Speaker 1: I think the chances are good and me but like
Speaker 1: I said, we have to we have to win and
Speaker 1: that's the only thing that matters right now. But I
Speaker 1: like our chances. I hate that we don't control our
Speaker 1: own destiny, end that we need help. But let's see everybody.
Speaker 1: Chris Hary with you on the week seventeen edition of
Speaker 1: Chargers Weekly. That was head coach Anthony Lynn as the
Speaker 1: Chargers look to end twenty seventeen with both a win
Speaker 1: and a spot in the postseason of it. Later, I'll
Speaker 1: be joined by ESPN's Chris Mortenson to discuss the AFC
Speaker 1: playoff picture and what to expect in the wide open NFC.
Speaker 1: But first, ESPN NFL Nation Chargers reporter Eric Williams and
Speaker 1: I previews Sunday's must win game against the Oakland Raiders.
Speaker 1: All right, Eric Williams joins me on Chargers Weekly and Eric,
Speaker 1: Chargers playoff hopes are still alive because they beat the
Speaker 1: Jets fourteen seven on Christmas Eve and it wasn't their
Speaker 1: prettiest win, but they gritted it out with some key
Speaker 1: players missing. What did you like? What didn't you like? Well,
Speaker 1: I like just what you talked about it wasn't pretty,
Speaker 1: but it's a win on the road in the NFL,
Speaker 1: which you'll take. And obviously I think they could have
Speaker 1: scored more points. The punt return should have ever been
Speaker 1: called back. I thought that was ridiculous to call and
Speaker 1: Nick Dzubnar so you're looking at twenty one seven fourteen seven.
Speaker 1: They missed a field goal as well, So I don't
Speaker 1: really think the score indicated, you know how much I
Speaker 1: think they were in control of that game. And then
Speaker 1: you were able to get a win with some you know,
Speaker 1: impact players that didn't play. You know, you left tackle
Speaker 1: Russell Okung isn't able to go because of the growing injury.
Speaker 1: You're missing Denzil Perriman. You know, one of your best
Speaker 1: tacklers at middle linebacker, Corey Legit, who's who's had a
Speaker 1: good season, didn't play. So the fact that you're able
Speaker 1: to go on the road, you know, yeah, you're playing
Speaker 1: the Jets, but it's still an NFL team. Get a
Speaker 1: win that's important and kind of keepshit in the hunt
Speaker 1: for a postseason. I think it sets yourself up well
Speaker 1: for this this last game against the Raiders, Eric, you
Speaker 1: know you mentioned the Chargers defense. They played well. They
Speaker 1: forced three turnovers, held Bryce Petty two hundred nineteen yards passing.
Speaker 1: But what was concerning was the one hundred and forty
Speaker 1: five yards and fifty seven yard touchdown to Below Pale
Speaker 1: and with no Denzel Perryman and Corey Legion, as you mentioned,
Speaker 1: we saw shades of earlier in the season where they
Speaker 1: just couldn't stop the run, and with Marshawn Lynch on deck,
Speaker 1: that's something they're gonna have to figure out. No, that's
Speaker 1: one of the major concerns I think going into this
Speaker 1: game on Sunday is the run defense looked like it
Speaker 1: did earlier this season when they were just getting gashed. Obviously,
Speaker 1: Denzel is a big part of that, you know, because
Speaker 1: he's such a sure tackler and he can get sideline
Speaker 1: to sideline, So him coming back from that hamstring injury
Speaker 1: is going to be important. And yeah, you mentioned it.
Speaker 1: Marshawn's playing pretty well right now. I don't know if
Speaker 1: you watched that game against the Eagles, but he had
Speaker 1: ninety five yards against the number one rush defense in
Speaker 1: the league. I thought he looked like the old Marshawn
Speaker 1: with the way that he was running the football. And
Speaker 1: I think they're gonna lean on Marshawn and the running
Speaker 1: game because Derek is really struggling right now in terms
Speaker 1: of taking care of the football. I think he has
Speaker 1: four interceptions over the last three weeks, you know, a
Speaker 1: big one there at the end of the game against
Speaker 1: the Eagles. The Eagles were able to kind of put
Speaker 1: that game away with that last pick. So I think,
Speaker 1: you know, particularly the environment too. I mean, this is
Speaker 1: going to be the Raiders go in LA. Obviously a
Speaker 1: lot of Raiders fan in Los Angeles, and I think
Speaker 1: there's gonna be a lot of silver and black at
Speaker 1: this tub Up Center in terms of the environment. So
Speaker 1: they're gonna need to play better against the run face
Speaker 1: the Raiders. Yeah, you mentioned the Raiders, and this is
Speaker 1: a team, I mean, disappointing season to say the least.
Speaker 1: They're six and nine. You mentioned they lost nineteen ten
Speaker 1: on Monday Night to the Eagles. Their Car wasn't very good.
Speaker 1: Half his passing yards Eric actually came on one play.
Speaker 1: They've lost three straights, but I think, yeah, yeah, one play,
Speaker 1: which is remarkable. I don't know if Car is hurt
Speaker 1: and you know, really just kind of gutting out the
Speaker 1: season or not. But regardless of the Raiders, they've lost
Speaker 1: three straight. But it's a division game. What do you
Speaker 1: see in the Oakland Raiders, the Week seventeen version of
Speaker 1: the Oakland Raiders. Well, you mentioned it's a division game.
Speaker 1: It's a game that these guys always get up for.
Speaker 1: You know, back with Nick hardwork play, they called it
Speaker 1: Raiders Week, and it's you know, something that he he
Speaker 1: looked forward to every time that they were going to
Speaker 1: match up. This will be the first time the Chargers
Speaker 1: have a chance to sweep the Raiders to twenty fourteen,
Speaker 1: so obviously it's the game that they should be getting
Speaker 1: up for anyway, on top of the fact that they
Speaker 1: have a chance to reach the postseason. I think the
Speaker 1: matchup to watch is with John Pagano now the defensive coordinator,
Speaker 1: the guy calling the plays. That chess match between Pagano
Speaker 1: and Philip Rivers and Ken wizzen Hut. You know, we
Speaker 1: saw it take place a lot during practice over the years,
Speaker 1: you know, with those two going back and forth during
Speaker 1: training camp and kind of the cat and mouse game
Speaker 1: and being able to make the right call in critical situations.
Speaker 1: You know, Pogana knows Rivers well, he knows wizzend Hunt
Speaker 1: well in terms of what he likes to do on
Speaker 1: third down and in the red zone. And I think
Speaker 1: the communication on defense for the Raiders has been better.
Speaker 1: And those guys are still playing hard. You know, when
Speaker 1: you watch them play against the Eagles, guys like Bruce
Speaker 1: Irvan Khalil Mack are still flying around the football. You
Speaker 1: know they're they're a little beat up in the secondary,
Speaker 1: but I think they're going to be assignment sound and
Speaker 1: I would be surprised if they give up big plays.
Speaker 1: And so I think that's really a match up to
Speaker 1: watch his John McGonnell calling the defense against Philip Rivers
Speaker 1: and Kim wizzen Hunt and that Chargers offense. You mentioned
Speaker 1: Marshawn Lynch earlier. How about the Chargers running back Melvin Gordon.
Speaker 1: He had a great game against the Jets left ankle sprain.
Speaker 1: I think coach lynn Is deemed him a game time
Speaker 1: decision at this point. Obviously we're taping this earlier in
Speaker 1: the week. We know how different this offense is eric
Speaker 1: without Hunter, Henry, how do you think things change if
Speaker 1: they were to be without Melvin Gordon on Sunday? Well,
Speaker 1: it's huge if Melvin can't play because he's been playing
Speaker 1: really well. I think the last two or three weeks.
Speaker 1: I thought he had probably the best game in the
Speaker 1: year against Kansas City and then he came I can
Speaker 1: play pretty well against the Jets too. And it's not
Speaker 1: only the physicality that he gives you in the run game.
Speaker 1: It's his ability to make plays as a pass catcher
Speaker 1: out of the backfield and make people miss and give
Speaker 1: you an explosive play that way. You know. Coach Linn
Speaker 1: said his left foot is in a boot right now,
Speaker 1: and they're probably gonna arrest him during the week and
Speaker 1: see what he's like on Saturday, see if he's able
Speaker 1: to gut it out and play. You know, it depends
Speaker 1: on whether it's a high ecle spring or a regular screen.
Speaker 1: The one thing about Melbourne I'll say though, is he's
Speaker 1: pretty resilient guy and he can play through a lot
Speaker 1: in terms of his pain. He's very tough in terms
Speaker 1: of his pain, tollerance and be able to play with
Speaker 1: nagging injuries. So I wouldn't be surprised if they arrest
Speaker 1: him for the week and he's able to get out
Speaker 1: there and at least give them something on Sunday. But
Speaker 1: if he's not out there. Then you're looking at Brandon Oliver,
Speaker 1: who's more of an inside zone runner and not a
Speaker 1: guy that's going to use speed to stretch the defense,
Speaker 1: you know, turns up the perimeter and get it outside.
Speaker 1: So I think they'll run a little bit differently, see
Speaker 1: more inside zone runs, more traps to try to pop him.
Speaker 1: You know, Brandon's a pretty physical runner. I'm also interested
Speaker 1: to see if Austin can maybe change the cast. You know,
Speaker 1: he's been wearing that Q tip cast. Maybe he can
Speaker 1: free his fingers up a little bit and this week
Speaker 1: with another week of healing with that left hand injury,
Speaker 1: and maybe he can give you something a little bit.
Speaker 1: On offense, of course, he didn't play an offense against
Speaker 1: the Jets. We might see Russell Hansboro, guy who's been
Speaker 1: on the practice squall last couple of weeks. Lynn said
Speaker 1: he's getting more familiar to the offense and I've looked
Speaker 1: good at the last week or two, So perhaps that's
Speaker 1: an option as well. But I think if you're the Chargers,
Speaker 1: you're you're hoping that Melvin can go on Sunday. Yeah,
Speaker 1: you know, Brandon Oliver eight kerries nine yards hasn't played
Speaker 1: much at all because of the emergence of Austin Eckler.
Speaker 1: But you're right there. If if Austin can give them
Speaker 1: something with that club on his hand, if he can
Speaker 1: take the weight off off of that hand a little bit,
Speaker 1: maybe they'll be able to get something from Austin too.
Speaker 1: But something tells me Sunday's gonna be a Philip Rivers game.
Speaker 1: We've seen this team win in some different ways this year.
Speaker 1: At the beginning of the year, obviously, Melvin Gordon led
Speaker 1: the way in their first two wins against the Giants
Speaker 1: and Raiders. Talk about Travis Benjamin with two touchdowns in
Speaker 1: that Denver game twenty one nothing and then it was
Speaker 1: really the Keenan Allen show during that four game winning streak.
Speaker 1: Melvin played great against the Jets, but I think that
Speaker 1: old throwback connection of Rivers the Gates that really put
Speaker 1: them over the top. Eric it did, and I think
Speaker 1: you expect the Gates to show up, you know, I
Speaker 1: know he's been wanting to get out there. You know,
Speaker 1: Gates is a vetrom that understand the situation he's in,
Speaker 1: but he wants to play, and I think he was
Speaker 1: happy to get more reps in the show that hey,
Speaker 1: he can still play this game, and the connection that
Speaker 1: they have and Rivers and Gates, particularly in the red zone,
Speaker 1: and just kind of knowing where where they're going to
Speaker 1: be showed up, you know, against the Jets, and you're right,
Speaker 1: you might see that against the Raiders as well, because
Speaker 1: I think the secondary is susceptible to some big plays
Speaker 1: in the passing game. So maybe this will be an
Speaker 1: Antonio Gates keenan Allen game where they operate as they've
Speaker 1: done a lot, you know, five or six games from
Speaker 1: a ton of pass first mindset, and let that set
Speaker 1: up the running game and just you know, go to
Speaker 1: Allen and go to Gates and see if they can
Speaker 1: carve up the Raiders defense that way. You know, I
Speaker 1: think the small silver lining. Obviously, you never want to
Speaker 1: lose a player like Hunter Henry. But do you think
Speaker 1: the fact that Antonio was really has really been fresh
Speaker 1: this year and right when they need him in Week sixteen,
Speaker 1: Week seventeen and hopefully a wildcard playoff game, how much
Speaker 1: do you think that that's benefited the Chargers having a
Speaker 1: fresh Antonio Gates. And then you talk about all the
Speaker 1: knowledge and his Hall of Fame credentials to have a
Speaker 1: guy like that when you need him the most. Sure,
Speaker 1: I mean it's definitely big. I mean, you're right, you
Speaker 1: don't want to lose a player like Hunter Henry because
Speaker 1: I think he's one of the best tight ends in
Speaker 1: the game, not only as a path catcher but a
Speaker 1: run blocker as well. He's the total package. But if
Speaker 1: you're going to lose a guy, it's used to have
Speaker 1: a first ballot Hall of Famer on your rosin Hurt
Speaker 1: can go in and then then knows you knows your
Speaker 1: your scheme, knows the quarterback, so you can just jump
Speaker 1: right in and play. And I do think that's been
Speaker 1: an issue in years past where Antonio is kind of
Speaker 1: worn down because he's played so many snaps. That's obviously
Speaker 1: not the case this year. You know, the scots have
Speaker 1: been reduced, so now you're looking at a much fresher
Speaker 1: gates going into this last game, and that definitely should
Speaker 1: help them. Yeah, the injury bug hit them hard in
Speaker 1: Kansas City and it kind of lingered into into the Jets.
Speaker 1: They're hoping to get Russell Ko back based on who
Speaker 1: they're playing though Eric, who's the most important injured player
Speaker 1: that they need back Sunday. If you can only pick
Speaker 1: one of Legit, Perryman, Gordon and o'koon, because they're all
Speaker 1: so important in different ways. But if you could only
Speaker 1: pick one, which guy do you need to lace up
Speaker 1: on Sunday, Well, it would definitely be between Gordon and Perryman,
Speaker 1: you know, because they have to be better in terms
Speaker 1: of stopping the run obviously to get off the field.
Speaker 1: But I'm gonna go with Melvine just because I think
Speaker 1: you're gonna need that element of physicality and being able
Speaker 1: to run the football, control tempo, control the claw, keep
Speaker 1: the Raiders offense off of the field, and one way
Speaker 1: to do that is by effectively running the football. And
Speaker 1: I just don't think they have anybody on the roster
Speaker 1: like Melvine that can give them that type of a
Speaker 1: physical presence in terms of running the football. Perryman obviously
Speaker 1: is important, but I think they can kind of scheme
Speaker 1: around that a little bit. You know, they've played Hayes
Speaker 1: in the past, and they've played to Tavis and Corey.
Speaker 1: Those guys are obviously our perriman, But I think Perryman
Speaker 1: and what he brings is easier replaced on defense than
Speaker 1: what Melbourne brings offense, so I'd go with gord Eric.
Speaker 1: The kicking woes they continued on Sunday, Nick Rose misster
Speaker 1: forty seven yard. It was way wide right. This has
Speaker 1: obviously been an issue that's going to be addressed, I
Speaker 1: think at the end of the season. But what's the
Speaker 1: confidence on Nick Rose? Because he actually kicked very good
Speaker 1: in Washington when Dustin Hopkins went down, and I know
Speaker 1: Coach Lynn likes his leg strength and hopes he can
Speaker 1: stay around beyond this season. But these field goal woes
Speaker 1: have really played this football team. It's been unbelievable. I've
Speaker 1: never covered a team in a decade to cover the
Speaker 1: league that's gone through this many changes at that position.
Speaker 1: I think at some point you just have to stick
Speaker 1: with a guy and ride. If he misses a couple
Speaker 1: oh well, I mean you just you have to. You
Speaker 1: have to get stability at that position and just pick
Speaker 1: a guy and stay with him. I think it would
Speaker 1: have been Novack had had he not sustained the back injury. Yeah,
Speaker 1: and you would have been fine. But but the one
Speaker 1: thing I like about Nick is he's got a leg now,
Speaker 1: I mean, he can boom it. That was the one
Speaker 1: thing I was really impressed with the ball really jumps
Speaker 1: off his foot, So I can understand why the charges
Speaker 1: like the potential there because he was really driving the football.
Speaker 1: I think he had like three or four touch backs
Speaker 1: was which he didn't really get from Travis uh and
Speaker 1: Novak Um. But that miss, I mean might get this.
Speaker 1: I mean it wasn't even close, as you mentioned. I
Speaker 1: mean it was way wide, right, So you gotta be
Speaker 1: able to from inside fifty. You gotta he's gotta be money.
Speaker 1: You gotta be able to roll that guy out there
Speaker 1: and know we're good, We're gonna we're gonna make this
Speaker 1: kick because those points add up obviously, Um, But I
Speaker 1: do like the potential there because of his legs trade um.
Speaker 1: And we'll see if he can be consistent. You mentioned
Speaker 1: it and washed and I think he was ten of
Speaker 1: eleven with the Redskins before getting waves. And obviously Dustin
Speaker 1: Hopton's got healthy and that was their guy, so they
Speaker 1: waved rose Um. So I think you're just hopeful that
Speaker 1: he can be consistent and give you, you know, forty
Speaker 1: five yards an end. You know he's gonna make the kick,
Speaker 1: and we'll see if he not only plays well against
Speaker 1: the Raiders, but you know, if they make the playoffs,
Speaker 1: if he continues to do that, and maybe he's a
Speaker 1: guy that can stick long term. Just look across town,
Speaker 1: Eric with with Greg Zerline going out for the Rams.
Speaker 1: You know, they bring in a kicker, missus extra point,
Speaker 1: miss the first field goal, and it's just that margin
Speaker 1: of error. And I think regardless of what happens on Sunday,
Speaker 1: we're gonna look at this Charger season and look at
Speaker 1: a few games here, that Miami game, the Broncos game
Speaker 1: in Week one, some of these games were even when
Speaker 1: they won against the Cowboys, they didn't have a kicker.
Speaker 1: You know, it's just been it's been a remarkable year,
Speaker 1: and it just goes to show how vital special teams
Speaker 1: are in the NFL. Yeah, no doubt. I mean, that's
Speaker 1: an important position. It's why you have a fifty three
Speaker 1: man loss. You need all fifty three of those guys
Speaker 1: to make plays, and you never know where that critical
Speaker 1: play is going to come from. And so you're just
Speaker 1: looking for a consistency from that position. And we'll see
Speaker 1: if Nick can provide that on Sunday. So we talked
Speaker 1: to playoffs at the top. This is what needs to
Speaker 1: go down Sunday for the Chargers, they obviously they have
Speaker 1: to beat the Raiders and the Titans have to lose.
Speaker 1: They host Jacksonville, So both of those things absolutely need
Speaker 1: to happen. If those things happen or tie or tie. Yes,
Speaker 1: the Titans tie, yeah, which which is which is possible
Speaker 1: in today's NFL with with ten minute overtime. So and
Speaker 1: if those things happen, Eric either the Ravens need to
Speaker 1: win at home against Incinnati or the Dolphins need to
Speaker 1: beat the Bills in Miami. And what's cool about all
Speaker 1: these games They're all being played at the same time. Now,
Speaker 1: the NFL changed things around, which brings some added drama
Speaker 1: on Sunday. I think from a psychological standpoint, it's so
Speaker 1: intriguing because you're not scoreboard watching early. Yeah, it isn't
Speaker 1: that crazy how they slipped everything around. I think no
Speaker 1: Sunday night game, which is I think is good. Um,
Speaker 1: so you're gonna have all those games going on the
Speaker 1: same time. You're gonna be watching your game, you're gonna
Speaker 1: be scoreboard watching these other games to kind of see
Speaker 1: where they're at. You know. Doug Morone, the head coach
Speaker 1: of the Jags, came out and said, hey, we're playing
Speaker 1: our guys. We're trying to win this game. And so
Speaker 1: you're theoretically not going to have the Jags sitting players
Speaker 1: out even though they've already kind of locked up the
Speaker 1: number three seed. Um balt Where obviously wants to win
Speaker 1: their game just to make sure that they're in. So
Speaker 1: all these teams, I guess still kind of have something
Speaker 1: to play for. You have to take care of your
Speaker 1: business first though, you have to beat the Raiders or
Speaker 1: else none of that stuff matters. But yeah, it's gonna
Speaker 1: be in Urson to see what's happened with these other games.
Speaker 1: I think for the Chargers, you know, obviously they have
Speaker 1: to beat the Raiders, but they don't win a three
Speaker 1: way tiebreaker within these the other teams. The only tiebreaker
Speaker 1: they have is is over Buffalo because they beat them
Speaker 1: head to head. So they can't finish in a three
Speaker 1: way tie with any of these other teams. And that's
Speaker 1: why you need the Ravens to go ahead and win,
Speaker 1: because then they're ten and six and they get the
Speaker 1: fifth seed. And then if if Buffalo wins, they're died
Speaker 1: in seven minuts. The Chargers win, then they win the
Speaker 1: head to head, but obviously they need the Titans to
Speaker 1: lose because they would lose a head to head tiebreaker
Speaker 1: with a tight tight or a three way tiebreaker. So yeah,
Speaker 1: it'll be interesting to see how all these games play
Speaker 1: out as they're being played. At the same time, I
Speaker 1: saw some images after the game against the Jets in
Speaker 1: the locker room, Philip and Tom Slesco watching the Titans
Speaker 1: Rams game. What were the guys saying after the Jets
Speaker 1: game in terms of just staying alive an extra week
Speaker 1: and knowing that you you know, you enter the week
Speaker 1: with something to play for. I think that they were
Speaker 1: happy with how the seasons started at Own for that
Speaker 1: they still had an opportunity to make the postseason in
Speaker 1: the final week, that they had done enough over those
Speaker 1: stretch of games to put them in a position where
Speaker 1: this game still mattered. And that's that's really saying something
Speaker 1: that's not only saying something about the players. I think
Speaker 1: that's saying something about coach Lynn, that he kept this
Speaker 1: team together. You know, they've won eight of their last
Speaker 1: eleven games where it looked like everything was just off
Speaker 1: the rails. You know, you had the situation a tub
Speaker 1: upset that where opposing fans are kind of taking over
Speaker 1: the stadium. I think after they got over the nitial
Speaker 1: surprise of that, I think the players just kind of
Speaker 1: settled in and say, Hey, this is what it is.
Speaker 1: We can't control savit of it. We'll think we could
Speaker 1: control is how we play, and so I think they
Speaker 1: kind of made sure that wasn't a distractor for them
Speaker 1: about a game day, and it didn't matter if he
Speaker 1: showed up in terms of fans, if they were just
Speaker 1: going to go out and play their game. And I
Speaker 1: think we've seen that over the second half of the season,
Speaker 1: and it's a big one Sunday. What's going to decide
Speaker 1: Sunday's game? Eric, we talked about all these different things,
Speaker 1: from Marshawn Lynch to potentially know Melvin Gordon to being
Speaker 1: a Philip Rivers game. What do you think is going
Speaker 1: to decide Sunday's game? I think turnovers is going to
Speaker 1: decide it. Who takes care of the football better and
Speaker 1: I think who runs the football better will determine it.
Speaker 1: Those two things are going to be determined factors. I
Speaker 1: think I think the Chargers are going to make their
Speaker 1: plays in the passing game and they're gonna put points
Speaker 1: on the board. But if they're able to bottle up
Speaker 1: Marshawn and force Derek to make plays the passing game,
Speaker 1: I think that bodes well for the Chargers. He's Eric Williams. Eric,
Speaker 1: You've come on multiple times throughout the year. We can't
Speaker 1: thank you enough for your time today and throughout the season.
Speaker 1: Awesome work, Happy holidays, and I will see you on
Speaker 1: Sunday by man. All right, that sounds good. Thanks for
Speaker 1: happy as always, Chris. Hey, fans, be there live to
Speaker 1: support the LA Chargers this season. Always buy your Chargers
Speaker 1: tickets from our official ticketing partner, Ticketmaster and the NFL
Speaker 1: Ticket Exchange. Only. Ticketmaster has verified tickets that are one
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Speaker 1: to the game here with a great Chris Mortenson. And
Speaker 1: we've got some playoff drama in the AFC in Week seventeen.
Speaker 1: The Chargers need to beat the Raiders Sunday and the Jags,
Speaker 1: who really don't have anything to play for. They need
Speaker 1: to beat the Titans, and when the dust settles, the
Speaker 1: Chargers may end up being lucky that that Tom Coughlin
Speaker 1: influence is strong in Jacksonville because Doug Marone says they're
Speaker 1: all in to win in Week seventeen. Yeah, I was
Speaker 1: gonna say, don't start to say that Jacks don't have
Speaker 1: anything to play for because you don't know Doug Moroan
Speaker 1: and Tom Comfon. I mean, remember that was remember the
Speaker 1: game when the Patriots are going for their perfect season
Speaker 1: and the Giants didn't really need to play against the
Speaker 1: Patriots at the regular season ender, but they played hard
Speaker 1: and almost almost turned over the Patriots season at the
Speaker 1: very end when they didn't really need to play for it.
Speaker 1: So they're a Coughlin Doug Moroan team wants this game
Speaker 1: against the Tennessee Titans, especially coming off this forty nine
Speaker 1: ers loss, and they will. And they got beat by
Speaker 1: Tennessee in the first meeting. So there's a lot of
Speaker 1: reasons why the Jaguars want to go out there and
Speaker 1: put their best foot forward. But number one reason is
Speaker 1: that's just the way that the culture that Moron and
Speaker 1: Coffin want to build. Every game matters, and every down
Speaker 1: matters and it sounds like a cliche, but I do
Speaker 1: believe it's true, and they've actually been able to complish
Speaker 1: that this year. Absolutely, it's a very reminiscent of twenty seventy.
Speaker 1: Look at that Giants team. They played the Pages till
Speaker 1: the end and they rode that all the way to
Speaker 1: a to a Super Bowl victory over the Path. So
Speaker 1: that influence of Tom Coughlin is certainly still strong in Jacksonville.
Speaker 1: And what's interesting more with the Jags. If they lose
Speaker 1: the Tennessee, they'll likely host them in a playoff game
Speaker 1: the following week. If they win, a very strong chance
Speaker 1: the Chargers travel to Jacksonville in a rematch from Week
Speaker 1: ten where the Chargers lost twenty seventeen and ot. That
Speaker 1: would be one heck of a rematch. Yeah, it would be.
Speaker 1: I mean, listen, it's like, for the most part, when
Speaker 1: I look at the Jaguars, that's thought they'd improved to
Speaker 1: the point where nobody really wants to play them. But
Speaker 1: then I watched Jimmy Garoppol and the forty nine ers
Speaker 1: do some things against their defense last week that I
Speaker 1: didn't imagine it could be done impossible, So yeah, I mean,
Speaker 1: it would be. It would be a Hecko rematch if
Speaker 1: it was the Chargers and Jaguars, And that's that's what
Speaker 1: the playoffs are for, is get your best teams in
Speaker 1: there and then drama. And one thing we know that
Speaker 1: Philip rivers wherever he goes on the road, and especially
Speaker 1: this Chargers team, Uh, you know on the road, it's
Speaker 1: on the road feels like home sometimes, right, Yeah, and
Speaker 1: uh and so so I think that they would it
Speaker 1: would be it would be a really interesting matchup to
Speaker 1: look forward to. But you know, first things first, both
Speaker 1: teams charities have got to take care of their business.
Speaker 1: They rushed run defense has to shore it up here
Speaker 1: against the Raiders, and the Jaguars have to beat the Titans. Moore,
Speaker 1: I think if the NFL playoffs worked similar to the
Speaker 1: college football playoff and you had a committee, you look
Speaker 1: at the Chargers as a team that kind of passes
Speaker 1: that eye tests. Right after rebounding from that Ohen four start.
Speaker 1: You got a future Hall of Famer at quarterback, Pro
Speaker 1: Bowl receiver, a Bell Cow running back. You have two
Speaker 1: edge rushers, leaked cornerback and Casey Hayward. How dangerous do
Speaker 1: you think this team could be if they do get
Speaker 1: into that tournament. You know, I was really thinking very
Speaker 1: dangerous when they if they could get into that tournament.
Speaker 1: And then the Kansas City game, this kind of like
Speaker 1: caught me off guard the way the way the Chiefs
Speaker 1: dominated that game and I'll poorly Philip played. Yeah, it
Speaker 1: just it set me back in terms of my moment
Speaker 1: manimum vision that the boy the Chargers could make this
Speaker 1: uncomfortable for everybody, because you know, you always use the
Speaker 1: Patriots as the standard of the teams you gotta beat there,
Speaker 1: and I'm sitting the same boy. You know, they have
Speaker 1: a pass rush and you know, certainly and not anything
Speaker 1: that the Patriots and enjoy facing and Phillips never intimidated
Speaker 1: by any environment. But that Chiefs game really really kind
Speaker 1: of slowed me down on the on the bandwagon, so
Speaker 1: to speak, in terms of what type of impact they
Speaker 1: could make in the playoffs. Now I'll get the Denzel
Speaker 1: Perriman back. I think it would be big. I mean,
Speaker 1: like I said that, you can't you must be able
Speaker 1: to stop the run. I think that's uh, that's still
Speaker 1: a factor. So you can have the pass rush all
Speaker 1: you want, and you have all those smarty players that
Speaker 1: you run. Defense has to be pretty stout, especially this
Speaker 1: time of year when you go into climates, climates that
Speaker 1: they can impact whether you can pass enough effectively turnovers
Speaker 1: too more. You know, during that four game winning streak,
Speaker 1: they didn't turn the football over at all the first
Speaker 1: team offense, Yeah, very clean, and then four turnovers on
Speaker 1: four straight positions in the second half of the Chiefs game.
Speaker 1: They go back to turnover free football against the Jets,
Speaker 1: and that's just another thing. You have to be able
Speaker 1: to stop the run and you can't turn the football
Speaker 1: over in a postseason No, that's right. And uh, and
Speaker 1: I know it was great to see Antonio Gates have
Speaker 1: and Antonio Gates game against you know. That's the other
Speaker 1: thing is Luci and Hunter. Henry was very unfortunate obviously
Speaker 1: because these you know, he's just he's kind of like
Speaker 1: a young player, second year player of this fashion year.
Speaker 1: You've always seen him as a probo type of tight
Speaker 1: end and moving in that direction. So not him and
Speaker 1: in fact is not good. I think regardless of how
Speaker 1: the season ends for the Chargers, Chris, they found themselves
Speaker 1: a football coach based on how they started own force
Speaker 1: missfield goals. What are people around the league saying about
Speaker 1: the job that Anthony Lynn has done in his first
Speaker 1: season with this team. I think they've been impressed because
Speaker 1: when you're own four, it is like, oh my goodness,
Speaker 1: the wheels are falling off before you've even got going,
Speaker 1: you know, and it's hard to turn that around. It
Speaker 1: is so difficult to turn that around and put the
Speaker 1: brakes on and scrap your way back into it. So
Speaker 1: it's it's easy for those for those losses, and the
Speaker 1: actually have plagued the charges, it seems for a few
Speaker 1: years now. The missfield goals, the extra points, to box snaps, uh,
Speaker 1: just the little details of the game. I think everybody's
Speaker 1: seeing the Anthony is uh has stow on the sidelines
Speaker 1: and there in many ways it's it's it's pressed on,
Speaker 1: you know, play by play, and so you see that
Speaker 1: in the Anthony this year. So I think everybody's been
Speaker 1: very impressed with Anthony has done. And it's and we
Speaker 1: also know the circumstances in which you're playing, which is
Speaker 1: you know, they're they're playing it in an environment that
Speaker 1: is foreign to them, no question about. You know more,
Speaker 1: it's been a wild year around the league. I want
Speaker 1: to spin around the league a bit some unfortunate injuries
Speaker 1: to some elite all pros, including MVP candidates. When you
Speaker 1: talk about Carson, who do you think has the inside
Speaker 1: track for MVP right now? It's looking like it could
Speaker 1: come down to Tom Brady and Todd Gurley. Yeah, I
Speaker 1: think that's what it is. I mean, I am one
Speaker 1: of the MVP boats, and uh, you know, I've leaned,
Speaker 1: I've been back and forth and both guys and and uh,
Speaker 1: you know, here's the thing about Todd Gurley in his favor,
Speaker 1: I think that everything the RAMS offense does, in terms
Speaker 1: of everything Sean McVay does, is keyed off Todd Gurley's
Speaker 1: ability to do things both as a runner and receiver
Speaker 1: intern and even formationally, move him around and get him
Speaker 1: in space, and and he's so dangerous that I think
Speaker 1: he keys everything for their offense. And what's the story
Speaker 1: of the year in the NFL. It's the Rams offense
Speaker 1: and what Sean McVay has done, and Gurley be is
Speaker 1: the centerpiece of that. And there's also been games where
Speaker 1: the Rams have won so handily that Gurley probably could
Speaker 1: could have put up another five hundred more yards. But
Speaker 1: there were there were there were second hands of games
Speaker 1: where he barely even saw the field. So you know,
Speaker 1: whereas Brady, we just talked about the eyeball sense. I mean,
Speaker 1: you know, we know what Tom Brady suffers from and
Speaker 1: these type of debates, which is, well, he's Tom Brady. Yeah,
Speaker 1: he's the greatest quarterback of all times, so he should
Speaker 1: always be in the MVP conversation and he is. But
Speaker 1: I know, you know, the past five games, he's showing
Speaker 1: an interception in every game. He hasn't looked as sharp
Speaker 1: as the Tom Brady we we uh we recognize as
Speaker 1: the greatest of all time. Yet when it matters, Tom
Speaker 1: gets that team down the field. It's nice to have
Speaker 1: Rob Grenkowski. And to me, it's right now it's a
Speaker 1: it's a close call between the two and kind of
Speaker 1: going to really give some thought here. I mean, it's
Speaker 1: there's nothing that's going to happen this week. It's going
Speaker 1: to change his vote, so actually kind to contemplate, uh,
Speaker 1: you know, the two schedules, significance of each player and
Speaker 1: games they needed, and uh, you know, it makes sure
Speaker 1: that we don't overlook Tom Brady just because we're looking
Speaker 1: for a fresh space. Like Todd Gurley absolutely but you do.
Speaker 1: You look at Gurley and how he has closed this season.
Speaker 1: I think just that game in Seattle that'll stand out
Speaker 1: to anybody. To go up to the maybe the toughest
Speaker 1: place to play in football and be up forty two
Speaker 1: zero or whatever the score was at the time, that
Speaker 1: was pretty eye opening. So we'll see what happens in
Speaker 1: that MVP race. We talked about the AFC more. You know,
Speaker 1: Steelers and Pats, they're the class of the AFC. They
Speaker 1: already have a chess match going with James Harrison switching teams,
Speaker 1: but things are a little bit more muddled in the NFC.
Speaker 1: You could probably make the case for every potential playoff
Speaker 1: team in the NFC to make a Super Bowl run.
Speaker 1: The Vikings and Eagles have home field rams are clicking.
Speaker 1: Then these other four teams were New Orleans, Carolina, Atlanta, Seattle.
Speaker 1: If they get in, they all have Super Bowl quarterbacks.
Speaker 1: So in your opinion, which team has the edge in
Speaker 1: the NFC? Well, you know, it's so funny because I
Speaker 1: I think I think Minnesota. It feels like to me,
Speaker 1: I mean, I Pheladelphia. I think listen, Carson, Carson Wentz
Speaker 1: was going to win the MVP in this league, and
Speaker 1: there's a reason for it. I mean, I mean, he
Speaker 1: does things that this freakish in terms of the physical
Speaker 1: ability and getting better in the pocket every week. But
Speaker 1: but uh, but the Vikings, you know, they've settled in
Speaker 1: this case, keenom thing. They've settled into this. It isn't
Speaker 1: like that's going something that just is developed. As they've
Speaker 1: settled into this. Every week, their identity, identity is clear,
Speaker 1: it's set. Uh you know. Uh So, but all the
Speaker 1: teams intrigue me. I mean the New Orleans Saints, their
Speaker 1: defense is for real. Uh you know, the Rams, they've
Speaker 1: beaten what they've beaten the Saints this year, right, Yes, okay,
Speaker 1: I mean they've they've they've they've beaten some teams and
Speaker 1: Philadelphia was was you know, they played them right through
Speaker 1: the end. So you know, they're they're certainly capable of
Speaker 1: I think it's I think anything goes in this playoffs
Speaker 1: for these teams, each and everyone who is capable of
Speaker 1: winning the MC and representing the MC in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1: So nothing will surprise. I mean, I don't know that
Speaker 1: I really have a go to team and I'm saying
Speaker 1: that's the team. I will say the Saints defense has
Speaker 1: been better than I ever anticipated, and because they don't
Speaker 1: have to rely on Drew Brees as much as they
Speaker 1: used to, but he's still good when they need him.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I think they're a dangerous team. And I
Speaker 1: think and I'm not worried about the Rams youth. I mean,
Speaker 1: you know, when the Rams won the won the last one,
Speaker 1: the Super Bowl, you know they were not a team
Speaker 1: anybody before the year had really gotten on the bandwagon
Speaker 1: for so I think the Rams are very capable, but
Speaker 1: an experience coaching staff too. On top of it, led
Speaker 1: by Wade Phillips under Sean McVeigh. You talked about the
Speaker 1: Saint sport. I think it's pretty remarkable that you have
Speaker 1: rookies on each side of the football leading the charge.
Speaker 1: When we talked about Album Kamara and Marshawn Lattimore and
Speaker 1: that trade with Brandon Cooks to get that pick that
Speaker 1: was eventually Ryan Ramchek, who's been a big part of
Speaker 1: that offensive line, they were only doing it with rookies.
Speaker 1: And I don't think in anybody's wildest dreams you could
Speaker 1: imagine an NFC championship game Jared Golf versus Case Keenum
Speaker 1: based on what you saw exactly a year ago. Could
Speaker 1: you even imagine that, Chris, No, you couldn't. Add I
Speaker 1: mean I always thought the Rams had better, better personnel,
Speaker 1: and people were talking about I mean Gurley. Listen, we
Speaker 1: saw enough from Gurley in his rookie year to tell
Speaker 1: you say, you know it'll be special. But listen, you
Speaker 1: know what Sea mcban has done with Golf, I mean
Speaker 1: with the pieces they added in personnel department and less
Speaker 1: need at Eddie Andrew Whitworth, who I think but was
Speaker 1: one of the great moves of the off season. Nobody
Speaker 1: still wants to talk enough about that at left tackle. Uh,
Speaker 1: you know, beefing up the offensive line, you know, hiring staff,
Speaker 1: it's just a Greg Olsen your quarterback coach position. Uh,
Speaker 1: you know, Aaron Cromer your offensive line coach position. Bill
Speaker 1: Johnson is your defensive line coach, with Wade Phils's coordinator
Speaker 1: and coaches all the way across, and you know, keeping
Speaker 1: John Fossil on board as a special team's coach. Now,
Speaker 1: the injury the Gregg Zeroline might be an injury that
Speaker 1: we can't make enough when it comes to the playoffs,
Speaker 1: as these games obviously will come down to field rolls
Speaker 1: being made, the field rolls being missed. And so that's
Speaker 1: one that if you were the rams that were was
Speaker 1: gonna keep you up at night, that that might be
Speaker 1: one that's certainly something to monitor in the playoffs is
Speaker 1: special teams. It's so important in January more. We'll get
Speaker 1: you out of here on this. You grew up in
Speaker 1: southern California. You started the Daily Breeze in the South Bay.
Speaker 1: We recently lost one of the Titans in dick Enberg.
Speaker 1: What was it like for you growing up in Los
Speaker 1: Angeles around as you eloquently tweeted Broadcasting Royalty. Well, listen,
Speaker 1: it was back in the days, of course, when there
Speaker 1: were only you know, your your access to the broadcast network.
Speaker 1: So it was radio. Baseball was a radio game. But
Speaker 1: we had Ben Scully calling the Dodgers, we had a
Speaker 1: Kerrent calling the Lakers, Bob Miller calling the La Kings
Speaker 1: at Martell and then Dick Edinburgh you know who did
Speaker 1: it all? Uh, and even that Graham's duty, but I
Speaker 1: mean he was to do it all. And then you
Speaker 1: occasionally you would cross paths with those men. And what
Speaker 1: they all had in common, besides the greatness behind the microphone,
Speaker 1: is they were truely great gentleman in class acts and
Speaker 1: who to me, you know, like to me, it's a
Speaker 1: blessing of a lifetime that I was able to experience that.
Speaker 1: And I think a lot of people would tell you
Speaker 1: the same thing. You know, you talk about class. You're
Speaker 1: an inspiration to so many and someone I've looked up
Speaker 1: to as a reporter a man for quite some time.
Speaker 1: I can't think enough your time today. Happy holidays, and
Speaker 1: enjoy week seventeen in the playoffs, because you know, we
Speaker 1: just talked about a bunch of potential storylines. It's gonna
Speaker 1: be a lot of fun. It will be a lot
Speaker 1: of fun. And let's hope the Chargers uh have a
Speaker 1: chance to go in there. You know, h arg is
Speaker 1: playing Carson. You know, that's that's kind of my here.
Speaker 1: I grew up at North Torrens on the North Horns side.
Speaker 1: That's what you were kind of you could draw. You
Speaker 1: could draw a line by the way from Carson to
Speaker 1: Inglewood and probably find North Thorns hide right in the
Speaker 1: middle of the That's what do you miss most about
Speaker 1: the South Bay? Well, what would you think, Manhattans? The weather? Yeah? No,
Speaker 1: I mean, if you're a kid, you missed me and
Speaker 1: I want to go out and play baseball every day,
Speaker 1: any time timey one. But it's just just the weather.
Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, mister, you know it's it's just a
Speaker 1: healthy weather environment. I know a lot of it's changed,
Speaker 1: but a lot of friends, a lot of family, a
Speaker 1: lot of memories. But uh, you know, I I am.
Speaker 1: They say, b where you are and right now I'm
Speaker 1: not the South Bay, but I have so many friends
Speaker 1: and grateful that that's part of my life experience. Well more,
Speaker 1: thank you so much. I know you're you're under the
Speaker 1: weather today and I really appreciate your playing her for us. Chris,
Speaker 1: take care, Thanks and that'll do it for this week's episode.
Speaker 1: My thanks to Chris Mortenson and Eric Williams for joining me,
Speaker 1: and thanks to all for listening. Be sure to download
Speaker 1: and subscribe to Charges Weekly wherever you listen to podcasts,
Speaker 1: and if you could, please leave review on iTunes. It
Speaker 1: helps us spread the words. We can get this as
Speaker 1: many CHARGES fans as possible. Enjoy the game Sunday we
Speaker 1: hope to see at StubHub Center as the Bolts look
Speaker 1: that clinches spot in the playoffs. Until next time, I'm
Speaker 1: Chris Hary