Chargers nose tackle Antonio Garay will co-host with myself this Saturday. For those of you that enjoyed High Boltage radio during the 2011 season with myself and our fearless leader John Gennero, this is the same 10am - noon time slot.

While John enjoys sleeping in on Saturday mornings, I am still slaving over a hot microphone. During the time between Chargers and Padres seasons the show has a general sports feel with an emphasis on Southern California teams. Discussions revolve around the Chargers, Padres, Aztecs, Clippers, Lakers, and hot topics.

For those of you that will be awake tomorrow morning, you are invited to listen to the show. You are also welcome to call in 619-570-1360. Will we talk Chargers? Hell yes! We will talk a lot about football in general, topics for the show include:

Continue reading this post »

The Chargers destroy the Raiders to finish the season 8-8. In what was a very up and down season, the Chargers coaches and players used Sunday as an audition for 2012. In a season that started with promise, it ends with disappointment as Chargers fans will be watching the playoffs with little rooting interest.

I just want to take a moment out to thank John Gennaro, the BFTB staff, and the BFTB community for being so welcoming in my rookie season on the site. It's been a blast!

Good:

Richard Goodman: I have been hard on Goodman all season. It was great to see him break out and return a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown.

Philip Rivers: After the terrible start Rivers was able to get things rolling. He finished 19/26 310 yards and three touchdowns. For all the trouble Rivers has this season, he still put up some big numbers, clearing 4500 passing yards for a second consecutive season.

Malcom Floyd: M80 on the list again. Nine targets, seven catches, 127 yards, and a touchdown. Floyd has really put things together over the last month. If he can just stay on the field, he could have a huge 2012.

Antonio Gates: Five targets, five catches, 106 yards, and a touchdown. Gates finsishes with the team lead in receptions. Some chatter came up during the season about finding the potential replacement for Gates. I think that is something that needs to be addressed, but with his performance in the second half of the season, it's not as much of a priority as it was earlier in the season.

Donald Butler and Takeo Spikes: A very productive duo this season, they were first in second in tackles on Sunday and finished the season first and second as well.

Continue reading this post »

If you are still playing in your league during week 17, I have one piece of advice for you... Join a new league. Week 17 is typically a complete mess if you are a fantasy football owner and this year is no different. Best of luck this week, you will need it. It should be noted that the status of Mathews, Jackson, and Tolbert is up in and air and all will be a game time decision.

Rankings:

QB - 29

HB - 25

WR - 30

TE - 11

Philip Rivers - In his last game against the Raiders, Rivers threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders have given up over 280+ yards in their last three contests and an average of two touchdowns over the last eight games. Prediction: 280 yards and two touchdowns.

Ryan Mathews -Mathews didn't get a lot of chances after the Chargers fell behind on Sunday. It would be great for the Chargers, Mathews, and the fans if RM24 is able to have a monster day against the silver and black. Prediction: 140 total yards.

Mike Tolbert - If Tolbert plays I'm not expecting much, with the exception of few goal line snaps. Prediction: 50 total yards and a touchdown

Vincent Jackson - If he plays, I'm not expecting much. At least he won't lost any balls in the lights this time. Prediction: Four catches for 40 yards.

Continue reading this post »

With a 0% chance to make the playoffs, the Chargers head to the black hole to finish off the season. Once a season with plenty of promise, 2012 has turned into a weekly conversation of who the next Chargers coach will be. As usual it is hard to figure out which Chargers team will show up, but making sure the Raiders do not make the playoffs should be priority #1 this Sunday.

So.... who likes Hooters? Weekly Pick'em winner receives a Wing Party at any of the four Hooters San Diego locations. I don't know about you, but I want to win a wing party

(Enter the contest here)

Lions (10-5) at Packers (14-1) The Packers are not talking about how much guys will play, but I expect them to treat this like a preseason game. Lions win on the road.

Jets (8-7) at Dolphins (5-10) As usual the Jets are having trouble clinching a playoff spot. If the Jets make the playoffs and somehow get into the AFC Championship game again, I may lose my mind.

Redskins (5-10) at Eagles (7-8) I'm sure you are wondering why I put this game on the list. Simple, I'm curious how the Eagles fans will react towards Andy Reid if the Eagles go 7-9.

Ravens (11-4) at Bengals (9-6) Andy Dalton and A.J. Green look to cap off an amazing rookie season with a victory over the Ravens. I understand why NBC didn't choose this game to flex, but this is my must see game of the week.

Chiefs (6-9) at Broncos (8-7) Has Tebow's luck ran out? I don't believe so. The Chiefs are not a good team and I believe the Broncos pass up will allow the Broncos to play their style of game.

Cowboys (8-7) at Giants (8-7) Two over rated teams that play sloppy football in prime time. Woohoo! Looking past my bias, I think the Giants win this game, or should i say, the Cowboys will lose this game.

My picks are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

The Chargers get run over in the motor city. After a great victory at home over the Ravens, the Chargers came out flat in Detroit. Falling behind early, the Chargers couldn't find a way to get things back in order.

Fans do have every right to be upset about this season. After missing the playoffs last year, most people (including myself) felt this Chargers team would rebound and win the division. Terrible play by Rivers, bad clock management, and too many lackadaisical games doomed this Chargers team.

Good:

Garbage time offense: With the Chargers down 24-0 at the half, the offense the entire second half was in garbage mode. The drive to start off the second half was great, the Chargers were never able to close the deal inside the redzone, settling for a FG and turning the ball over on downs. Fans tried to keep hope alive, but the Chargers couldn't deliver.

Malcom Floyd: Glad to see Floyd step up, with Jackson suffering from two broken hands. Six catches for 95 yards, and a touchdown.

Sacks: With sacks by Donald Butler, Cam Thomas, and Vaughn Martin.

Continue reading this post »

The Chargers have done a great job of keeping hope alive over the past couple weeks. A little help from the Lions, Patriots, and Eagles last week has now given the Chargers a 14.86% chance at making the playoffs.

Teams that can help the Chargers the most this weekend are... Bills, Cardinals, and Giants.

So.... who likes Hooters? Weekly Pick'em winner receives a Wing Party at any of the four Hooters San Diego locations. I don't know about you, but I want to win a wing party

(Enter the contest here)

Cardinals (7-7) at Bengals (8-6) Dalton and the Bengals went through a tough stretch of games, but with the Ravens coming up in week 17, this is a must win game for the Bengals.

Raiders (7-7) at Chiefs (6-8) This game is pure entertainment value. The Raiders have been a mess and the Chiefs beat the Packers last week. I do think the Raiders will bounce back and try to make things interesting in the playoff race.

Giants (7-7) at Jets (8-6) I can't remember a game with two average teams that has been so over-hyped. Leave it to the four letter network.

Eagles (6-8) at Cowboys (8-8) The NFC east is a hot mess. Outside of being over rated once again this year, the Eagles actually still have a chance to make the playoffs. That should tell you enough.

Falcons (9-5) at Saints (11-3) The big story line for this game is all about Drew Brees (Que that people still complaining about Brees leaving SD).

My picks are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

The Chargers spanked one of the best teams in the AFC tonight. In an amazing victory, I started to feel that sense of hope. The, "Where has this team been all year" comments vanished and were replaced by, "This could really happen" thoughts. Do the Chargers need help? Yes! Is it impossible? No!

I understand that most Chargers fans will hold back emotionally buying into the Chargers making a playoff run, and I don't blame them. With that said, the Chargers have given us a reason to be excited and I'm going to enjoy this victory against the Ravens, as well as the win streak the team is on.

Good:

Philip Rivers: Nothing like seeing Rivers only threw the ball 23 times. Philip was fantastic tonight against the one of the best defenses in the league. Guess he's not hurt anymore. FWIW - Rivers is now 24-2 in December and January.

Antwan Barnes: LaBoy went down and Barnes did his thing. Six tackles (five solo), four sacks, and three qb hits. FOUR SACKS! That really happened.

Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert: Mathews didn't run for 100 yards, but 90 against the Ravens is practically 100 yards against most teams. For the record, Mathews had 109 total yards and two touchdowns. Tolbert to his credit compiled 58 yards and a touchdown.

Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd: Combining for 8 catches and 180 yards, they stretched the field and attacked the ball. Playing like top shelf receivers.

O-Line: The line has played great during this stretch. It's hard to have imagined that the line would perform like this without Kris Dielman and Marcus McNeill.

Playoff chances: Broncos, Raiders, and Jets all lose. Keep hope alive.

Continue reading this post »

Nothing like a little prime time football to get the fan base fired up. With the Ravens rolling into town and the Chargers playoff hopes hanging by a thread, fans still have a reason to cheer. Ray Lewis returns for the Ravens, while Philip Rivers will try to stay hot.

So.... who likes Hooters? Weekly Pick'em winner receives a Wing Party at any of the four Hooters San Diego locations. I don't know about you, but I want to win a wing party

(Enter the contest here)

Lions (8-5) at Raiders (7-6) The Raiders are in a downward spiral and have to find a way to win this game if they want to have a chance at the playoffs. I like the Lions on the road as they keep charging towards 10 wins.

Patriots (10-3) at Broncos (8-5) Tebow can't do it again, can he? I think the Patriots offense is going to be too much for the Broncos to handle. It will be interesting to see if Tebow throws the ball 50 times in a game thought.

Jets (8-5) at Eagles (5-8) The dream team showed up in Miami last week, but can they do it? Andy Reid could be coaching for his job this Sunday. I'm sure plenty of San Diego fans would be happy to pick him up at the airport.

Steelers (10-3) at 49ers (10-3) Finally a good game on Monday night. I still think the 49ers are the 2010 Bears, which means, I'm not sold. The Steelers are a battle tested team and now how to kick things into gear in December.

My picks are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

For those of you that missed High Boltage Radio on XTRA Sports 1360 today, the podcast is now up for your listening pleasure. Thanks to Michael Gehlken of NBC San Diego, Matthew Hall of the SDUT, Dour Farrar of Yahoo Sports, and Bruce Raffle of Baltimore Beat Down for joining us.

(Listen/Download both hours here)

Our two hour show is finishing strong, here are some of the highlights and topics discussed during the show.

• Good, Bad, and the Ugly from the Chargers game against the Bills
• Talk with Matthew Hall about the current status of the new Chargers stadium.
• We talk about what needs to happen for the Chargers to make the playoffs.
  
• Bruce Raffle talks all things Ravens.
  
• Weekly NFL pick'em selections (you can enter the pick'em contest here).
• Michael Gehlken of NBC San Diego forecasts the Chargers offseason.

Continue reading this post »

The Chargers had no trouble with the Bills on Sunday. The Bolts have now put up two complete games in a row, which has me cautiously optimistic. Earlier in the season we wanted to see the Chargers dominate weaker opponents, better late than never? With the Broncos win in overtime, it appears once again that the Chargers have dug themselves a whole too deep to get out of.

The casual fan may be excited right now, and in all honesty, I see nothing wrong with enjoying a victory. The reality is that the Chargers destiny is in the hands of the 8-5 Broncos. With that said, let's enjoy what the Chargers did to the Bills Sunday.

Good:

Philip Rivers: "Philip Rivers" (In my LL Cool J voice) finished with a line of 24/33 240 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Rivers is now 23-2 in December and January.

Antonio Gates: Just when everyone wants to talk about Gronk and Graham, Gates sneaks into the news with seven catches on nine targets for 68 yards and two touchdowns.

Ryan Mathews: RM24 with a hat trick. Mathews now has hit the century mark three games in a row. In the process he may just save AJ's job.

Eric Weddle: Seven interceptions. Seven. He may not be Ed Reed, but Weddle is a game changer. He may also be the only Chargers rep in Honolulu.

Continue reading this post »

It's amazing that we only have four week of the NFL regular season left. Chargers fans got a thrill last week and now the Chargers are showing signs of life. The NFL schedule in week 14 is a bit light, but at the end of the day it's still the NFL.

So.... who likes Hooters? Weekly Pick'em winner receives a Wing Party at any of the four Hooters San Diego locations. I don't know about you, but I want to win a wing party

(Enter the contest here)

Texans (9-3) at Bengals (7-5) The Texans have a firm lead in the AFC south, but the Bengals will be playing for their playoff lives. Unless the Texans defense can score some points, the Bengals should have this game in hand.

Saints (9-3) at Titans (7-5) The Titans are keeping hope alive in Tennessee, but they won't be able to keep up with the Saints potent pass attack this week.

Raiders (7-5) at Packers (12-0) The Packers should have no trouble with the Raiders this week. Look for Rodgers to continue his MVP campaign.

Giants (6-6) at Cowboys (7-5) Plenty of talent and a few bone head plays = drama. This is the game of the week and it's no surprise it's on Sunday night football.

My picks are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

For those of you that missed High Boltage Radio on XTRA Sports 1360 today, the podcast is now up for your listening pleasure. Thanks to Michael Gehlken of NBC San Diego and Brian Galliford from Buffalo Rumblings for talking Bills with us.

(Listen/Download both hours here)

Our two hour show is finishing strong, here are some of the highlights and topics discussed during the show.

• Good, Bad, and the Ugly from the Chargers game against the Jaguars
• We try to and figure out what the problem with the organization is. (head coach, general manager, development, training staff)
• We keep hope alive
  
• Brian Galliford tells us if the Bills can turn it around.
  
• Weekly NFL pick'em selections (you can enter the pick'em contest here).
• Michael Gehlken of NBC San Diego tells us if this Chargers team can make a run.

Continue reading this post »

Chargers go into Jacksonville and run it up on the Jags 38-14. Last week I wrote...

We ripped Jackson, he broke out. We ripped Mathews, he broke out. Next Saturday, we rip everyone!

If you missed High Boltage Radio on Saturday, John and I basically ripped everyone and look what happened. With that in mind, no more Mr. rainbows and puppy dogs on Saturday mornings from here on out.

I don't know about you, but I was a little confused watching this game. It's been a while since the Chargers dominated a game, so I spent most of the game wondering around my living room wondering when Norv was going to piss me off. To my pleasure, it didn't happen. It has been a while since the Chargers have had a win like this, so I'm trying to drink it all in, I suggest you do the same.

Good:

Offense: Chargers offense with 400 yards in three quarters. 294 in the air and 106 on the ground with 18 first downs and no turnovers. Super Chargers!

Philip Rivers: This is what we were all expecting to see all season long. Rivers finished with a line of 22/28 294 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Rivers is now 22-2 in December in January. "Best Day Ever"

Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd, and Antonio Gates: 250 in three quarters between the three of them. Awesome.

Ryan Mathews - Back to back 100 yard games for Mathews and he has a great shot to break 1,000 yards on the season.

Eric Weddle: Another interception for Weddle as he continues to justify that big contract. It's a shame he won't make the pro bowl, he has had a great season.

ILB: Donald Butler and Takeo Spikes getting it done with 17 tackles between the two of them.

Continue reading this post »

Week 13 is now upon us, which means football is almost done. The Packers are now 11-0, the Cowboys now lead the NFC East and Tebow is on the verge of taking the Broncos to the Playoffs.

The Chargers are now in dead last and fans are about toe occupy qualcomm if Norv isn't fired. So much for getting back to the playoffs. The Jaguars are rolling with and interum head coach on Monday night and if he beats Norv, I expect fans to have pitchforks and torches out to welcome the team back to Chargers park.

So.... who likes Hooters? Weekly Pick'em winner receives a Wing Party at any of the four Hooters San Diego locations. I don't know about you, but I want to win a wing party

(Enter the contest here)

Titans (6-5) at Bills (5-6) The Titans are keeping hope alive and look to continue that on the road against a beat up Bills team. Titans are only 2-3 on the road and the Bills are 4-1 at home. Titans will have to earn this one.

Raiders (7-4) at Dolphins (3-8) Raiders are missing some playmakers and they have not looked great beating bad teams over the last three weeks. Matt Moore has been playing well and the Dolphins look like a new team. This looks like a trap game to me. I'm taking the fins.

Bengals (7-4) at Steelers (8-3) Andy Dalton has not put up the numbers that Cam Newton has, but he has had a great rookie campaign. The Bengals are 4-2 on the road this season, but it won't be enough to take down the Steelers.

Falcons (7-4) at Texans (8-3) The Texans don't have a quarterback, but they have all but wrapped up a terrible AFC south. The Falcons are trying to keep pace with the Saints and I think they will give the Texans defense everything they can handle.

Packers (11-0) at Giants (6-5) The Giants offense is has been dealing with injuries more of the season and the only entertaining portion of it is when Cruz gets his dance on. The Packers defense doesn't seem to have interest in stopping teams, so take the OVAH!

Lions (7-4) at Saints (8-3) No Suh, no problem? Wrong. Big problems for the Lions this week as they roll into New Orleans. Drew Brees is a man on a mission this season and expect more of the Same on Sunday.

My picks are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

For those of you that missed High Boltage Radio on XTRA Sports 1360 today, the podcast is now up for your listening pleasure. Thanks to Michael Gehlken of NBC San Diego and Alfie Crow from Big Cat Country for talking Jaguars with us.

(Listen/Download both hours here)

Our two hour show is finishing strong, here are some of the highlights and topics discussed during the show.

• Good, Bad, and the Ugly from the Chargers game against the Broncos
• We try to and figure out what the problem with the organization is. (head coach, general manager, development, training staff)
• John and I get into it about Norv's lack of urgency
• Alfie Crow from Big Cat Country tells us the Jags are staying in town
• Weekly NFL pick'em selections (you can enter the pick'em contest here).
• Michael Gehlken calls in live from Chargers Park and tells us that Norv has earned the right to finish the season as head coach

Continue reading this post »

The Chargers lose to Tebow and the Broncos at home.  As many fans would like this to be the end of the nightmare, I don't see that happening, at least not this week.  It appears to me that this Chargers team is either afraid to win or forgot how to win.  Either way, the fan base is foaming at the mouth for change. 

Good:

Ryan Mathews - We ripped Jackson, he broke out.  We ripped Mathews, he broke out.  Next Saturday... we rip everyone!  Mathews has three 100+ yard rushing games in his career, they are all against the Broncos.  A report came out from someone at CBS this morning saying that Mathews would be limited today, causing many fantasy owners to freak out and bench Mathews.  Silly CBS.

Antonio Gates - Gates was thrown to ten times, had six catches for 49 yards, and a touchdown.  Gates is not the same player we have seen in years past, but he is still dangerous.  Side note:  It was painful to watch Gates jump around after he scored that touchdown.  You know he wanted to dunk that football over the goal post, but that wasn't happening. 

Takeo Spikes - Spikes was a tackle machine, which is exactly what I would expect to see against a run heavy team like the Broncos.  14 tackles (8 solo), and a tackle for loss.

Honorable Mention: The CBS cameras getting a shot of Novak reliving himself on the sidelines.

Continue reading this post »

Week 12 in the NFL already!?  I cannot express the love I have for Thanksgiving football.  The Packers are now 11-0, the Cowboys now lead the NFC East and I still have leftovers.  Five of the six teams that played on Thursday had winning records, how pumped is the NFL about that? 

The Chargers are now two games under .500 and are on the verge of kissing the season good bye.  The Broncos have been playing inspired football and look to push the Chargers up the draft board with another loss Sunday.  That's not the only interesting game of the day though.

So.... who likes Hooters?  Weekly Pick'em winner receives a Wing Party at any of the four Hooters San Diego locations. I don't know about you, but I want to win a wing party

(Enter the contest here)

Bucs (4-6) at Titans (5-5) Bucs are playing for their playoff lives in this game.  Then again, so are the Titans.  I'm going with the Titans at home.

Panthers (2-8) at Colts (0-10) This is it!  If the Colts don't win this game, they may need to find a way for Manning to play a game this season.  Teams have caught up to Newton, but the Panthers will go very run heavy in Indy this Sunday.

Bills (5-5) at Jets (5-5) Great bounce back game for the Jets.  The Bills are in a downward spiral right now and the Jets will take full advantage taking sole possession of second place in the AFC east.

Giants (6-4) at Saints (7-3) Just when I started to believe in the Giants they laid an egg to the Eagles.  The Saints play great at home and this Monday will be no different.  This game should be a ton of fun to watch.

My picks are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

For those of you that missed High Boltage Radio on XTRA Sports 1360 today, the podcast is now up for your listening pleasure.  Thanks to Michael Gehlken of NBC San Diego and Peter Burns from Fox Sports Radio for talking Tebow with us.

(Listen/Download both hours here)

Our two hour show is rolling strong, here are some of the highlights and topics discussed during the show.

• Good, Bad, and the Ugly from the Chargers game in Chicago
• We try to give solutions to the Chargers problems.
• Talk about my favorite player... Shaun Phillips
• Peter Burns of Fox Sports Radio in Denver joined the show
• Weekly NFL pick'em selections (you can enter the pick'em contest here). 
• Michael Gehlken tells us that Greg Manusky is dodging the media.

Continue reading this post »

The Chargers traveled to the windy city in hopes of breaking a four game losing streak.  As loses have piled up, the frustration of the fan base has increased.  Coming into Sunday, I was having a hard time remembering a time when the fan base was so defeated.  Possibly during the early years with Marty or the Mike Riley era? 

Make no mistake the Bears are playing great football right now.  Let's not forget, the Bears did go to the NFC Championship game last season and playing in Solider Field is no easy task for any team, even an elite team, such as the Packers.  Outside of wishful thinking, how could Chargers fans rationalize a Bolts victory? 

At the end of the day, the Bears played great football, the Chargers were the Chargers and the losing streak is now five games long.  Chargers fall to the Bears 31-20.  With that said, it's time for the good, bad, and ugly.

Good

Vincent Jackson - After a week of media and fan scrutiny, Jackson responded in a big way.  Jackson was targeted nine times, he hauled in seven catches for 165 yards and a touchdown.  It was great to see Jackson show up, can he do it two weeks in a row? 

Offensive Line - This patch work offensive line that was supposed to be the main concern going into the game held up quite nicely.  With the exception of a couple penalties on Jeromy Clary, the line held up and didn't allow one sack on Rivers.

Run defense - Matt Forte has played like a man possessed this season, but the Chargers contained him on the ground.  Forte only had 59 yards on the ground on 21 carries.

Continue reading this post »

For those of you that missed High Boltage Radio on XTRA Sports 1360 today, the podcast is now up for your listening pleasure.  Thanks to Michael Gehlken of NBC San Diego and Kev Hand from Windy City Gridiron for coming in studio and talking Chargers with us.

(Listen/Download both hours here)

Our two hour show is rolling strong, here are some of the highlights and topics discussed during the show.

• Good, Bad, and the Ugly - Chargers rookies
• We try to give solutions to the Chargers problems.
• Norv and AJ and their futures in San Diego
• NFL coaching carousel
• Kev Hand from Windy City Gridiron joined the show
• Weekly NFL pick'em selections (you can enter the pick'em contest here).  Plenty of toss up morning games this week.
• Michael Gehlken tells us that Greg Manusky is dodging the media.

Continue reading this post »

Another week, another great slate of games.  I'm not sure any of the games on Sunday will beat the TeBow show, but I'm excited to find out.  The Chargers are heading into the windy city Sunday to face Jay Cutler and the Bears.  Only 14% of the people picking have selected the Chargers, but I can't blame them.  I can't remember a time the Chargers fan base has been so down on this team as they are now.

So.... who likes Hooters?  Weekly Pick'em winner receives a Wing Party at any of the four Hooters San Diego locations. I don't know about you, but I want to win a wing party

(Enter the contest here)

Bucs (4-5) at Packers (9-0) On paper this looks like an easy win, but the Bucs need to win this game to keep pace.  With that said, I expect the Packers to cruise to 10-0.

Bills (5-4) at Dolphins (2-7) The Bills have been exposed, the Dolphins are playing inspired football.  Upset special! 

Bengals (6-3) at Ravens (6-3) The Bengals showed fight against the Steelers, while the Ravens looked overwhelmed by the 12^th man in Seattle. 

Cardinals (3-6) at 49ers (8-1) Can Skelton keep the magic rolling?  No.  The 49ers are a great story and with a win Sunday it will be their highest win total since 2002. 

Titans (5-4) at Falcons (5-4) Matt Hasselbeck has been fantastic this year.  If history tells us anything, Hass' expiration date on the season will come quickly.  The Falcons are typically great at home and they will have something to prove after last week's collapse in overtime. 

My picks are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »