Oh 2004, you seem even farther away than 15 years. DeQuincy Scott, there’s a blast from the past. Back then we were just happy to finally get back to the playoffs. I didn’t think we’d win the Super Bowl that season even after getting back from Cleveland with a division title. But I also didn’t think we’d come “so close” so often. Last year we were already rated as one of the most overrated teams in football before the opening game. After Derwin James had his surgery scheduled (it was completed yesterday), I saw all the snarky comments about the Bolts always being hyped but never delivering. I can see why outsiders would say that. Of course, it’s painful as hell to experience it when you’re a fan.
God, the days when beating Jake Plummer seemed monumental. So it turned out that James had a screw in his foot from a surgery at Florida State that got bent and caused a stress fracture. I’m not counting on his returning at all but would guess it would be early December if it happens. Like Keenan Allen, I wonder if his injury history was part of the reason he fell to us in the draft to begin with. I did watch the Saints game on my DVR and wasn’t all that impressed. I know preseason means nothing, but it was really just a few plays that gave the Chargers the lead. It doesn’t really matter if Lynn keeps Cardale Jones or if Easton Stick gets a solid shot. If Rivers goes down, we’re fucked. Plus, Taylor is our best backup since Volek. That guy finished a playoff game for us. I will never question Rivers’ decision to play in Foxboro but I can’t help but wonder if things might have been different if Volek started. Rivers couldn’t push off at all for good reason all day.
Anyway, this has been the first preseason where we don’t play the starters much at all. Marty did that a lot with Rivers and LT. Much like the Gordon holdout, it’s what happens when you have a good team with a lot of talent. I’m not saying that will finally lead to a Lombardi, but this is what happens when you don’t completely suck. I was hardly impressed with our offensive line. I don’t know if we can blame Telesco for not valuing blockers in the draft. The Bosa and Mike Williams picks were heavily criticized (myself included) and they look pretty amazing right now. Mike Williams came off the worst rookie season in recent memory and was a superstar last season. I was at the game against the Jets in December of 2017 and he couldn’t catch the most simple pass thrown his way. Just goes to show you when guys say they aren’t themselves due to injury they might know what they are talking about. 
That’s me and Sammy at the Miami game in 2008. That was a rough one to watch and yet I’m planning on going back next month. I’m not calling it a “lock” or a “trap.” We’ve all been through way too much with this team. I was convinced that we were going to lose at Buffalo last season anyway. Going back to my earlier point, the line worries me. Rivers gets rid of the ball so quickly (and he looks seriously jacked up this year) that it covers up a lot up front. Lamp and Feeney were highly touted out of college and they’ve been less than impressive thus far. We can’t get Feeney off the field while Lamp can’t stay on. What’s most upsetting is that now that he’s playing I wonder if he just isn’t that good. Results speak for themselves and Lynn has been pretty amazing thus far. Maybe he knew what he was talking about by keeping Lynn out.
On a positive note, the kicking game looks better. I am planning on sitting through both of the remaining preseason games, but am going out now for my 16th wedding anniversary. We’ll talk before Labor Day.
JIC,
RLW
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