Week 3: Chargers lose to Texans 20-17

The bottom line for this game...I can't believe the Chargers gave up a 94 yard drive to Jake Locker to lose this game.  The winning TD throw came on 3rd and 10 on the Charger 34 with 21 seconds left.  Let's go over that again...Jake Locker, 94 yard drive, 34 yard TD pass on 3rd and 10, 21 seconds left.  Are you kidding me!!??  Yea, I know Justin Hunter pushed off on the game winning catch, but the reality is Locker had Damian Williams open for the game winner the play before and really Locker should never had been able to go down the field without being sacked and completing 6-9 passes (and one of those was a spike to stop the clock).


OK, now that I got that out of the way.  This team isn't that far off from being 3-0...which is even more frustrating.  If they could have stopped two drives (last drive by the Texans in week 1 and the last drive by the Titans) the Chargers would be 3-0.  The offense has been very good, scoring on their 1st possession in all three games this year...even without Malcolm Floyd.  I have to wonder how good this offense would be if Danario Alexander wasn't out for the season.  Without their top 2 WRs, Danny Woodhead led the team with 7 catches and no WR had more than 2.  I still think rookie Keenan Allen will have an impact before the season is over, but he was a non-factor in this game (1 catch, -4 yards).  I wouldn't mind seeing the Chargers go with a 2 TE offense.  LaDarius Green looks like he's almost as tough to cover as Antonio Gates. Eddie Royal actually had another TD catch, but it was called back on an offensive pass interference call by Allen. 

The line also did a decent job of protecting Rivers, even with 1st round pick D.J. Fluker out with an injury.  They gave up two sacks, but one was on a 2nd and 23. 


The bad side of the offense is the running game.  Ryan Mathews is getting the most touches, but he hasn't translated the success he had in the preseason to the real games.  Chargers staff is also limiting his touches (just 45 carries through 3 games).  He's also averaging just 3.6 yards/carry, the lowest of his career and under his career 4.3/carry.  I've always liked Mathews, but I think his career in San Diego maybe coming to an end.  At this point Woodhead looks like the more effective runner.  I wonder if the Chargers could get away with rotating Woodhead and Fozzy Whitaker.  Whitaker hasn't played an offensive snap yet this season (he's returning kick offs), but he did play his way onto the rooster with his running in the preseason.  I don't think either has the size to be a every down back, but rotating would distribute the punishment between the two.

The Chargers have now gone 21 straight games without a 100 yard rusher. 

Nick Novack also had a 38 yard FG blocked after Phillip Rivers drove the Chargers into field goal range in the last minute of the 1st half (ended up being the margin of victory). 

Chargers defense played well at times.  On the Titans first score, they had a first and goal from the 10 and the Chargers D kept them out of the end zone.  Until the Titans' last two drives they had kept the Titans' to 10 points.  I can't put all the blame on the defense...right now, until the defense gets better, the offense is going to have to put games away.  Scoring only once in the 2nd half isn't going to cut it.  The offense also had a holding call on their last possession that prevented them from running out the clock and they couldn't covert on a 3rd and 10.  They went too conservative running Mathews instead of letting Rivers trying to put it away.  Considering the defensive issues covering receivers I would have given Rivers a shot at it. 

The big concern is still the corners and the lack of a pass rush.  I thought maybe the defense backs could at least contain the Titans receivers, but Nate Washington burned them for 8 catches, 131 yards...that's three straight wide receivers going over 100 yards against the Chargers defense.  Washington had also beaten CB Marcus Gilchrist on a fly down the sideline, but he didn't get both feet in (Deja Vu from DeSean Jackson last week).  Gilchrist also had an interception that would have ended the game, but dropped it.  If I'm defensive coordinator John Pagano I would blitz more often earlier in games. It's a gamble, but the Chargers have to take some chances on the defensive side until they can get some better cover corners. 

Locker also beat the Chargers' defense with his feet (go figure that the Chargers hold Michele Vick's running in check and they get burned by Locker).  Locker had 5 carries for 68 yards including the Titans first TD.  

So next week the Chargers are back in San Diego to host the Cowboys.  Dallas has looked good so far this season losing only by 1 (17-16) to the Chiefs in week 2.  They have a very potent 1-2 punch going with RB DeMarco Murray (401 total yards) and WR Dez Bryant (201 receiving yards).  Tony Romo has been excellent so far completing 72% of his passes and only 1 interception (6 TDs).  That kind of QB efficiency doesn't look good for the Chargers D.