Bleacher Report - Articles by Sam Wilson

Running on Empty?: The Truth About LaDainian Tomlinson

Sam Wilson — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:53:49 -0500

The recent form of the San Diego Chargers has heralded a great deal of criticism for a team that was expected to challenge for a place in the Super Bowl this season. Many factors have played a part in this downturn and the resulting 5-8 record: the stuttering defence, the jittery offense and injured players.

But one issue has been lingering in the back of my mind: What is going on with LT?

Arguably the Chargers' most recognised talent and the scourge of defensive coordinators in the NFL for the past seven seasons, LaDainian Tomlinson seems to be taking it easy this year.

The San Diego running game has faltered this year, there is no doubt about it but is it because LT has hit the wall? Did we seen the best of LT under Marty Schottenheimer's coaching when the Chargers made it 14-2 back in the 2005 season?

The shortened answer is no.

I think LT has plenty more in the tank but he isn't the only problem that has shaken San Diego to a pitiful 5-8 record and held him to a measly 885 yards. One of the most significant problems is that this year San Diego have struggled and almost immediately Tomlinson has come under fire and taken a huge amount of the criticism that should rightfully rest with the other members of the team and the coaching staff.

One man cannot carry an NFL team to the playoffs—it doesn't matter what position, it doesn't matter how old they are, its just not possible. Players standout in a team, but then when a team doesn't perform you cant lay the blame at the feet of the standout players such as LT.

This year coming into the regular season the San Diego outfit saw a whole heap of significant changes that have contributed to the running game being at its worst since LT's rookie season.

Take the departure of Michael Turner to the Falcons in the offseason. Many will say that Turner was destined to leave, that he couldn't sit in LT's shadow much longer and look what hes doing in Atlanta, having a breakout season. But Turner's ability brought in a reliable rest bite for LT and gave the running game that extra something which this season they have sorely missed.

However I think perhaps the most significant reason for the faltering running game is the loss of Lorenzo Neal to the Ravens. The Chargers thought that at 37, the veteran fullback had little left to offer the team, how wrong they were.

In losing Neal the Chargers took away Tomlinson's lead blocker, a fullback who was essentially another quicker lineman, who had paved the way for LT's running success in their five-year backfield partnership. Consequently LT has failed to find the same success running behind rookies Tolbert and Hester who don't yet have the same physically presence as the monstrous Neal.

As Schottenheimer mentioned in a recent interview, "I feel bad for some of those guys. LaDainian Tomlinson is taking so much of the blame. I don’t like that."

This blame which LT is shouldering has undoubtedly taken its toll on his performance.I believe that last nights rout of the Oakland Raiders will not only improve team moral, but lift some of this responsibility from LT and improve his performances in the final weeks of the season.

Whilst there is only a fraction of hope that the Chargers will reach the playoffs, I believe that putting together a winning streak in these final weeks can bring out the best in the West Coast team and the best in their Pro Bowl running back. LT is far from done yet.

Watch this space.

Not Living Up to the Hype: Why Have the San Diego Chargers Stumbled in '08?

Sam Wilson — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:36:34 -0500

The beginning of this year promised so much for the San Diego Chargers and Bolts fans everywhere, after an 11-5 season and a strong showing in the '07/'08 playoffs, the team seemed certain for another trip to the playoffs and much more.

But at just past the midway point this season commentators and fans alike are scratching they're heads and wondering what the hell has gone wrong. The Chargers now stand at 5-6 and a momentous task to reach the playoffs.

So what has changed in the San Diego camp? Well for a start injuries. Every team suffers injuries during the season, it's an accepted part of American Football, but the Chargers have lost a very significant piece to their puzzle, Shawne Merriman.

When the Pro Bowl Outside Linebacker was originally placed on the IR back in September, it seemed like a set back, but one which a team with such a pool of talented players could beat.

It seems, however, that the loss of Merriman has proved to be more significant than most thought, the San Diego defence, which seemed formidable last season, now ranks 14th against the rush and dead last against the pass, which in turn led to the sacking of former Defensive Coordinator Ted Cottrell.

But Rome wasn't built in a day, and although the Chargers' defence has seen signs of improvement, it still isn't a shadow of its former self.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, things haven't been going too great either. QB Philip Rivers has continued to grow into a great player and has had glimmers of brilliance as the season has progressed, but you get the feeling the San Diego really need to go shopping for a talented WR in the offseason.

Dont get me wrong I have been incredibly impressed by Vincent Jackson so far this season (seeing him make that TD catch at Wembley was one of my sporting highlights this year, despite the loss), but Chris Chambers has been hammered by niggling injuries and has completely failed to be a viable option for Rivers.

Malcolm Floyd has impressed in recent weeks and is on-course for a career high season, but there needs to be greater consistency in the position to maximise the offence.

Perhaps one of the most concerning aspects of the San Diego Offence is the performance of one LaDainian Tomlinson. L.T. is struggling this season so far only achieving 686 yards on the ground, which is poor for the Pro Bowl RB who hasn't done so badly since his rookie season.

Something has to give.

The remainder of the season is one that could go either way for the Chargers, either they will put together a winning streak to make the playoffs or they will slump to one of the poorest records in recent history. Down the stretch they have a pretty good lineup with six games left, four at home, and several of those against struggling opposition such as Oakland, Kansas, and Denver.

But the winning has to start this week against Peyton Manning and the Colts, and unless we see a W in the column for this week, I don't see the Chargers going to the playoffs, and I definitely don't see Norv Turner at the helm next season.

Earth Dream? What About Winning Races?

Sam Wilson — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 05:01:16 -0400

With only four more dates remaining on this seasons formula one calendar Lewis Hamilton is fighting off competition to remain at the top of the Drivers Championship and claim his maiden Championship title. Meanwhile down in 18th place with only 3 points, Jenson Button has endured yet another season of engine problems, breakdowns and a Honda car that just hasn't delivered.

This season promised to be something new for the struggling Honda outfit, with the addition of former Ferrari technical chief Ross Brawn as team boss and the unveiling of the new RA108, the teams aim was to consistently score points this season.

With the expectations of the British public now firmly placed on the shoulders of Lewis Hamilton, many perceived that Jenson Buttons performance would improve without the nagging scrutiny of the British media.

But this season the Honda package has failed to live up to the challenge yet again with the team scoring only 14 points overall, mostly due to a well driven race by Button's teammate Barichello to take third place at Silverstone.

The issue that is constantly gnawing in the back of my head when I watch Jenson Button is "imagine what he could do in a better car," there is no doubt the guy has talent (he wouldn't be driving a F1 car for a living if he didn't) but I would long to see him in even a reasonably competitive car rather than battling with the likes of Force India cars at the back of the grid!

So it would seem there is a long road ahead for Honda in formula one, it would seem that next season is almost make or break as they need to put out a competitive package to keep Button in a Honda car. I'm hoping that under Ross Brawn the team can put together a car that can fulfill Jenson Button's dreams in Formula One, then we can think about the "Earth Dreams" afterward.

Can the Golden Boy of English Rugby Give Wasps Back Their Sting?

Sam Wilson — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:22:19 -0400

The start to the 2008/09 Guinness Premiership campaign hasn't gone exactly to plan for the reigning champions with a combination of injuries, losses and disciplinary hearings. So far this season London Wasps have managed to lose all three premiership outings leaving them lingering in an unfamiliar place at the bottom of the table, however there could be a light at the end of hopefully a very short tunnel.

Danny Cipriani, the Professional Rugby Players Association Young Player of the Year, is back in the Wasps fold after suffering what was considered a near career threatening injury back in May against Bath in the Premiership playoffs.

Cipriani shot to fame last year when his combination of raw talent, speed, and rugby vision helped Wasps from a struggling mid table to the playoffs last season and this was just the start. The young Wasp went on to be picked for Brian Ashton's 2008 Six Nations squad and then to take the place of 2003 hero Jonny Wilkinson in the starting lineup for the Ireland match which England went on to win 33-10, the first Six Nations victory over the Irish since 2003.

It seemed that England had found a new talisman and for the first time in long, long time England fans were anticipating the summer tour to New Zealand, to see what the newly revitalized squad could do against the mighty All Blacks.

Alas, for Cipriani it was not to be, during the playoff game with Bath the young Fly-half suffered a horrific ankle fracture-dislocation after being trapped at the bottom of a ruck, putting him out of action until October.

What happened over the summer was somewhat reminiscent of the 1998 tour of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa dubbed the "Tour from Hell," as England went on to lose the Test series 2 - 0.

But with the autumn internationals fast approaching, Martin Johnson for one will be pleased to see Cipriani's almost remarkable recovery coming to an end much sooner than anticipated, as will the Wasps coach Ian McGeechan whos team will be glad for the moral boost going into a huge clash with Premiership leaders Leicester on the weekend.

With Cipriani targeting a return as soon as Wasps midweek fixture against Bath on the 1st October, many a Wasps fan will be gripped to their seats anticipating the successful return of the youngster to a black and gold jersey.

San Diego Chargers So Far: Boom or Bust?

Sam Wilson — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 22:50:28 -0400

This year's build up to the new NFL season created a distinct euphoria around the San Diego Chargers, with many claiming that they are destined for the playoffs and, potentially, Super Bowl glory. But, so far, that has failed to materialize, with the Chargers losing their first two games.

Last season, when the Bolts were plagued by injuries (TE Antonio Gates, RB LaDainian Tomlinson, and QB Philip Rivers to name a few), they still managed an 11-5 season and a playoff journey culminating in an AFC title defeat at the hands the New England Patriots.

Over the summer the combination of the injured players regaining fitness, some promising draft picks, and a 3-1 preseason all gave hope to all Chargers fans. These things served only to bolster the high opinions many commentators had of what seemed to be a polished San Diego outfit.

However, only a week into the new season, it was revealed that Pro Bowl outside linebacker Shawne Merriman had suffered a season-ending knee ligament injury that immediately dented the potency of the Chargers defense.

Although the loss of Merriman is a loss to the Chargers defense, they still retain a number of high caliber players on their depth chart, including Antonio Cromartie, Quentin Jammer, Luis Castillo, and Shaun Phillips. These players have the potential to cripple some of the best running and passing offenses in the league.

But this potential is yet to show, as both of the losses this season have come from last-minute defensive errors that have cost them the game. And although some fans or critics will say that the defeat to the Denver Broncos was a result of poor referee decisions, as a devout Chargers fan even I cannot defend the fact that after the referees decision the defense failed to defend the TD and then the humiliating two-point conversion that won the game.

Whilst the defense may be facing some early season jitters, the offense, for the most part, is functioning well under the command of a seemingly revitalized Phillip Rivers.

After the Super Bowl it seemed that in the 2004 draft the Chargers had lost a winning QB in Eli Manning (First overall pick by the Chargers, but traded to the Giants after he refused to sign with San Diego), but after knee surgery at the end of the '07 season Rivers seems to be showing signs of the form that took him to the College Senior Bowl in 2003.

This, combined with wideouts Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson and the fitness of Pro Bowl TE Antonio Gates, has vastly improved the potential of the Chargers' passing game.

Pivotal to the Chargers' game plan, of course, is LaDainian Tomlinson; the record holding Pro Bowl running back has run for over 1,200 yards and made over 50 receptions in each of his seven seasons in San Diego. However, last season LT was blighted with an injury in the playoffs that restricted him to only two carries against the Patriots in the AFC title game.

LT failed to take part in the 2008 preseason due to this injury, but was fully fit for the start of the regular season; or so it seemed. It has now emerged that in week one against the Carolina Panthers, LT suffered a toe injury which limited him in week two. Indications are that it will do so again against the Jets on Monday night, leaving backup Darren Sproles carrying the load.

Sproles, having posted a record game with 125 yards and two TD's might not be such a bad choice, but it will undoubtedly dent the team's confidence.

So the looming question is, does this set the tone for the rest of the season for the San Diego Chargers? Are they, with one of the best teams in the league on paper, going to falter yet again and fail to live up to the hype?

Personally I think what we have seen so far is merely a glimmer of the team's true potential. Once they turn the page on these controversial losses and iron out the mistakes that are proving to be so costly, we will see them rebuild their campaign and most likely find themselves in the playoffs in a position to go all the way.

Let's all just hope that lightning cant strike twice—oh wait it already has—well, keep your fingers crossed for week three then!