As for Telesco:

Daniel Popper @danielrpopper

Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:

• 69-76 record
• 2 playoff appearances
• 2 playoff wins
• 0 conference championship game appearances
• 1 season of 10 or more wins

As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
team's best player.

And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
at CB.

--Robin

On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> As for Telesco:
>
>
> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
>
> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
>
> • 69-76 record
> • 2 playoff appearances
> • 2 playoff wins
> • 0 conference championship game appearances
> • 1 season of 10 or more wins

He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.

>
>
> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
> team's best player.

I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)

The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.

>
>
> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
> at CB.
>
> --Robin

Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.

Michael

phlash74 wrote:
> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> As for Telesco:
>>
>>
>> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
>>
>> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
>>
>> • 69-76 record
>> • 2 playoff appearances
>> • 2 playoff wins
>> • 0 conference championship game appearances
>> • 1 season of 10 or more wins
>
> He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
>
>>
>>
>> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
>> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
>> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
>> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
>> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
>> team's best player.
>
> I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
> Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
> 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
> 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
>
> The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
>
>>
>>
>> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
>> at CB.
>>
>> --Robin
>
> Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
>
> Michael
>

Just to clarify, only the Telesco stats are from Popper. The rest is mine.

--Robin

On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 12:20:38 PM UTC-8, phlash74 wrote:
> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> > As for Telesco:
> >
> >
> > Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
> >
> > Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
> >
> > • 69-76 record
> > • 2 playoff appearances
> > • 2 playoff wins
> > • 0 conference championship game appearances
> > • 1 season of 10 or more wins
> He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
> >
> >
> > As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
> > another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
> > coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
> > whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
> > side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
> > team's best player.
> I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
> Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
> 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
> 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
>
> The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
> >
> >
> > And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
> > at CB.
> >
> > --Robin
> Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
>
> Michael

Follow up: This is a crucial offseason for the Chargers. They have one of the younger rosters in the league, a guy who clearly looks like the franchise QB on a rookie deal, and the second most cap space in the NFL. They also have a lot of free agents they have to make big decisions on. If they aren't making at least one deep playoff run in the next two years Telesco and Staley are both probably gone.

Michael

On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 1:18:06 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> phlash74 wrote:
> > On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> >> As for Telesco:
> >>
> >>
> >> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
> >>
> >> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
> >>
> >> • 69-76 record
> >> • 2 playoff appearances
> >> • 2 playoff wins
> >> • 0 conference championship game appearances
> >> • 1 season of 10 or more wins
> >
> > He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
> >> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
> >> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
> >> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
> >> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
> >> team's best player.
> >
> > I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
> > Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
> > 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
> > 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
> >
> > The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
> >> at CB.
> >>
> >> --Robin
> >
> > Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
> >
> > Michael
> >
> Just to clarify, only the Telesco stats are from Popper. The rest is mine..
>
> --Robin

My bad. I still disagree on Lombardi, I thought he put Herbert in some really good situations especially considering the offensive line issues in several games (including last night). Drops and a few bad throws by Justin hurt them in some key games but there were plenty of times the offense looked phenomenal, which hadn't really been the case for several years now (the last time they averaged over 27 points per game was 2010, the year that they had the #1 offense and #1 defense by yards gained/allowed but special teams mistakes killed them).

Michael

phlash74 wrote:
> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 1:18:06 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> phlash74 wrote:
>>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>> As for Telesco:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
>>>>
>>>> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
>>>>
>>>> • 69-76 record
>>>> • 2 playoff appearances
>>>> • 2 playoff wins
>>>> • 0 conference championship game appearances
>>>> • 1 season of 10 or more wins
>>>
>>> He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
>>>> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
>>>> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
>>>> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
>>>> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
>>>> team's best player.
>>>
>>> I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
>>> Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
>>> 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
>>> 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
>>>
>>> The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
>>>> at CB.
>>>>
>>>> --Robin
>>>
>>> Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
>>>
>>> Michael
>>>
>> Just to clarify, only the Telesco stats are from Popper. The rest is mine.
>>
>> --Robin
>
> My bad. I still disagree on Lombardi, I thought he put Herbert in some really good situations especially considering the offensive line issues in several games (including last night). Drops and a few bad throws by Justin hurt them in some key games but there were plenty of times the offense looked phenomenal, which hadn't really been the case for several years now (the last time they averaged over 27 points per game was 2010, the year that they had the #1 offense and #1 defense by yards gained/allowed but special teams mistakes killed them).
>
> Michael
>

My beef with Lombardi's offense is all the short passes. I think Popper
said that Herbert had the sixth-shortest length of attempted pass in the
league. With his arm, they should have been throwing medium to long
passes more often. I also think the running game was uninspired, with
too many short stuffed runs.

I agree that the offense, overall, did well, but that doesn't mean it
couldn't have done better. After all, the offense has Herbert, Allen,
Williams and Ekeler, all of whom are among the best players in the
league at their position, as well as an offensive line that was either
solid (before the injuries to Bulaga and Aboushi) or semi-solid (after
the injuries).

--Robin

phlash74 wrote:
> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 12:20:38 PM UTC-8, phlash74 wrote:
>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>>> As for Telesco:
>>>
>>>
>>> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
>>>
>>> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
>>>
>>> • 69-76 record
>>> • 2 playoff appearances
>>> • 2 playoff wins
>>> • 0 conference championship game appearances
>>> • 1 season of 10 or more wins
>> He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
>>>
>>>
>>> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
>>> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
>>> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
>>> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
>>> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
>>> team's best player.
>> I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
>> Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
>> 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
>> 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
>>
>> The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
>>>
>>>
>>> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
>>> at CB.
>>>
>>> --Robin
>> Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
>>
>> Michael
>
> Follow up: This is a crucial offseason for the Chargers. They have one of the younger rosters in the league, a guy who clearly looks like the franchise QB on a rookie deal, and the second most cap space in the NFL. They also have a lot of free agents they have to make big decisions on. If they aren't making at least one deep playoff run in the next two years Telesco and Staley are both probably gone.
>
> Michael
>

The Chargers have 24 free agents (20 unrestricted, 3 restricted, 1
exclusive rights) after this season ends according to Spotrac. That's a
lot of decisions to be made

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/los-angeles-chargers/

This is what it looks like by position:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/los-angeles-chargers/yearly/cap/

They have only 33 players under contract for next season. (The total is
more than 53 because some are on IR.)

--Robin

On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 8:57:22 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> phlash74 wrote:
> > On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 1:18:06 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> >> phlash74 wrote:
> >>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> >>>> As for Telesco:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
> >>>>
> >>>> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
> >>>>
> >>>> • 69-76 record
> >>>> • 2 playoff appearances
> >>>> • 2 playoff wins
> >>>> • 0 conference championship game appearances
> >>>> • 1 season of 10 or more wins
> >>>
> >>> He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
> >>>> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
> >>>> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
> >>>> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
> >>>> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
> >>>> team's best player.
> >>>
> >>> I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
> >>> Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
> >>> 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
> >>> 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
> >>>
> >>> The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
> >>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
> >>>> at CB.
> >>>>
> >>>> --Robin
> >>>
> >>> Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
> >>>
> >>> Michael
> >>>
> >> Just to clarify, only the Telesco stats are from Popper. The rest is mine.
> >>
> >> --Robin
> >
> > My bad. I still disagree on Lombardi, I thought he put Herbert in some really good situations especially considering the offensive line issues in several games (including last night). Drops and a few bad throws by Justin hurt them in some key games but there were plenty of times the offense looked phenomenal, which hadn't really been the case for several years now (the last time they averaged over 27 points per game was 2010, the year that they had the #1 offense and #1 defense by yards gained/allowed but special teams mistakes killed them).
> >
> > Michael
> >
> My beef with Lombardi's offense is all the short passes. I think Popper
> said that Herbert had the sixth-shortest length of attempted pass in the
> league. With his arm, they should have been throwing medium to long
> passes more often. I also think the running game was uninspired, with
> too many short stuffed runs.
>
> I agree that the offense, overall, did well, but that doesn't mean it
> couldn't have done better. After all, the offense has Herbert, Allen,
> Williams and Ekeler, all of whom are among the best players in the
> league at their position, as well as an offensive line that was either
> solid (before the injuries to Bulaga and Aboushi) or semi-solid (after
> the injuries).
>
> --Robin

I heard a similar stat on the broadcast, they said something about Herbert having the best rating in the league on deep passes while simultaneously having a well below average depth of target. But that could easily be a function of the offense choosing its spots to go deep carefully. For example, an NBA player who attempts 2 three pointers a game, usually in wide open catch and shoot situations, might well shoot 50% from deep. If that player starts attempting 6 three pointers a game, his percentage will likely go down due to the additional shots being more contested.

Yes, Herbert obviously has the arm strength to throw longer passes, but you have to remember he's still in his second season. You don't necessarily want him forcing plays that aren't really there just because he has the ability to put it into a tight window, you'd rather he get the ball to open guys in space, especially Ekeler who is such a weapon out of the backfield. Now if we get to year four and five and he's still being asked to dink and dunk his way down the field, I agree that would be a problem. I don't think that will happen though.

As far as the run game goes, as much of a weapon as Ekeler is, he's not the guy who's going to carry the ball 25-30 times a game and wear down the defense a la Derrick Henry. It did seem to pick up later in the year as they gave Justin Jackson more carries but there definitely are improvements to be made here, I just don't think a kneejerk change of the coordinator is the way to do it.

Michael

phlash74 wrote:
> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 8:57:22 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> phlash74 wrote:
>>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 1:18:06 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>> phlash74 wrote:
>>>>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>>>> As for Telesco:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> • 69-76 record
>>>>>> • 2 playoff appearances
>>>>>> • 2 playoff wins
>>>>>> • 0 conference championship game appearances
>>>>>> • 1 season of 10 or more wins
>>>>>
>>>>> He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
>>>>>> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
>>>>>> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
>>>>>> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
>>>>>> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
>>>>>> team's best player.
>>>>>
>>>>> I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
>>>>> Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
>>>>> 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
>>>>> 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
>>>>>
>>>>> The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
>>>>>> at CB.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --Robin
>>>>>
>>>>> Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
>>>>>
>>>>> Michael
>>>>>
>>>> Just to clarify, only the Telesco stats are from Popper. The rest is mine.
>>>>
>>>> --Robin
>>>
>>> My bad. I still disagree on Lombardi, I thought he put Herbert in some really good situations especially considering the offensive line issues in several games (including last night). Drops and a few bad throws by Justin hurt them in some key games but there were plenty of times the offense looked phenomenal, which hadn't really been the case for several years now (the last time they averaged over 27 points per game was 2010, the year that they had the #1 offense and #1 defense by yards gained/allowed but special teams mistakes killed them).
>>>
>>> Michael
>>>
>> My beef with Lombardi's offense is all the short passes. I think Popper
>> said that Herbert had the sixth-shortest length of attempted pass in the
>> league. With his arm, they should have been throwing medium to long
>> passes more often. I also think the running game was uninspired, with
>> too many short stuffed runs.
>>
>> I agree that the offense, overall, did well, but that doesn't mean it
>> couldn't have done better. After all, the offense has Herbert, Allen,
>> Williams and Ekeler, all of whom are among the best players in the
>> league at their position, as well as an offensive line that was either
>> solid (before the injuries to Bulaga and Aboushi) or semi-solid (after
>> the injuries).
>>
>> --Robin
>
> I heard a similar stat on the broadcast, they said something about Herbert having the best rating in the league on deep passes while simultaneously having a well below average depth of target. But that could easily be a function of the offense choosing its spots to go deep carefully. For example, an NBA player who attempts 2 three pointers a game, usually in wide open catch and shoot situations, might well shoot 50% from deep. If that player starts attempting 6 three pointers a game, his percentage will likely go down due to the additional shots being more contested.
>
> Yes, Herbert obviously has the arm strength to throw longer passes, but you have to remember he's still in his second season. You don't necessarily want him forcing plays that aren't really there just because he has the ability to put it into a tight window, you'd rather he get the ball to open guys in space, especially Ekeler who is such a weapon out of the backfield. Now if we get to year four and five and he's still being asked to dink and dunk his way down the field, I agree that would be a problem. I don't think that will happen though.
>
> As far as the run game goes, as much of a weapon as Ekeler is, he's not the guy who's going to carry the ball 25-30 times a game and wear down the defense a la Derrick Henry. It did seem to pick up later in the year as they gave Justin Jackson more carries but there definitely are improvements to be made here, I just don't think a kneejerk change of the coordinator is the way to do it.
>
> Michael
>

Well, Lombardi is not going anywhere. I just was dissatisfied with
certain aspects of his offense.

BTW, they should have run Jackson more, as Ekeler was worn down by the
end of the season. I think he said after the Raiders game that he lost
10 pounds over the course of the season.

--Robin

On Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 1:25:21 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> phlash74 wrote:
> > On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 8:57:22 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> >> phlash74 wrote:
> >>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 1:18:06 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> >>>> phlash74 wrote:
> >>>>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> >>>>>> As for Telesco:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> • 69-76 record
> >>>>>> • 2 playoff appearances
> >>>>>> • 2 playoff wins
> >>>>>> • 0 conference championship game appearances
> >>>>>> • 1 season of 10 or more wins
> >>>>>
> >>>>> He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
> >>>>>> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
> >>>>>> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
> >>>>>> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
> >>>>>> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
> >>>>>> team's best player.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
> >>>>> Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
> >>>>> 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
> >>>>> 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
> >>>>>> at CB.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> --Robin
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Michael
> >>>>>
> >>>> Just to clarify, only the Telesco stats are from Popper. The rest is mine.
> >>>>
> >>>> --Robin
> >>>
> >>> My bad. I still disagree on Lombardi, I thought he put Herbert in some really good situations especially considering the offensive line issues in several games (including last night). Drops and a few bad throws by Justin hurt them in some key games but there were plenty of times the offense looked phenomenal, which hadn't really been the case for several years now (the last time they averaged over 27 points per game was 2010, the year that they had the #1 offense and #1 defense by yards gained/allowed but special teams mistakes killed them).
> >>>
> >>> Michael
> >>>
> >> My beef with Lombardi's offense is all the short passes. I think Popper
> >> said that Herbert had the sixth-shortest length of attempted pass in the
> >> league. With his arm, they should have been throwing medium to long
> >> passes more often. I also think the running game was uninspired, with
> >> too many short stuffed runs.
> >>
> >> I agree that the offense, overall, did well, but that doesn't mean it
> >> couldn't have done better. After all, the offense has Herbert, Allen,
> >> Williams and Ekeler, all of whom are among the best players in the
> >> league at their position, as well as an offensive line that was either
> >> solid (before the injuries to Bulaga and Aboushi) or semi-solid (after
> >> the injuries).
> >>
> >> --Robin
> >
> > I heard a similar stat on the broadcast, they said something about Herbert having the best rating in the league on deep passes while simultaneously having a well below average depth of target. But that could easily be a function of the offense choosing its spots to go deep carefully. For example, an NBA player who attempts 2 three pointers a game, usually in wide open catch and shoot situations, might well shoot 50% from deep. If that player starts attempting 6 three pointers a game, his percentage will likely go down due to the additional shots being more contested.
> >
> > Yes, Herbert obviously has the arm strength to throw longer passes, but you have to remember he's still in his second season. You don't necessarily want him forcing plays that aren't really there just because he has the ability to put it into a tight window, you'd rather he get the ball to open guys in space, especially Ekeler who is such a weapon out of the backfield. Now if we get to year four and five and he's still being asked to dink and dunk his way down the field, I agree that would be a problem. I don't think that will happen though.
> >
> > As far as the run game goes, as much of a weapon as Ekeler is, he's not the guy who's going to carry the ball 25-30 times a game and wear down the defense a la Derrick Henry. It did seem to pick up later in the year as they gave Justin Jackson more carries but there definitely are improvements to be made here, I just don't think a kneejerk change of the coordinator is the way to do it.
> >
> > Michael
> >
> Well, Lombardi is not going anywhere. I just was dissatisfied with
> certain aspects of his offense.
>
> BTW, they should have run Jackson more, as Ekeler was worn down by the
> end of the season. I think he said after the Raiders game that he lost
> 10 pounds over the course of the season.
>
> --Robin

Agreed on that point. Rountree also needs to step up and show a lot more in his second season. Ideally Ekeler would have about 10-12 carries (plus at least 4-5 targets in the passing game) and Jackson and Rountree would split a further 12-15 carries depending on matchups, etc.

Michael

phlash74 wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 1:25:21 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> phlash74 wrote:
>>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 8:57:22 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>> phlash74 wrote:
>>>>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 1:18:06 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>>>> phlash74 wrote:
>>>>>>> On Monday, January 10, 2022 at 10:38:10 AM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>>>>>>>> As for Telesco:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Daniel Popper @danielrpopper
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Tom Telesco in 9 seasons as #Chargers GM:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> • 69-76 record
>>>>>>>> • 2 playoff appearances
>>>>>>>> • 2 playoff wins
>>>>>>>> • 0 conference championship game appearances
>>>>>>>> • 1 season of 10 or more wins
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> He's also 0-2 so far on head coaching hires (McCoy and Lynn) with the jury still obviously out on Staley.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> As for the coordinators: Although I'd hate to make Herbert learn yet
>>>>>>>> another offensive system, I think the Chargers need to change both
>>>>>>>> coordinators. The Chargers' defense failed far too often (regardless of
>>>>>>>> whether Hill or Staley actually called the plays), and, on the offensive
>>>>>>>> side, I thought Lombardi really shackled Herbert, who is by far the
>>>>>>>> team's best player.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I disagree on Lombardi. There were some moments where the playcalling was a bit weird imo, but the stats don't bear Popper out.
>>>>>>> Year Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Pass Yds/Game (NFL Rank) Points (NFL Rank)
>>>>>>> 2020 382.1 (9) 270.6 (6) 24.0 (18)
>>>>>>> 2021 390.2 (5) 282.4 (2) 27.9 (5)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The defense regressed slightly but they seemed to have a lot of issues with injuries/covid.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> And of course they need some new players, especially on the OL, DL, and
>>>>>>>> at CB.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --Robin
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Yep, this is actually where Telesco's failures are most obvious - they've whiffed on most of their picks at these positions (especially on the o-line) and the players they have signed have seemed to be injury prone.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Michael
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> Just to clarify, only the Telesco stats are from Popper. The rest is mine.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --Robin
>>>>>
>>>>> My bad. I still disagree on Lombardi, I thought he put Herbert in some really good situations especially considering the offensive line issues in several games (including last night). Drops and a few bad throws by Justin hurt them in some key games but there were plenty of times the offense looked phenomenal, which hadn't really been the case for several years now (the last time they averaged over 27 points per game was 2010, the year that they had the #1 offense and #1 defense by yards gained/allowed but special teams mistakes killed them).
>>>>>
>>>>> Michael
>>>>>
>>>> My beef with Lombardi's offense is all the short passes. I think Popper
>>>> said that Herbert had the sixth-shortest length of attempted pass in the
>>>> league. With his arm, they should have been throwing medium to long
>>>> passes more often. I also think the running game was uninspired, with
>>>> too many short stuffed runs.
>>>>
>>>> I agree that the offense, overall, did well, but that doesn't mean it
>>>> couldn't have done better. After all, the offense has Herbert, Allen,
>>>> Williams and Ekeler, all of whom are among the best players in the
>>>> league at their position, as well as an offensive line that was either
>>>> solid (before the injuries to Bulaga and Aboushi) or semi-solid (after
>>>> the injuries).
>>>>
>>>> --Robin
>>>
>>> I heard a similar stat on the broadcast, they said something about Herbert having the best rating in the league on deep passes while simultaneously having a well below average depth of target. But that could easily be a function of the offense choosing its spots to go deep carefully. For example, an NBA player who attempts 2 three pointers a game, usually in wide open catch and shoot situations, might well shoot 50% from deep. If that player starts attempting 6 three pointers a game, his percentage will likely go down due to the additional shots being more contested.
>>>
>>> Yes, Herbert obviously has the arm strength to throw longer passes, but you have to remember he's still in his second season. You don't necessarily want him forcing plays that aren't really there just because he has the ability to put it into a tight window, you'd rather he get the ball to open guys in space, especially Ekeler who is such a weapon out of the backfield. Now if we get to year four and five and he's still being asked to dink and dunk his way down the field, I agree that would be a problem. I don't think that will happen though.
>>>
>>> As far as the run game goes, as much of a weapon as Ekeler is, he's not the guy who's going to carry the ball 25-30 times a game and wear down the defense a la Derrick Henry. It did seem to pick up later in the year as they gave Justin Jackson more carries but there definitely are improvements to be made here, I just don't think a kneejerk change of the coordinator is the way to do it.
>>>
>>> Michael
>>>
>> Well, Lombardi is not going anywhere. I just was dissatisfied with
>> certain aspects of his offense.
>>
>> BTW, they should have run Jackson more, as Ekeler was worn down by the
>> end of the season. I think he said after the Raiders game that he lost
>> 10 pounds over the course of the season.
>>
>> --Robin
>
>
> Agreed on that point. Rountree also needs to step up and show a lot more in his second season. Ideally Ekeler would have about 10-12 carries (plus at least 4-5 targets in the passing game) and Jackson and Rountree would split a further 12-15 carries depending on matchups, etc.
>
> Michael
>

I think Rountree and Kelley are both cut candidates, as neither has
shown much. And Jackson is an unrestricted free agent whom I hope they
re-sign, despite all his injuries.

--Robin

On Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 3:32:55 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
> phlash74 wrote:
> >
> > Agreed on that point. Rountree also needs to step up and show a lot more in his second season. Ideally Ekeler would have about 10-12 carries (plus at least 4-5 targets in the passing game) and Jackson and Rountree would split a further 12-15 carries depending on matchups, etc.
> >
> > Michael
> >
> I think Rountree and Kelley are both cut candidates, as neither has
> shown much. And Jackson is an unrestricted free agent whom I hope they
> re-sign, despite all his injuries.
>
> --Robin

Kelley for sure, but Rountree was a rookie, so I'd give him at least one more year to try to impress plus I don't know what RBs are going to be available on the market. Wasn't aware that Jackson was a UFA, I agree he should be re-signed. In fact, of their UFAs I'd put Jackson 4th or 5th on importance of re-signing, behind Mike Williams, Uchenna Nwosu, Kyzir White, and maybe one of the TEs (either Cook on a one year deal or Stephen Anderson if they want to go a bit cheaper, I don't think they'll keep both - and I have no idea what they are going to do about Parham, haven't really heard anything about his status since his condition stabilized after that scary as hell concussion).

Michael

phlash74 wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 3:32:55 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> phlash74 wrote:
>>>
>>> Agreed on that point. Rountree also needs to step up and show a lot more in his second season. Ideally Ekeler would have about 10-12 carries (plus at least 4-5 targets in the passing game) and Jackson and Rountree would split a further 12-15 carries depending on matchups, etc.
>>>
>>> Michael
>>>
>> I think Rountree and Kelley are both cut candidates, as neither has
>> shown much. And Jackson is an unrestricted free agent whom I hope they
>> re-sign, despite all his injuries.
>>
>> --Robin
>
> Kelley for sure, but Rountree was a rookie, so I'd give him at least one more year to try to impress plus I don't know what RBs are going to be available on the market. Wasn't aware that Jackson was a UFA, I agree he should be re-signed. In fact, of their UFAs I'd put Jackson 4th or 5th on importance of re-signing, behind Mike Williams, Uchenna Nwosu, Kyzir White, and maybe one of the TEs (either Cook on a one year deal or Stephen Anderson if they want to go a bit cheaper, I don't think they'll keep both - and I have no idea what they are going to do about Parham, haven't really heard anything about his status since his condition stabilized after that scary as hell concussion).
>
> Michael
>

Here's the list of free agents. It doesn't seem possible to copy the
list of names:

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/los-angeles-chargers/

I agree they'll probably give Rountree another season. Hopefully they'll
draft a running back and re-sign Jackson.

There hasn't been any word at all about Parham since the incident. He
said on social media soon afterwards that he would be back "better than
ever," or words to that effect, but who knows? Hopefully he'll be able
to play again. It's positive that he was released from the hospital
either the same day or the next day. But the information blackout is
curious.

--Robin

In news:8e848d24-cedf-4cc2-8a11-798f2fe94581n@googlegroups.com, phlash74
<phlash74@msn.com> typed:

> On Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 3:32:55 PM UTC-8, Robin Miller wrote:
>> phlash74 wrote:

>>> Agreed on that point. Rountree also needs to step up and show a lot more in
>>> his second season. Ideally Ekeler would have about 10-12 carries (plus at
>>> least 4-5 targets in the passing game) and Jackson and Rountree would split
>>> a further 12-15 carries depending on matchups, etc.

>>> Michael

>> I think Rountree and Kelley are both cut candidates, as neither has
>> shown much. And Jackson is an unrestricted free agent whom I hope they
>> re-sign, despite all his injuries.

>> --Robin

> Kelley for sure, but Rountree was a rookie, so I'd give him at least one more
> year to try to impress plus I don't know what RBs are going to be available
> on the market....

Rashaad Penny is a UFA. He and Ekeler would be a formidable pairing.