SB Nation - Nick Hardwick

Chargers Week 14 Injury Report

John (obviousman) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:32:04 -0000

Player	Injury	Wendnesday	Thursday	Friday	Status
Nick Hardwick, C	Ankle	DNP	DNP	DNP	Out
Alfonso Boone, DE	Knee	DNP	FP	FP	Questionable
Kevin Burnett, ILB	Neck			DNP	Questionable
Legedu Naanee, WR	Foot		DNP	FP	Questionable
Shaun Phillips, OLB	Ankle	DNP	FP	FP	Questionable
Quentin Jammer, CB	Toe	DNP	FP	FP	Probable
Travis Johnson, DE	Groin	DNP	FP	FP	Probable
Shawne Merriman, OLB	Foot	DNP	DNP	FP	Probable
Mike Scifres, P	Groin	FP	FP	FP	Probable
Eric Weddle, S	Knee	FP	FP	FP	Probable

Key:

DNP = Did Not Participate
FP = Full Participation

All told, the Chargers looks extremely healthy. Hardwick is out, and I'm starting to think he'll be IR'd and they'll just aim for the beginning of next season. Burnett will probably play but not start, which he might not have anyways. Everyone else I expect to play.

Bengals Injury Report is after the jump.

Key:

LP = Limited Participation (usually working out on the side alone)
Out = The team didn't expect the player to practice due to a long-term injury. The player may not have even been at the facility.
If you're wondering why some of the boxes are blank, it's because the player was not on that day's injury report (these reports are submitted to the NFL ever day) and was probably injured in practice the day before.

Player	Injury	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Status
Chris Crocker, S	Ankle	Out	Out	Out	Out
Domata Peko, DT	Knee	Out	Out	Out	Out
Bernard Scott, HB	Toe	DNP	LP	LP	Questionable
Robert Geathers, DE	Knee			DNP	Probable
Kyries Hebert, S	Knee	LP	FP	FP	Probable
Tank Johnson, DT	Foot	DNP	LP	FP	Probable
Brian Leonard, HB	Calf	DNP	FP	FP	Probable
Morgan Trent, CB	Knee	LP	FP	FP	Probable

Final Injury Report: Cincinnati Bengals (9-4) at San Diego Chargers (10-3)

Kirkendall — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:18:27 -0000

BENGALS	WED	THUR	FRI	STATUS
S Chris Crocker (ankle)	OUT	OUT	OUT	OUT
DT Domata Peko (knee)	OUT	OUT	OUT	OUT
DT Tank Johnson (foot)	DNP	LP	LP	Probable
RB Brian Leonard (calf)	DNP	FP	FP	Probable
RB Bernard Scott (toe)	DNP	LP	LP	Questionable
S Kyries Hebert (knee)	LP	FP	FP	Probable
CB Morgan Trent (knee)	LP	FP	FP	Probable
DE Robert Geathers (knee)	--	--	DNP	Probable

CHARGERS	WED	THUR	FRI	STATUS
DE Alfonso Boone (knee)	DNP	FP	FP	Questionable
C Nick Hardwick (ankle)	DNP	DNP	DNP	OUT
CB Quentin Jammer (toe)	DNP	FP	FP	Probable
DE Travis Johnson (groin)	DNP	FP	FP	Probable
LB Shawne Merriman (foot)	DNP	DNP	FP	Probable
LB Shaun Phillips (ankle)	DNP	FP	FP	Questionable
P Mike Scifres (left groin)	FP	FP	FP	Probable
S Eric Weddle (knee)	FP	FP	FP	Probable
WR Legedu Naanee (foot)	--	DNP	FP	Questionable
LB Kevin Burnett (neck)	--	--	DNP	Questionable

Bolts & Dolts: Chargers at Cowboys

John (obviousman) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:58:21 -0000

More photos » by Amy Gutierrez - AP

10 days ago: San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates (85) pulls in a touchdown pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009 in Arlington, Texas. The Chargers won 20-17. (AP Photo/Amy Gutierrez)

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When you factor in things like how the opposing teams have played in the games immediately before or after their showdown with the Chargers, you could make a case that this Cowboys team is the 2nd or 3rd best team the Bolts have faced all year. Although it's December, they're playing much better than they were in the beginning of the season (when the Broncos beat them) and it was going to take a complete game by the coaching staff and players to get a win.

Well, that was about as complete of a game as you can have in the NFL against a legitimate opponent. The defense, similar to the game against the Browns, seemed to play a soft zone in the beginning and end of the game. They struggled to stop any of the Cowboys three star RBs, and yet Dallas was only able to score one meaningful touchdown in the game. I have no idea how Ron Rivera keeps doing it, but he continually keeps points off the board.

The offense is currently unstoppable. It's clicking in a way it never has before, with Philip Rivers playing his best football and Norv Turner calling all the right plays at the right times. It helps when you have 5 guys on the field who are receiving threats on any given play. Even LaDainian Tomlinson, who isn't much of a feature-back these days, seems to become a better player near the goal line and whenever the Chargers need a big run for a first down.

It's a good time to be a Chargers fan. The division crowd, the playoffs and a first round bye are no longer just dreams.

Bolts

Offense

Philip Rivers - 21/32, 272 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT. Whomever is disappointed that Philip didn't have another game with a QB rating of over 130, please leave the room. This was not the Browns and it was not the Chiefs. This was a legitimate NFL defense with very few holes. The pass-rush was there all game, and kept Philip stepping up in the pocket and sometimes running for his life. The CBs played a great game, Mike Jenkins in particular. Rivers and his WRs were just better. Any time you can post a near 90 QB rating against one of the better defenses in the league, count it as a victory.

Vincent Jackson - 7 catches, 120 yds. Well, well, well....somebody's back. In reality, VJ never left. This game wasn't about him breaking out as much as it was the defense going with a different philosophy. In the last few games, the idea was to double Jackson on every play. That left things open for Antonio Gates. This game, the Cowboys did the opposite and VJ came through in a big way. Huge plays by him and Rivers are the reason this game wasn't lost. They kicked the team back into high gear after the injury to DeMarcus Ware.

Antonio Gates - 4 catches, 44 yds, 1 TD. Need a first down on third down? Need a TD from inside the 15 yard line? Go to the guy who is completely and totally uncoverable. Philip didn't need to force passes to him this game, and didn't, but when he needed that outlet to get the team out of a jam Gates was there. He always is.

Malcom Floyd - 3 catches, 40 yds. First off, his catch on the sideline was absolutely ridiculous. Second, Floyd is a Pass-Interference machine....which actually makes sense. His speed is not that great, so it's rare that you see him more than a half-step ahead of his defenders downfield. However, he has a reputation for catching everything and is the king of jump balls. So any CB covering him is close by, and knows that just getting his hands in Floyd's face isn't going to do a thing. Add in the fact that he's skinny (so it always looks like he's the one that got pushed) and he could get PI called against a CB nearly every time if he tried. It's great that Norv has figured this out, and knows there's no risk in throwing it to Floyd one-on-one downfield, and calls it when a big play is necessary.

Offensive Line - 1 sack allowed. Say what you want about the run-blocking. It's at least three times more important to keep Rivers upright and healthy than it is opening holes for LT and Darren Sproles. That was a fierce pass-rush, with lots of blitzing (I miss Phillips' recklessness sometimes), and the offensive line gave Philip just enough time and space to make plays. Even that one sack, you could argue that it happened because Rivers didn't move in the pocket when he should've. Great showing by everyone, and specifically the tackles. I don't know where Scott Mruczkowski and Brandyn Dombrowski fit into the future of the offensive line, but with them and Jeromey Clary and Nick Hardwick it would appear the Bolts have a plethora of talent up front for next year.

Defense

Brandon Siler - 5 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss. That's it. Let there be no more doubt in anybody's mind. Brandon Siler is a Player, with a capital P, and has earned the right to start ahead of Kevin Burnett for the rest of the season. He makes the run-defense stronger, gets pressure on the QB when blitzing and is generally a force that can mess up any given play for the offense. Give him the most credit for the goal-line stand (his specialty), and give him credit for being strong in coverage all game as well.

Stephen Cooper - 3 tackles, 2 defended passes, 1 forced fumble. The best game of zone coverage Coop has played all season. I don't really care that he didn't pick off the passes he got his hands on, because I believe most of them were big 3rd down plays. Cooper had an OK game against the run as well, which is why you saw a lot more runs to the outside (away from him and Siler) as time went on.

Special Teams

Mike Scifres - 42.0 average, 2 (of 3) inside opposing 20 yd line. Follow this theory, dreamed up by my wife. With about 10 second left to go in the first half, Scifres came out for his first punt (that's kindof amazing). The punt landed inside the Cowboys' 5 and bounced into the end zone. When the camera showed Mike, he was screaming "Man, what the @#$&!" at somebody. I couldn't tell why, and my wife said "I guess he wanted somebody to down it. You know, for his stats." My response was "Screw his stats, it's the end of the half!" Well, if the following theory is correct, I'm the only idiot.

In the second half, Mike punted twice. Each time it was downed inside the Cowboys' 5 yard line by Kassim Osgood. After each time, Kassim stayed where he downed it, held the ball up and looked back at where the play originated from. I originally thought he was just doing it as a celebration, and to show the refs where he was. My wife was the one who said "I bet he's showing the ball to Scifres." If that's the case, and it makes the most sense, then good job by Mike to get on Kassim. That field position meant the world in the second half. Oh, and....

Kassim Osgood - 2 downed punts inside the Cowboys' 5. You could argue that, between Osgood and Mike Tolbert, the Chargers have two of the ten best special teams players in football. I'd certainly argue that point. The Bolts are going to have big shoes to fill on punt returns next season when Osgood is playing WR somewhere else.

Nate Kaeding - 2/2 FGs, 2/2 XPs. I love that stat that shows up every time he kicks now, the most accurate kicker in the history of the NFL. Kaeding is everything that everybody thought Mike Nugent would be. If you're within 45 yards of the goal post, it's a guaranteed 3 points. Beyond that, you still have a good chance.

Dolts

Offense

There were no offensive Dolts this week.

Defense

Defensive Line - 4.0 YPC allowed, zero sacks. This probably isn't their fault. There just isn't enough talent on the line to dominate anybody anymore. Still, each guy on the line was getting pushed around with ease and I don't believe any of them were demanding anything more than a single blocker. This is a big reason why Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips were held in check as pass-rushers and run-stoppers. The defensive line allowed a lot of easy runs up the gut, and didn't take up the blockers to free up LBs to stop the runs to the outside either. Whether or not they can do it, the Bolts may need the defensive line to play better than that to win any playoff games.

Almost Bolts

Mike Tolbert - Quite a weapon on offense, and quite a hitter on special teams. I'm left scratching my head as to why he didn't carry the ball once all game, but I'm sure Norv has his reasons. Perhaps, like me, he doesn't yet trust him to hold onto the ball in a close game?
LaDainian Tomlinson - Just what we've come to expect from LT. Smart running, timely big plays and a knack for never fumbling the football. Has anyone else noticed that he never loses yardage anymore? A handoff to LT these days is a guaranteed 2 yards or more.
Antonio Cromartie - He's gotta be the best man-to-man CB in the league right now. In man, he was untouchable. In zone, he was good but not great. The Quentin Jammer-Antonio Cromartie tandem is playing at the highest combined level ever right now. That's why you see teams putting their star WRs (like Miles Austin) in the slot, to get away from those guys.
Safeties - Nobody mistook these Safeties for Eric Weddle or Troy Polamalu out there, but the same philosophies were in place and played out. Paul Oliver, Steve Gregory, Kevin Ellison and C.J. Spillman did not allow big plays through the air and prevented big plays on the ground with sound tackling. I personally can't wait until Gregory can slide back down to the Nickel CB spot again and Weddle can start roaming centerfield like always. It's my belief that the run defense, as well as the man-defense on the slot receiver, is a lot better with Gregory down near the line of scrimmage.
Tim Dobbins - The poor man's Brandon Siler. He played well in goal line situations.
Larry English - He got the closest to Tony Romo out of the OLBs. As with most of this season though, English was close but couldn't make the play.

San Diego Chargers Defeat Kansas City Chiefs 43-14

John (obviousman) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:07:26 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson, foreground, celebrates his one-yard touchdown run during the second quarter of n NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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Two games against the Chiefs, two blowouts. The Chargers have beaten the 2009 Chiefs by an average of 29.5 points in their two matchups.

I said before the game that the only chance the Chiefs had of beating the Bolts was by winning the turnover battle, which they lost handily. This was a good team effort by everyone on the Chargers. The offensive line looked really solid (I almost don't want to play Jon Runyan and Nick Hardwick unless necessary), the running game was good enough and Antonio Gates proved why he's one of the deadliest weapons in the NFL.

That's six wins in a row and a game in Cleveland next weekend. Good job, fellas.

Your Bolts & Dolts recommendations are always appreciated in the comments.

Final - 11.29.2009	1	2	3	4	Total
Kansas City Chiefs	0	7	7	0	14
San Diego Chargers	7	21	10	5	43

Complete Coverage >

Injury Report: Week 12

John (obviousman) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 21:34:52 -0000

First, some news about the possible blackout. The Chargers have been granted another 24 hours, and now have until 1pm on Saturday, to sell the remaining 1,350 tickets. Considering the Chargers have sold more than 2,000 tickets in the last 24 hours, I think there's now a very good chance of this game not being blacked out in San Diego.

Now, onto the injury report.

Chargers

Doubtful

Luis Castillo, DE (calf)

Questionable

Nick Hardwick, C (ankle). Scott Mruczkowski will start at Center.

Shawne Merriman, OLB (foot)

Probable

Vincent Jackson, WR (ribs)

Travis Johnson, DE (groin)

Shaun Phillips, OLB (ankle)

Mike Scifres, P (groin)

Chiefs

Out

Andy Alleman, C/G (knee)

Justin Rogers, LB (thigh)

Dantrell Savage, RB (ankle)

Questionable

Mike Vrabel, OLB (knee)

David Herron, LB (knee)

Probable

Kolby Smith, RB (ankle)

Bolts & Dolts: San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos

John (obviousman) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:20:24 -0000

More photos » by Jack Dempsey - AP

about 1 month ago: San Diego Chargers' Nate Kaeding (10) kicks a field goal during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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I know, I know. "Everyone's a Bolt!" Not so fast. When the San Diego Chargers raise their game across the board, the criteria for being listed a Bolt or a Dolt is raised as well. This post is meant to spotlight players that had particularly good or bad games. It was a little more difficult in his game, since the Chargers played very well as a team, but I managed. Nit-picking is a specialty of mine.

Also, look out for some new features this week including the "Almost Bolts" and "Almost Dolts".

Bolts

Offense

Philip Rivers - 17/22, 145 yds, 1 TD. Those incomplete passes weren't even that bad. His first incompletion was a ball that was thrown away. The second was a ball knocked down at the line. I didn't even see the last two because I couldn't stay entertained watching the garbage time for a second time. In the first game of the season where he was not asked to carry the offense, Rivers was incredibly efficient.

Running Backs - 43 carries, 203 yds, 2 TDs. The Chargers are no longer the last team in the league in terms of rushing yards per game. They're 30th. Any idea who is 31st? The undefeated Indianapolis Colts. Take that, losers.

LaDainian Tomlinson - 20 carries, 73 yds, 1 TD. I have no idea what the negativeness after the game was about. Why are people sad to see LT producing at this level? If you thought he was going to be putting up 150 yards per game, you're nuts. There's a reason he broke a bunch of records in such a short timespan, and that's because most players' bodies could not stand the punishment that his body has taken for so long. At this point, with good blocking, he's a smart RB that is going to take what the defense gives to him. That's a big improvement over what he was earlier this season. 20 carries, about 80 yards and a TD every game would be perfect in my book.
Mike Tolbert - 7 carries, 58 yds, 1 TD. Everyone is so quick to look at Tolbert's body shape and say that he's the next Lorenzo Neal. They want him to be the big blocking back that's going to kill linebackers at the point of attack. The fact of the matter is, FBs like that are not nearly as useful in this offense and in today's NFL as FBs like Tolbert. Tolbert can run, catch and block. He's as strong as most linebackers and faster than most as well. He's just as dangerous with the ball in his hands as somebody like Darren Sproles. He's a faster, shiftier Mike Alstott. I couldn't be happier with the season he's having.
Jacob Hester - 7 carries, 46 yds. Apparently, with a bit of blocking, Hester is the RB that AJ Smith envisioned he could be. His 6.6 YPC certainly helped to beat up a downtrodden Denver Broncos team late in the game. I don't buy that he's finally figured it out, especially since he wasn't very good during the early part of the game (3 catches, 0 yards and a bunch of slips). Here's to hoping that's the player we see for the rest of the season though.

Wide Receivers - 12 catches, 137 yds, 1 TD. It all looked too easy. Antonio Gates was uncoverable. Vincent Jackson made some plays, but Philip didn't need to force the ball to him. Malcom Floyd made plays outside of the first quarter and is turning into Rivers' second favorite target on third downs. Legedu Naanee may have made the play of the game on his TD grab. Watch it again and see how badly he jukes D.J. Williams. The reason Rivers could throw the ball was because Williams had to turn his back to the line of scrimmage to try to catch Naanee after getting humiliated at the goal line.

Offensive Line - 4.7 Yards Per Carry, Zero Sacks Allowed. No, I still haven't heard anything more about Jeromey Clary besides that it's "serious". I could've told you that when Rivers, Eric Weddle and other players were coming up to the cart to wish Clary good luck. Those players know what the doctors are saying, and they know that will probably be the last time they share the field with Clary for a while.

Still, before and after that, the offensive line played great. The running backs had big holes to run through all game, and Rivers having all the time in the world is what made him so efficient. There wasn't a forced pass out of his 22 attempts. In the last few weeks, Kris Dielman, Scott Mruczkowski and Louis Vasquez have all gotten significantly better individually and as a group (Marcus McNeill has been really good all season). Hopefully they can hold onto that success once Nick Hardwick takes over the starting Center job again.

Defense

Shaun Phillips - 3 tackles, 1 sack. He makes the plays the offense allows him to make. You really can't ask for more than that. When he's not double-teamed, Shaun usually beats his man and makes the QB feel very uncomfortable in the pocket. When he has to cover a TE or RB, he's so close the QB is afraid to throw at him. Ron Rivera has done a great job of freeing him up to make more plays.

Kevin Burnett - 8 tackles, 2 sacks. If Burnett can ever figure out how to stay healthy, he could be a Pro Bowl player. He flat-out flies around the field, hitting people hard or at least wrapping them up cleanly. As good of a blitzer as Stephen Cooper is (was?), Burnett is much better. Remember all of the talk of the Larry English/Shaun Phillips/Shawne Merriman formation that would keep all 3 guys on the field with Phillips playing the "Wild Card" position? English hasn't been effective enough, but Burnett seems to fit that role just fine.

Eric Weddle - 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 QB hit. I called it towards the end of last year. Weddle is the best blitzer on the entire team. Not the best pass-rusher, but definitely the best blitzer. The better Paul Oliver plays in the secondary, the more Weddle is free to come flying around the corner and hit the QB. On top of changing yesterday's game with his blitzes, he played outstanding coverage and saved a TD and a bunch of Denver momentum with his tackle on Knowshon Moreno in the open field.

Antonio Cromartie - 4 tackles, 1 pass defense, 1 interception. Really this is a Bolt for Cromartie's play over the last 6 weeks. He didn't do anything special or different in yesterday's game that he hasn't already been doing for a month and a half now, he just got lucky enough to be in position to get his hands on the ball. He has been a complete and total shutdown corner, playing as good as or better than Quentin Jammer the entire time. Also, his episode of Chargers Roll as fantastic. He admitted that in the past he basically relied on his talent and didn't go 100% in practice, and that changing that around is what has made him better in the games. Even his tackling is much improved.

Steve Gregory - 3 tackles, 3 passes defended, 2 recovered fumbles. Apparently Steve Gregory and his physical play near the line of scrimmage was the key to the defense. Who knew? I don't think he made a mistake all game, and consistently put himself in position to stop the guy he was defending. Good things happen around Gregory, they seemingly always have, and that trend continued yesterday as he fell on top of two critical fumbles. Benching Antoine Cason in place of Gregory was absolutely the right move, and my questioning of it proves that I don't have what it takes to be an NFL coach.

Special Teams

Nate Kaeding - 4/4 FGs, 2/3 XPs. Did you hear that stat the commentators brought up about how many consecutive FGs Nate has made inside 40 yds? It was ridiculous. I don't recall it, but I recall thinking that it equaled out to more than an entire season. Kaeding is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season this year, and his performance in Denver (including a handful of touchbacks on kickoffs) cemented that.

Coaching

I'm not going to single out anybody. They've all been good. Norv Turner has been the cool hand to guide the team along and Ron Rivera has been the mad scientist who gets better at the 3-4 each week. Even the lesser-known coaches such as Hal Hunter, Don Johnson, Charlie Joiner, Ollie Wilson....they've all faced some obstacles this season and each one has brought their unit up to the level of a winning team. There are players that deserve accolades for this team being in 1st place in the division, and they'll get them, but just about every member of the Chargers coaching staff deserves a pat on the back for a fine job weathering the early-season storm.

Dolts

Offense

There were no offensive Dolts this week.

Defense

There were no defensive Dolts this week.

Special Teams

Darren Sproles - 3 punt returns, 6 PR yds, 1 fumble. Somebody has to teach Sproles how to fair-catch the ball. Please. His penchant for trying to catch it with a guy half a yard away from him is the type of minor flaw that could become a huge, glaring flaw in the postseason. Has he ever done anything great with one of those? There's really two options when he's catching the ball like that.

Fumble the ball, hopefully out of bounds.
Catch the ball, take a hard hit and hold onto the ball.

Almost Bolts

Paul Oliver - He's making it really hard for Kevin Ellison to get back on the field. Not only are his coverage skills really good, but he's starting to play with a mean streak and lay some big hits.
Shawne Merriman - Kindof. He almost deserves a Dolt as well, if you were just looking at the box score. However, if you watched the game you noticed that even Ryan Clady couldn't handle Shawne on his own and had a TE or RB to help on just about every play. This meant that the blitzers Rivera was bringing over the RT were running free, because the Broncos would rather have that than Merriman going one-on-one against their Pro Bowl LT.
James Holt - Great job on Special Teams, kid.

Almost Dolts

Kevin Ellison - When Oliver is playing as well as he is, you have to make a play and an impression on the coaching staff when they send you on the field. Playing 10 yards off of Tony Scheffler and not competing for the ball is not going to cut it.
Stephen Cooper - Cooper's terrible skills in zone coverage is what made it so easy for Kyle Orton to move Denver down the field at the end of the first half. Eventually, with a big enough lead, Rivera stopped calling zone and it stopped being such a big problem. It doesn't erase the fact that Cooper is a liability in zone coverage and everyone knows it.

Week 11 Injury Report: SD @ DEN

John (obviousman) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:12:20 -0000

San Diego Chargers

Out

Nick Hardwick, C (ankle)

Questionable

Jeromey Clary, RT (ankle)

Ogemdi Nwagbuo, DT (ankle)

Probable

Tim Dobbins, ILB (knee)

Antonio Gates, TE (foot)

Travis Johnson, DT (groin)

Shawne Merriman, OLB (foot)

Shaun Phillips, OLB (ankle)

Mike Scifres, P (groin)

Denver Broncos

Out

Ryan Harris, RT (toe)

LaMont Jordan, RB (back)

Questionable

Josh Barrett, S (hamstring)

Kyle Orton, QB (ankle)

Probable

Correll Buckhalter, RB (knee)

Brandon Lloyd, WR (foot)

Brandon Marshall, WR (neck)

I expect everyone not listed as "Out" to play, with the exception of Orton and the possible exception of Clary.

San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos; Friday Injury Report

Tim Lynch — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:51:05 -0000

DENVER BRONCOS
Player	Injury	Wed. Participation	Thur. Participation	Fri. Participation	Friday Status
Josh Barrett (S)	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Limited Participation	Questionable
Ryan Harris (LT)	Toe	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
LaMont Jordan (RB)	Back	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
Brandon Marshall (WR)	Neck	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Kyle Orton (QB)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Correll Buckhalter (RB)	Knee	Limited Participation	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Probable
Brandon Lloyd (WR)	Foot	Limited Participation	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Probable
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Player	Injury	Wed. Participation	Thur. Participation	Fri. Participation	Friday Status
Jeromey Clary (T)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Questionable
Antonio Gates (TE)	Foot	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Nick Hardwick (C)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	Did Not Participate	OUT
Travis Johnson (DE-DT)	Groin	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Shawne Merriman (OLB)	Foot	Did Not Participate	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Ogemdi Nwagbuo (DT)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Limited Participation	Questionable
Shaun Phillips (OLB)	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Limited Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Mike Scifres (P)	Bilateral Groin	Limited Participation	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable
Tim Dobbins (ILB)	Knee	Full Participation	Full Participation	Full Participation	Probable

MHR Chalk Talk - Chargers at Broncos ('09)

Steve Nichols — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:30:11 -0000

Well, it turns out the Broncos are much better than many people thought, but not nearly as good as some had hoped for. After beating a group of pretty good teams (NE, SD, DAL, CIN) and two not-so-good teams (CLE, OAK), Denver lost to two pretty good teams (BAL, PIT) and lost to a not-so-good team (WAS).

All in all, the team is still 6-3, tops the AFC West, and has the tie break over SD. So far, so good. Now comes the bad news. SD is a team that is starting to surge, while Denver has dropped three straight. QB Kyle Orton is hurt and may not play. If Kyle can play, he may not be 100%. While Denver has home field, we have to bear in mind that SD has the "advantage of first loss", which is the concept in coaching that a team learns more from losing to an opponent than winning. In the NFL, it is hard to beat a team twice in one season.

Frankly, Denver has a tough battle in front of them this week, and I'm glad that the new format for the MHR staff picks won't force me to pick this game.

Still, I think the future overall looks bright. Really.

I was unable to watch the entire game against WAS because of my day job. I was able to catch a few things worth passing on:

First, I like that Denver challenged the Redskins deep. I saw both throws downfield that Orton made for long TDs. I've always said that Orton can throw long, he just isn't schemed that way. Did the WAS coverage break down and make mistakes? Absolutely. But that's not the point. The passes were long and on target. More so, the errors happened because the Redskins didn't respect the deep pass, and other teams may do the same.

Second, I've always been a fan of the officials, and always come to their defense. This week is no exception. I saw three terrible calls by the officials, but none changed the face of the game. I also believe that none of them were "purposeful", as some folks like to claim when they see a bad call. They were mistakes, and anyone could make them. So I continue to love the officials, and can't blame the game's outcome on them. However, the errors I saw were bad enough that I would imagine the League sent an acknowledgment to the Broncos earlier this week. Here's what I saw (on nearly three back-to-back plays).

First, Brandon Stokley catches a ball with both feet well over a foot in bounds. The catch is ruled out of bounds. Denver doesn't challenge, since it was third down and the catch was short of the marker. Any official could mess up this call, and I know I couldn't do a better job than these guys. No problem.

But then, Denver punts the ball and an opposing player knocks the punter to the ground. It seemed to me that the opposing player didn't even make an effort to slow down. Combining the 15-yard penalty with the inbounds catch that Stokley made previously, this would have given Denver a first down. Now I'm not going to begrudge the officials the first down for a couple of reasons. First, Denver could have challenged the reception, but didn't. Second, perhaps the official might have called it "running into the kicker" instead of "roughing the kicker", and the penalty wouldn't have made a difference. Still no problem. Except for one thing...

C'mon guys! How do you miss a guy flying into the punter and driving him into the ground? In Stokley's case, and in the case of Mitch Berger, neither player tried to be theatrical to get the call. A good referee ignores theatrics, and only pays attention to what his eyes tell him. Fine. But why wasn't the assigned official watching the punter (as he is supposed to do)? The only excuse I can think of is that the hit was so late after the punt that the official had shifted his focus downfield. While this is understandable, it just tends to show how inexcusable the offending player's action really was.

At this point, even the announcers were siding with Denver, having noted both calls. Had enough?

Soon after, the WAS QB fumbles the ball and Denver recovers. Nope. The official says something about forward progress and the whistle. The announcers look at the replay. The ball comes loose, the player hits the ground, Denver's player reaches for the ball, AND NOW the whistle blows. The play should have been reviewed, WAS reviewable after all, and Denver clearly got the ball back. Does it change the game? I don't believe so. Here again though, the announcers were stunned. So was I.

The officials have the toughest job on the field. Not only are they nitpicked by guys like me, but they have seconds to see the entire field and try to get a call right. They have to memorize a tricky rulebook, and they get second-guessed by every fan with replay and slow-motion abilities. So why am I bringing up these mistakes? I've written a million times that I respect these guys, and will never blame them for a lost game. Like the weather, illness, family tragedies, etc, the refs are a part of the game that players have to contend with. The difference is that the refs are trying to do the right thing. So here's a game with some pretty awful calls, and a game that we lost. Are you hearing me griping? I hope not. I don't fault the refs for this game, or any game. I'm thankful for the work that they put in, and the effort that they extend in trying to get as many calls right as possible. I tip my hat to them.

So what happened to Denver? For what it is worth, I think the loss of Orton in the second half was the critical factor. We still need to work on some issues, but Chris Simms wasn't able to carry the load on Sunday, and Orton was missed. Simms completed 3 out of 13 passes and had an INT.

The team IS working on those other issues, though. Orton was allowed to make a couple of deep throws, and they scored. I saw some more zone blocking than it seems we have been doing lately, and I hope this continues. Our team has beaten a lot of good teams this year, and really only lost to one team that I would have expected them to beat with confidence.

SD has won every game since the last Denver game, including wins against the Eagles and the Giants. When Denver played SD a few weeks ago, the star players of SD (including Antonio Gates, Darren Sproles and LaDainian Tomlinson) were inconsistent. They seem to have shaken off the fog, and are now playing in good form.

Without Orton, I have to give the edge to SD for this game. With Orton playing, but not at 100%, I have to give the edge to SD as well. If Orton is 100%, we have the home field. Now the concern goes to other injuries.

Ryan Harris at RT is still out. Brandon Marshall (WR) didn't practice on Wednesday, and Correll Buckhalter was limited. That is a lot to contend with. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

Here is a list of the notable (starter) SD injuries:

Jeromey Clary - RT
Ogemdi Nwagbuo - NT
Nick Hardwick - OC
Shaun Phillips - OLB - limited in practice.

Both teams have key injuries all over the field, but no injury is as difficult to adjust for as the QB. The edge goes to SD. If Orton can play, and can play at or very near 100%, Denver has a decent chance. Much of the playcalling for both teams may be focused on sizing up and taking advantage of the opposing injury replacements.

Denver's keys to the game -

If Orton is out, go full tilt with the run game. Even against a 3-4, the wide runs may be possible if Phillips is out.
Stop Sproles in the screen game. Consider assigning a LB to him.
If Simms struggles as badly as last week, consider giving Tom Brandstater a try.

San Diego's keys to the game -

Take away the run. If Orton is in, pressure him into running on that ankle. If not, take away the run and dare Simms to beat you.
If Marshall is out, DON'T double Royal. Denver has excellent depth at WR, as well as several TE receiver options. Instead, take away the deep game. Denver's throws are likely to be short passes, and the biggest danger is yards after the catch.
Watch out for Royal on returns. SD has an excellent chance to win this game on both sides of the ball, but can't afford to give up points or field position on STs.

If Denver loses this game, Denver is tied with SD in head-to-head games, and needs to win more games than SD from here on out. If Denver wins this game, they get to keep a lead on SD, AND win the head-to-head tie break. DEN has some tough games left, so there is little room for error.

This is the most important game of the season so far for the Broncos, so we'll see how well prepared they are.

Go Broncos!

Poll

Let's say: You're the coach. Denver has a critical game this week against the Chargers. Orton is healing from a tear in his ankle. Orton claims he can play on the ankle, but the ankle isn't fully healed. Do you...

Play him. Denver must keep the lead and the tie-break over SD to make the playoffs.

373 votes

Rest him. What good is Orton (or the team) if Orton re-injures the ankle, and misses several games as a result?

527 votes

900 votes | Poll has closed

Horse Tracks 11/20/09 - Orton, Buckhalter, Jordan miss practice; Marshall, Barrett (limited) return

Douglas A. Lee — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:03:54 -0000

NFL Films - Week 11: Chargers vs. Broncos Preview - Video

DB - Week 11 - Thu: McDaniels - Broncos TV

DB - Taking Notice - Zach Eisendrath
"There were four changes to the Broncos’ Injury Report on Thursday. After neither player participated in Wednesday’s practice session, Josh Barrett (hamstring) was a limited participant on Thursday and Brandon Marshall (neck) was listed as a full participant. Correll Buckhalter (knee) and Brandon Lloyd (foot) were both limited participants on Wednesday, however, neither took part in Thursday’s practice session."

DPP - Broncos' Kyle Orton misses practice again - Jeff Legwold
"The injury has been described as a torn ligament by some, but it is a case of semantics, given that any sprain is, by definition, a tearing of soft tissue."

DPP - New team brings unrivaled disdain in Broncoland - The Denver Post
"Broncos fan website Mile High Report conducted a similar survey Thursday, and found a similar response. With more than 1,200 online votes recorded by late Thursday afternoon, 62 percent picked the Chargers, compared to about 20 percent for the Raiders and 17 percent for the Chiefs."

"What I've seen in the comments on the poll, it is almost divided by age group," said John Bena, a longtime Broncos fan who founded Mile High Report three years ago. "The really old-school fans, they picked Kansas City, because that's the oldest rival. Then the older fans that grew up in the '70s-'80s-'90s, it's the Raiders. But for newer fans, from the Super Bowl years on, it's been the Chargers, because the Chargers have been relevant in that time."

NFLN - Brandon Marshall interview - Video
Wow. Check out the (not very good) painting in the background of BMarsh and JC.

NFL - With Bolts on deck, Broncos bumbling, but will they bust? - Vic Carucci
"The biggest problem with the Broncos' defense in recent games, according to Andra Davis, is that it has gotten away from the highly disciplined approach it showed through the first six weeks. Too many players have become interested in being recognized for individually making plays rather than sticking to their responsibilities within the scheme."

NYT - Ouster of N.F.L.’s Voice on Concussions, Dr. Ira Casson, Is Sought - Alan Schwarz
"The NFLPA is calling for the removal of Dr. Ira Casson as co-chairman of the league’s committee on concussions, saying that he is too biased to lead the research and policy group...Casson has dismissed every outside study finding links to dementia and other cognitive decline, including three papers published by the University of North Carolina’s Center for the Study of Retired Athletes." It is ridiculous for a doctor being paid by and representing the NFL to be performing exams on players for an NFL concussion study.

NYT - Weighing the Toll of Contact in Practice - Judy Battista
I've got to wonder - is all the practicing in pads this summer starting to tire out the Broncos defense? I know the company line this week has been that the unit's players have been going too often for the "big play" or "individual glory" but doesn't that strike you as a little hard to believe? I don't see a lot of egos on the Broncos' D, and with BDawk leading the way I can't see guys losing their discipline. Obviously, this is only speculation and it could never be more than that, but what do you think?

DB - Soy-Based Success - Gray Caldwell
Who would ever have guessed? Kenny Peterson is a pescatarian (vegetarian who eats fish). He made the switch a year ago due to his blood type.

DB - Providing Perspective - Broncos TV
The Broncos talk about this week as a chance to rebuild a division lead.

DP - Dawkins tabbed for player forum - Jeff Legwold
Leaders lead...

DPP - Broncos linebacker Davis thankful he's out of Cleveland - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Spotlight: Broncos rookie safety David Bruton - Lindsay Jones

DPP - Analysis: Jackson's improvement great for Gates, Chargers - Jeff Legwold

DPP - Q&A: Will the Shanahan staff reassemble somewhere? - Jeff Legwold
"Running backs coach Bobby Turner, offensive line coach Rick Dennison, special-teams assistant Keith Burns and strength and conditioning coach Rich Tuten were retained by Josh McDaniels, but the remainder of the Shanahan assistants were let go. All have worked with Shanahan for a long time and all could be possibilities to go to Shanahan's new team at some point, if for some reason they wanted to leave Denver or contract situations could be worked out."

LTC - Ayers still adjusting - Brian Howell

LTC - Broncos QB Orton improving - Brian Howell
Note: this was written before Orton missed yesterday's practice.

CSG - Simms ready, if needed - Frank Schwab

CSG - Broncos thin at running back - Frank Schwab
"Knowshon Moreno and Peyton Hillis were the only tailbacks from the 53-man roster healthy enough to practice Thursday because Correll Buckhalter (knee) and LaMont Jordan (back) missed practice."

CSG - Orton missed second straight practice - Frank Schwab

AP - Chris Simms gearing up for 1st start since '06 injury - Arnie Stapleton

ESPN Insider - Chargers-Broncos: 10 observations - Doug Kretz
San Diego 21 Denver 20

PFW - Return of defensive players should improve Giants - Eric Edholm

Chargers News

SDUT - Chargers see wildcat as more than gimmick - Chris Jenkins

SDUT - Depth at linebacker paying off

SDUT - Binn belongs in - Mike Fleiss

SDUT - Clary doesn't work - Kevin Acee
"Everyone else (except center Nick Hardwick, who is not going to play again Sunday) worked today. "

PFW - Injuries allow Chargers ILB Siler to carve out role - Michael Blunda

NCT - Cromartie believes he has improved - Scott Bair

NCT - Defense prepares for system, not the quarterback - Scott Bair

NCT - Trouble at right tackle; injury update - Scott Bair

NFL Results

NFL - Miami Dolphins 24 at Carolina Panthers 17

SN - Williams' running helps Henne have a pro day - Vinnie Iyer

AFC West News

NFP - Diner morning news: Russell move long overdue - Mike Lombardi

KCS - Long has his big chance with the Chiefs - Kent Babb

KCS - Chiefs notes | Steelers are what Haley hopes his team can be - Adam Teicher

SFC - Hard-working Gradkowski gives foes new look - David White

OT - Benching JaMarcus Russell a call for Raiders' quarterback to shape up - Monte Poole

NFL News

NFL - NFL names Dungy to lead newly formed Player Advisory Forum

NFL - Vikings reward Childress with contract extension through 2013

NFL - Bengals RB Benson likely out vs. Raiders

NFL - Redskins RB Portis ruled out vs. Cowboys because of concussion

NFL - Week 11 injuries: Saints’ Bush misses second practice

NFL - A change is gonna come: Owner Wilson ready to revamp Bills

NFL - Torn ACL ends season for up-and-coming Rams DE Ah You

NFP - Brohm’s arrival signals change for Buffalo - Matt Bowen
The Bills snatched another recent draft choice off the Packers' practice squad; this time it's 2008 second-rounder QB Brian Brohm. Before that, it was '09 fifth-rounder OT Jamon Meredith.

FH - Bears Shun NBC for Sunday Night Game - Matt Snyder

NFL Opinion

SI - Mike Shanahan, Leslie Frazier among NFL coaching candidates - Don Banks
"The smart money continues to be on Washington and Danny "Warbucks'' Snyder (we could call it the Danny and Shanny show)."

Y! - Eagles, Packers' futures brighter than Giants' - Charles Robinson

SN - For three struggling QBs, it's November nosedive - Clifton Brown

Y! - Gruden finds safe haven in the booth - Mike Silver

FH - Thursday-and-Long: It's Rex Ryan's Party, He Can Cry If He Wants To - Dan Graziano

FOX - It's a QB's world in today's NFL - Alex Marvez

CBS - Hungry Jones-Drew rushing to elite stature - Pete Prisco

NFL - Bengals have easy out if they lose their gamble with LJ - Steve Wyche

SI - Larry Johnson will try to resurrect career with Bengals - Paul Daugherty

FOX - NFL Truths: LeBron needs to focus on NBA - Jason Whitlock

ESPN - Percy Harvin is making Vikings QB Brett Favre look good - Elizabeth Merrill

FOX - Boom or Bust: Who's to blame for Bills' struggles? - Adam Schein

SI - Wildcat revolution fails to materialize in NFL in 2009 - Andrew Perloff

PFW - Mays' freakish talent being preserved - Nolan Nawrocki

Picks, Etc.

NFP - The Player's Picks: Week 11 - Matt Bowen
"I see a great AFC West game with Nate Kaeding winning it on a long field goal in the fourth quarter as the Chargers take over the West."

NYT - Week 11 N.F.L. Matchups - Mike Tanier
"After 20 years, the dossier on Norv Turner is complete...As a disciplinarian and motivator, he ranks somewhere between Dick Jauron and a substitute gym teacher...We’ll learn over the next few weeks whether McDaniels will correct those mistakes, get overwhelmed by them or adopt Turner’s philosophy: ignore them and hope his veterans bail him out."

NFL - McNabb-Cutler duel leads solid list of Week 11 matchups

ESPN - Sunday Countdown online: Your weekly NFL guide - Week 11

SI - The Peter King Challenge
"Prediction: San Diego Chargers 30, Denver Broncos 14"

FH - Week 11 NFL Picks: Colts Goin' Down - Dave Goldberg

Poll

What do you think is behind the Broncos' defensive woes?

They're losing discipline

133 votes

They're getting worn down

189 votes

Opponents have figured out how to beat them

155 votes

They simply had a rough stretch

102 votes

579 votes | Poll has closed