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“NFL in LA-Should Be Most Exciting Times”

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What a weekend ahead for NFL fans in Los Angeles.

In its long storied history, LA has not, in recent times, had two great teams at the same time, playing for the same spot, a Super Bowl berth, until now.

Yes there was great LA Rams history for decades upon decades. Modern day Rams football under Ray Malavasi or Chuck Knox or even George Allen back in the day.

Raiders football, in the Al Davis era, with some good seasons when they brought their games to the LA Coliseum.

But never in the same years, have we seen this. The Rams, led by bright-light coach Sean McVay with a (13-3) record, triggered by QB-Jared Goff.

The Chargers, led by future Hall of Fame QB-Philip Rivers, now (14-4), winning all these must-win games on the road.

Oh the history of the NFL in the city.

The Rams getting to the 1979-Super Bowl under Ray Malavasi, though not winning.

Some glory years under George Allen, (41-11-4) in the early 70s.

The Chuck Knox run (54-17). John Robinson went (26-11) there too.

The LA Raiders actually won a Super Bowl in 1983…and had a (43-14) run under Tom Flores before times changed and Al Davis lost his magic touch as the 1980s became the 90s.

But never once were they all great at the same time. Now it’s a different time.

Some think today’s Rams and Chargers teams are both are on a collision course to maybe play each other in the Super Bowl four weeks from now.

But that’s where the comparisons end.

Because off the field, these two teams are viewed very differently. It would be like comparing heaven to hell…the North Pole to the equator…..a saint and a devil.

Stan Kroenke, one of Pro Football’s richest owner, with a supposed net worth of 20B, leading the Rams. Owning a sports empire that includes an NBA-NHL-MLS and EPL teams. Owning stadiums here in the states and abroad. Running his own regional sports network. And the man building this palace of a stadium in Hollywood Park.

Kroenke compared to Chargers owner Dean Spanos, dirt poor by economic standards, worth just over 2B in net worth. The man despised in San Diego, and made to feel unwelcome in his new home in Los Angeles. The wanna-be owner, turned down by the NFL owners in a 30-1 vote in his bid to build a new stadium in Carson. The family that San Diego voters rejected on a downtown project he tried to push thru after stiffing the City and County leaders.

A fitting exclamation point might be pictures of a Rams home game, sold out to more than 70,000-fans, compared to a Chargers-Broncos-or Chargers-Cardinals home game, where the colors of the day were Broncos Orange, or Cardinal red, surrounded by empty blue Chargers seats.

And that’s not mentioning the sea of Silver & Black that took over 85% of the seats when the Raiders played the Chargers at the Stub Hub Center at midseason.

And then this, just 24-hours ago from Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about the success of the NFL return to the LA market.

“Proud of the Rams and Stan Kroenke”
“Great goodwill in LA because of the Rams-Stan-the Stadium”

Even the wheeler-dealer that is the bombastic brilliant Cowboys owner loves the Rams, and pays little regard to the other team in town, the Chargers. Not loved around the NFL, little love in Los Angeles, used to be beloved in San Diego.

Forget those in the owners box, some who have earned their glory, compared to others given the team. Just focus on the product on the field.

The dynamics of an explosive Rams team-loaded with offense and a high priced defense. The evolution of a Chargers team with a brilliant quarterback, excellent coaching with its coordinators, and an eclectic group of players put together by a quiet-resolved General Manager.

This Saturday and Sunday put aside all the historical venom directed at Kroenke (being sued in St. Louis)…and Spanos (being spit on in San Diego) and just enjoy Rivers-Goff and the gang.

It has never happened before…two Super Bowl teams from the same city. Never in LA…surely never in New York (Giants-Jets)….not in Bay Area (Raiders-49ers) nor in Chicago (Bears-Cardinals).

Fun to think about this weekend. Rams-Chargers-where it might lead to. You can always get back into hate-mode come next Monday.

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Alabama Football-Roll Tide-Becomes-Low Tide”

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I grew up on Long Island, right in the village of Northport, where we had a harbor right at the end of Main Street, going right into Long Island Sound..

Beautiful to look at. Fun to be around, even play in, but not at certain times during the day.

Not at low tide, where there always was a bit of an aroma, you did not want to be near.

Clemson destroyed Alabama last night in the National Championship game in Santa Clara. By the time they were done, you could sense it, you could almost smell it, low tide in Tuscaloosa.

Nick Saban, the coach of the elite of the elite programs in the country, looked nauseous last night from the middle of the first quarter on. His team played like sewage most of the night.

You would not expect a Saban-led team, his record (157-24) at Bama, to get knocked out like this.

Clemson’s firebrand coach Dabo Swinney entered the game with a (123-35) career record at the South Carolina school. He was excited all night, including screaming at his defensive coordinators midway thru the first quarter, ‘do your job’. They sure did once they got their sea legs.

When it was over, it was a Clemson blowout win, no one could see coming.

Clemson’s true freshman QB-Trevor Lawrence was dazzling, throwing to 8-different receiver, pushing his passing yardage to nearly 400-yards.

His freshman running back Travis Etienne scored three times in the first half when the game was in doubt.

This gem of a freshman wide receiver, Justyn Ross, caught 8-passes for 147-yards by halftime.

It was a shocker to see Alabama wilt, or maybe quit, as the game went on.

Heisman Trophy candidate QB-Tua Tagovailoa started hot, went cold, and fell apart. They benched him by the 4th quarter. He got hit. He was picked off. He fumbled. He got rattled.

Bama’s trio of running backs got shutdown. No big nites for Damien Harris, Najee Harris, nor Josh Jacobs.

When was the last time a team wearing Crimson Red was stopped on the goaline. Not once, but there were 3-different goal line stands by the Tigers.

4th down stops. A faked field goal, gone awry. Personal fouls. Dropped passes. Quarterback sacks. Blown coverages. False starts. Holding calls. A total lack of composure.

All that on Alabama’s resume last night.

When it was done, Swinney hugged each of his seniors in the wake of the (44-16) win, the second national title for Clemson, and then he used network TV to sell his recruiting pitch about wearing the colors, touching the rock, and continuing the tradition.

There has been great history at the South Carolina school. Football under Frank Howard back in the day was very good. Danny Ford led them to great times in the ACC. But this version of Dabo’s dudes is something special.

And for a nation that is tired of all things SEC football, or upset at the the dominance-arrogance of Alabama, the nation must be cheering, that Saban went down the way his team did.

As the confetti flew, there smiles on one sideline, tears on the other.

And Clemson became the first college team ever to go (15-0), and they did it at the hands of the modern times best program, Alabama.

If you like the color Orange, Clemson repped well. And Alabama has to go home with the odor of a terrible loss, for ‘Roll Tide’ sure smelled like ‘Low Tide’.

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“Chargers Win-Feeling The Loss Still”

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There’s no doubt about what you saw, and probably no doubt about what you feel.

The Chargers are headed to New England for the second round of the NFL playoffs, after pulling off an upset win in Baltimore, brandishing a type of defense Bolts fans have not seen in years.

The headlines could read lots of ways right now.

‘Gus Bradley out schemes John Harbaugh in Chargers win’
‘Melvin Ingram plays game of his life’
‘Panic stricken Ravens QB gives game to Chargers’
‘Winning ugly is better than losing’.
‘Bolts win 4th tough road game of the year’
‘Bolts win..Ravens coach loses game’

Pick one, pick them all, they all fit.

Gus Bradley, the defensive coordinator, came up with a never seen before defensive scheme, to confuse Ravens QB-Lamar Jackson. He held the ball, he got hit, he turned the ball over, he did nothing offensively till the score was (23-3).

The stat sheet may say the young QB from Louisville threw for (194Y) and added (54Y) rushing. But it will also show him fumbling 3-times, throwing a pick, and putting together an awful 3-quarters of football at the most important time of the year.

Bradley, who devised tremendous game plan packages, making Russell Wilson hold the ball in Seattle, and making Ben Roethlisberger into a check down quarterback in the win in Pittsburgh, moved his safeties into linebacker positions on tons of snaps.

Jackson’s pre snap reads had him looking at Derwin James, Adrian Phillips and Jahleel Addae lined up in linebacker spots. Sometimes they rushed, sometimes they dropped, sometimes they blitzed run gaps. In one stretch, the Ravens had run 20-plays for 38-yards. It was utter chaos for the kid QB.

When Bradley’s defense was done, Jackson was (2-8) for 11-yards and a 0.0 QB-rating at halftime. They went nearly 20-minutes without a first down in the second half, after getting just (69Y) offense in the first half. Who cares what happened in garbage time in the 4th quarter.

Ingram, who has never become the consistent pass rush force many hoped for, had a day of days in his career. He wound up with a fumble recovery, a forced fumble, 2-sacks, 2-QB hits and 2-tackles for losses.

When they were finished looking up at the scoreboard, the Chargers defense had 7-sacks…12-hits…13-pressures and 9-tackles for losses. It was the collective best game the no-name defensive front players, Square-Jones-Rochelle and the like, have ever had..

There’s not much sexy about field goals, but Michael Badgley had 5-of them, and for the first time in a long-long time, the Chargers special teams played a difference. Add in Desmond King’s 33Y-punt return and 72Y-kickoff return, and the Bolts had great field position.

So special was that group, that even a blocked field goal and a tipped punt didn’t bury the Chargers on this unique day.

As for the Ravens, talkshow radio in Baltimore and Washington will crackle over the stubbornness of John Harbaugh, for not sitting the overwhelmed rookie QB, and going to the iconic veteran Joe Flacco, who has sat for 8-weeks. Yes Jackson went (6-1) as a starter, but Flacco’s Super Bowl credentials would have allowed him to make throws down the field, not turn the ball over, and give Baltimore a chance, when they still had a chance.

Four times he was up off the bench in the 3rd-4th quarters with helmet on, but Harbaugh never turned to him to try and rally a besieged offense. He will be traded in the off season, but Harbaugh won’t be able to get away from the fact he ignored a successful track record QB to stay with the kid, running for his life.

Instant replay sure impacted the emotions of the game. The Ravens got a TD from Michael Crabtree in the fourth quarter. They had a 102-yard fumble recovery for a TD taken off the books on a judgmental call on a Melvin Gordon goal line fumble.

Replay denied both Derek Watt and Gordon on TD plays too. The Bolts survived dropped passes from Keenan Allen-Tyrell Williams. Baltimore could not survive 3-costly third down penalties that keep Philip Rivers drives going, nor a bad holding call that negated a Jackson 18-yard run that could have changed the chemistry of the game early in the second half.

In what has turned out to be an improbable season, the Chargers won in Baltimore, just two weeks after the Ravens dropped the hammer on them in LA. Add this medal to the other road victories in Seattle-Pittsburgh-Kansas City.

Anthony Lynn’s head coach leadership, and the creativeness of his coordinators, game-by-game, has led this team to (13-4) and punched a ticket to go back to New England. The Bolts by the way are (1-7) in Rivers-Tom Brady matchups.

There’s no doubt about what you saw on Sunday, the win against the Ravens, it was impressive.

There’s no doubt probably about what you feel, continued bitterness towards Dean Spanos, for stealing the team and moving to Los Angeles.

Tough to root for the quarterback and root against the owner, but that’s the emotional crossroads fans in San Diego are at in the intersection of these playoffs.

A big win, but still a bitter loss in the heart of the people in San Diego.

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“Big Stat QB-Needs Big Game”

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The Chargers Next Chance Might Be the Quarterback’s Last Chance”

Philip Rivers has spent his entire NFL career putting up big numbers. Now he needs the biggest game of his life to possibly put an exclamation point to a fine regular season.

The numbers the legendary Chargers QB has put up this season are staggering, surpassing some of the great seasons he’s had in the past. But for all the great campaigns he’s had in the past, it’s always been a black mark, he was never able to get to the ‘next game’ in the postseason games he’s played.

Rivers heads to Baltimore with some staggering stats packed in his travel bag, (4,308-yards passing….32-TDs….12-interceptions….68% completion rate…a 105-QB rating)

He’s led his team to a (7-1) road record. The Chargers won where they had hardly ever won before, at Pittsburgh, at Seattle, at Kansas City. They earned this next road trip.

His career numbers are impressive too, a (118-90) won lost mark…a (52-52) record on the road….a (44-21) record in December and January games…and a (122-95) overall record.

But when it comes to this time of the year, Rivers is just (4-5) in the postseason. His QB rating, which is usually around 100 is only (85) in playoff games. He has just 11TDs-9-interceptions and 20-sacks in those 9-post season outings.

Rivers has just 1-playoff win in a Lightning Bolt helmet, dating back to 2008, a decade ago.

He goes into Baltimore with a (3-5) record against the Ravens defense, once led by Ray Lewis, now fueled by his close friend Eric Weddle. His QB career rating against he guys wearing Purple & Black is just 87.

Two weeks ago the Ravens blitzed him, overpowered his offensive line, knocked him off his spot, or knocked him down on his spot. Baltimore came into his stadium and held his offense to just (121Y) thru the first three quarters, before giving up yards in garbage time.

Rivers took 4-sacks, threw 2-picks, there was a fumble, and he took 7-hits and 7-pressures. Baltimore added in 5-tackles for losses, holding the Bolts to (198Y) in total offense.

When he makes his pre snap reads on Sunday morning, he will be looking at blitz packages off the edge, stunts and scrapes off the interior, zone blitzes, deep drops, press coverage of his wide receivers, and the knowledge that his backs and receivers will have to earn tough yards after contact.

As dynamic as Rivers’ offense has been most of the year, it’s not the same chemistry now because of injuries. Melvin Gordon had the sprained knee, then a minor ankle problem. His running mate Austin Ekeler had the neck nerve issue, a minor concussion and now has a groin. Wide out Keenan Allen had a hip pointer. Antonio Gates has age issues and doesn’t seem capable of being a 60-minute man any longer on offense.

The edge tackles, Russell Okung and Sam Tavi haven’t played well in recent weeks. The guards, Dan Feeney and Michael Schofield have been beaten on stunts, twists, scrapes and blitzes three weeks in a row.

Maybe defensive coordinators have finally found a flaw, or maybe it’s just that they are not playing Buffalo or Cleveland or other have nots now.

Come Sunday, the Bolts will have seen most everything Baltimore can throw at a team defensively. The Chargers need to show up with a different approach. There have to be new pages, yet to be used in that playbook.

Rivers cannot stand in the pocket waiting for deep passing routes to come open. The Bolts need to spread the field, spray the ball, throw crossing patterns and slants. They need to get the Ravens out of blitz mode, keep that defense on the field, and wear them down.

If Rivers can engineer long drives, then get the ball back quickly, go hurry up, and pile up the fatigue factor on that front seven.

Sunday will be more than just Rivers playing well. Keenan Allen needs to make a lot of catches. Mike Williams and Tyrell Williams need catches and not dropped passes. Travis Benjamin has to be a different maker, not a pass dropper on his crossing routes. Melvin Gordon needs to be out in space catching the ball.

The Chargers offense knows it’s going to get punched in the mouth. The bigger issue will be if the Bolts can use lightning strike plays to get out to an early lead. Make Lamar Jackson play catchup from a 14-0 or 17-0 deficit.

I’m leery however, if Jackson struggles, Joe Flacco, now healthy, and a mad bomber, could come in and present a whole group of new pages of the playbook, the Chargers might not be ready for.

We’ve seen greatness from this Bolts quarterback, the 400-yard games, the 25-completions in a row game, the 4th quarter drives. His career stats show over 54,600-yards passing….374TDs….a 97-career rating….178-interceptions.

The question isn’t so much can Rivers top what he has already done in a possible Hall of Fame career, but whether his supporting cast can have the games of their lives this weekend, so they can play the following weekend.

The last time he played in something so important, the 2008-playoff game in New England, his star running back LaDanian Tomlinson sat on the bench, helmet on, looking down at the ground, out with a bruised knee. The QB coming off a knee scope the week prior, stayed on the field but Rivers had no touchdowns-two picks, two sacks watching the Patriots pull away in the AFC title game.

They’ve never been close since then, with just 1-playoff win since that 2008-season. They were so close, but have been so far away since the cold night in Foxboro.

The big stat quarterback needs a big game, and so does everyone on the offense, so there can be another big game the following weekend.

Never-say-Never with Philip Rivers, who refuses to lose. He needs to win Sunday in Baltimore to make everyone else forget all the disappointments over all the years, despite all the big stats from the big star QB.

Rivers next chance-might be his last chance to drive a team to the Super Bowl.

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“NFL Coaching Jobs-Let the Bidding Begin”

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Usually when NFL teams fire head coaches, the new guy coming in feels like he is entering ‘3-Mile Island’….nothing left…no one around.

Not this time, eventhough there are 8head coaching jobs open as of this morning.

The reason? 5-of-the 8-job openings come with quality quarterbacks in house, so new coaches will have a chance to build out, build around the talent they inherit at the most important position in the NFL.

Here’s a look at the best-to-worst job openings:

CLEVELAND….Baker Mayfield grew up on the job at quaterback, winning 5-of-8 games after they fired Hue Jackson. The other rookie, running back Nick Chubb finished up the season in spectacular fashion. They have Miles Garrett on defense and lots of young players in house. They could win for years, after all the years of horrible losing. Cleveland may no longer be the mistake on the lake. An ideal landing spot for Mike McCarthy, the ex Packers coach, if they don’t retain Defensive Coordiantor Gregg Williams, who finished up as interim head coach. If not McCarthy, then Josh McDaniels off the Bill Belicheck tree.

TAMPA BAY….Jameis Winston puts up big numbers, but also turns the ball over. They have quality at skill positions around the QB, but the defense under achieved. They need a really strong leader to refine all of Winston’s traits. This place could be an oasis in the desert, and become a winner again, with the right coach on offense to lead them. Does Josh McDaniels of the Patriots sound right to you?

GREEN BAY….You have Aaron Rodgers with time still left on the clock. They have a strong leader in Mark Murphy as CEO, and have decided to become players in free agency. The defense needs a rebuild and they must add more skill to an aging offense. Could be an ideal landing place for Pat Fitzgerald-Northwestern if he wants to leave the college ranks. Otherwise a hot young coordinator might get the chance. Worked the last time with McCarthy didn’t it?

NYJETS….Sam Darnold had a very good rookie season, with alot of injuries around him. Just think what healthy receivers and running backs could mean to the young USC passing star. The defensive front, once a cornerstone, needs a rebuild, but they did play hard for just fired Todd Bowles. It may be New York, a media market, an angry fan base, but it’s Darnold’s team. Can you say McCarthy, McDaniels, or a longshot in college coach Kliff Kingsbury?

DENVER….You would think the Elway factor would be a lure, but now you wonder? Elway might still be the best QB in the building, and he doesn’t play anymore. And he screwed this thing up multiple ways. See the QB-history of Paxton Lynch, Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian, Chad Kelly, and the money he just gave Case Keenum. Add into that some strange drafts. Some think an experienced defensive hand like Chuck Pagano, others think a throwback choice of Mike Shanahan or even Gary Kubiak. Elway’s legacy as a GM is really on the line now.

MIAMI…Rudderless operation. GM on thin ice. Owner is out of town, not in building. Surely not the Don Shula era is it? QB-Ryan Tannehill has had two knee injuries and never been the same. Might be coaching. Might be decisions to get rid of skill Jarvis Landry-Jay Ajayi. They really need a culture change, if not a QB change too. Maybe Brian Flores of the Patriots?

CINCINNATI…Forever cheap, forever a loser, owner Mike Brown. History has shown hiring unknowns, or the lowest cost coach you can get. Team in midst of rebuild,needs a reset in leadership too. Does a young aspiring coach like Eric Bienemy or Kris Richard get a chance here? What they really need is a proven leader, but not sure a Jeff Fisher type fixes this. How about Shanahan? How about Gregg Williams? How about Mike Brown stepping aside?

ARIZONA….The Bidwill family always seems to screw it up;. Now they have a struggling GM. They fired another coach after one year on the job. They have a rookie QB in Josh Rosen, who did not improve. They need lots of things. They did find Ken Whisenhunt years ago and got to the post season. They did discover Bruce Ariens skill-leadership level. They need someone to help the kid QB. A young hot coordinator like Pete Carmichael of the Saints or Matt LaFleur of the Titans? Would Josh McDaniels be an ideal fit, bringing all he learned in New England and what he learned after failure in Denver?

You can fix a franchise. Look at the Rams (Sean McVay), the Chargers (Anthony Lynn), the Seahawks (Pete Carroll) became. We all come from somewhere.

These open jobs don’t resemble 3-Mile Island…at least not this year.

Shall be interesting what happens next after the NFL’s ‘Black Monday’

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