Enemy On The Plank: San Diego Chargers
By Josh Hill
Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE
Each week we sit down with an opposing blogger to get the other side of the story when it comes to who the Buccaneers play on Sunday. This week we sit down with Ernie Pardon from Bolt Beat, as he discusses facing Vincent Jackson for the first time, if the clock is ticking on Philip Rivers time in San Diego and how the Chargers are planning on beating the Buccaneers.
1. I wrote a column at the beginning of the season saying the Philip Rivers era in San Diego needed to come to an end if he doesn’t win this season. After seeing Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger win four Super Bowls between them, would you be opposed to the Chargers drafting a quarterback this year?
If he keeps making the mistakes that he has been making and making bad decisions, then it might be time to bring in someone. Still don’t think there will be a quarterback change around these parts for a while. Philip has a strong reputation and we have lost some key players around him. The team needs to surround him with more talent.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————-
2. I was super high on Ryan Mathews when the Chargers drafted him, but he’s really sort of stayed under the radar. Why is that?
We don’t give him the ball. He fumbled earlier in the year and Norv Turner decided to put the dunce cap on him and sit him in a corner. Now he loses 3rd down and 2-minute warning snaps to Ronnie Brown and they take him out on goal line for Jackie Battle. The coaching staff is afraid of his fumbles.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————-
3. It seems every year this Chargers team is picked to go to the Super Bowl and finally break out, but they alway fizzle out. What’s holding this team back from being a SUper Bowl contender, or has everyone been giving the Bolts too much credit all these years?
This year we were nowhere near the Super Bowl contender status. Peyton Manning joined the division and people forgot about us. With strong quarterback play, teams always have a chance to get into the playoffs. All you have to do is get in, then anything can happen… Just look at the Giants.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————-
4. You knew this one was coming: the obligatory “How do you feel about facing Vincent Jackson” question. Is there a part of you that wants to run up the Bucs to rub it in to Jackson or is all the bad blood in my imagination?
Would love to shut Vincent Jackson down and destroy you guys. Part of that is because I would love to do that to every team, part is because VJ is there. Some fans want VJ to destroy us. There is so much animosity in this town towards AJ Smith and Norv Turner, that they root for former players to beat us down. We are fans and we do stupid things.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————-
5. Besides Doug Martin (and perhaps VJax), who on this Bucs roster would you steal away if you could and why?
Give me Carl Nicks, and that would be above the aforementioned. Our offensive line has struggled this year and would take all the help we can get here.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————-
6. Alright, money’s on the line: who wins on Sunday (in front of the crowd of seven people) and why do they win?
Chargers win. We will expose your pass defense and stop the little hamster. VJ might go off and it might be a shoot-out. In the end, Chargers leave town with a win.