around, the Chargers pass rush applied a lot of pressure to Brady, forcing him into 4 interceptions. If the defense can replicate that performance and limit Andre Johnson on the outside, they have a good shot to win. It won't be easy though because the Bolts will have to win without QB and captain Philip Rivers, who suffered a season ending injury in week 17. We caught up with a somber Rivers after Wednesday's practice to ask how he can contribute to the team's performance this week. In response Rivers said "All I can do is continue to lead these guys from the sidelines and keep the mood positive. I trust in our guys that they will execute the game plan and will come out of this one with a victory. I know Kellen (Clemens) can lead these guys. He does a great job of it everyday and now its next man up time". Clemens has only made one appearance this season in week 17 when he took over for the injured Rivers. He showed a lot of savvy and had a good showing going 10-14 for 182 yards and 2 touchdowns without turning the ball over. Good news for the Chargers is the possible return of tight end Antonio Gates who has been sidelined for 5 weeks with and injury. Rivers favorite target will now have to gel quickly with Clemens. One thing is known, the Chargers will be ready to roll come game time.

 

[NightHawkTH32]

Rivers out for Season​

The San Diego Chargers have announced that QB Philip Rivers is done for the year after suffering an abdominal tear in the 3rd quarter of Sunday's 34-20 win vs the Cleveland Browns. Rivers had been struggling this season only throwing for 1958 yards and 10 touchdowns to his 16 interceptions. Backup Christian Ponder, who is in his first season with the Chargers, has been named the starter for the remainder of the season. In 3 appearances this season, Ponder has thrown for a total of 410 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions with an impressive passer rating of 117.7. This could be good news for star receiver Keenan Allen, who has 622 yards and 6 touchdowns this season and coming off a 2 TD performance with Ponder under center. The gameplan looks to be the same as it has been all year, feed Ryan Matthews the ball. Matthews leads the NFL is carries with 253 attempts for 1178 yards which is 4th best in the league. His 14 rushing touchdowns is 2nd to Jamaal Charles. We will see how the Chargers do moving forward from Rivers' injury and see if they can hold on to make the playoffs in the tight AFC race.

 

[NightHawkTH32]

AFC Wilcard Game Preview: Cleveland Browns (11-5) vs San Diego Chargers (11-5)
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On Sunday, the San Diego Chargers will march into FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio to take on the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wildcard Round. The Chargers get into the playoffs as a wildcard team at 11-5, but losing the division to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2nd year in a row. The Cleveland Browns locked up the AFC North and also finished with a record of 11-5. The 2 teams met in week 13 in San Diego with the Chargers prevailing 34-20. Turnovers proved costly for the Browns as they gave the ball to the opposition 3 times in the final quarter. The Chargers outscored the Browns 20-3 in the second half to secure the win. The Chargers were efficient of offense and stifling on defense. The passing attack, which was subpar for the season, was working as the combo of Philip Rivers and Christian Ponder combined for 185 yards and 2 TDs. Ryan Matthews contributed 95 yards and 1 TD on the ground as the balanced attack kept the Browns on their heels all game. Browns rookie QB Johnny Manziel struggled in the first meeting, throwing for 206 yards and 1 TD, but tossing 2 costly late-game interceptions. Sunday will be a test of will between 2 growing teams who look to make a deep run in these playoffs. Chargers will be without starting QB Philip Rivers while he nurses a torn pectoral muscle that ended his season. Head Coach Ryan Mack has named Kellen Clemens the starter against the Browns. Chargers will also be without WR Malcolm Floyd who is out with broken ribs.

Keys to the Game

Chargers:
- Pressure Johnny Mazniel and force him to make plays (2 forced INT last game)
- Contain Josh Gordon (6/65/1 line last meeting)
- Balanced Offensive attack (185 passing, 95 rushing yards last game)

Browns:
- Win the turnover battle (4 turnovers to 0 for Chargers)
- Contain Ryan Matthews (95/1 last game)
- Establish run game (Tate - 12/57 last game)

Position Preview
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QB - Kellen Clemens - 535 yards 5 TD 6 INT Johnny Manziel - 3,259 yards 21 TD 22 INT
RB - Ryan Matthews - 1,323 yards 15 TD 4.3 Avg Ben Tate - 1,285 yards 7 TD 4.9 Avg
WR - Keenan Allen - 69 Rec. 823 yards 7 TD Josh Gordon - 63 Rec. 854 yards 6 TD
TE - LaDaruis Green - 52 rec. 714 yards 2 TD Jordan Cameron - 43 Rec. 537 yards 4 TD

Offense - SD - 5993 yards (ranked 15) CLE - 6009 (ranked 14)
Defense - SD - 4235 yards (ranked 10) CLE - 3861 (ranked 5)
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San Diego Chargers 2016 Season Preview​

2013 Record: 11-5 (lost to Cleveland 15-10 in AFC Wildcard Game)

Head Coach: Ryan Mack (3rd year)

Key Departures: WR Malcolm Floyd, QB Philip Rivers, MLB Pat Angerer, CB Corey Webster

Key Additions: QB Ryan Tannehill, WR Eric Decker, LT Matt Kalil, DT Mike Devito

Draft Recap
1st Round - DT Dondre Holland - 6'5" 341 lbs (Nebraska)
2nd Round - LG Neil Avery - 6'5" 312 lbs (Hawaii)
3rd Round - DT Lonnie Mathis - 6'4" 324 lbs (Auburn)
4th Round - CB Seth Burns - 5'11" 186 lbs (Texas A&M)
4th Round - LE Manny Mims - 6'6" 305 lbs (Houston)
5th Round - RG Frank Alli - 6'4" 311 lbs (Alabama)
6th Round - C Adrian Davis - 6'3" 308 lbs (Southern Illinois)

The Chargers spent a lot of the offseason focusing on bulking up the offensive line. They were able to resign all of their key players on defense and added some talent on the offensive side of the ball. The additions of QB Ryan Tannehill (Miami), WR Eric Decker (NY Jets) and All-Pro Left Tackle Matt Kalil (Minnesota) balances a well rounded offense that looks to return to the playoffs for the 3rd straight season. Lets take a look at a position by position breakdown.

QB: Ryan Tannehill - Tannehill looks to make a splash in his first season under center for the Bolts after signing with the team as a free agent. He replaces Philip Rivers, who couldn't come to terms with the team following the 2015 season. Last season, Tannehill threw for 3,331 yards and 18 TDs for the Dolphins but struggled with possession, leading to a career high 22 interceptions. The Chargers have surrounded Tannehill with talent and a good offensive line. He provides more mobility than Rivers as he can scramble and make plays with his feet. Tannehill will thrive in this West Coast Offense, the same scheme he ran in Miami.

GRADE: B

RB: Ryan Matthews - Matthews is coming off a pro bowl season in which he set career highs for rushing yards (1,323) and rushing touchdowns (15). Matthews, previously known for his ball carrying troubles, only surrendered 1 fumble last season. Matthews comes into the 2016 season with an upgraded line that will open up bigger holes for the 7th year man. He has slowly but surely become one of the premier backs in the NFL and will continue to build on what he accomplished in 2015.

GRADE: A-

WR: Keenan Allen - Allen improved on a dismal sophomore season in 2014 to return to his impressive form that he possessed in his rookie season in 2013. In 2015, Allen led the Chargers in catches (69), gaining 823 yards and finding the end zone 7 times. Allen will start the season on the injured list as he recovers from an upper arm fracture sustained in the first preseason game. He is expected to return to play in week 2. Allen will look to build chemistry with new QB Ryan Tannehill and look to build upon a good 2015 season.

Eric Decker - Decker joins the Chargers receiving core from the New York Jets, where he was the number 1 target for 2 years. Decker, who was a star for Peyton Manning in Denver prior to signing with he Jets in 2014, never really found his groove as he had back-to-back subpar seasons for Rex Ryan and the Jets. Decker looks to get a fresh start with a upgrade at QB to return to his dominance that he showed in 2012 (1,064 yards 13 TD) and 2013 (1,288 yards 11 TD) with the Broncos.

Donovan Hairston - The Chargers 4th round pick in 2015, Hairston had a pretty good rookie season as the teams number 4 receiver (21 catches, 391 yards, 2 TD). Hairston provides big play potential with his speed. He will slide into the role of the teams number 3 receiver this season behind Allen and Decker and will be the primary kick returner for the Bolts.

GRADE: B+

OL: Matt Kalil - Possibly the biggest free agent signing the Chargers accomplished in the offseason was All-Pro Left Tackle Matt Kalil. Kalil returns to his home state after spending the last 3 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Kalil will protect Tannehill's blind side and look to continue to contribute to the Chargers punishing rushing attack. Kalil will line up along with Chad Rinehart, Brian De La Puente, rookie Frank Alli and Pro Bowl tackle D.J. Fluker.

GRADE: C+

DL: Kendall Reyes - Reyes, in only his 4th season will lead a young Chargers' defensive line into the 2016 season. Reyes is coming off a season which he collected 34 tackles and a career high 9 sacks. He will mentor young defensive ends Anders Hurst (2nd year) and rookie Manny Mims. The Chargers signed veteran defensive tackle Mike Devito to mentor 1st round draft choice Dondre Holland.

GRADE: B-

LB: Melvin Ingram and Donald Butler - The linebacking core for Chargers is young and tough. 27 year old Melvin Ingram will look to build upon a 2015 season where he recorded 44 tackles and tied a career high with 7 sacks. Butler, also 27 years old, will line up at MLB next to fan favorite Manti Teo in John Pagano's 3-4 defense. Butler will look to rebound from a down year in which he saw declines in all statistical categories, mostly due to time missed because of injury. The veteran of the core, Dwight Freeney (15th season) will look to serve as a mentor to young Jerry Attaochu. Freeney, who could be in his last season in the league at age 36, will look to build upon the 2015 season in which he recorded 41 tackles and 10 sacks.

GRADE: B+

CB: Jason Verrett - The Chargers will lean on Verrett heavily to lead the corners this season. Merrett, in only his 3rd year out of TCU, will look to bounce back from a sophomore season in which he collected 37 tackles and had 1 interception. He moves into the prime corner spot, replacing Corey Webster who parted ways with the team in the offseason. Verrett will line up with rookie Seth Burns (Texas A&M), with 7th year man Brandon Ghee slotted as the nickel back.

GRADE: C

FS: Eric Weddle - Veteran Eric Weddle will return for his 10 season to captain the Chargers defense. Weddle, who is coming off another pro bowl season, is one of the best in the business. He is coming off a 2015 season which he collected 74 tackles and intercepted opposing QBs 6 times, 1 shy of his career high in 2011. Weddle will look to strengthen the Chargers secondary and provide support for the young cornerback crew.

GRADE: A

SS - Marcus Gilchrist - Gilchrist was perhaps the biggest need for the Chargers to re-sign last season and was awarded a 5 year 33.4 Million dollar contract . Gilchrist is a young star in the making and is coming of a 2015 season which he had 57 tackles and 5 interceptions. The hard-hitting safety also forced 2 fumbles and led a defense that was second in the NFL in forced fumbles. He exemplifies Pagano's defensive philosophy with his high motor and big play ability.

GRADE: B+

K - The Chargers cut veteran Nick Novak in the preseason and signed 26 year old Nate Freese. the 3rd year man out of Boston College spent time with the Detroit Lions the past 2 seasons.

GRADE: C-

2016 Schedule

Week 1: @ Oakland Raiders
Week 2: vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 3: vs Houston Texans
Week 4: vs Denver Broncos
Week 5: @ Tennessee Titans
Week 6: @ Denver Broncos
Week 7: Bye Week
Week 8: @ Indianapolis Colts
Week 9: vs Oakland Raiders
Week 10: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 11: @ New Orleans Saints
Week 12: vs Baltimore Ravens
Week 13: @ Buffalo Bills
Week 14: @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 15: vs Atlanta Falcons
Week 16: @ Carolina Panthers
Week 17: vs Kansas City Chiefs

The Chargers will look to return to the postseason for the 3rd straight season and hope that they can finally make it to the big show after losing in the AFC championship game in 2014 and the AFC wildcard game in 2015. Coach Ryan Mack, now with 2 full seasons under his belt will lead the charged up Bolts into the 2016 season with the confidence and swagger. With the talent that the Chargers possess, they can realistically win the AFC west this season and make serious noise in the post season. First they will have to get by the much improved Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos and the back to back division champs Kansas City Chiefs. The players and fans are ready, lets get 2016 rolling. First up, the Black and Silver of the Oakland Raiders. BOLT UP!!!!!!!