If the Chargers fail to reach to Super Bowl this year, they will look back on Week 15 and wonder what might have been.
All the credit goes to the Ravens. They did exactly what they needed to do, holding the Chargers to 5 drives, 2 first downs, 72 total yards, an interception in the first half and owned time-of-possession 19:54 to 10.06. Meanwhile, the Chargers defense doing their bend but don't break thing, holding the Ravens to 6 points despite giving up 195 yards and 3 trips into the Red Zone in the 1st half.
Then the Chargers got the break they needed, forcing a turnover on the Ravens first possession of the 2nd half. The offense finally gets into the end zone, but unfortunately the Ravens offense gets their one big play of the game and answer with a TD of their own on a 68 yard TD from Lamar Jackson to TE Mark Andrews.
It was all setup for Phillip Rivers to pull off the comeback again. It all sounded familiar. 4:46 left in the game. Chargers punt and the defense has to get a quick stop to give the offense one last chance. The defense follows the script of the last two Chargers big wins over the Steelers and Chiefs. They stuff two Raven running plays and on 3rd down sack Jackson to force the punt.
Next the special team does their part. Desmond King, returns the punt 24 yards to the Ravens 39. It's all setup, down 10-16, 3 minutes to go, only 39 yards for the game winning TD, and still 2 timeouts. It should have been easier than Pittsburgh or KC. Unfortunately, Antonio Gates makes a catch for 11 yards and fumbles. Ravens recover and take it the house to seal the win 22-10.
With a win over the Ravens, the Chargers would have awaken Monday morning with the #1 seed in the AFC. Instead they enter Week 17 with only a glimmer of hope placed on a Raiders win over the Chiefs in KC. As it looks right now, the Charges will be visiting Baltimore for a rematch next weekend.
Thoughts on the rest of the Week 16...
Chiefs have now lost 2-in-a-row. I would say that teams are figuring out the Chiefs offense, but they put up 31 points against a good defense in the Seahawks. Mahomes played another clean game, going 23-40, 273 yards, 3 TDs, 0 int. This was the first game that the Chiefs trailed for the majority of the contest, taking a brief 10-7 lead early in the 2nd quarter, but the Seahawks quickly answered to take the lead back, 14-10 and didn't trail for the rest of the game.
Aarond Donald leading the NFL in sacks as a Defensive Tackle is historic in itself, but with 19.5 sacks he has a shot at the all-time record of 22.5 against the 49ers.
Tight End Travis Kelce only needs 54 yards to break Rob Gronkowski's single season record of 1328 receiving yards for a TE. Chasing them both is SF TE George Kittle, who has 1228 receiving yards. With the Chiefs playing the Raiders and the 49ers playing the Rams I can see a scenario where the Chiefs are blowing out the Raiders and sit Kelce right after he sets the record. The 49ers will likely have to play catch up and Kittle's is capable of lighting it up. Kittles put up 210 yards against the Broncos in Week 13. Would Reid put Kelce back in if they find out Kittles is getting close?
Everyone is back on the Patriots bandwagon now that they're the #2 seed, but I still don't think this version of the Patriots can make a serious run at the Super Bowl.
Article on Bleacher Report by rules analysis Mike Pereira who's name NFL fans should be familiar with, The Game is Over Officiated. All I have to say about that is...DUH! I don't blame the refs and agree with Pereira who comments in the article "...that officials are simply doing what they're instructed by the league..." The rules committee was originally put together to protect the fairness of the game. Now the rules are geared to favor the offense. At least for me, many of these games have not been fun to watch despite the scoreboard barrage. High scoring shoot outs used to be that one or two great presents you got in an NFL season, now they're just a gift that you return to the store because you received a half a dozen of them.
That loss to the Ravens was tough. I still have a hard time believing in Baltimore but they really have come on and their defense is for real. The Chargers though have to be kicking themselves. They could have been the #1 seed! Hopefully things fall their way...but I'm not betting on the Raiders beating KC.
ReplyDeleteNew England isn't that good this year for whatever reason. I'll be curious if they can turn it on in the playoffs though I'm hoping they don't.