The Chargers were handed a playoff spot...no other way to put it. Not only did they have to have the Ravens and Dolphins both of their last two games, but they needed a blown 41 yard field goal and at least one (and in my opinion, two) blown calls by the refs. By now everyone knows the Chargers were lined up in an illegal formation on the field goal attempt at the end of regulation, but I also think it was a quick whistle on the fake punt in overtime.
Don't know what to think about this Charger team. They've beaten the Colts at home and the Eagles, Chiefs, and Broncos all on the road, yet have losses to the Texans, Raiders, and Redskins. And now they almost lose a game against the Chiefs' backups with a playoff spot on the line. If you understand this team please let me in on it.
Three weeks ago when the Dolphins upset the Patriots I figured the playoff chance had realistically ended for the Chargers. Dolphins needed just one win against the Bills or Jets in the last two weeks to clinch a spot. Talking to a co-worker (who is a Bronco fan) we were already discussing the possibility of a Colts-Broncos rematch after the Bengals eliminated the Dolphins and the Colts end the Chiefs season. Go figure that the Dolphins only score 7 points in those final two games. At the time the Ravens had the last playoff spot in the AFC, but I predicted to my co-worker that they would lose to the Pats and Bengals, so thought they would hand the last spot to the Dolphins.
No way the Chargers deserved to win yesterdays game. No way did they should have even had the chance. So what now for the Chargers? If I'm in the Charger organization I would have walked into the locker room this morning and said to the team, "We were given a gift...now lets go do something with it!"
They're a TD underdogs to the Bengals, and rightfully so. With the exception of the QB spot, the Bengals are a superior team and the Chargers lost to the Bengals 17-10 at home in Week 13. Look closer at that game though, and you would see that the Chargers turned the ball over twice deep in Bengals territory (fumble by Antonio Gates and an INT by Rivers on a pass that was caught by Gates, but ripped out of Gates hands). The score was also tied 7-7 at the half.
In all honesty, it's going to take a lot better game offensively then they played the last time (or this past Sunday against the Chiefs) and they need a better effort by the defense...but they've shown they have that ability at times this season. The defense, terrible for most of the season, held the Broncos to their lowest point total of the season (20) and also the Broncos 3rd lowest (28). The offense has also been able to protect that defense at times by leading the league in 10 play drives, time of possession, and #1 in 3rd down conversion percentage.
So the Chargers have it in them to pull off the upset...we'll see Sunday if they can.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Chargers at Broncos.
I've been out of town the last couple weeks...I was actually in California...so I haven't posted about Charger games the last few weeks.
As I type this I'm actually watching the game via live look ins on NFL.com. If you've read my posts about cutting the cable you know I don't have cable TV anymore, so no NFL channel. I'm actually amazed that they are streaming game footage live, considering how much the NFL has been money hungry lately. They are not showing the entire game, but almost all of it.
First possession by the Broncos and they score a TD easily. Bad coverage by the CB (I think it was Wright). He had inside help from Weddle, but still bit on the inside move. Chargers only get a FG on their first drive...shades of the first meeting this season in San Diego when the Chargers settled for FGs on three possessions in the first half and came away with only 6 points (missed one) to trail 14-6 at halftime.
These NFL.com announcers are terrible. After a Vincent Brown catch for a first down they called him a money maker for the Chargers. Brown has had a very sub par year (36 catches, 380 yards) so far. Chargers manage to keep the Broncos to a FG and get a 19 yard TD from Keenan Allen with a great run after catch to tie the score 10-10 early in the 2nd quarter.
Chargers force a 3-n-out. How often have the Chargers done that...or for that matter how many time have the Broncos done that? Ask and you shall receive...according to the stat they just flashed on the screen, the Broncos only go 3-n-out 13.7% of the time. The Chargers just did it for the 2nd consecutive drive...and then a 3rd straight 3-n-out.
Chargers holding the ball on offense, almost 19 minutes in the half. Allen gets his 2nd TD...he should be Rookie of the Year. Chargers amazingly have a 17-10 halftime lead.
Scoring on the first possession of the 2nd half is huge. Mathews busting a 23 yard run for a TD to put the Chargers up 24-10. Broncos defense is getting run over...Chargers already over 100 yard rushing (Mathews 15 carries, 79 yards). Not a 3-n-out, but Broncos punting for the 4th straight possession.
Wow, big special teams mistake by the Broncos. They held the Chargers down inside their own 10, but get hit with an offsides penalty giving the Chargers the ball back. Broncos also get caught with 12 men on defense...the 2nd time in the game.
Broncos back in the game. More terrible play by the Chargers on a 4th down and 6. Don't know who it was, but the LB ran himself totally out of position to allow an easy pitch and catch for the first. Leads to a Bronco TD pass to Caldwell on a WR screen. 24-17 Chargers. with 10:25 left in the game.
Broncos have a shot. Mathews stuffed on 3rd and 1. Scifires somehow gets a great punt off on a muffed snap that gets out of bounds on the Broncos 3. Peyton with 5:50 left and 97 yards to go for a tying TD. Can the Chargers defense come up with a stop?
Liuget gets big pressure on Manning and he puts up a duck. Keiser gets an easy pick. They have the ball on the Broncos 33. Chargers go to an I-formation...that's old school running. Chargers don't throw a pass, running the clock down to 2:41 and getting a Novak 35 yard FG to put them up 27-17.
Would anyone have guessed the Chargers would hold the Broncos to 20 points? In Denver? Go figure. 27-20 Chargers win. Who would have thunk it?
As I type this I'm actually watching the game via live look ins on NFL.com. If you've read my posts about cutting the cable you know I don't have cable TV anymore, so no NFL channel. I'm actually amazed that they are streaming game footage live, considering how much the NFL has been money hungry lately. They are not showing the entire game, but almost all of it.
First possession by the Broncos and they score a TD easily. Bad coverage by the CB (I think it was Wright). He had inside help from Weddle, but still bit on the inside move. Chargers only get a FG on their first drive...shades of the first meeting this season in San Diego when the Chargers settled for FGs on three possessions in the first half and came away with only 6 points (missed one) to trail 14-6 at halftime.
These NFL.com announcers are terrible. After a Vincent Brown catch for a first down they called him a money maker for the Chargers. Brown has had a very sub par year (36 catches, 380 yards) so far. Chargers manage to keep the Broncos to a FG and get a 19 yard TD from Keenan Allen with a great run after catch to tie the score 10-10 early in the 2nd quarter.
Chargers force a 3-n-out. How often have the Chargers done that...or for that matter how many time have the Broncos done that? Ask and you shall receive...according to the stat they just flashed on the screen, the Broncos only go 3-n-out 13.7% of the time. The Chargers just did it for the 2nd consecutive drive...and then a 3rd straight 3-n-out.
Chargers holding the ball on offense, almost 19 minutes in the half. Allen gets his 2nd TD...he should be Rookie of the Year. Chargers amazingly have a 17-10 halftime lead.
Scoring on the first possession of the 2nd half is huge. Mathews busting a 23 yard run for a TD to put the Chargers up 24-10. Broncos defense is getting run over...Chargers already over 100 yard rushing (Mathews 15 carries, 79 yards). Not a 3-n-out, but Broncos punting for the 4th straight possession.
Wow, big special teams mistake by the Broncos. They held the Chargers down inside their own 10, but get hit with an offsides penalty giving the Chargers the ball back. Broncos also get caught with 12 men on defense...the 2nd time in the game.
Broncos back in the game. More terrible play by the Chargers on a 4th down and 6. Don't know who it was, but the LB ran himself totally out of position to allow an easy pitch and catch for the first. Leads to a Bronco TD pass to Caldwell on a WR screen. 24-17 Chargers. with 10:25 left in the game.
Broncos have a shot. Mathews stuffed on 3rd and 1. Scifires somehow gets a great punt off on a muffed snap that gets out of bounds on the Broncos 3. Peyton with 5:50 left and 97 yards to go for a tying TD. Can the Chargers defense come up with a stop?
Liuget gets big pressure on Manning and he puts up a duck. Keiser gets an easy pick. They have the ball on the Broncos 33. Chargers go to an I-formation...that's old school running. Chargers don't throw a pass, running the clock down to 2:41 and getting a Novak 35 yard FG to put them up 27-17.
Would anyone have guessed the Chargers would hold the Broncos to 20 points? In Denver? Go figure. 27-20 Chargers win. Who would have thunk it?
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Life Without Cable: 6 Months Later
I've been meaning to post about this for some time now...just haven't gotten around to it. It's been half a year since I said goodbye to cable TV. Do I miss it? I will admit there are times that I do, but I will also say it's not as much as I thought. I must ESPN the most, but I've compensated by getting most of my sports news/highlights online. I get links to news/highlights for my favorite teams via email subscriptions to their official websites. Google news gets me the rest.
As I said in my first post, Today I Cut the Chord and Began Life Without Cable, I still get ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox over the air. Funny thing is that I barely watch any of them anymore. Even if I am interested in a series I just go to the TV stations website and watch it from there. For instance, I've been catching the episodes of Agents of Shield streamed from ABC.com.
When I feel like killing time by relaxing on the couch I just hit the Netflix button on the remote (yes my Smart TV remote has a Netflix button).
14 weeks into the NFL season and I don't feel deprived. I subscribed to NFL Rewind, so have seen every Charger game this year for the first time in my life. Yes, I realize that NFL Rewind won't let you watch the games live...but how is that different from before? If I had cable I would have only been able to watch the games broadcasted in my area anyway...now I get to watch every Charger game.
We'll see how I feel when the NBA playoffs start and I won't be able to watch the games on TNT, etc. Still kicking around the idea of subscribing to NBA League Pass. At $199 it's a little steep, but it's still less than the cost of cable over the course of the season...and I would be able to watch any game. A 5 team package is offered, but at $139 it's not much cheaper than the full package.
Still, 6 months after cutting the chord I'm glad I did it.
As I said in my first post, Today I Cut the Chord and Began Life Without Cable, I still get ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox over the air. Funny thing is that I barely watch any of them anymore. Even if I am interested in a series I just go to the TV stations website and watch it from there. For instance, I've been catching the episodes of Agents of Shield streamed from ABC.com.
When I feel like killing time by relaxing on the couch I just hit the Netflix button on the remote (yes my Smart TV remote has a Netflix button).
14 weeks into the NFL season and I don't feel deprived. I subscribed to NFL Rewind, so have seen every Charger game this year for the first time in my life. Yes, I realize that NFL Rewind won't let you watch the games live...but how is that different from before? If I had cable I would have only been able to watch the games broadcasted in my area anyway...now I get to watch every Charger game.
We'll see how I feel when the NBA playoffs start and I won't be able to watch the games on TNT, etc. Still kicking around the idea of subscribing to NBA League Pass. At $199 it's a little steep, but it's still less than the cost of cable over the course of the season...and I would be able to watch any game. A 5 team package is offered, but at $139 it's not much cheaper than the full package.
Still, 6 months after cutting the chord I'm glad I did it.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
2015 Ford Mustang
Link to Ford's website. Click on Gallery and scroll down for an interactive 360 degree view of the new 2015 Mustang
Before I go any further, I will say that my all time favorite car is a 1969 Camaro so I'm not a Ford Fan Boy...neither am I a Chevy Fanatic. I'm not a "1 brand" type of car guy. If I listed my top 25 favorite cars it would probably cover almost every make...but I am absolutely in love with the 2015 Mustang.
I don't know how the majority of old school Mustang fans are going to respond to this car, but for me it pushes all the right buttons. It's smaller, lighter and sportier than previous models, which is a throw back to the original Mustang, which was much smaller, lighter, and sportier than the Muscle Cars of the time.
The looks though are all original. It still says Mustang, but the lines have more of a European twist. The rounded roof line and front grille has been given the Aston Martin treatment that has been Ford's trademark in all it's newest models. Ford's website has the caption, "Its look says entirely new, but its soul is entirely Mustang." I agree.
While you can get the 2015 Mustang with a 3.7-liter V6 or a new 2.3-liter turbocharged 4 cylinder, I would not be able to purchase anything but the 5.0-liter V8. For me it isn't a Mustang without that engine.
For the first time the Mustang will go global...meaning it will be sold in other countries besides the U.S. For that to work, the new 'Stang has to deliver on more than just sheer straight line performance and cater to a more sophisticated car buyer. For the first time the standard Mustang comes with a fully independent rear suspension (previously, the 2003-2004 Cobra was the only Mustang with an independent rear suspension) and Ford promises a more upscale interior. The tease of a more refined Mustang that can still haul @ss (the V8 makes 420hp) has me waiting in expectation of when the car media types get their hands on it for testing...hope it delivers.
Before I go any further, I will say that my all time favorite car is a 1969 Camaro so I'm not a Ford Fan Boy...neither am I a Chevy Fanatic. I'm not a "1 brand" type of car guy. If I listed my top 25 favorite cars it would probably cover almost every make...but I am absolutely in love with the 2015 Mustang.
I don't know how the majority of old school Mustang fans are going to respond to this car, but for me it pushes all the right buttons. It's smaller, lighter and sportier than previous models, which is a throw back to the original Mustang, which was much smaller, lighter, and sportier than the Muscle Cars of the time.
The looks though are all original. It still says Mustang, but the lines have more of a European twist. The rounded roof line and front grille has been given the Aston Martin treatment that has been Ford's trademark in all it's newest models. Ford's website has the caption, "Its look says entirely new, but its soul is entirely Mustang." I agree.
While you can get the 2015 Mustang with a 3.7-liter V6 or a new 2.3-liter turbocharged 4 cylinder, I would not be able to purchase anything but the 5.0-liter V8. For me it isn't a Mustang without that engine.
For the first time the Mustang will go global...meaning it will be sold in other countries besides the U.S. For that to work, the new 'Stang has to deliver on more than just sheer straight line performance and cater to a more sophisticated car buyer. For the first time the standard Mustang comes with a fully independent rear suspension (previously, the 2003-2004 Cobra was the only Mustang with an independent rear suspension) and Ford promises a more upscale interior. The tease of a more refined Mustang that can still haul @ss (the V8 makes 420hp) has me waiting in expectation of when the car media types get their hands on it for testing...hope it delivers.
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