Chargers: Halfback Option

[RedEyE]

I watched the Chargers Raiders game last night to gain more insight to what Buffalo will be facing this weekend. I don't think that I need to tell you that Buffalo has their work cut out for them. Despite how close the score was the Chargers were hard charging and played with a boat load of confidence and passion.

The Bills defense will have several things they need to focus on this week to especially include stuffing LT. However, this guy can pass too. The Chargers have a half-back option play were Rivers pitches the ball to the right side to LT. Gates runs a fade. First dipping into the inside of the field and as soon as the OLB bites on LT, Gates slips out deep. The play went off perfectly against the Raiders, and tunred out to be the deciding factor in that game. This is a play that they've practice and will attempt to use on struggling defenses. They tried it against the Titans as well, and LT just barely overthrew Gates. But again Gates was open and it would have went for 7.

The good news is that I don't thikn this Chargers team is as good as the one the Bills faced last year. Rivers is good, don't get me wrong. But like Losman, the kid is still trying to find himself day after day. I think he's come a long way and has proven a thing or two this season, but I don't think he compares to Drew Brees as of yet. Hopefully the Bills won't give him the opportunity to do just that.

Offensively the Bills need to successfully drive the ball on the ground all day long. The Chargers will do just that and Buffalo needs to win control the clock to keep LT off the field. I suggest a little "onsey-twosey" - firing A-Train and McGahee in an equal amount of carries to wear the Chargers D down. Of course the Bills haven't used that combo since week 1 against the Patriots, so I don't really expect to see it Sunday either....but if they were going to use it, now would certainly be the time.

[mybills]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

The Raiders suck, especially their D. That's why that play worked so well. And if they hung with them through the whole game, why can't we? I just don't see SD killing us.

Besides, they've won 6 in a row, but the only 7 they'll see is JP when he leads us to a win.

[RedEyE]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

The Raiders suck, especially their D. That's why that play worked so well. And if they hung with them through the whole game, why can't we? I just don't see SD killing us.

Besides, they've won 6 in a row, but the only 7 they'll see is JP when he leads us to a win.

Not exactly. The Raiders D is currently ranked 7th in the league. How good would you say our defense is sitting at 21st overall?

[mybills]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

Now think about why they're ranked 7th. What offenses have they gone up against?
Stats don't really matter to me. Look at Bledsoe with 4k yrds and no PO.

[RedEyE]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

Now think about why they're ranked 7th. What offenses have they gone up against?
Stats don't really matter to me. Look at Bledsoe with 4k yrds and no PO.

San Diego x2 - Ranked 5th overall (ranked 1st in scoring)
Kansas City - Ranked 15th overall
Seattle - 12 in scoring
Baltimore- 9th in scoring
Pittsburgh - Ranked 6th overall

Not necessarily an easy schedule.

[mybills]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

Like I said, I don't go by stats..that includes rankings. On any given Sunday, something unexpected can happen. That Raiders game is proof. They've sucked all year, but were able to stay with SD right up until that last score in the 4th Q. (That's on SD's shoulders, IMO)
I have no problem believing the Bills will do the same, or better than OAK. We've fixed a lot of our problems, whereas they still haven't gel'd.
Unlike some people, I just don't see us getting trampled.

[BigBoltIke]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

The good news is that I don't thikn this Chargers team is as good as the one the Bills faced last year. Rivers is good, don't get me wrong. But like Losman, the kid is still trying to find himself day after day. I think he's come a long way and has proven a thing or two this season, but I don't think he compares to Drew Brees as of yet. Hopefully the Bills won't give him the opportunity to do just that.

Offensively the Bills need to successfully drive the ball on the ground all day long. The Chargers will do just that and Buffalo needs to win control the clock to keep LT off the field. I suggest a little "onsey-twosey" - firing A-Train and McGahee in an equal amount of carries to wear the Chargers D down. Of course the Bills haven't used that combo since week 1 against the Patriots, so I don't really expect to see it Sunday either....but if they were going to use it, now would certainly be the time.

I don't know how many Charger games you've seen this year, but the Raider game was his worst game of the season. It was also the worst game for our receivers, who dropped six passes. 14-31 looks a lot different when you take those six drops into account.

Rivers has been on target, and making great decisions all season. So far he's had 6 INTs, with two of those coming off tipped balls. That's 4 bad decisions. Not only that, but he's a great leader, and is definitely not playing like a rookie, or even a first year starter. He's brought us back from 21 and 17 point deficits for Ws, and tied us with the Chiefs after being down 17 points before they kicked a last second GW FG.

The old "put 9 in the box and let Rivers beat us" strategy has proven to be highly flawed. While the halfback option is a good play, and has been dialed up three times this year, I wouldn't expect to see it this game. Since you have a pair of rookie Safeties, I'd expect to see a lot of running early, and a lot of play action to Gates.

Depending on which WR package we send out, we can have a rediculous height advantage over your CBs. With Malcolm Floyd and Vincent Jackson out there, the fade route will probably be employed alot. You'll see alot of runs left, runs off-guard, tosses, and PA passes. We're also a really good screen team, considering the talent we have in our backfield.

[RedEyE]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

Like I said, I don't go by stats..that includes rankings. On any given Sunday, something unexpected can happen. That Raiders game is proof. They've sucked all year, but were able to stay with SD right up until that last score in the 4th Q. (That's on SD's shoulders, IMO)
I have no problem believing the Bills will do the same, or better than OAK. We've fixed a lot of our problems, whereas they still haven't gel'd.
Unlike some people, I just don't see us getting trampled.

Ok Beth.

[BigBoltIke]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

Like I said, I don't go by stats..that includes rankings. On any given Sunday, something unexpected can happen. That Raiders game is proof. They've sucked all year, but were able to stay with SD right up until that last score in the 4th Q. (That's on SD's shoulders, IMO)
I have no problem believing the Bills will do the same, or better than OAK. We've fixed a lot of our problems, whereas they still haven't gel'd.
Unlike some people, I just don't see us getting trampled.

I expect the Bills to play better football than Oakland's offense. However, I don't think you'll play better than their defense. Moreover, that was easily the worst game the Chargers have played as a team, and the worst by Rivers as well. I expect the Chargers to play significantly better football this week, so if all you're expecting is to play as well as or somewhat better than the Raiders, you're in trouble...

[The last buffalo fan]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

any given sunday............................. good luck to you guys, and a win to our team. Go Bills!!!!!!

[mybills]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

It's so easy to say your team played bad when a crappy team like Oakland kept up with them for the entire game, but I thought you said they were superior at changing the game plan from each half? When did they finally get that winning TD? Oh yeah, sometime in the 4th Q.

All I'm saying is stats don't matter. And the Bills keep surprising people. Much like the Raiders did. If you go by stats alone, and you can say without a doubt that SD will win this one, good for you. But I don't go by them, never have. But even if I did, I wouldn't be stupid enough to say the Bills will definitly win.

because..anything can happen. Get it now?

[RBI90]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

It's so easy to say your team played bad when a crappy team like Oakland kept up with them for the entire game, but I thought you said they were superior at changing the game plan from each half? When did they finally get that winning TD? Oh yeah, sometime in the 4th Q.

All I'm saying is stats don't matter. And the Bills keep surprising people. Much like the Raiders did. If you go by stats alone, and you can say without a doubt that SD will win this one, good for you. But I don't go by them, never have. But even if I did, I wouldn't be stupid enough to say the Bills will definitly win.

because..anything can happen. Get it now?

I have to agree. The Bills are obviously not the same team that lost to the lowly Lions. They have learned from that game and I expect the Chargers to do the same.

[BigBoltIke]

Re: Chargers: Halfback Option

It's so easy to say your team played bad when a crappy team like Oakland kept up with them for the entire game, but I thought you said they were superior at changing the game plan from each half? When did they finally get that winning TD? Oh yeah, sometime in the 4th Q.

All I'm saying is stats don't matter. And the Bills keep surprising people. Much like the Raiders did. If you go by stats alone, and you can say without a doubt that SD will win this one, good for you. But I don't go by them, never have. But even if I did, I wouldn't be stupid enough to say the Bills will definitly win.

because..anything can happen. Get it now?

I'm not a stat whore by any means. The Chargers had 6 dropped balls and Rivers had his worst game as a pro. I call that a bad day by the offense (except for Tomlinson), but that's mitigated by the fact that we were missing three key offensive players.