With the Chargers season formally over, the crew lastly eliminated the tumor that was its coach and normal supervisor, firing coach Brandon Staley and GM Tom Telesco. After one other dismal exhibiting, amid a miserable season that caps a now discontinued and pitiful tenure, the Chargers’ fortunes are absolutely to alter, proper?
Sadly, the group won’t ever be cancer-free till it’s rid of proprietor Dean Spanos.
It’s laborious to say what number of followers had been devastated when Justin Herbert introduced season-ending hand surgical procedure this week, but when I needed to rank the teams disheartened by the information, I’d guess No. 1 is fantasy soccer gamers (regardless of Herbert’s down season by his requirements). Coming in second could be Oregon Duck supporters, then informal soccer followers, and lastly, in a path place up to now behind that they’re barely seen, are Charger followers.
The group who needs to be probably the most upset that one of many league’s few bona fide franchise QBs is languishing away on a company that nobody cares about, in a metropolis that may’t be bothered, is the NFL. There are a minimum of 15 groups, some in playoff competition, who would swap quarterbacks with the Chargers proper now, injured Herbert and all.
You knew the Bolts had been headed for a foul place when Austin Ekeler known as out teaching and teammates following the crew’s Week 1 loss to the Dolphins. The 36-34 defeat was one among 5 that got here by one rating this season. Whereas watching Staley juggle chainsaws is all the time entertaining as a result of extra usually then not it finally ends up with a dismemberment, this type of franchise mismanagement would’ve elicited a commerce request in most different skilled sports activities leagues.
Thursday night time’s 63-21 shellacking by the hands of the lowly Raiders was additional proof that this crew is Herbert, somewhat Ekeler (who did request a commerce within the offseason earlier than prying a contract out of Spanos) and never a lot else. The Chargers’ greatest receiver is 31-year-old Keenan Allen, Mike Williams has a set reserved on the IR and rookie Quentin Johnston has been fortunate to interrupt 50 yards in a sport.
I like Derwin James and Khalil Mack as a lot as they reportedly appreciated their head coach, however Staley’s defenses hemorrhaged yards throughout his tenure, and that was supposedly his space of experience. The explanation he didn’t get the hook after the crew’s epic playoff collapse towards the Jaguars in January is as a result of Spanos didn’t wish to pay the cash it takes to exchange a poor teaching rent.
So the crew went into this season with solely the requisite coordinator adjustments one makes after they’re making an attempt to salvage a head coach’s job. Kellen Moore was introduced over after being fired from the identical place in Dallas, and LA elevated Derrick Ansley from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator. Spoiler: That failed miserably.
Each items are middling to unhealthy, with no stability to both. They will’t run the ball or cease the move, and Herbert wasn’t even that shiny of a spot earlier than he went down. For those who take away the Denver begin that he left early as a result of harm, the fourth-year QB nonetheless averaged the fewest passing yards per sport of his profession this season (about 250, good for center of the pack).
Clearly, if a crew is having a down 12 months it’s possible as a result of the QB is as nicely, and a number of the shedding is on Herbert, however for christ sake, that is malpractice. I do know I sound like each different analyst and am defending a man with no playoff win, but my respect degree for that group may be the bottom of any membership within the NFL. Contemplating what number of woeful franchises are within the NFL, that’s actually, actually unhealthy firm.
The Chargers needs to be enjoyable to look at, however not in a “What’s Marmaduke going to do now?” form of method.
Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow and different younger star quarterbacks have proven that playoff runs might be made in the event that they’re given expertise and training on par with their skills. I wouldn’t go so far as to say Spanos views contending rosters with contempt. Really, you recognize what, I’d say that.
He has a disdain for doing greater than the minimal, which needs to be the antithesis of his technique when different contenders go all in with their franchise QBs. Even notable cheapskate Michael Brown couldn’t speak his entrance workplace out of spending somewhat cash to help Burrow.
The Giants, Steelers and Vikings have been making an attempt to prop up mannequin decoys of quarterbacks for years now, and ultimately Justin Herbert goes to note, and ask, “Why can’t I’ve good issues, too?” To which Dean Spanos will reply, “Shut up, or I’ll take away your left sort out.”