Sometimes I’m not sure if the Chargers try to make things too simple or too hard.
Why keep pounding LaDainian Tomlinson into the line of scrimmage when he’s playing on a bad toe that limits his unique cutback ability? And why keep pounding him when there aren’t holes against run blitzes or eight men in the box? Instead, let’s see LT out in space to open things up.
Is it because the Chargers are being too stubborn to prove they can run the ball or because they’re trying too hard to set up the pass?
I’m not sure which one it is, but I do know that it looks too much like the predictable play calling of Cam Cameron when he was Marty Schottenheimer’s offense coordinator before Norv Turner took over last year as the head coach.
One reason Cameron failed as Miami’s head coach in his 1-15 season in 2007 is he never adapted his offense to a lack of talent.
Look how new Dolphins coach Tony Sparano has squeezed two wins over the New England Patriots and the Chargers by adding the “Wildcat” formation to the playbook. It may be a gimmick, but it worked.
The Chargers don’t need to panic, despite their 3-4 record as they head to London for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. But they do have to find more ways to spread the ball around if they’re going to do more than make the playoffs.
Look what happened with the sudden production from wide receiver Malcom Floyd — touchdowns the last two games — once that happened the Bolts were forced to use him with the injuries to Chris Chambers and Buster Davis.
The Chargers need to spread the field more with combinations of Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers, Buster Davis, Malcom Floyd, Legadu Naanee and Darren Sproles on the field.
And that’s not even mentioning some guy named LT, who, you might recall, rushed for 1,645 yards and caught 100 passes for another 725 yards in the 2003 season.
That was a year the Chargers finished 4-12. Were they being creative by finding additional ways to get Tomlinson the ball? Or were they simply just giving him the ball as much as possible?
Come to think of it, that puts us right back where we are today. Are the Chargers making things too simple or too hard?
We’ll know more by the time they come back from London, enjoy a bye week and then play at home Nov. 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs.