Focus ST Gets New Shoes; My Experience With All-Season Radials

From the factory the 2013 Focus ST is equipped with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric tires.  It's a great tire really, excellent grip on both dry and wet roads.  Tire Rack's test of Max performance Summer tires rated them #2, but as it says in the description of the tires, "the Eagle F1is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow, or on ice." From my past experience with Summer Performance tires, I already know that these tires will be near useless when snow hits the ground. If you look at the picture of the F1 to the left, you can see why. 

NFL Preseaon: San Diego Chargers @ Arizona Cardinals

Yea, I know...I'm a week late on this one.  Been sort of busy with other things, some of which I'll post about when I get the chance.

OK, back on the subject of the Chargers.

Jake Shimabukuro Live!

Recently, I was hanging out at home...everyone was out and I was just playing around with my Uke.  I started searching the net to find something new to learn how to play or see if any new Uke stuff was out there.  I found a link to Jake Shimabukuro's concert schedule.  I thought maybe he might play somewhere near enough to drive to, but I didn't have my hopes up being out here in the Midwest.  Then I saw he was going to play in the town right where I live (actually I live in a suburb of that town).  Excitedly I clicked on the link to see when he was going to be here.  I stared at the date in disbelief...it was today!  The concert was set to start in just over a couple hours.  I got online and looked up the tickets.  There were still some available and decent seats too, so I jumped on it.

NFL Preseason: Chargers - Bears

Here's what I saw in the Chargers 33-28 loss to the Bears in their 2nd preseason game...

The passing game has a long way to go...and it's not just the pass blocking (although the Bears defensive lineman roughed up the Charger starting o-line).  Phillip Rivers and the Receivers (the ones that are left) aren't on the same page.  Rivers has been slow finding his receivers and while part of that is the fact that he hasn't worked much with any of the wide outs that took the field against the Bears, it also looks like Rivers isn't decisive enough.  I'm hoping that comes in time, but I have to wonder (at least until Phillip can prove me otherwise) if he is a right fit for this type of offense.

The interception Rivers threw was a terrible decision.  He forced it into double-coverage.  He also had a guy open underneath.  Phillip needs to learn to dump that down and give the receiver a chance to make the first down with his legs.  If he doesn't make the first down you punt and live another day.  The game was still in the first quarter and the score 0-7 Bears...no need to force a play.

The defensive front seven, which looked good against the Seahawks in the first preseason game, got beat on several outside runs.  The line still looked stout in the middle and this may have been more due to poor outside linebacker play, a position that lost two starters from last season.

The Charges also looked bad on special teams...giving up several long punt returns (and Devin Hester didn't even play) and getting a punt blocked.  The special teams unit has been suspect for the last several seasons and I was hoping the new coaching staff would make that a priority and straighten it out.  Hopefully the game against the Bears was a wake up call. 

3 turnovers in the first half doesn't give anyone a warm fuzzy about the teams chances this year.  Along with Rivers INT, he also fumbled on a sack.  It was a blind side hit, so not really his fault.  Left Tackle make still be a problem area for the Chargers against good pass rushing teams.  Rookie 1st round draft pick, RT DJ Fluker also got beat badly for a sack.  The other turnover came on a muffed punt by rookie WR Keenan Allen. 

Fluker and the rest of the o-line looked much better in the running game.  Chargers racked up 141 yards rushing on 29 carries (4.9 ave).  Ryan Mathews led the team with 9 carries for 45 yards against the Bears' starting defense.  Mathews has looked good in both preseason games....you still have to question his durability, since he hasn't played for a full season since coming into the league.

TE Ladarius Green did a pretty good Antonio Gates impression, leading the team with 5 catches for 78 yards and a TD.  Gates physical skills have been slowly diminishing over the last few seasons and Green looks to be the guy to replace him.  With both Eddie Royal and Malcolm Floyd out with injuries, I think this was Robert Meachem's last chance...and he didn't step up.  He caught one pass for 40 yards on a play where the defender fell down.  For that matter none of the receivers stepped up with a change to play more.

Backup QB Charlie Whitehurst was much better this time out.  Although I wouldn't want him as my starting QB, he at least looked like a serviceable backup this time.  He looked like a "let's just cut him loose now" player in the first preseason game.  Brad Sorensen looked good again.  The kid has a strong arm and his passes have good zip on them.  He actually over threw the Hail Mary pass out of the end zone at the end of the game...and that was from just past midfield (some 60+ yards in the air).  Sorensen will replace Whitehurst as the #2 QB at some point.  I see him as a potential NFL starter one day.

Still early, but it's looking like Head Coach Mike McCoy may have to lean towards a more run oriented offense.  He was hired based on his ability to adapt to his teams' strengths...right now the Chargers' strength is their running game.  Let's see if he and Offensive Coordinator Ken Whisenhunt can produce a more run-oriented game plan...at least until Rivers gets comfortable. 

New Hope, McCoy Era Starts in San Diego

Normally I wouldn't even bother catching a preseason game, but with Mike McCoy the new head coach I wanted to see how the Chargers handled themselves in their first game with the new staff.  I wasn't so much concerned about the result, but more how the Chargers looked as a team under game situations.

The first team offense only played one series, but they performed like a well oiled machine...too small a sample to come away with any, "wow they're going to be good," statements, but the coaching staff and players looked prepared.  They weren't disorganized or rushing to get plays off.  The one lone drive by the starters produced a 12 play, 72 yard drive that ended in a field goal.  Chargers even went for it on a 4th down and they handled it like it was no big deal...no rushing or confusion.  The play resulted in a 9 yard Ryan Mathews run. The team looked well organized and prepared, only getting a few of those silly penalties (delay of game, offside, illegal procedure).  Only one time did they look confused...that was late in the 4th when they had 10 men on the field for a punt. 

Only one drive to try and assess the offensive line so not much to say there.  Ryan Mathews carried 3 times for 19 yards, so the run blocking looked pretty good.  Rivers was 5-6 on the opening drive and wasn't sacked.  Still, not much can be taken away from just one drive. 

The first team defense stayed in for two series, so not much to take from that either.  In the two possessions, the defensive line looked good putting pressure on Russell Wilson and stuffing runs.  Dwight Freeney looked good, which was encouraging considering the questions on whether Freeney had anything left. He just overpowered the Seahawk RT on play, pushing him back into Wilson's lap.

On the bad side, backup Charlie Whitehurst looked terrible.  Although the backup O-line didn't do him any favors, Whitehurst was inaccurate on the run and wasn't much better when he had time in the pocket.  Whitehurst played the majority of the game, coming in after the first possession and playing until the 4th quarter and never put any points on the board...at least not for the Chargers.  He threw two picks that setup two Seahawk TDs. 


Rookie Brad Sorensen looked a lot better.  Although the backup lineman didn't block any better for Sorenson, he looked much better throwing on the run.  He looked more poised in the face of the pass rush than Whitehurst and led the Chargers to their only TD of the night (Sorensen to backup TE Ladarius Green).

The backup defense wasn't very pretty either.  The secondary gave up two long TD passes and the front was manhandled by the backup Seahawks' O-line and gave up several long runs.

This was more trying to evaluate players than trying to win a ball game.  4th string RB Fozzy Whitaker got the majority of plays, carrying 14 times for 38 yards.  It felt like Whitaker was  auditioning, as they ran him in various sets and situations.  WR Dan Depalma led the team with 5 catches for 43 yards.  Deplama dropped a pass, but overall looked good. Despite getting a lot of time on the field, Robert Meachem didn't catch a ball.  He was thrown to twice by Whitehurst, one was picked and the other was pass interference on the DB.  Rookie WR Keenan Allan looked good.  Although Allen caught just 2 passes, he put in big time effort plays on two badly thrown Whitehurst passes.  The first was laying out for a pass that was badly overthrown.  Allen was open, but Whitehurst led him too far.  On one of Whitehurst interceptions, Allen was open also, but the pass was too far in front and Allen tried to make a diving catch, only to have the ball bounce off his finger tips.

Not too concerned about the final result (31-10 Seahawks)...just wanted to see if the team looked organized and that the new coaching staff wasn't overwhelmed.  Personnel changes were smooth and I didn't see any confusion on the sideline.  Plays were called with plenty of time.

Next stop Soldier field to face the Bears.  We get to see if there is any difference in the prep from home game to road game.  

WR Danario Alexander Out For the Season

It's Deja Vu all over again.

Last year WR Vincent Brown broke his ankle in the preseason and never played a down in 2012.  Brown was supposed to give the Chargers a viable 2nd receiver to Malcolm Floyd.  None of the receivers the Chargers picked up in the off season stepped up to replace Brown.  That forced the Chargers to find help elsewhere and ended up taking a chance on Rams' WR Danario Alexander who never played a full season in St. Louis due to injuries.  Alexander ended up playing in 10 games and starting the last 7 of the season.  He ended up tying the team lead of 7 TD catches and led the team in yards/catch (17.8) and yards/game. (65.8).  Needless to say, it was a sad year for Charger WRs.

2013 looked to be a better year for Charger pass catchers with Alexander playing a full season and Vincent Brown coming back from injury, but Alexander's injury history caught up to him yesterday and he tore an ACL and is out for the season.  Alexander was a shoe in for the 2nd WR spot and considering his performance towards the end of last season may have ended up the #1 WR ahead of Floyd.

So what does that mean to the Chargers' WR situation?

Vincent Brown would be the leader to take Alexander's place, but hasn't played in a full year and is also nursing a hamstring injury.  He's being held out of the 1st preseason game against the Seahawks tomorrow, but is scheduled to start the next game against the Bears.  We'll see how much of the rust and injury he has to work off.

Robert Meachem signed a big off season contract before 2012 and didn't contribute anything last season.  He himself said "I sucked last year" during a interview during training camp. He said that his wife told him to stop feeling sorry for himself and go out and play ball.  He said in the interview you have to ask yourself, "Are you going to be the same guy as last year or are you going to be a new guy?" I haven't heard anything about Meachem in practice, so it's hard to say if he's "a new guy" or not.  He's going to get to start in tomorrow's preseason opener with Alexander and Brown out. 

Before suffering a knee injury, Cal WR Keenan Allen was projected to be the best WR in the 2013 draft but wasn't able to work out for the NFL combine and didn't perform well during a pro day held at Cal.  Allen said he wasn't 100% healthy yet, but teams passed. Chargers took a chance on Allen with a 3rd round pick (76th).  If Allen recovers from the injury he could be a draft day steal.  It doesn't look like Allen is going to be an impact right away though as word from Chargers training camp is that he "has a ways to go" before he moves up the depth chart.  

WR Eddie Royal came over from Denver before 2012 and like Meachem, did nothing of note. Reports from training camp is that Royal has been "tearing it up" and "looks rejuvenated."  The thing about Royal is that he performed well during preseason last year also. Despite all the good words out of training camp, Royal is still listed behind Brown and Meachem in the depth chart. 

The rest of the WR's are likely to be cut before the season starts.  There's a possibility that Richard Goodman makes the team only because he can return kicks, but those duties will likely be turned over to Royal and Allen to gain a roster spot. 

I thought the WR corp would be a pleasant surprise this season with Alexander getting to start from day 1 allowing Brown to work his way back in and letting Rookie Allen ease into the rotation.  Now, unless Meachem or Royal prove that last season was a fluke, the WR group is a big question mark.