=======

Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast…**Note..11am starting time***
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics-Stay for Fans Forum
========
“THURSDAY NITE FOOTBALL-WORTH WATCHING”
========

They both need to stop the bleeding.
It’s likely someone is going to get bloodied in Thursday Nite Football.

The Chargers have lost 3-of-4.  Minnesota is on their own skid in the NFC-North.

Coach Jim Harbaugh has no answers because injuries have wrecked his offensive line and have taken 3-of the top 4-running backs off the field.

Coach Kevin O’Connell had his young QB-JJ McCarthy for about 15-minutes before he went down with a high ankle sprain.

What’s left behind is a battered Justin Herbert at quarterback for the Bolts and a highly erratic Carson Wentz wearing the Purple for Minnesota as a backup.

Not been pretty at all.

Herbert has thrown 13-TDs already, is over 2,000 yards in 7-games in total offense, but has 6-picks, 16-sacks and been hit a league high 62-times.  1-of these times he is not going to be able to pick himself up off the turf.

The OL has been wrecked by injuries to the top 3-offensive tackles.

The wide receiver group is carrying the offensive load, but scoring TDs has been a challenge with a team ranked 31st in Red Zone production.  Think about that, Justin Herbert’s offense is 31st in red zone scoring.

The defense cannot stop the run.  Now maybe that changes with the return of the injured LBs-Khalil Mack-Denzel Perryman.

But the secondary has been thinned out, and you need DBs to cover those guys running routes with Vikings colors.

For Minnesota, Carson Wentz makes plays, takes sacks, and turns the ball over.  No wonder he has been with so many teams in recent years.

If the Vikings can pound it with ex 49ers RB-Jordan Mason, they have a chance.  Otherwise it is take your chances protecting Wentz from the Jessie Minter blitz.

Yes the Vikings have the studs making big plays down the field, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison both averaging (15YPC) and TJ Hockenson catching lots at TE.  But protection is a problem for sure.

The real story is the true storyline on Thursday night.

Justin Herbert-vs-Brian Flores, the QB-vs-Defensive Coordinator.

Somebody should be talking about the Vikes that side of the ball.  Giving up just (301YPG) in a league that heaves it all over the place.  A Flores-defense that has 16-sacks.  And a Minnesota defense that allows opposing QBs a (30%) conversion rate on third downs.

Oh by the way, the Vikings have given up just 8-red zone TDs this year, are #2 in pass defense and #4 in total defense.

Now they will need that in this road game.  Oh, maybe I correct that.  Bet So Fi Stadium is full of people wearing Purple Jersey’s too rather than just Powder Blues.

Big night.  Both need a win.  Worth watching this one.  Chargers-Vikings.  Somebody is going to be in big trouble in the standings by 10-pm on Thursday.

===============

=========”AZTECS–PUT UP-SHUT UP TIME”
==========

San Diego State football is (5-1), heading out on the road to play at Fresno State, and knowing full well, it is time to prove themselves.

The teeth of the schedule is directly infront of them, the Bulldogs, Boise State, and a road trip to Hawaii.

They have made great progress on offense under new QB-Jayden Denegal.  Big plays, part of the DNA of Sean Lewis’ offenses, are now part of SDSU’s playbook.  The veteran defense is ranked high in national stats, though they now have to do it against much better offenses than they have seen over the last 6-weeks.

Coach Sean Lewis comments:
===========

Like be back in game week flow
Love back half of the schedule
This opponent..this FS1 network stage
Ready for 2nd half of the climb
This is a special week…rivalry games important
This rival goes back to 1923
Bowl eligible..this is always our expectation

Report card..guys have responded each week
We’re keeping guys out of the end zone and we are scoring TDs
That’s our report card

Offense-light bulb go on with these kids-it’s all about their reps
Playbook is a labor of love
Veteran kids in the building helped kids teach the concepts
Can’t have robots on players..see defense-know intent of call-react
Players have more confidence in what we are supposed to do

Jayden Denegal light bulb go on..he is more comfortable
He sees things..how to attack and how to execute

Morning practice philosophy-our block is 7:15am-11:15am
Do our work at the earliest
Do my coaching work in afternoon
Benefits our kids-get them up..get them fed twice..
Send them cross campus to do their classes

Neat to go scout at SD Lincoln..see their coaches and the legacy players
Great to be with my guys all day..go into community at night

Fresno State..who is real team..beat Hawaii…lost Colorado State
40,000-plus up there for this game..big hill to walk down and walk up
Have talented group in backfield..they’re dynamic running backs
Need hats to ball…very physical unit..have to win in the trenches
Play with edge..no 15-yard penalties..nobody on our side worth 15-yards flags

EJ Warner-QB..dude played a ton of football at Rice
Tremendous teacher in Hall of Fame father
Accurate throwing ball..more comfortable with more games

Defense is true side to sideline players…front penetrates
Create havoc at line of scrimmage..overload the front..FSU giving up 311-yards a game

Hostile environment…don’t add fuel to environment
We are responsible to us…don’t give them fuel to add to the fire

Oil Can is in our locker room..we want to keep it
Hope we never lose this traditional rivalry
Gave players the oral history of SDSU-vs-FSU
Let’s put the ball down and go play ball
Tremendous stage-opportunity

Schools make decisions for their own reasons for coaching changes

I cannot pay attention to other schools
When there is adversity..come together and solve it
I don’t pay attention to around the country
My theory-help these kids grow together..know you truly care
I invest everything I have in my players and programs
I don’t have a crystal ball for the future
Always been an urgency to win
Level of patience now is different
Time has sped up..window of opportunity is small
That is what we signed up..competitive arena we are in
========

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

========

Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Look-Listen-Share-Subscribe

========
“NBA–OPENING NIGHT”
========
The changing of the guard in the NBA was completed last year.  No longer the Celtics nor the Lakers, but rather the upstart and explosive Oklahoma City Thunder.

What was once Denver and Nikola Jokic or explosive Minnesota, has been replaced by Shea Alexander Gilegous.

Where at one point many people though Houston-or-Dallas and IndianA would emerge, it wound up being OKC.

So now we get to opening night 2025, and there are new faces-new places, and lots of different storylines about who is chasing who.  My thoughts:
———-
OKLAHOMA CITY..68-wins last year, but it felt like they were playing in their own galaxy.  SGA, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren and more.  A likely repeat team.

BOSTON..Era over with the season ending Achilles injury to Jayson Tatum, plus all those who departed because of salary cap issues.

HOUSTON..On paper, lots of talent, and now you add Kevin Durantr, but can all this talent play together?  And there is no Fred VanVleet for the year either.  Coach Ime Udoka will have to work some chemistry magic.

SIXERS..Health is the key, so how many games do they get from Embiid..George..Maxey and when do they get McCain back?

SAN ANTONIO..There is no Gregg Popovich, but there is Wembenyama-Fox-Barnes-Vassell and now you add Dylan Harper.  Interesting to see how it fits.

KNICKS..Mike Brown and Jalen Brunson and alot of moving parts.  Should be better with Tom Thibodeau gone as head coach.

LAKERS..No LeBron to start, but a trimmed down Luka Doncic, a hungry Austin Reaves, and everyone waiting to see what kind of player Deandre Ayton will be in LA.

CLIPPERS…Alot of experience, alot of big games, alot of age.  Oldest team in league.  Do have a healthy Kawhi Leonard to start the season, but load management has to be part of this year’s mix.  Like their depth and experience with names like Harden-Beal-Lopez-Zubac.

MILWAUKEE..Finding the right parts around superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.  This time C-Myles Turner comes in as a key contributor.

ATLANTA..A possible break-thru year with Trae Young now linked to Porzingas and Nikell Walker.

DALLAS…They look dangerous but it may take time to get all these guys on the court together…talking Anthony Davis, 1st round pick Cooper Flaggs and the long rehab for Kyrie Irving.

GOLDEN STATE..Might this be the farewell tour for Coach Steve Kerr.  Age with Steph Curry, personna with Draymond Green, potential talent with Jon Kuminga and insurance help from Al Horford.

ORLANDO..Been building, maybe it pays off, with Pablo Banchero getting help from Desmond Bane and Kantavious Caldwell Pope to go with their cast of young bigs.

MINNESOTA..Guess the key word is ‘maturity’ and that fits Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid and Julius Randle.  Lots of potential.  Lots of chances to self destruct too.

CLEVELAND..Big payroll, big young talent, looks like on the brink of getting it done after last year’s playoffs ejection.  Mobley-Gardland-Mitchell and they add Lonzo Ball and Thomas Bryant too.

DENVER..Changes around Joker, the deletion of Michael Porter, and the addition of Cam Payne and Jonas Valenciunas.  Is it enough?

INDIANA..Hate to say one and done, but with no Tyrese Haliburton or Myles Turner and injuries in camp, not the same team as last spring.

NEW ORLEANS..Make or break year, again, for Zion Williamson, with new leadership from Joe Dumars.

Roll the ball out on the floor.  See where the storylines take us.
============

======

Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast..1:30pm
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Hot Topics on Table..Stay for Fans Forum
=======
“BOLTS–ON A BAD SKID”
=======

They are not the team they thought they would be.
They are not the team I believed they could be.
They are a team in trouble.

Cannot protect the QB.  Cannot run the football.  Cannot stop the run.

The Colts battered the Bolts (38-24) and it was worse than it looked.

It was a bad look for the Chargers, who donned their Savannah Banana-all yellow uniforms on Sunday.

It was like it was a Colts home game too at So Fi-with all the screeching in the first half Sunday as the visitors stormed to a huge early lead.

Daniel Jones threw the ball.  Jon Taylor ran roughshod.  Rookie TE-Tyler Warren caught a bunch of passes.

And then in the second half, despite a 21-play drive by the Chargers, Indy teed off on Justin Herbert.  When they were done, the Chargers failed to score on a 9-minute drive.  They threw interceptions at the 29 and in the end zone.

They gave up an 81-yard kick off return that set up another TD.

Herbert got belted all day long…3-sacks..15-hits…11-pressures.  Somehow they could not stay on the field, despite Keenan Allen and Orande Gadsden combining for (18-receptions and 283-yards.

The Bolts ran up hill all day, piling up 445-yards but were never close, never in the game.

And the holes upfront just kept getting worse in that offensive front.  Penalties, blown blocks, no run games, QB hits, runs for his life.

A truck full of problems for a team that started (3-0) and has now lost 3-of-4 and should have lost last week to a lousy Miami team.

The line play on both sides, in protection, run blocking and stopping the run, cannot be solved right now, as long as Joe Alt remains out with that ankle, Zion Johnson continues to play so poorly, Mekhi Becton looks lost and the play at right tackle seems substandard.

And as this downhill slide continues, Kansas City destroyed the Raiders, with the Patrick Mahomes led offense, now featuring Rice-Kelce-Worthy-Hollywood Brown, is hitting on all cylinders.

And Denver came from way back to score 33-points in the final quarter to beat  the Giants, so it’s like the whole world is now (4-3) in the AFC-West.  A 3-way tie in the West.

The Raiders?  Out on the street corner waiting for sanitation pickup after losing 31-0 at Arrowhead, getting outgained (434-96) and out first-downed (30-3).  Rock-bottom looks like its Silver and Black.

As for the Bolts..shorthanded..battered…reeling..now have to play next Thursday night. Here comes pass-happy Minnesota and its great wide receiver group.   Bet there will be alot of people wearing Purple at So-Fi for that game.   It might get worse before it gets better.

Jim Harbaugh did not have much to say…used the word ‘confidence’ six times in 3-sentences…he has it in his team-doubt anyone else does now…then used word ‘regroup-refit-get ready for Thursday’.  No other insight.  He’s as lost as his team.

Bolts = Bad Skid
================

========

Hacksaw’s Great Sports Weekend Podcast
You Tube-Lee Hacksaw Hamilton
Look-Listen-Share-Subscribe

==========
“NFL–MUST SEE TV”
===========

Pretty good games coming up on the weekend.  Teams looking to stay hot-teams trying to rally out of trouble.

CHARGERS-COLTS…Bolts have struggled with injuries and now face maybe the surprise team in the NFL in the (5-1) Colts.  It’s the new QB-Daniel Jones (104QBR)..RB-Jon Taylor (5.2YPC) and do-everything TE Ty Warren (13YPC).  This new look offense is explosive (376YPG).  The other items, an Indy defense that has given up just 13TD in 6-games..has 16-sacks.  The Bolts should have lost last week in Miami-could lose this weekend at home.

RAMS-JAGUARS..Matthew Stafford’s offense is rolling (375YPG) but won’t have Puka Nacua this week..the defense will build on its stats (306YPG-19-sacks)…Could be a long day for Trevor Lawrence.

BEARS-SAINTS..Caleb Williams starting to figure out the Ben Johnson playbook

BROWNS-MIAMI..Dillon Gabriel was pretty competitive in his first start.  Tua Tagovailoa looks out of sync with this (1-5) Dolphins team

PATRIOTS-TITANS..Nothing wrong with your eyesight.  Drake Maye has the Pats in 1st place in the East.  Mike McCoy takes over to try and fix the woeful Titans offense and kid QB-Cam Ward.

CHIEFS-RAIDERS..KC now gets Rashee Rice back and the offense is starting to cook..the Raiders have so many problems including Geno Smith’s turnover issues…Will take Pete Carroll longer to fix.

EAGLES-VIKINGS..Both having problems.  Philadelphia’s battered offensive line is at the heart of their struggles-they are averaging (276Y-PG) and the depleted defense is worse (342YPG).  Carson Wentz is still running the Vikes offense but they are turning it over too much.  The Vikes defense is hanging in there (289YPG)

CAROLINA-JETS..The Panthers look 3-deep at running back now and the Jets are (0-6) with an awful Justin Fields-led offense.

DALLAS-WASHINGTON..Dak Prescott (104QBR) is brilliant, with WR-George Pickens (16YPC) and RB-Javante Williams (5.2YPC)…the defense is not (411YPG)…Washington has defensive problems still.

PACKERS-ARIZONA..Here comes Jordan Love coming off a bye week with a healthy wide receiver group…Cardinals collapsing and Kyler Murray is hurt and coach Jon Gannon under fire.

49ERS-ATLANTA..Michael Penix is growing fast at making plays and not making mistakes and RB-Bijan Robinson is pounding the rock…Mac Jones has had an impressive 4-weeks as emergency starting QB-but the injuries just keep mounting in SF.

GIANTS-BRONCOS..Fascinating couple of weeks for Jaxson Dart-Cam Skatteboo-but now NY goes to Denver to face Bo Nix, Sean Payton and the Orange Crush defense (30-sacks-254YPG-27%-3rd down conversion rate..  And straight ahead on the Giants schedule..Eagles-49ers-Bears-Packers-Detroit.

TAMPA BAY-DETROIT..Throwing contest..Jared Goff (120QBR)-Baker Mayfield (108QBR-12TD-1Int)

HOUSTON-SEATTLE..Sam Darnold’s strong showing continues (111QBR)…going against a strong Texans pass rush-shall be interesting

STEELERS-BENGALS…Old folks QB-matchup-Aaron Rodgers-vs-Joe Flacco…Steelers have players-Bengals do not aside from their two WRs…A surprise start for the Steelers in a weak division…increasing heat on Mike Brown-the Cincinnati owner for his failings…and the shocking outcome…old dog Joe Flacco throws for (342)…Rogers throws 4TD-2 picks…Cincinnati has (420) offense..Ja’Marr Chase catches (16R)-166Y..and the Steelers pathetic secondary gets them a loss.

=============