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Advantages:
1. First and foremost, we're playing these guys at home. Expect another raucous crowd like the one we saw yesterday for this game. I just can't see any team coming into that type of environment and absolutely blowing us out of the water, much less a West Coast team making the trek for a 1PM game.
2. This Chargers defense that people are starting to tout so highly looks very run of the mill. The Seahawks ran the ball with Marshawn a total of 6 times yesterday with him averaging almost 6 yards a carry, and Andre Ellington had similar numbers against them in the Monday night game. Why teams aren't running more against this team that is susceptible to breakdowns (i.e. Percy Harvin touchdown run yesterday) is beyond me. Their rush defense is extremely suspect yet untested up to this point in the season, I'd look for the Bills to incorporate more of the ground and pound mentality against them.
3. Coming off a nearly perfect game against the Hawks, Philip Rivers should be feeling confident. But from what I saw in the game yesterday, Seattle wasn't able to generate any sort of pressure on Rivers. The Cardinals were generating tons of pressure on rivers all game, even bringing blitz packages during the Chargers final drive, which they promptly went four and out on to end the game, with Rivers seemingly looking lost as to where to get the ball when being pressured by safeties. If the Bills front four can be as disruptive as they were against Tannehill, I guarantee Rivers won't be putting up a statline like this weeks.
4. Ryan Mathews is out for this game. I know Mathews isn't as integral a part of the offense that Moreno is in Miami, but this immediately one less guy Schwartz has to spend time preparing for this week.
Disadvantages:
1. We have been getting killed on those short 5-10 yard hitch routes to the outside and drags over the middle. It's not an easy route to defend, but it's essential that you defend those correctly otherwise 3rd and 6 becomes a gimmee. A guy like Keenan Allen could absolutely kill us on those routes.
2. Danny Woodhead is a guy that can make plays off the catch. After surrendering 80 receiving yards to Forte Week one and seeing Woodhead torch us when he was in New England, that poses a concerning matchup for our backers.
3. We haven't seen many blitz packages out of Schwartz's defense which is centered around not giving up big plays. If we aren't able to generate pressure with the front four and don't incorporate new blitz schemes to keep Rivers uncomfortable, he could torch us.
4. Antonio Gates can still ball. I don't like this match up, especially after seeing the game Martellus Bennett had week one.
5. The Chargers held the ball for 42 minutes yesterday. They had long, sustained drives which just chewed up the clock. We can't afford to let them to dominate TOP like this.
All in all, I think this is going to be a tight game. If we continue to stall in the redzone and have to settle for field goals, I don't see there being any way for us to win this game. However, if we can get Rivers uncomfortable and win the TOP on the day while capitalizing with redzone touchdowns, it's definitely winnable.
1. First and foremost, we're playing these guys at home. Expect another raucous crowd like the one we saw yesterday for this game. I just can't see any team coming into that type of environment and absolutely blowing us out of the water, much less a West Coast team making the trek for a 1PM game.
2. This Chargers defense that people are starting to tout so highly looks very run of the mill. The Seahawks ran the ball with Marshawn a total of 6 times yesterday with him averaging almost 6 yards a carry, and Andre Ellington had similar numbers against them in the Monday night game. Why teams aren't running more against this team that is susceptible to breakdowns (i.e. Percy Harvin touchdown run yesterday) is beyond me. Their rush defense is extremely suspect yet untested up to this point in the season, I'd look for the Bills to incorporate more of the ground and pound mentality against them.
3. Coming off a nearly perfect game against the Hawks, Philip Rivers should be feeling confident. But from what I saw in the game yesterday, Seattle wasn't able to generate any sort of pressure on Rivers. The Cardinals were generating tons of pressure on rivers all game, even bringing blitz packages during the Chargers final drive, which they promptly went four and out on to end the game, with Rivers seemingly looking lost as to where to get the ball when being pressured by safeties. If the Bills front four can be as disruptive as they were against Tannehill, I guarantee Rivers won't be putting up a statline like this weeks.
4. Ryan Mathews is out for this game. I know Mathews isn't as integral a part of the offense that Moreno is in Miami, but this immediately one less guy Schwartz has to spend time preparing for this week.
Disadvantages:
1. We have been getting killed on those short 5-10 yard hitch routes to the outside and drags over the middle. It's not an easy route to defend, but it's essential that you defend those correctly otherwise 3rd and 6 becomes a gimmee. A guy like Keenan Allen could absolutely kill us on those routes.
2. Danny Woodhead is a guy that can make plays off the catch. After surrendering 80 receiving yards to Forte Week one and seeing Woodhead torch us when he was in New England, that poses a concerning matchup for our backers.
3. We haven't seen many blitz packages out of Schwartz's defense which is centered around not giving up big plays. If we aren't able to generate pressure with the front four and don't incorporate new blitz schemes to keep Rivers uncomfortable, he could torch us.
4. Antonio Gates can still ball. I don't like this match up, especially after seeing the game Martellus Bennett had week one.
5. The Chargers held the ball for 42 minutes yesterday. They had long, sustained drives which just chewed up the clock. We can't afford to let them to dominate TOP like this.
All in all, I think this is going to be a tight game. If we continue to stall in the redzone and have to settle for field goals, I don't see there being any way for us to win this game. However, if we can get Rivers uncomfortable and win the TOP on the day while capitalizing with redzone touchdowns, it's definitely winnable.
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