Doug: Notes from Cardinals loss to Chargers

First quarter

Can’t believe Bengals lost…that’s atrocious

Clearly trying to establish Fitz early

Don’t underestimate the power of Hightower…he’s running so hard the defense will be softened up for Wells

I know why the ref threw the flag on the hold but I think you have to let that go. It was a hold though I just thought it was irrelevant to the play

What happened on the INT? Terrible pass but what was Fitz doing?

SD ball 9:30 in the 1st

Why does Sam Rosen have a job? He’s always either wrong or boring.

Here’s the problem with the previous hold call. There’s a hold on a SD WR on the screen pass that wasn’t called. I don’t think it should have drawn a flag but if you’re establishing the hold early, how does that get let go?

If you’re putting 8 in the box, can someone follow Gates across the formation?

Horrible start for the defense. D-line being completely controlled by SD O-line.

TD SD RIVERS TO GATES 7-0

It’s so easy to defend SD. Find Gates and cover him wherever he goes. AZ trying a different philosophy.

A-Dub got burnt bad. He can’t handle Gates in single coverage

Huge 3rd down conversion to Fitz…could go a long way for this game

How do you miss Williams? Terrible pass. Will was running a slant so why did DA throw it to the post?

Oooh…Hightower missed a block in pass protect leading to a sack…I can’t remember seeing him do that before

SD ball 1:09 in 1st

Look at that, Kevin Spenser getting some TV love

I thought Joey Porter was an aggressive attacking player yet he hangs back and gets eaten alive for a first down to a FB

Second quarter

Great kick out on Porter, he’s very easy to move today

Hey…off-sides on Porter…so he can’t tackle, he can’t stand up his blocker, and now he draws a penalty

FUMBLE!…great hit by Toler…nervous anticipation while we wait for the refs

Boy did AZ need this

7-7 abt 13min to go

Let me say this again in case I’m not good at these notes…A-dub can not cover Gates in single coverage

Didn’t this drive just start?

How are they at the 5 already?

SD TD

SD is putting on a clinic. Every defender gets blocked or over-pursues. The defense is atrocious

14-7 SD

Wells running over people

Great play by Cooper…ran through two blocks to make the tackle on Wells…why can’t someone on our defense do that

Terrible drop by my boy Williams

Yes Keith got blown by but that’s on DA…he’s telegraphing the snap count

Bad punt

7:44 in 1st half 14-7 TD

Let’s see if the defense can figure out who Gates is

Right now Bill Davis can’t match up with Norv Turner

How come all these RB’s we’ve never heard of become famous against AZ?

Good holding call…you have to call a double arm bar

You won’t believe this but Gates got open to set-up 3rd and 1

SD TD…I’m obviously asking too much for someone to cover Gates…when during the week did someone for AZ think, “let’s have Paris cover Gates”

21-7 SD 3:30 1stH

Pick 6

Are you not going to look to find the MLB before you make that throw?

28-7 SD 2:30 1st H

I guess it’s time for the future

I was actually impressed Max knew the 2 minute warning was approaching. That shows great awareness for any QB coming off the bench, let alone a rookie who’s experiencing the first regular season 2 minute warning.

Max looks completely in charge.

Sendlein has had a great season so I’ll give him a break on that sack but it was a bad sack to give up
Max must throw the ball there. He can’t take the second sack. You’ve got to stop the clock with an incomplete pass.

Great throw from Max great catch from Williams.

4th & 2

Check out the QB meeting. It was CKW Hall and Skelton.
Where was DA?

SD TO

I wouldn’t have went for that. Rookie QB and 2 rookie WR’s. You’re giving too much field position up to an offense that can easily score.

The only reason you go for that is to see how Hall can handle it.

Terrible decision by SD. How does Turner not take advantage of a chance to get 3 pts. You have one TO and the AZ defense has done nothing against you all game. Missed opportunity

28-7

Third quarter

Another big play given up by the defense on FB screen

Early TO from Rivers

Really DRC? You can’t cover Malcolm Floyd? 30 yard gain

Great tackle from Toler. He’s missed some assignments but he hasn’t missed any tackles

Need to hold SD to a FG if you’re going to win

Never mind…no pressure on the QB and another catch by Floyd

No gain but another off-sides on AZ

There’s still 25 minutes left in the game and SD is at 325y of O

Lenon didn’t make the tackle but pushed the blocks into Sproles

Watson in the game…Lenon saved a TD with the knockdown

Middle is wide open on 3rd & 3…rarely does Rivers not check into a better play but he really failed on that
check

WOW. Missed FG, went right over the top of the upright…gotta give the D credit

6 sacks for SD defense…no pressure on Rivers for AZ defense

3 and out

28-7 SD 7:30 in 3rd

Amazing…Rosen just said “wide-open Gates”

Another off-sides

Toler left his area and came on the delay…that had to be his own decision…great play by a young player

FG is good 31-7 SD

Thought LSH was going to break that one

I expected more on special teams

O-line is getting embarrassed

Don’t believe JAX is winning

Wells and Fanaca combine for Max’s fumble. That’s not on
Max at all

1st play TD

A-dub’s worst game

38-7 SD 1:31

It’s amazing how bad this division is

Great straight arm from Will

Levi Brown is a complete waste of time

What’s Rosen talking about? Going back to DA? The guy is clueless. The only reason you put DA back in is to get Fitz out. If you want to protect Fitz, put DA back in so he gets the crap beat out of him. The best decision is
to allow Fitz and Hall to work together.

Fourth quarter

I can’t believe how wrong I was about this defense.

Great tackle by DRC even though Rosen gave the credit to Toler

7 catches for Gates for 144 yards…guess AZ didn’t know much about him since he’s only been in the league for 8 years

Terrible over-pursuit by Calais, big gain by another get to know you RB

Branch stood up two guys

Great hit by Johnson

Wish I was watching that JAX/IND game

FG good 41-7 SD

Another average kick return

I know it’s risky but you’ve got to go deep or run the football. SD is jumping every route

Why even have a RT if he’s not going to do anything?

So AZ forced SD to make a change @ QB too

Why can’t Branch keep his hat on?

Hey…SD made a mistake…and so did Rosen…that’s the LT
since he’s to the left of the QB, not the RT

CHARGERS PUNT! CHARGERS PUNT! WITH 7:33 TO GO

Good pass up the seam…Max even looked off the safety

Better flow in this possession…even though this game was a joke, these reps are important

Great block by Patrick to create space for Hightower and the 1st down

Lutui got blown up

Did AZ scout Phillips this week?

Got a throw that away Max…this isn’t BYU…you’re not out running Phillips

GOAL! GOAL! GOAL!

FG—Rosen said it was a big kick…it’s 41-10 but that was a big kick

Victory formation

Going to be a tough week

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