Bolts From The Blue

Brian Banks Not Guilty of Rape, Still Hoping to Play for NFL's Chargers After 10-Year Ordeal

2012-05-25T22:02:08Z

Brian Banks Not Guilty of Rape, Still Hoping to Play for NFL's Chargers After 10-Year Ordeal

Found this on Darren Smith's Facebook page. I totally agree when Darren says "Chargers are crazy if they don't give this guy a shot. Nothing to lose here but a few weeks of hotel bills."

Who Is Most Responsible for the San Diego Chargers Success in 2012?

2012-05-25T20:29:59Z

I was talking to a BFTBer last night and he asked me, point blank, if the San Diego Chargers are going to be good in 2012. I knew what he meant, were they going to be better? Were they going to make the playoffs? Would they have a chance at the Super Bowl?

I thought about it for a second, explained to him that I don't think A.J. Smith and the Chargers' front office could've possibly done a better job in the offseason than what they did, and then said "We'll see. It's up to David Chao, I guess." That was my snarky way of saying that the biggest thing standing in the Bolts' way was health.

A minute later, I changed my tune a little bit. "It's not all up to Chao. Ryan Mathews needs to have a big year. Ingram needs to be good. The offensive line needs to play to their potential." I drifted off, realizing that a lot of things had to go right for the Chargers to be considered championship contenders this season. I finally settled on "The most important person for the Chargers this year is John Pagano, who is also the biggest question mark. If he can be half of what his brother was as a Defensive Coordinator, the Chargers will be championship contenders. I think. Maybe."

Anyway, my indecision has lead me to use one of my lifelines and poll the audience (that's you!). Have at it.

Poll

Who Is Most Responsible for the San Diego Chargers Success in 2012?

Scouting Report: WR Robert Meachem

2012-05-25T16:01:20Z

A.J. Smith unexpectedly went after a wide receiver in free agency as soon as Vincent Jackson departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That receiver was former New Orleans Saint Robert Meachem. Drafted in 2007 just two picks before Craig "Buster" Davis, Meachem in his third year showed to be a very capable receiver for 3 straight seasons in the Saints' quick strike pass offense. He averaged 43 receptions for 660 yards and almost 7 touchdowns per season. Those numbers are quite similar to Vincent Jackson's 2006 season. Interestingly, he's only started about half of the games he's played in due to being on a roster with Marques Colston, Devery Henderson and Lance Moore. That is because New Orleans' offensive attack has mostly consisted of having four #2 receivers on the field rather than a #1 receiver and then a #2 and #3. But then that makes us wonder, is he capable of being a #1 receiver in San Diego's offense the way Vincent Jackson was? Let's find out.

Robert Meachem

#12 / Wide Receiver / San Diego Chargers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 210

Born: Sep 28, 1984

College: Tennessee

Let's start with what we know about Meachem. He's fast. 4.4 flat in the 40 yard dash. He's got good hands, and he's very efficient with his receptions. We also know he didn't get much playing time in New Orleans, as about half of his games he had very little to no production statistically speaking. I like to look at the positives, so we're going to look at a few plays and see how well he'll fit into Norv Turner's offense. We'll also break down his strengths and techniques. First:

Catching ability

Some people criticized Vincent Jackson for making too many "body" catches and rightfully so, as not every pass requires a possession catch. Robert Meachem catches however it is necessary to do so. Making great off-balance catches with his hands as seen in the first pics, and the possession catches when he needs to secure a pass. Occasionally has lapses and drops passes. Last year he twice had a pass bounce off his hands and result in interceptions.

Route Running

He's very good on comeback routes because he has quick feet. He uses his hands well to get off coverage. However, despite his quick feet he's not always great at sharp cuts for dig routes. Norv loves to call those routes, so we'll see how that develops. He's a very good receiver against a cover 2 defense, since his speed allows him to hit open field quickly for a 20-30 yard reception (see pic). He is dangerous on shallow crossing routes due to quick hands picking out passes and speed to pick up yards. Finally, he plays well against off coverage and can sell deep routes.

Notice the 2 defenders in yellow circles. Since Meachem has speed, unlike Vincent Brown, he can run past a defender and have a window for a reception more often than a slower receiver. Floyd would just out-jump them so having both players on each side on a 3 vertical route play would be deadly.

Ball Handling/Running

Meachem isn't afraid of contact, though he does look for the sidelines when it's the better option. That's the smart thing to do since Floyd usually gets hurt making a ridiculous circus catch anyway. He sometimes loses his grip on the ball and has had a few fumbles early in his career, and close calls as well. He's been better (or luckier, depending on your POV) as of late, but the close calls are still there. He can run the ball on end arounds and similar plays but he hasn't been spectacular doing so. A true wide receiver. He usually protects the ball when inside the field, and that's what he should continue to do.

Versatility

Robert Meachem can line up at any receiver position, and did. Wide or slot or offset on either side of the formation, strong or weak. This is great because it adds the dimension of unknown to the offense. Opposing defenses will not know if the playcall is a run or pass simply based off of his position on the field or placement in the formation. This will certainly give Norv Turner an advantage. Like a smart receiver, Meachem recognizes when a play breaks down and looks for a spot to sit in and wait for a pass. This will prove valuable when Rivers is running for his life without Dielman to protect him. He also adjusts to coverage changes well, but sometimes runs into a lane where he can't get a pass safely thrown to him. It could just be New Orleans' system but if not, he may struggle against good defensive teams like Baltimore and New York or even Denver with their vicious pass rush. Antonio Gates seems to always know how to get a throwing lane opened up and if Meachem can improve he could be much more difficult to cover even in complex coverage schemes.

Verdict

Good off-season acquisition. I have my doubts, but I honestly think that by the end of the year, Philip Rivers and Robert Meachem could be a very successful combination. With an elite quarterback like El Capitan, I'm pretty sure even I could catch a few passes in a game. I will go ahead and predict 64 catches for 1010 yards. If he's everything I'm hoping he could be then he could easily be an 80 catch 1200 yard receiver but let's not get too excited. Robert Meachem could also be no better than a regular #2. He's never had a 7 or 9 catch game. He's had only one 10 catch, 8 catch and 6 catch game in his career. He's mostly been someone who catches 2 or 3 passes per game while occasionally getting 4 or 5 as frequently as he gets 1 or no catches. Again, this could be the system he played in but he will be expected to catch at least 4 or 5 passes on a per game basis as a Charger. More when teams decide to put maximum effort into stopping Antonio Gates. If he can handle those expectations, then Philip Rivers can turn him into a Pro Bowl receiver.

Poll

Will Robert Meachem perform better than he did in New Orleans?

San Diego Chargers Daily Links: May 25, 2012

2012-05-25T12:01:07Z

'The NFL Beat': The End of the Super Agent - Alex Dunlap
Rosenhaus would like you to think he has been busy getting LeSean McCoy's deal wrapped up, recently solidifying (via a large contract extension) the young running back's future with the Eagles franchise at the position. What he might not like you to know is that he has been just as busy losing clients lately. London Fletcher, Beanie Wells, and Willis McGahee, among many others. By my count, Rosenhaus has lost close to 20 clients during this offseason alone.

Chargers: Dream/nightmare scenario - Matt Williamson
What if Mathews gets hurt? In a dream scenario, Mathews could have as strong a season as any running back in the NFL. But his injury history is very troubling, the Chargers have very little behind him and their offensive line ranks among the worst in the league right now. The offensive line could be the downfall of the entire team and could easily lead to injuries to the Chargers’ most important players, Rivers and Mathews.

New face in the crowd - Jamaal LaFrance
It has been nearly a decade since new San Diego outside linebacker Jarret Johnson was one of the new faces in the huddle.

Overanalyzing President Obama’s Passing Form - Dan Amira
This is obviously some kind of long-ball throw," Brown continues, "and it's a common technique on long throws for the passer to point his shoulder slightly upwards so that he has a higher release point to get more arc under the throw. But unless he's trying to take out one of the lights in the stadium, I'm not sure even he knows where that ball is going to land."

Around Fantasyland: WR injuries - William Del Pilar
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Meachem underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee after the season after he injured it in the season finale and it had caused issues in the playoffs. It has not affected his offseason, and he remains a solid draft-day value as the Chargers' new No. 1 receiver.

LT to host camp in San Marcos - Annie Heilbrunn
Former Charger running back LaDainian Tomlinson was in town recently to speak at Junior Seau's "Celebration of Life" and afterward talked passionately about his upcoming football camp.

BFTB After Dark: May 24, 2012

2012-05-25T01:33:17Z

Yeah, so our fearless leader was busy or something today and I guess that means I'm doing this. It's only fair since he did the links one day this week. Let's hope I can do as crappy of a job at this as he did at that.

My understanding is that these don't have to be about football so this won't be. Bloody Elbow pays me to do the USA Today / MMA Nation Consensus Rankings, but not to write about the sport because I have nothing worthwhile to contribute. However, since having nothing to contribute is basically the point of this particular series of posts, here are my predictions for the main card of UFC 146 on Saturday (impress your friends by saying the opposite of what I say) after the jump:

Today's Posts:

San Diego Chargers Daily Links: May 24, 2012

San Diego Chargers Positional Analysis: Inside Linebackers

Stefan Struve vs. Lavar Johnson

Struve is just better than Johnson and has an enormous reach advantage. He should win easily but will probably get knocked out because he has a fight IQ lower than the actual IQ of the average Raiders fan. Struve by submission anyway.

Stipe Miocic vs. Shane del Rosario

This fight is on the main card because they thought it would be cute to have all heavyweight bouts. I honestly don't care about this fight at all. Stipe Miocic by being foreign (and not fat).

Roy Nelson vs. Dave Herman

Big Country is so much better than Dave "Pee Wee" Herman; it's ridiculous. If Roy Nelson doesn't win this fight by whatever he wants, I'll just be shocked. Big Country by smothering Herman with his enormous gut.

Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Silva

This is Silva's UFC debut and Velasquez is coming off losing the UFC Heavyweight title. I'll take the former champ by decision.

Junior dos Santos vs. Frank Mir

JDS should destroy Frank Mir. Frank Mir by submission because I like being wrong.

San Diego Chargers Positional Analysis: Inside Linebackers

2012-05-24T18:10:04Z

Losses: Stephen Cooper, Na'il Diggs

Additions: Demorrio Williams

Returning: Takeo Spikes, Donald Butler, Jonas Mouton, Bront Bird, Andrew Gachkar

Projected Staters: Takeo Spikes, Donald Buter

Strengths:

Run defense: Both Spikes and Butler are explosive players and can use speed and power to get to ball carriers. Butler shows a lot of promise here having forced a couple fumbles last season and generally making a nuisance of himself against opposing blockers.
Depth: The Chargers have a fair number of bodies at this position now, but whether it's quality depth remains to be seen. The return of Mouton from injury and Williams having a full camp with the team (as opposed to Diggs last year who was signed early in the season) will help create a rotation sorely missed last season. Bird has a little experience under his belt now and it remains to be seen if Gachkar can play anything other than special teams.

Weaknesses:

Pass rush: Spikes and Bulter combined for 3 sacks last year. Spikes has never had more than 6 sacks in a season and Butler is not supposed to be a premier pass rusher. Neither is Mouton. Burnett had 6 in 2011, so the unit lost something there.
Coverage: Spikes had been praised for good coverage in past seasons, but did not show it last year. Butler may have some upside in this area since he has the speed to do it.

San Diego Chargers Daily Links: May 24, 2012

2012-05-24T12:01:24Z

Chargers are division underdogs in Vegas - Kevin Acee & Michael Gehlken
I couldn't care less about predictions," Smith said Wednesday afternoon. "It's fun to do, and it stimulates conversation ... As far as the division race is concerned, I know this, it will be very difficult to win the West. The Broncos are defending champs, and they added Peyton Manning. The Raiders and the Chiefs are much better. The Broncos are led by one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. I just hope the Broncos don't run away with the division and leave the rest of us behind in the dust."

NFL Players Association files collusion claim against league - Jim Trotter
For the second time in 17 months, the Players Association has filed a collusion claim against the NFL, alleging that owners sought to suppress wages in 2010 when there was no salary cap.

Shaping the Slot - Steve Palazzolo
It used to be a knock on a wide receiver. Putting him in the slot was like saying he was not good enough to beat the best cornerbacks in the league. Young receivers are often unprepared to handle the bump coverage associated with playing on the outside and playing in the slot represents a quick way to see the field early in their career.

Kaeding back in swing of things - Scott Bair
Nate Kaeding was at Chargers Park late Monday morning, doing box jumps a track star would be proud of. The Chargers kicker can flat elevate, using the lower body power and spring expected of a player at his position.

NFL Future Power Rankings - Trent Dilfer, Mel Kiper, Gary Horton, Matt Williamson (Insider)
The 2011 campaign was a crossroads season for Philip Rivers. Now 30, this coming season could help define the direction for his career. He hasn't won a playoff game since 2008, even as he has put up big numbers. I expect him to bounce back from a 20-INT 2011, but he needs help -- TE Antonio Gates can't play forever.

NFL Players Would Support Gay Teammate - John Gennaro
America, and the NFL, is eventually going to get past its closed-minded view on homosexuality (relatively) the same way it eventually worked past civil rights issues (relatively). Instead of me explaining what I mean, let's see the beginnings of it with Ahman Green (continued after the jump because it's fairly long)...

Bel-Air - Randall Munroe
Aaron Sorkin has been tapped to write the TV movie about the aging prince's eventual election to Pat Toomey's Senate seat, currently titled either 'FRESHman Senator' or 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.'

BFTB After Dark: May 23, 2012

2012-05-24T00:00:28Z

So the NFL Players' Association filed a lawsuit against the NFL today on grounds that the owners colluded to have a secret salary cap in 2010 (which was supposed to be an uncapped year). The NFL seems to have protected themselves from this exact lawsuit in the current CBA, but I guess the NFLPA is claiming that the punishments dished out to the Redskins and Cowboys proves that this collusion actually happened.

Either way, I'm not smart enough to figure out the entire situation or even write about it intelligently. Jim Trotter, however, is. Here's how he laid it out.

Today's Posts:

Nine Inch Nails - Every Day Is Exactly The Same (via PaulGuyet)