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“NFL-SUNDAY-PREVIEW”
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Weekend 12 upon us and the best in the NFL are pulling away from most everyone else, but there are games to be played and opinions to be expressed.

CHARGERS-RAVENS….It can’t get much worse for Bolts coach Brandon Staley, can it?  Sure it can.  See me on Sunday night after the Chargers get a big boy menu of all things Lamar Jackson and his offense and the Ravens defense can dish out.  Staley got alot of national coverage for his meltdown last week in Green Bay, as he tried to rationalize how bad his 31st ranked defense.  Might get worse before it gets better. Hard to think he could be fired at the end of the season.  Justin Herbert-good luck against the 44-sack Ravens pass rush.

49ers-SEATTLE…Some turkey of an outing by the Seahawks, at home, infront of what looked like an extraordinary number of Niners fans.  So bad at one point, San Francisco had a (215-15) edge in yardage just before halftime.  You tell me, who is going to beat San Francisco if they have all their stars on the field at the same time. Equally stunning, Pete Carroll’s Legion of Doom defense looks like Legion of Gloom.  But then they flipped the switch in a wild second half comeback.  Not sure how really good the Seahawks can be.

DALLAS-WASHINGTON..Dak Prescott’s 4-TD day might have put the nail in the coffin of Commanders coach Ron Rivera.  Washington, not much offense for QB-Sam Howell, and virtually no defense either.  Dallas could be a handful come playoff time.

GREEN BAY-DETROIT…Some outing for Jordan Love and his collection of young wide receivers.  Detroit looks like a ‘spent’ football team, and Jared Goff now is playing like the turnover plagued Jared Goff-Rams edition.  Maybe we crowned the Lions for greatness too early.

MIAMI-JETS…This could be awful, the Dolphins hi octane offense (436YPG) vs a Jets offense that needs the ‘last rights’.  The Jets have 11-TDs in 10-games this year, an impossible stat of incompetence in the modern day NFL-where everyone has offense.

SAINTS-FALCONS..Derek Carr is cleared to play in what has become an up and down New Orleans injury plagued season.  Atlanta has given the ball back to young QB-Desmond Ridder (6TD-12 Toves-25 Sacks).

STEELERS-BENGALS…Life after Joe Burrow will be miserable in the Queen City for the rest of the year.  What will life be like after the Pittsburgh firing of their Off Coor-Matt Canada.  People are starting to question how Mike Tomlin still has the confidence of people with just 3-playoff wins in 13-years as a head coach.

CAROLINA-TITANS…Long rebuild for Panthers QB-Bryce Young and it appears a longer road back for an aging-injured Titans roster, a big disappointment this year.

TAMPA BAY-COLTS…Guess Baker Mayfield is auditioning for his next job.  Maybe Todd Bowles should update his resume.    The Colts are a mess, much like their owner Jim Irsay’s public rantings.

GIANTS-PATRIOTS…Death watch for both Bill Belichick and Brian Daboll.  What would you expect from all the bad Patriots drafts and a Giants team that has allowed 62-sacks and lost both their quarterbacks.  Interesting to see who screams louder, Giants or Pats fans.

HOUSTON-JACKSONVILLE..Trevor Lawrence has arrived as a solid QB, CJ Stroud is serving notice he intends to be a star QB too.  What a job done by DeMeco Ryans putting together a roster of no-names with the rookie Ohio State QB.

CLEVELAND-DENVER…Russell Wilson having a bounce back year, and a Broncos team that has reeled off 4-wins in a row with a fierce defense helping out.  Cleveland’s defensive metrics are superb, but without Deshaun Watson and Nick Chubb, not sure the Browns can make it to the finish line.

RAMS-ARIZONA…Matthew Stafford wears his heart on his sleeve and is getting pounded in the process.  They just don’t have enough players.  Arizona’s Kyler Murray is finally back at QB, but there’s not much talent around him either.  The Cardinals will get a very high first round pick, so the QB debate may be a big topic in Phoenix.

CHIEFS-RAIDERS….Antonio Pearce has 2-wins and a gritty loss so far, and now they face Andy Reid and a Chiefs team that is not what it used to be.  Hard to believe KC has 26-dropped passes and 19-turnovers this year.  Raiders rookie QB-Aiden O’Connell-awful lot of turnovers.

BILLS-EAGLES…Jalen Hurts is doing it all, and what he does not do, the defense does.  That is why they are (9-1).  The Bills can be so dangerous and yet they have become so erratic.  Sure looks like they are missing the window to be a Super Bowl team.

VIKINGS-BEARS…Some storyline with Josh Dobbs, career journeyman QB, trying to save the Minnesota season for Kevin O’Connell.  Amazing hot streak considering their defense isn’t that great.  The Bears, who knows, Justin Fields can be so dynamic, then he gets hurt, and he sure does not have much talent on that roster.

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“AZTECS FOOTBALL-FINAL GO ROUND”
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1-final game to a disappointing season.
1-final game for Brady Hoke as head coach.
Surely a strange end to what was expected.
Even the rivalry game with Fresno State seems to have dimmed.
Great years in the Mountain West, wild nights in the WAC-seem a long time ago

Brady Hoke:

These have been tough games for us
Want these guys to finish strong
We flashed running the football..time of possession
Big plays in 2nd half made a difference in loss at San Jose State
Play for the seniors in our program
Not been a day we had to start practice over because of bad practices
Our kids have never given up
We have played really good defense at the start of most games
Our offense-at times-was in sync-but not 4-quarters
We just never got a bunch of turnovers this year-that is odd

Bizarre season across entire MWC
Surprise games everywhere in the conference
Offenses gotten better around the conference at other schools

We have a bunch of really good kids here…
Transfers..players interfaced with Aztecs football
Developed alot of good kids

Flip and fix Aztecs…we just went to work hard
We wanted character-culture…got right guys
Support staff with out coaches
Alot of us went thru the same things in fixing Ball State
Same attitude-be as tough as we

Different feel as we exit-this will be emotional
It is time for me to move on
It has hit me finally this week-
Senior day is an emotional day for us-very tough as a

Leave the next guy…a good group of freshman and sophomores
When we eat together on Fridays-seniors eat first..we count all young guys
We look at the coming classes..someone gets

Told my assistants the truth…don’t believe I’ll coach again
Very hard thing to do this time
Most coaches have been thru change…dealing with families

Last 4-years..tough to handle mental standpoints
Covid-no home games-Arraiza-stadium
Wear and tear on kids was something to see

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(Jalen Mayden)

Excited to play 1-final game after all these years
It is surreal-our final game
3-years at Mississippi State-3 at San Diego State

Coach Hoke announcement=was surprising
He has done so much..attention to detail
It hit us hard-he had great career
Hoke has not taken any different approach in coachg

Hoke told us ‘take advantage of every opportunity’
Appreciate his positive approach..even with his hard coaching style
In life things don’t go well..tomorrow is another day to get better
Losing a game is not the worst thing in life
He is a great mentor

Coming here taught me mental toughness-going to defensive side
He taught us hard work…stripped you down-rebuilt your career

Best games…the 3-overtime game vs Utah
Beating Boise State after being down 16-3-we regrouped
Watching QBs work thru adversity and then getting my chance
Playing safety the first time vs Toledo after all the hard work

The 12-win season we had-hard one-we were very resilient
Lots of 1-possession game…last drives

Covid season was so tough…never imagined how hard it was
Spring ball cancelle;d…then classes cancelled
Would we move to spring ball
It brought our team closer…had zoom meetings everyday
That 2021 season-no fans-we played for each other
We learned to love the games-even if our practices were different-had no meetings
We never thought about it as it was happening
It was 13-games away

Playing for Coach Long-different than Coach Hoke
Played for 4-different coaches…it is a whole new slate to do what you do
Pro Day-want to do QB and safety in workouts

Playing football gave me aspect of teamwork and hard work
Class work-homework-watching film-practice…
Big aspect of learning life
Learned about organization of life
Our life skills are so much better

Ryan Lindley-growth on job…we grew together-my 1st year as a starter
We mash out brains together..he helps me all the time
I’ve grown big time…he’s grown too-handled it really well
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“PADRES–NEW LEADER–NEW PROBLEMS”
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It was an impressive press conference, the Padres introduction of veteran baseball man Mike Schildt, as the new manager of the Padres.  He becomes the 23rd guy to step into the dugout.

He inherits talent, he inherits problems, but an in depth look at those storylines is for another day.

The man who created the vision for Padres baseball, Pete Seidler, has left us and San Diego should never forget who he was, how he acted, what his desire was.

But there is alot left behind for leadership to change, fix, solve, add too.

You know, AJ Preller’s history of interference.  The analytics input.  A clubhouse chemistry that seemed poisoned as the season fell apart.  A depleted pitching staff because of off season defections-decisions.  And the Juan Soto-Scott Boras contract issue.

Mike Schildt might be old school, a baseball lifer with the Cardinals and Orioles.  A successful minor league manager, and an even better major league manager in St Louis.

You don’t go win 255-games in 3-years, get voted Manager of the Year, unless you know baseball, know how to manage games, and how to run a clubhouse.  Schildt also now knows how the new era of baseball metrics works, and might be better for the experiences he learned that ended so badly in St Louis.

It was a wide array of comment from both the GM and the incoming Manager we listened too at Petco Park.

AJ PRELLER:

In memory of Peter Seidler-this is a phenomenal family
We have a long term vision thanks to him
Clearly we have pitching needs
We will target starters and relievers
Juan Soto will be in our plans
We will continue talks with Scott Boras on the next contract
Keeping that bat in the lineup is important
We have a team of talented position players-now we rebuild pitching

I talked to Mike two years about the job
We worked together for two years here
He is a baseball expert
He knows the game, knows how to run a clubhouse, gives great chalk-talks
He is a prepared-detail guy
He is a communicator
Mike is a mentor

He is an organizational person
He knows our staff-our philosophy-our organization
Has done a ton of winning
2-championship seasons
17-wins in a row
Playoff wins in St Louis

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MIKE SCHILDT:

I have an excellent partner in AJ
I am excited about my chance at a 2nd act as manager
I was not ready to manage two years ago-I had alot of things in my head
I am familiar with this talent
I want to win as an organization

2023-our team will learn from its past
We came up short
There was clear disappointment in that clubhouse
This group will be together
We will restart and button things up

I love Manny’s smile…Joe’s passion..Tatis’ energy
I want swagger and substance
Type this in CAPS…LOVE BASEBALL

I am a baseball rat-so is AJ
We talk baseball-games-people-stories
18-years in St Louis..I know what I am coming into

Our coaching staff is fluid right now
I expect to be a better version of myself this time
I have changed-I am not the same manager
Becoming an advisor really helped me
I want our team to be hungry-be ready

Our North Star is to win the division..then get to the World Series
Peter Seidler met with me once a month to talk all things baseball
It was not a 10-minute meeting-we would go 90-minutes
What a beautiful soul…what pure goodness
Want to carry his vision
Win-continue his legacy
I am familiar with everything he wanted

I want the players to be themselves
Give players a structure to achieve-survive-be accountable
Good baseball is old school plus new ideas
I buy into analytics
AJ leaves no stones unturned to find talent
I will blend it all together
More than anything I will communicate

George Kissell spent 66-years in St Louis
I learned so much baseball from him
He found Jim Leyland-Joe Torre-Tony LaRussa
He taught us the Cardinal Way-play and develop
He indoctrinated me into the right way of baseball
Baseball is about truth-knowledge-no alibis

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“CHARGERS-COACH CRISIS”
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I’ve walked down this road before and have always seen how this ends, badly for the coach,

I’ve seen it happen time and again, as the losses pile up, the coach becomes defiant and goes after the media, with critical responses, snide remarks, and questioning the football intelligence of the people asking the questions.

And so the Chargers are revisiting another coaching crisis, in the midst of the promising football season burning to the ground.

What’s going on in Los Angeles right now is no different than what happened here in San Diego.

The Spanos family led franchise has had just 13-winning seasons in now 35-years, a nice track record.  And now another ‘hot coordinator-head coach’ looks as if he is going down.

Brandon Staley’s nasty-defiant responses to the media in Green Bay on Sunday are typical what we have seen before.  How dare you question what I am doing.  I am in command and I believe in the system, the playbook, the play calls etc etc etc.

Staley came with accolades.  A protege of Sean McVay, who won a Super Bowl with the Rams.  A bright light guy with a dynamic personality.  Intelligent and deep thought answers in press conferences as compared to the rest of the NFL-robo responses in a CIA atmosphere press briefing.  Now all that has changed.

Is the problem Staley’s defense?  Is it the system?  Is it the player’s intelligence?  Is it the wrong type of player on the roster?

The Bolts are (4-6), beset by injuries, and not very good against the good teams in the league.  They had 31-sacks heading into the Packers game, but 15-of them came against the God-awful Raiders and Bears.  They are (0-4) against the elite teams they have played.

They put up big offensive numbers with Justin Herbert on the field.  When the defense is on the field, they give it all back.

In an NFL of big plays, look at these ‘chunk play numbers’.

The Bolts offense 104-plays of Plus 10-yards.
The opposition has 132-plays of Plus 10-yards.
The Bolts with 39-plays of Plus 20-yards.
The opposition has 47-plays of Plus 20-yards.

The staggering array of big plays late in games is the reason this team loses so many games.

We had the opening season loss to Miami, with all those massive pass plays involving QB-Tua Tagovailoa.  It’s never gotten better since then.  Look at what the Detroit Lions did to them two weeks ago, a (452Y) array of chunk plays.

Even in Green Bay, the Packers kept hitting big pass plays all over the field, when they weren’t screwing up the routes.  Even struggling QB-Jordan Love recorded his first 300-yard passing game surrounded by his rookie wide receiver group.

And Staley has the audacity to get angry at questions from the media about his system, player breakdowns and the non-stop deluge of pass interference calls and personal foul flags.

But this is not just about the head coach.

John Spanos and Tom Telesco, who run football operations, have given their coaches enough talent to go (83-89) in the decade they have been acquiring players.

And Dean Spanos and family, have run thru a hot list of hires who flamed out.
You do remember the ‘flavor of the month’ hot coordinators who came to San Diego and to LA, and have gotten fired.

Spanos hired Dan Henning, Kevin Gilbride, Mike Riley, Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn.  Here today, gone tomorrow, never to be a head coach again.

This keeps happening and happening to the point you can now link Dean Spanos to the other embarrassments of ownership like the Bill Bidwills, Mike Browns, the McCaskeys and even the last couple of decades of the Al-Mark Davis Black Hole ownership.

NFL fans left behind when the ‘1st Family of Football’, the Spanos family, betrayed 55-years of loyalty by moving from San Diego to LA, really enjoy watching the Chargers on TV.  But it’s hate watching now, not fans cheering watching TV.

Hard to believe a universal talent like Justin Herbert is (29-31) quarterbacking this mess.

Instead of Brandon Staley talking down to the LA Times, Orange County Register, and Athletic beat writers covering the team, maybe he should redirect his anger towards his team or the team’s front office.

And if this year is bad, think about next year when they are projected to be some 60M over the salary cap, and will have to shed veterans making big money from a roster that always underachievers.

He won’t do that for sure, blame anybody on his staff or in his own house..

Guess we’ll just have to wait till next weekend’s ass-kicking by the 1st place Baltimore Ravens when they face the last place AFC-West Chargers.

Or wait till the next firing and the next Spanos hiring.

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“Chargers–Chargering”
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This goes on, and on, and on.

The Chargers losses continue to pile up, the latest being their last second loss in Green Bay to a team with a 1st year starting quarterback, and an entire roster of kid wide receivers.

Let me count the ways you can lose, and they did, again and again and again.

Where do I begin with this mess.

Justin Herbert wastes a heroic performance, his laser shot passes covering (266Y) and when he was in trouble, which was alot, he ran for (73Y), leading his team in rushing on Sunday.  Runs of 9-10-11-11 and 28-yards, and it wasn’t enough for a win.

Keenan Allen does what he normally does (10R-116Y) but his day was marred by drops, critical drop passes when he was wide open.

LB-Khalil Mack showed up with a forced fumble,a QB pressure and a tackle for loss.

Even DT-Sebastian Day, who got hurt late, had a sack, a pressure and a tackle for loss.

Joey Bosa went down in agony with what could be a broken foot, or a lisfranc sprain.  At least it was not an Achilles.

But all those positives against a (3-6) team they should have beaten,  washed away by the air assault by young Green Bay QB-Jordan Love, who had a career best day (322Y-2TD) and he did that losing 2-of his running backs with injuries.

And in typical ‘Chargering Fashion’, the Bolts gave up the lead and lost in the final 2-minutes, dropping that record to (4-6).  Hard to believe for all the things Justin Herbert has become, his career record is (29-31) since he put on the Lightning Bolt helmet.

If you are keeping score at home, here’s the check list of issues that gave Bolts fans a loss, rather than a win.

Keenan Allen, wide open, dropped a pass at the goalline that would have been a walkin TD.  He also dropped a pass at the 2-yard line that would have been a score.  He also dropped what would have been a lst down pass.

Quinton Johnston dropped a wide open pass early.  Dropped another pass in the 3rd quarter, then did not hold onto what could have been a 70-yard TD pass late in the game.

TE-Donald Parham dropped a wide open pass on a 4th down pass early in the game after clanking one in the opening half..

Austin Ekeler fumbled at the Green Bay 5-as the Bolts were preparing to score.

Asante Samuel committed a brutal pass interference penalty on a 3rd and 20-plays on the final drive that led to the game winning TD pass to Romeo Doubs.

Mix in CB-Michael Davis getting beat on 4-passes including the game winning TD.  Samuel giving up a catch and run-TD,  in addition to the bad flag.  And the linebackers giving up 6-completions.

And there you have it, another bad loss, a game they could have won.  And Brandon Staley’s defense giving up nearly 400-yards to what really was a ‘rookie league’ offense.  Green Bay may be good down road with all this skill talent, but they should not have been this good on this Sunday against the Chargers talent level.

Hard to believe the Bolts could run up 15-plays of plus-10 yards, 5-plus 20-yards and all those back breaking runs by Herbert and lose this game.

And it seems to be getting personal.  Staley has a media-meltdown postgame, saying he believes in his ability as a coach, his system, and his players, and he was not going to give up play-calling duties.  And he lectured the media, ‘you can stop asking that question and stop inferring we have not played good defense’.  It was nasty, it was intense.

Somewhere in my house there is a dictionary, and somewhere on the pages lettered ‘C’, I will find the description of ‘Chargering’.

They did it, did it again, lost another game they had a lead in.  7-straight losses by 3-or less.  14-losses by 3-points or less during Staley’s coaching career here..

The time is running out.  The hour-glass is running out, the sands of time running out on the Chargers playoff hopes and possibly Brandon Staley’s tenure as the Chargers head coach.

Packers (23) Bolts (20)…hard to believe.

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