Bolt Beat » Ryan Matthews

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.

Barstool Bolt Banter

Ernie Padaon — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:00:02 +0000

Another December in San Diego, another late season winning streak for the Chargers. I have to admit, I’m a little nervous though. It seems a little too easy at this point. After this week’s game against the Raiders, they play KC, SF, Cincy and Denver. The only team that’s even competitive out of that bunch this year is the Chiefs. Of course, that’s the problem. Whenever we think something is easy for these guys they manage to make it difficult. It wouldn’t be out of character for them to blow this weekend’s game and have to sweat it out the rest of the way and hope the Chiefs lose, would it? I don’t know, maybe I’m just being a pessimist.

–Phil
On to the bantering…
(more…)

Today, I Love Being Wrong

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:51:51 +0000

I consider myself a smart guy, or at least smart for my age, and I pride myself in being accurate. However, even the experts are as surprised today as they have been on any draft day. I, for one, have been banking on the Chargers taking Terrence Cody at 28th overall. This first round leapfrog to 12th overall has shattered my entire universe.

Surprises like this have me relishing in the excitement of uncertainty and beaming with bolt pride at the same time. Feelings like this don’t come often, and when you write about professional football, you are bound to remember them forever.

I’m sure a few of you will razz me for being so sure about Cody in the first round, but we could still possibly take him with the eighth pick of the second round. Adding these two players would bolster both sides of the ball and I could see us in the playoff picture for a very long time. We might be looking at San Diego’s first ever championship team.

I am man enough to admit when I was wrong, but today I will brag about being wrong. Anything can happen in the sport of football. The purest sport there is. Welcome to the future, San Diego.