What Chargers Fans Are Saying

[Prime Time]

View: https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/1042388342917226496

Not good. Means they expect Bosa to be out longer than expected
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Or that Rochell isn't playing up to par and they need someone else to fill his spot
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Rochell isn’t garbage. He is a solid backup. He shouldn’t be starting full time like he is now though.
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watch the game and tell me you want him starting Sunday against that rams Oline, we need a better pass rusher to help out Ingram.

 

[T-REX]

No one should be prepared to presume that the LAR defense is far superior to our young, up and comers.

 

[RamFan503]

Wow that last guy is super negative, I bet they love that guy in their forum

#realist

 

[dolphinlover123]

....."Against the Oakland Raiders, Goff looked a bit distressed when the Silver and Black came after him with different pass rushers. The Raiders, even without Khalil Mack, managed to keep the game 13-10 at the half and entered the locker room with a lead."......

raiders had pass rushers?

 

[Prime Time]

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/...n-kickboxing-his-sweet-ride-and-year-2-in-l-a

For Year 2 in L.A., Philip Rivers turns to kickboxing and a sweet ride
Eric D. Williams

Kickboxing instructor Eric Sellars, left, said Philip Rivers "got some really strong kicks, strong punches. He picked up on it really quick." Courtesy of Eric Sellars

COSTA MESA, Calif. -- Entering his second year in Los Angeles, a turbulent first season is in the rearview mirror for quarterback Philip Rivers.

The Los Angeles Chargers' veteran QB is still making the daily, 88-mile trek from his home in San Diego north on Interstate 5 to the team's headquarters in Orange County, but it has become part of his routine. Talking after practice recently, Rivers shrugged when asked about hitting the road again.

"We've done it," Rivers said. "I've done nights, early and in the afternoon."

Rivers seems more at peace in his second year in L.A., but will that translate into better results on the field?

Year 1 included an 0-4 start in which Rivers and his teammates were booed by opposing fans in their home stadium; the relocation of the franchise from beloved San Diego to indifferent L.A.; and the growing pains with a new coach in Anthony Lynn. The Chargers finished one game behind the division-winning Kansas City Chiefs, who beat them twice.

Rivers is 36 years old and has two years left on a four-year, $83.25 million contract extension he signed in August 2015. However, he believes he still has plenty of gas left in the tank, and wants to be around when the Chargers' sparkling new home in Inglewood opens in 2020.

Rivers said he feels a calmness in his 15th NFL season.

"I keep going to the word steady," Rivers said. "Last year was crazy just with the move and all of that. I think just from a football standpoint, I just feel in a good mindset and approach. I'm seeing things good, as far as knowing every answer for this, and this and this -- and my communication with the guys.

"You go through the move and you try to hit the reset button and say, 'Let's just do our job.' Yeah, make some big plays, but don't try to will anything. You know what, they're not open and we punted. And that's hard, but I think I just feel it's a little less emotional."

Kicking conditioning up a notch

One way Rivers has achieved a little more steadiness in his life is with a change in his offseason workouts.

At the suggestion of his wife, Tiffany, who had been attending classes at 9Round Fitness, Rivers took up kickboxing, going to classes three times a week. Rivers started the routine once the season finished in January and stayed with it until his family's regular vacation to Florida in June.

"My wife had gone there, so I decided to try it," Rivers said. "And I was like, this guy knows what he's doing -- just core stuff and different stuff. Is it helping me today? I don't know, but it was something that I'd never done and I enjoyed it."

Rivers' instructor is Eric Sellars, an eight-year veteran of arena league football as a kick returner and receiver who tried out for the Chargers in 1999.

A native of Burlington, North Carolina, Sellars played a season at the University of North Carolina before joining the Navy and making his way out to San Diego.

"We just kind of worked on different mechanics," Sellars said. "He would come in most of the time when there was hardly anyone in the gym. He did really good. He got some really strong kicks, strong punches. He picked up on it really quick."

Sellars said kickboxing helps with football because it is a full-body workout.

"It's not just one muscle group," Sellars said. "We do a little bit of weights, but everything else is just body weight and reaction. We work on the mechanics of punching and the mechanics of kicking, and in between we're doing all kinds of other exercises, along with what we call an active rest."

Philip Rivers' SUV is equipped with a 40-inch television so the Chargers QB can watch game film on his ride to work. Courtesy Becker Automotive Design

The mobile office

Looking for an easier way to travel from his family home in San Diego to the Los Angeles Chargers' new digs in Orange County last year, Rivers connected with the maker of high-end vehicles for Hollywood elites such as Dr. Dre, Barbara Streisand, Stevie Wonder and Jerry Seinfield.

At the expense of close to $200,000, Rivers had an SUV customized by Becker Automotive Design in Oxnard, California, last year so he could comfortably prepare for games during the week.

"Busy people that need to be productive seek us out," said Howard Becker, owner of high-end car conversion company. "Their time is so precious. And leveraging that time into productive output is so meaningful, that not to feels silly."

Hesitant to move his wife and eight children from their home in San Diego, after touring several homes in Orange County, Rivers and wife Tiffany decided to stay put. Instead, Rivers devised a way to handle the commute while still getting his weekly game preparation done.

"I didn't think there were any issues at all," Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said. "His mobile office -- it's unbelievable. I know he's studying tape and he's spending enough time with his teammates, so it wasn't an issue."

Amenities include a 40-inch TV that can connect to his computer so he can study film, a refrigerator and two captain seats for a comfortable ride, one with Rivers' No. 17 on the head rest.

The vehicle also has satellite TV and wireless internet, a fresh-air ventilation system, electric leg extensions and a professional-quality sound system.

Rivers had the vehicle registered under the name Hail Mary LLC.

"Philip's not a bling guy," Becker said. "But at the same token he's at a point in life where beauty, elegance -- not ostentatious -- but there needs to be certain quality of fit and finish and presentation that fits his expectations in life at this point.

"Why sit in traffic driving, or sit in an sedan working on my smart phone when you could be in privacy with a large screen, full-on computer with super-fast internet and an amazing amount of information sources that you could be using just like my office, or in Philip's case, the quarterback room," Becker said.

Philip Rivers only threw 10 interceptions last season but six of them came against the division-champion Chiefs. Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Taming the gunslinger

Acutely aware of NFL history and his place in it, Rivers knows the numbers.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, over the past five seasons the Chargers are 5-15 when Rivers turns it over at least two times in a game. The Bolts are 31-27 when he does not.

The Chargers are 19-31 in games decided by eight or fewer points over the past five years. Twenty-seven quarterbacks have started at least 20 games that were decided by eight points or fewer in the past five seasons. Rivers' 38 percent winning percentage is third-worst, ahead of only Blake Bortles(32.3 percent) and Josh McCown (25 percent).

Lynn made it a point of emphasis for Rivers to take care of the football last season, and he obliged, finishing with 10 interceptions -- his lowest interception total for a season since 2009.

However, Rivers had six of those picks in two games against the Chiefs, who the Chargers will face in Week 1. The Chargers have an eight-game losing streak to the Chiefs.

"It's like, golly, whether I admit it or not -- because I think it's become cliché when people say they're trying to do too much -- but, naturally when you're 4-12 and 5-11, and you have the things that were going wrong with us, you want to will wins," Rivers said. "And it's all good intent. The intent is good -- it's because you're competitive and all of those traits that are good -- but it usually it doesn't work.

"It's like, 'OK, good, but throw it here and let us see what happens next,' instead of making something happen that's probably not going to work."

Chargers quarterbacks coach Shane Steichen says Rivers' preparation is what sets him apart, allowing him to be a dynamic playmaker on game days.

"He's obsessed with it," Steichen said. "That's all it is, is football. And I think in his mind it's like, 'Shoot, I've only got so much longer to play this game.' And who knows how much longer he's going to play. If he plays for five more years then, 'I'm shoot, gosh dang, I'm going to put all of my energy into it.'

"You can tell from his rookie year until now, he just doesn't get bored with anything. I mean we can talk about a curl route for three hours, and how we want to run it: 'I want to get back into it. This is the footwork on it.' That's how important it is to him."

Ceding leadership

Rivers was part of a foundational group of leaders during the team's dominant seasons from 2006 to 2009 that included LaDainian Tomlinson, Shawne Merriman, Nick Hardwick, Kris Dielman and Antonio Gates.

However, at 36 years old, Rivers has ceded some of that leadership to younger players such as Melvin Ingram, Russell Okung, Keenan Allen and Jahleel Addae.

"It's a young group, so it's kind of kept me young," Rivers said. "And I've enjoyed that. Rather than being the old, salty vet that is in there saying, 'Hey, get in here and watch the tape,' and all of that -- yeah, we've got to work, but these young guys are funny, you know what I mean?

"I just kind of enjoy it. My core group is gone, and there's a new core group. And I love these guys. Norv told me that," he said of former Chargers head coach Norv Turner. "He said you're going to go through your time, and all of sudden you're going to look up and all of your guys are going to be gone, and then it's going to be different for a little bit. [Dan] Fouts went through it and used to tell me the same thing, and I've felt that the last, two years."

Although he is a little long in the tooth, Chargers defensive tackle Damion Square said Rivers still relates to the younger players.

"He's the same guy," Square said. "He prepares the same way. The locker room changed a lot in this organization, and it changes a lot. But Phil just learns to adapt with everybody, you know what I mean? He gets in with the young guys, the guys that have been here for four or five years like me.

"He's probably the lone ranger as far as long as he's been here minus Gates right now. So he's still a locker room guy. He doesn't separate himself from us, and I've been in places where I felt that was the situation. He's in the mix with us. He's a team player. He's a kid. He does a good job of accepting everyone for who they are and figuring out a way to laugh with all of the guys, get in all of the jokes."

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Chargers are the team to beat in the AFC West. However, Rivers believes his team will handle the role of frontrunner just fine.

The Chargers have not won the AFC West since 2009, and only he and Gates remain.

"Our team's going to stay hungry," Rivers said. "Yeah, we finished strong, but we haven't won the division since 2009. You know how many guys that are on this team that won the division in 2009? Not many."

 

[bubbaramfan]

Is Rivers' limo "wheelchair accessable"?

 

[HX76]

8 kids!! Rivers of cum by the looks of it.

 

[Farr Be It]

Still the traders made em look pretty pedestrian in the first half of their game.I personally think watching Goff that the key to victory is puttin pressure on him.Can we do that successfully?We will see.
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Does he mean “traitors”? Or does he know the difference?

Upon rewatching vs Bills in Condensed Slo Mo Stop Action,

I am convinced that our offense is capable of staying with LAR.

Yeah. All the Rams have to do is trade away our all star defense, and pick up the Bills starting defense and your offense will be right there with us, slick!

 

[Prime Time]

A real class post by the OP of this thread. Best fan base we've come across in a long time.
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http://www.thepowderblues.com/forum...e-los-angeles-chargers-forum/557351-rams-week

Rams Week

Huge game. No question. No Bosa really hurts us on D. This is a great team we are playing. I dont buy the fight for LA BS. Just a stupid Spanos media spinner. But i do believe our players fight for each other in the face of so much hatred from former fans and the media. As well as other teams fans.

Nobody gives us a shot this week. And i think we play better that way. I hope our guys can feel the doubt all across the board and fight. You know i just want to compete against these guys. They are the crown jewel in LA. There is no denying it. From a football standpoint. Raiders are not there. So they dont matter. We are the little bitches. The tennants like they call us. I dont mind the David vs Goliath role.

I love Rams fans. They are a testy bunch. And for good reason...they have fielded a bunch of great teams in the past. The only time we have ever had other teams fans sign up here to talk smack was the last time we played them in a regular season game. That was a lot of fun. There was a lot of shade being thrown on both sides. And course we had no chance.

But thats what fans typically think right? It was nice to get the win that year. It was nice for them to stick around and admit the better team won that week. Cheers to Rams fans and heres to a good fight. I hope both teams can come out of this with health in tact.

This is a really good Rams team though. Much better team than the last time we played them. The trenches are where games are won and lost. And we better have our A game or it will be tough. These guys are solid in the trenches no question.

I know most think we were shut down last week by the Bills in the 2nd half. I tend to think we came out and abandoned our script in the 2nd half. Just to keep less of our playbook off the film. McVay and Wade are extremely smart coaches. Lets hope we can rise to the challenge. We will attempt to do things nobody has seen thats for sure.

Rivers will have to do his thing. He will really have to make good calls at the line on every snap. We all know Peters owns him. But Rivers has seen this Wade D a lot. Practiced against it a lot. He may know this D and its tendancies from a scheme POV more than any other style of D. This will be all about his adjustments.

And what he does at the line is one of the main reasons why many in the league consider him a probable Hall Of Famer. Keenan, Tyrelll, Mike Will, Benjamin taking the top off. Mix in Gordon and Ekeler in the passing game. I think we are in pass mode this game. Underneath stuff. Misdirection. Confusion. Or at least attempting to do that.

There is no question we have playmakers on offense. This OL is in for the fight of their lives. Lets hope Rivers can compensate. He has done it routinely throughout his career. Especially the last few years. Always under pressure.

Just one of those games where im hoping on Defense we are opportunistic. We have done well to start the season against the run but Gurley is a beast. Tempering expectations from us there. I think that offense is a lot like ours...teams can try and shut down one part of it but then they can adjust and kill you in so many other ways.

There is no question they will try to expose our youth. James, White, Nwosu etc. But the speed and all out abandonment could help us in a game like this. I just feel like we are such underdogs that we have nothing to fucking lose. Just fucking swing at these m***********s. Lets fight.

The interior DL of the Rams is obviously the best in the league. They have the best D in the league period. I fucking love that. I love that challenge. I want the best. I want to beat the best. Its what we need as a team. There is no fear here. We are what we are. A team loaded with talented players still trying to figure out how to beat a team in all 3 phases to earn a win.

We win a lot of our games without crushing teams. Without winning all 3 phases. We get lucky at times. Them not having Zeurlein could be an underrated absence in all honestly. lol Just a kicker i know. But he puts up like 30 points a week. lol.

To beat the Rams we will need to do everything better than we have. I think our players will come out fighting. They know we are underdogs by a lot. They know Rams fans think they suck. They know Rams fans think whats left of us fans are a joke. This team needs to fight for us. And i think they will.

I just want to compete man. Ive been waiting for this game for a while now. Its not about the Rams fans. Its not about fighting for LA. Its about turning the page as a team. Beating a team we are not supposed to beat.

Cheers to all of us here at TPB and cheers to Rams fans across the nation.
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I am happy with the fact that game prep can continue right through Saturday. We don't have to hop on a plane and fly across the country or none of that BS. I am hoping this will be a game that still has meaning come the 4th quarter. Unless of course we lead by 30 by that time.

Bring it......let's punch them in the nose and let's see what they've got. CMON SUNDAY!!!
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OK, I'll admit it---I am super-conflicted about this weekend's game.....& likely only Fleet & oip know why.

Even though I grew up in Texas, I was obsessed with the West Coast & ended up loving both the Chargers & the Rams (although I stopped following the Rams when they moved to St.Louis). With the Rams finally having moved back to LA, I may be the only dual-fanship (Chargers/Rams) poster here on this board. I realize this admission could potentially get me kicked out of here, but I had to come clean, lol.

I am actually going to the game, but I won't be rooting against either team....in other words, I am just going with the hopes of seeing a good game involving my 2 favorite players in the league (PR & Gurley). For possibly the first time ever, I may actually be hoping for a tie, which I realize is almost blasphemous.

Makes for a potentially miserable experience either way, but I am lucky that they don't play each other very often.

Please forgive me.......

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Hoping you have this problem in the super bowl. Cheers
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I do believe the Rams have a tremendous D, but I believe their weakness is on the outside of their DL. This a game where the signing of Pouncey will pay dividends going up against Suh & Donald. It's really too bad Lamp isn't healthy because this type of game is where he is needed. It should be a great chess match all the way around. Can't wait to watch
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I always liked the LA Rams, too. Some great defenses. Fred Dryer, the Youngbloods. Lawrence McCutcheon is probably my all time favorite Ram
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Man i used to pretend i was Youngblood in the 70s. Playing football in the living room with my brothers and friends. They had to run past me and dive into the pile of pillows. I had my little Rams jersey. I would literally "Jack" guys up. lol

You know in the 70s....the only youth toy football uniforms we could buy were the Rams and Cowboys. I liked the Rams colors better. So ive always kind of liked the Rams. I dont really dedicate my energy to any other teams. But the Saints became a team i liked a lot when Brees went there.

I have to admit though. When the rams came back to So Cal i felt like i had an NFC team. Then the whole fight for LA bs. Just felt so lame from Spanos.

I am absolutely rooting for my Chargers over the Rams. But will also be pulling for the Rams in the NFC.
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McCutcheon was my favorite as well
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What Rams player are we going to beat down so much that he retires at halftime?
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Eric Dickerson. Oh wait, he'll just boycott the HOF!
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I like to kinda root for one team in every division
With that said
All this Ram-love is making me gag
hope we crush them en route to a blowout
I want all of LA and SD to see their Ram darlings on the ropes for 60 minutes
and while I don’t expect that, I would expect a win
if Bosa, Henry and Lamp were playing
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I feel similarly, though my story is a bit different. I grew up on a street called Via Sombras in Poway. My first exposure to meeting an NFL player in real life was this man.

Billy Waddy lived on my street while he was playing for the Rams. He taught all of us kids the rules of the game and gave us tips when we played Nerf football in the street.

So while I was already a veteran Charger fan of 8 years by 1981, I always rooted for Billy too.

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I don't mind the Rams. Never have.

That said, I hope the chargers destroy them this weekend.
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Okay I’m having a change of heart after reading all these cool stories of their connection with the Rams.

I think it’s pretty straight forward for me, I hate them because I’m afraid they’ll beat us down and give the SD haters like deafy here something to feel good about.

if that happens oh well, lick my wounds.

I usually watch games at home but I think I want to go out for this one. Represent my bolts here locally.

 

[Selassie I]

Ha

Looks like a bunch of them are trying to jump on The Ram bandwagon.

 

[dang]

Sorry but the Rams bandwagon is full. I hear the Raiders short bus has plenty of room.

 

[Akrasian]

Ha

Looks like a bunch of them are trying to jump on The Ram bandwagon.

Good. I want this game to be the start of driving the Chargers from LA, and either back to SD or perhaps up to Sacramento or somewhere - anywhere that isn't in the greater LA area.

 

[bubbaramfan]

I really liked that first post. Pretty down to earth bunch. Huge difference from the last two fanbases.

 

[KayJay]

I shouldn't even bother with this, just sounds like the last two weeks. Look, truth is our opponents have been lacking. However the problem with that narrative is the fact the Rams overcame their slow start with the Raiders in a big way. They all said the team was flying blind. They had no idea what Gruden was going to throw at them. Rams didn't play a single preseason game with their offense which virtually means they had no rhythm in terms of in-game speed. Then, the Cardinals, AN ACTUAL NFL TEAM; didn't pass midfield until the last 3 minutes of the game. They didn't even get a garbage TD.

What am I getting at? The Rams are a complete team who know what they are. We aren't going through an identity crisis. We are more talented on paper than the Chargers. Goff is a top ten, if not just outside the top ten quarterbacks. Rivers is the same. However we are going up against a defense that has allowed 21 points by the Bills. With the shut out against the Cardinals, can you honestly say you see the Bills putting up the same amount of points against us? You can make an educated guess that the answer is no. Bottom line is, we are a more complete team than they are.

Vegas has them underdogs for a reason. So I don't know why they feel so insulted about being just that. Doesn't mean we'll automatically win, its just that the Rams know who they are on offense and defense. If we lose, then obviously we have things to improve on. But until then, we've got a Gurley, Peters and a Donald, they don't. Simple mathematics, I'm out. See you Sunday Chargers fans.

 

[Loyal]

"I usually watch games at home but I think I want to go out for this one. Represent my bolts here locally."

Ok, that makes 15 Charger fans in the stands...

 

[T-REX]

 

[MrRiceGuyRJ]

I think I liked it more when we were playing under the radar. Every game is a trap game it seems. I just hope we don't look past any team. Chargers aren't as bad as they've looked thus far.

 

[Canuckramsfan]

A real pleasure for this Canuck reading about the US military backgrounds of some posters here. Thank you for your service!!

For a couple of reasons, you will never find a more pro-American Canadian than me:
1. My parents escaped from Stalin's Communist Hungary after WWII. So...I KNOW who threw Communism into the dust-bin of history where it belongs.....it wasn't the Brits, it sure wasn't the Frogs.....no, no....IT WAS THE GOOD OL' USA!!! Thank you Ronald Reagan...and thank you Cold War American Military Vets!!

2. As a Canadian Naval Officer during the Cold War, I had the privilege....and it really was A PRIVILEGE to exercise with USN Surface Units off San Diego back in the summer of 1977. I will never forget how gracious the American Officers (including some Admirals) were towards us, and how I was so glad we were on the same side with America against the Ruskies!

To all Americans, I say this:
The vast majority of Canadians truly value our strong relationship with the USA, and identify with Americans, with whom we share a Continent! If you ever hear any anti-American statements coming out of Canada, just remember to discard it....as it is probably coming from some uneducated, unemployed Frenchman in Quebec!!!

Cheers from Vancouver, BC!!!

 

[norcalramfan]

A real pleasure for this Canuck reading about the US military backgrounds of some posters here. Thank you for your service!!

For a couple of reasons, you will never find a more pro-American Canadian than me:
1. My parents escaped from Stalin's Communist Hungary after WWII. So...I KNOW who threw Communism into the dust-bin of history where it belongs.....it wasn't the Brits, it sure wasn't the Frogs.....no, no....IT WAS THE GOOD OL' USA!!! Thank you Ronald Reagan...and thank you Cold War American Military Vets!!

2. As a Canadian Naval Officer during the Cold War, I had the privilege....and it really was A PRIVILEGE to exercise with USN Surface Units off San Diego back in the summer of 1977. I will never forget how gracious the American Officers (including some Admirals) were towards us, and how I was so glad we were on the same side with America against the Ruskies!

To all Americans, I say this:
The vast majority of Canadians truly value our strong relationship with the USA, and identify with Americans, with whom we share a Continent! If you ever hear any anti-American statements coming out of Canada, just remember to discard it....as it is probably coming from some uneducated, unemployed Frenchman in Quebec!!!

Cheers from Vancouver, BC!!!

My dads family is from P.E.I.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Dang it Canuck, you don't post enough anymore. I miss your expert use of the yellow guys.

And thank YOU for your service.:cheers: