Something In The Night

Sunday Night would be the one time that a Chargers snuggie would not be such a bad idea.  Unfortunately, FAITHFUL READER, they are no longer making them.  A responsible person would say that there is no way they would watch a game that kicks off at 11:30 PM on a weeknight.  Fortunately for you, I am not a responsible person.  Actually, the person who deserves the most credit for not preventing me from staying up (and undoubtedly calling in sick the following morning) is my wife.  I think she accepts that I am not able to record the game and watch it after the fact.  I certainly couldn't do that against the Raiders.  I remember my parents forcing me to turn off a Monday Nighter against them when I was a kid.  I believe it was the 1984 game we lost.  I ended up listening to the second half in my room on the radio.  Like so many of you, I hate the Raiders so much that it's frightening.  When they are really bad, I think I wish they would get just a little better to JUSTIFY my hating them even more.

Of course, it would be even more frustrating to stay up until 2:30AM and have them lose, but that's just a chance we have to take.  It's also something that the Bolts cannot let happen.  As well as Rivers has been playing, I can't ever allow myself to feel comfortable during a game.  That goes double for night games.  The game at New Orleans, the Monday Nighter against Denver last year and the season opener are three times I had to go to sleep angry recently.

McCoy may seem soft spoken when he's spouting his cliches but he's instilled some fight in this team.  Even though I read somewhere that he's friends with Dennis Allen, I only care about the end results.  This team lost two games already that would have been extended losing streaks under Norv.  I won't even hold Keenan Allen's picture with the Oakland hat against him if he plays like he did last week and we win.  That sideline grab was pretty impressive and reminiscent of a catch Floyd made earlier in the year.

I was disappointed to hear that Malcom would miss the season, but I can't say I was surprised.  The team did make it seem like he might be returning in a matter of weeks, but apparently there was more spinal damage than they originally thought.  This was why the Chargers let him test the waters of free agency a couple of summers ago.  It was the same reason they left Alexander similarly exposed.  Both players vow to come back strong next season, but that doesn't have shit to do with what is going on now.

It also sucks about Freeney, but no one was shocked about that either.  Last week, Liuget and Reyes showed up but I wonder how much of that was due to the attention given to Freeney.  I throw up in my mouth a little every time I read an ESPN piece that Larry English will need to step up.  If you noticed, he actually let a punt bounce upfield in Dallas' favor on Sunday. 

As I Tweeted before the game, it was bad news that we had three starters on the offensive line out..  However, the good news was that those three wouldn't be a starter on any other team.  I guess Clary will back this week, but hopefully he won't fuck things up.  Rivers was awesome last Sunday and I didn't even blame him for the pick 6.  He seemed to start his throw before he got hit.  The short passing game that McCoy has employed has really cut down on Rivers' mistakes.  He also seems to be driving his with legs as he throws and isn't making the horrible passes we've become used to over the past two seasons.  My only complaint about the offense is still that they don't even try to run once they get to the ten-yard line.  The reliance on the draw seems to cut down on the losses in the backfield.  But they wouldn't have needed that pick by Allen in Tennessee if they had let someone try to punch it in.  I certainly understand not trusting Mathews down there, but they are eventually going to have to be able to run near the end zone.

Woodhead has obviously been amazing.  After seeing Sproles (only for a minute and then I couldn't bear it) do his thing on Monday and then seeing the NFL Network "Game of the Week" reply of our game I felt confident that we are OK.

With Denver looking like the '07 Pats and the Queefs off to a 4-0 start, can the Chargers actually do anything this season?  Cox actually played well on Sunday and Crezdon Butler redeemed himself with the forced fumble.  But we don't have the talent to really make something of ourselves this year, do we? 

I'm going to try to defy my usual nature and enjoy what this team is and not what it isn't.  I still hold out hope for a 9-7 record and a Wild Card berth.  If that isn't good enough to get in, I'll pin my hopes on a 10-6 record.  Even though he was in the booth for the game at Tennessee I hope Dan Fouts brings us good mojo on Sunday night.  I heard that he's doing the game for NFL Network.  That's all for now.  Feel free to Tweet, Facebook, e-mail or text me during the game.  It's going to be lonely after midnight and I could use the company.

Fuck the Raiders.



I didn't upload any tunes this week, but I'm becoming partial to this 1981 show. 




About Ross Warner
