Bolt Beat » curtis brinkley

Bolts will need more offensive production to win

Mike Ursery — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 05:00:33 +0000

Dec 2, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers center Nick Hardwick (center) listen to the play call from quarterback Philip Rivers (17) during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

There are many reasons why San Diego finished with a 7-9 record last season. Their at times questionable play calling and inability to close out games were the two main things that attributed to their less than mediocre performance last season. However, their offensive production was also a defining factor that kept them out of the win column more times than not.

The Chargers were next to last in yards per game last season. They also averaged 21.9 points per game, which was good enough for 20th in the NFL. So, the stats make this point easy to see. They couldn’t move the ball, and because of that they couldn’t score.

Let’s look at the statistics from last season and see just how San Diego fared against their opponents. While the Chargers averaged 4.8 yards per play, opponents averaged 5.2. San Diego, who once had a feared passing attack, ranked 24th in passing yards per game. Phillip Rivers threw 15 interceptions while opposing quarterbacks threw only 14. Opposing quarterbacks also threw 28 touchdowns, two more than Rivers threw.

But the lack of offense through the air wasn’t the only problem that hindered the team. The Chargers ranked 27th in rushing with 91.3 yards per game. As a team, San Diego ran for 1,461 yards,

Ryan Matthews, Jackie Battle, Ronnie Brown, Curtis Brinkley, and Le’Ron McClain rushed for 1,395 of those yards. Six individual running backs with other teams rushed for more than this entire group. Matthews was the team’s leading rusher with 707 yards. 24 other running backs and two quarterbacks had more yards on the ground than Matthews. He also had only one touchdown. Battle led the team with three. 22 opposing players had more touchdowns than this whole team.

In order for the Chargers to win more games in the future, they will have to have the offensive success they’ve had in past seasons. To be really effective, they will have to find a way to generate yards on the ground. This will allow for more rushing touchdowns, and will also open up the passing game. Unless they can fix this problem, expect more seasons like the one we saw in 2012.

THE BOLTDOWN: No, the Chargers Should Not Rotate Ryan Mathews

theboltdown — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 08:44:56 +0000

Good ‘ol Ronnie Brown, Curtis Brinkley, and Jackie Battle play hard, but there is a limit on which plays they can run with effectiveness. There is no such limit on Ryan Mathews and that’s why the San Diego Chargers should not even think about rotating him with these fine players.

Using the excuse of trying to keep Mathews healthy is beyond lame and it hasn’t worked anyway.

Who Has The Edge Now: Curtis Brinkley or Jackie Battle?

Ernie Padaon — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:05:46 +0000

Aug 18, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Jackie Battle (44) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers defeated the Cowboys 28-20. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Stats from Dallas Game:

Curtis Brinkley: 4 carries, 4 yards
Jackie Battle: 4 carries, 10 yards, 1 TD

Both Battle and Brinkley were unimpressive on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys. Neither player stepped up to take the lead for the 3rd running back spot on the roster. Does anyone want it?

The fans are begging to see someone emerge from the group. Fans are already scanning the free agency list and trying to figure out who is available. AND yes, Ryan Grant does seem like a decent option to at least compete for a spot on the roster. it probably won’t happen, but another poor performance on Friday could definitely make some things move.

After the Dallas game, who should get that last running back spot? Should we look outside?