NFL: Chargers

tman24 · 11-17-2008, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by dustinal

I'll bet you are, Broncos fan.

oh you caught me. but the chargers were amazing when they were 14-2, then norv came in and i dont think he knows how to motivate people to win. To me it seems like, other than Phillis, no one has the fight to win.

sunset · 11-17-2008, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by tman24

oh you caught me. but the chargers were amazing when they were 14-2, then norv came in and i dont think he knows how to motivate people to win. To me it seems like, other than Phillis, no one has the fight to win.

Norv actually won a playoff game, Marty couldn't. I'm not saying that Norv is the answer, but firing Marty was absolutely the correct move.

I've watched every Charger game this year except the KC game last week, the players have been put in positions to win games but haven't made plays. Carolina (two players within a yard of the receiver who caught the game winning TD), Denver (besides the officials taking the game away, there were defensive players in position to stop both the touchdown and winning 2pt conversion), and Pittsburgh (two defenders within a yard of the receiver that converted third and long on the last drive) should have all been wins. I'm not saying Norv will be here much longer, but the sad reality is that Charger players are not making plays this year.

mwitt · 11-17-2008, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by sunset

Norv actually won a playoff game, Marty couldn't. I'm not saying that Norv is the answer, but firing Marty was absolutely the correct move.

Marty had a first round bye, so Norv took his team no further than Marty did.

pulse · 11-17-2008, 01:46 PM

I follow the Chargers closely. I'm certainly not a big Norv fan, but I can't put the blame squarely on his shoulders. The issues the Chargers had earlier this year was that their defense stunk. They went from being great on D to being bad. That rests on the defensive coordinators shoulders, who they finally fired mid-season. I don't think coincidentally the D played well against Pittsburgh because they got rid of him.

No doubt Marty was a much better motivator than Norv is. Marty is firery and Norv is low-key. You'd think with Norv being an 'offensive genius' that the Chargers offense would be playing better. The reality is that LT has been hurt. He relies so much on making quick cuts that he was greatly limited earlier this year. The Pittsburg game was just soggy. When he gets into the open field he's fine, but the first few moves which really makes him great, he hasn't been able to do. Rivers has been playing well, but he's also thrown some inopportune picks, which obviously can really change things.

Another big thing is that Jamaal Williams looks to finally be recovered from his injury. He anchors the defense as he clogs up the middle. The Pittsburgh game is the 1st game I remember in a long time where he looked really mobile and more healthy. The Chargers aren't completely out of it, but they're getting there. They have a 3 week home stand which they have to win.

ISUFan22 · 11-17-2008, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

Exactly what I was thinking. When you fire your coach after going 14-2, you deserve to have someone like Norv Turner as your coach.

I agree. Kinda like what Nebraska dealt with in Callahan.

Tornado man · 11-17-2008, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by sunset

Norv actually won a playoff game, Marty couldn't. I'm not saying that Norv is the answer, but firing Marty was absolutely the correct move.

Really? This Chargers team is a shell of what it was under Schottenheimer and DC Wade Phillips. I can see why LT was confused when the coaching move was made...

sunset · 11-17-2008, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by mwitt

Marty had a first round bye, so Norv took his team no further than Marty did.

FYI: Norv went to the AFC Championship, Marty did not.

sunset · 11-17-2008, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

Really? This Chargers team is a shell of what it was under Schottenheimer and DC Wade Phillips. I can see why LT was confused when the coaching move was made...

I don't know why the players aren't getting the job done. It could be coaching, but as I noted earlier; the coaching schemes had players in position to win games this year. The players simply didn't make the plays.

I'm not a Norv Turner fan, they should have hired somebody else. But to say Marty was the right guy is, in my opinion, absurd. They had the easiest schedule in the league the year they went 14-2 (thanks to their horrible year prior). Then they were embarrased in their first playoff game. The guy was a choke artist his whole career.

pulse · 11-17-2008, 02:40 PM

The problem isn't Norv vs. Marty for the Chargers. The problem is Wade Phillips vs. Ted Cottrell. Wade Phillips is a great D-coordinator and when he left the Chargers for the Dallas head coaching job, San Diego's defense suffered.

Speaking of the AFC Championship last year, it wasn't Norv's fault that they lost, its the because the receiver's couldn't catch a ball. The receiver's totally blew it and dropped critical passes.

pulse · 11-17-2008, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by sunset

Then they were embarrased in their first playoff game. The guy was a choke artist his whole career.

They weren't embarrassed, it was because of that idiot choke artist Kaeding the hawk.

sunset · 11-17-2008, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by pulse

They weren't embarrassed, it was because of that idiot choke artist Kaeding the hawk.

That is true, Kaeding has cost the Chargers more than his fair-share of games. But Marty went in to "Marty Ball" mode big time in that game, which he had made a point of avoiding most of that season. When the stakes are high, Marty could always be counted on to go into "don't lose" mode. We all know what happens from there......

pulse · 11-17-2008, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by sunset

That is true, Kaeding has cost the Chargers more than his fair-share of games. But Marty went in to "Marty Ball" mode big time in that game, which he had made a point of avoiding most of that season. When the stakes are high, Marty could always be counted on to go into "don't lose" mode. We all know what happens from there......

You're right he did. He took his foot off the gas.

Tornado man · 11-17-2008, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by sunset

That is true, Kaeding has cost the Chargers more than his fair-share of games. But Marty went in to "Marty Ball" mode big time in that game, which he had made a point of avoiding most of that season. When the stakes are high, Marty could always be counted on to go into "don't lose" mode. We all know what happens from there......

I'd bet the fans in KC, Cleveland, and now San Diego would gladly take "Marty Ball" back. He ran intense training camps, coached physical football, and demanded that his players give full effort for their paychecks. Again, it spoke volumes when LT publicly questioned the move to replace him. It turns out he could read the future.

pulse · 11-17-2008, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

I'd bet the fans in KC, Cleveland, and now San Diego would gladly take "Marty Ball" back. He ran intense training camps, coached physical football, and demanded that his players give full effort for their paychecks. Again, it spoke volumes when LT publicly questioned the move to replace him. It turns out he could read the future.

You obviously don't follow San Diego. The Chargers never ran Marty Ball (except that one playoff game). Cam Cameron was the OC with the Chargers for San Diego's high-powered offense, which Norv implemented said offense in San Diego earlier when he was the OC for the Chargers in 2001. Norv was hired to replace Marty because he implemented the offensive system and they wanted that continuity. Wade Phillips also left from that 14-2 team irrespective of Marty. Simplifying any issues on the Chargers as Marty vs. Norv is shortsighted and like saying global warming is caused completely by cows farting. The Chargers have had quite a shakeup in head coaching, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator positions along with a slew of injuries to their major star players.

cycloneworld · 11-17-2008, 03:19 PM

I'm not sure how much longer Kaeding will be in SD. He missed another crucial kick in the game yesterday. He has now missed 6 of his last 9 FGs between 40-49 yards. That isn't going to cut it in the NFL.