2024-25 Season

[madmaxmedia]

I’m still trying to process Harbaugh being the coach. I went to Michigan State and have hated him for years. It’s a real battle of emotions.

I am curious- did you just hate him because he was a Wolverine, or for other reasons? (anything is fine, I'm not under the illusion that great athletes or coaches are all great human beings as well.)

[madmaxmedia]

Colin sums up exactly my opinions of the Chargers hiring Harbaugh:
(time stamp doesn't work, just jump to 6:18)

Watch on YouTube

[bwgood77]

I’m still trying to process Harbaugh being the coach. I went to Michigan State and have hated him for years. It’s a real battle of emotions.

I am curious- did you just hate him because he was a Wolverine, or for other reasons? (anything is fine, I'm not under the illusion that great athletes or coaches are all great human beings as well.)

I'm liking him. It's nice to see Quentin Johnston get some nice plays/tds. It would be great if he broke out this year and lived up to where he was drafted. I feel like the one thing this team is missing is a dynamic receiver. I think Ladd will be solid, like maybe a poor man's Keenan (and I think Keenan was great and one of the most underrated wrs of the past decade) so that's a big compliment. But if Q can be that long threat to stretch the field and make some great catches and not drop them, that would be huge.

It's weird seeing Herbert only pass for 125 yards or whatever. I like the fact we can dominate in the run game, but I became a Chargers fan years ago for all the passing. I imagine it will open things up and we will pass more when we need to but the Raiders D was very tough and we just wanted to put them game away/run out the clock once we had the lead and the running game was working against Carolina, and Herbert was a little banged up.

Alt looking good. Herbert has had some pressure but I think the Raiders D is real, and I think our Offensive line is much improved. I think part of it is Herbert just getting used to having a completely different set of receivers. It would also be nice if one of the other guys lower on the depth chart of the receivers broke out. Palmer has done nothing, but Rice or Fehoko. Derius Davis seems like he can be dynamic. They could maybe use him in some Sproles type plays in open space. DJ Chark had some nice plays in camp but is injured.

JK Dobbins looking awesome. He was a nice signing.

[madmaxmedia]

I’m still trying to process Harbaugh being the coach. I went to Michigan State and have hated him for years. It’s a real battle of emotions.

I am curious- did you just hate him because he was a Wolverine, or for other reasons? (anything is fine, I'm not under the illusion that great athletes or coaches are all great human beings as well.)

I'm liking him. It's nice to see Quentin Johnston get some nice plays/tds. It would be great if he broke out this year and lived up to where he was drafted. I feel like the one thing this team is missing is a dynamic receiver. I think Ladd will be solid, like maybe a poor man's Keenan (and I think Keenan was great and one of the most underrated wrs of the past decade) so that's a big compliment. But if Q can be that long threat to stretch the field and make some great catches and not drop them, that would be huge.

It's weird seeing Herbert only pass for 125 yards or whatever. I like the fact we can dominate in the run game, but I became a Chargers fan years ago for all the passing. I imagine it will open things up and we will pass more when we need to but the Raiders D was very tough and we just wanted to put them game away/run out the clock once we had the lead and the running game was working against Carolina, and Herbert was a little banged up.

Alt looking good. Herbert has had some pressure but I think the Raiders D is real, and I think our Offensive line is much improved. I think part of it is Herbert just getting used to having a completely different set of receivers. It would also be nice if one of the other guys lower on the depth chart of the receivers broke out. Palmer has done nothing, but Rice or Fehoko. Derius Davis seems like he can be dynamic. They could maybe use him in some Sproles type plays in open space. DJ Chark had some nice plays in camp but is injured. Pretty sure we'll improve the group this offseason (or later this season if we're lucky...)

JK Dobbins looking awesome. He was a nice signing.

Even considering the competition, we are looking well ahead of what I was hoping for this early in Year One. Good teams need to beat up on the bad teams, so at least we're doing that. Sure we'll lose some games against the better teams, but hopefully we'll make them earn it and keep getting better along the way.

It's interesting, I heard some beat writer talk about how Harbaugh has mellowed out a lot since Stanford and the Niners, but still has the focus and intensity as before. I can't imagine a better version of him than we're getting right now- you can tell he lives and breathes football 24/7, but from a personality and leadership standpoint I think he's gotten better. In an early interview when asked about resetting the culture of the Charger organization (which is all everyone talked about before and after his hire), all he talked about is how the culture was already set with the leaders on the team and that he was just lucky to be there...as if the entire staff and GM weren't also part of him coming in. I feel like the entire team buys in and will follow him anywhere, but at the same time he's pumping them all up rather than being an enforcer type.

The Steeler game will be really interesting. I think we will try to establish strength at the lines like the last two games, but our main advantage over the Steelers is at the QB position. So I think we are going to try to take some shots downfield (but pick our spots in doing so.) Of course our weakness is our receiver group, but we knew that going into the season and so far it has been okay (considering injuries to Chark and Palmer!) QJ is doing the small things right so far, keep that up and the field will gradually open up for him. I think Ladd will get better each game as he gets used to the NFL. I would love to see Rice get some snaps, though I have no idea if he's actually ready yet.

Dobbins has been amazing, such a instinctive, patient runner. At the same time it's great to have a platoon of Dobbins and Edwards to eat up those carries.

Our defense looks night and day better with largely the same core. I hope Bosa can stay relatively healthy.

[bwgood77]

I am curious- did you just hate him because he was a Wolverine, or for other reasons? (anything is fine, I'm not under the illusion that great athletes or coaches are all great human beings as well.)

I'm liking him. It's nice to see Quentin Johnston get some nice plays/tds. It would be great if he broke out this year and lived up to where he was drafted. I feel like the one thing this team is missing is a dynamic receiver. I think Ladd will be solid, like maybe a poor man's Keenan (and I think Keenan was great and one of the most underrated wrs of the past decade) so that's a big compliment. But if Q can be that long threat to stretch the field and make some great catches and not drop them, that would be huge.

It's weird seeing Herbert only pass for 125 yards or whatever. I like the fact we can dominate in the run game, but I became a Chargers fan years ago for all the passing. I imagine it will open things up and we will pass more when we need to but the Raiders D was very tough and we just wanted to put them game away/run out the clock once we had the lead and the running game was working against Carolina, and Herbert was a little banged up.

Alt looking good. Herbert has had some pressure but I think the Raiders D is real, and I think our Offensive line is much improved. I think part of it is Herbert just getting used to having a completely different set of receivers. It would also be nice if one of the other guys lower on the depth chart of the receivers broke out. Palmer has done nothing, but Rice or Fehoko. Derius Davis seems like he can be dynamic. They could maybe use him in some Sproles type plays in open space. DJ Chark had some nice plays in camp but is injured. Pretty sure we'll improve the group this offseason (or later this season if we're lucky...)

JK Dobbins looking awesome. He was a nice signing.

Even considering the competition, we are looking well ahead of what I was hoping for this early in Year One. Good teams need to beat up on the bad teams, so at least we're doing that. Sure we'll lose some games against the better teams, but hopefully we'll make them earn it and keep getting better along the way.

It's interesting, I heard some beat writer talk about how Harbaugh has mellowed out a lot since Stanford and the Niners, but still has the focus and intensity as before. I can't imagine a better version of him than we're getting right now- you can tell he lives and breathes football 24/7, but from a personality and leadership standpoint I think he's gotten better. In an early interview when asked about resetting the culture of the Charger organization (which is all everyone talked about before and after his hire), all he talked about is how the culture was already set with the leaders on the team and that he was just lucky to be there...as if the entire staff and GM weren't also part of him coming in. I feel like the entire team buys in and will follow him anywhere, but at the same time he's pumping them all up rather than being an enforcer type.

The Steeler game will be really interesting. I think we will try to establish strength at the lines like the last two games, but our main advantage over the Steelers is at the QB position. So I think we are going to try to take some shots downfield (but pick our spots in doing so.) Of course our weakness is our receiver group, but we knew that going into the season and so far it has been okay (considering injuries to Chark and Palmer!) QJ is doing the small things right so far, keep that up and the field will gradually open up for him. I think Ladd will get better each game as he gets used to the NFL. I would love to see Rice get some snaps, though I have no idea if he's actually ready yet.

Dobbins has been amazing, such a instinctive, patient runner. At the same time it's great to have a platoon of Dobbins and Edwards to eat up those carries.

Our defense looks night and day better with largely the same core. I hope Bosa can stay relatively healthy.

I am not usually particularly overly optimistic, especially considering my teams are the Chargers and Suns, but with Harbaugh and this schedule I really felt like we could win 12 games. I knew he would make an instant impact. The key things will be health and the receiving corp. Herbert already banged up. Dobbins needs to stay healthy. I wouldn't feel that good about the running game if it was just Edwards and whoever else.

Harbaugh is just great at building confidence. I think it's made a big difference with Q. And Staley DOES NOT inspire confidence. I think just as a fan, you could feel that. Chargers fans always have had that gut feeling we will blow it, but with Staley, you just felt like he would/could play a big part in it. Players began to believe they would blow it (and with Q, probably drop it). The mentality was more like "just don't blow it" rather than "dominate them".

It's SO nice having a great coach.

[Revived]

Really like what I’m seeing from the Chargers first 2 weeks. Joe Alt looks like a stud and has locked up some great DEs in Mason Crosby and Jadevon Clowney.

Big test this week in TJ Watt. Will be very tough game to win with a gimpy Herbert and on the road in Pittsburgh for their home opener. Pittsburgh is a very tough city to play in already.

[Revived]

Crappy game today for sure. Injuries suck and now we have Herbert, Bosa, Slayter and possibly Alt all out for indefinite amount of time. Bosa's injuries are really frustrating and it sucks that we didn't cut ties with him in the offseason and used that $$ some place else. Guy is great when healthy but he's always been injured his whole life. It must be something in their genes cause his brother is the same way. Both are very productive when healthy but it's a big ask from them. Their bodies are just too fragile physically.

The center for the Steelers, Zach Frazier, was someone I really wanted the Chargers to draft. Guy was a stud in college and very obvious that his game would translate easily to the pros.

I know Alt has been nice but man would've been cool to have drafted Nabers in rd 1, Frazier in rd 2 and then a RT in rd 3.

Anyway, this is a rebuilding year and I was apparently being too optimistic in predicting (viewtopic.php?p=114532309#p114532309) this one to be a win for the Chargers. Still think we're on pace for at least 9 wins if Herbert/Slater/Alt is able to at least come back after the bye.

[madmaxmedia]

We are kicking ass aren't we?

Chargering used to be coming up with ways to lose at the end, to me it now means wearing teams down and then running it down their throats to finish them off. We haven't done it as much lately, but Dobbins' TD against the Bengals counts and Gus Edwards is finally looking healthy and strong.

Some of the teams on our schedule have faltered as of late, 11 wins seems very achievable and 10 will get us into the playoffs.

Next offseason we have cap space and can address IOL, add another WR, and deepen our defense overall. I think Bosa might be gone, but we can probably re-sign Khalil to a reasonable contract to finish his career here.