Good morning.
In this ESPN Insider piece, Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders handicaps the race for the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2016 draft. The San Diego Chargers, losers of three straight and sitting at 2-5 overall, are No. 8 on the list, given a 5 percent chance to get the No. 1 overall selection. The Detroit Lions are No. 1.
Schatz: “San Diego's future depends heavily on what happens with two division rivals, because the Chargers still have to play Kansas City and Denver twice each. If the Chiefs can keep manufacturing offense without Jamaal Charles, and Peyton Manning can figure out how to look like Peyton Manning again for more than two or three plays per game, the Chargers could sink to the bottom of the standings.”
My take: I still think the Chargers will finish around the .500 mark, but anything can happen, particularly if Philip Rivers suffers any type of injury that forces him to miss games.
With the NFL scheduled to hold a public meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. PT at Spreckels Theatre in downtown San Diego on the Chargers potentially relocating to Los Angeles, Mayor Kevin Faulconer introduced a new video showing the latest renderings of the city’s $1.1 billion stadium proposal in Mission Valley.
ESPN NFL Nation Rams reporter Nick Wagoner offered this report from the first public meeting in St. Louis.
My take: Mark Fabiani, the point person on the stadium issue for the Chargers, crushed Faulconer’s video during an appearance with Steve Hartman and Mike Costa of Xtra 1360 Fox Sports Radio, stating it’s a re-election document. Here’s the audio link.
Tom Krasovic of The San Diego Union-Tribune wonders if the Chargers are asking too much of Rivers. He writes that Rivers leads all quarterbacks in snaps (532) and dropbacks (331).
My take: At some point the Chargers have to create some balance on offense, particularly early in games.
Kiernan Hogan of Pro Football Focus gives right tackle Joe Barksdale the top player grade in San Diego’s loss to the Oakland Raiders. Rivers, Trevor Robinson and Kendall Reyes received negative grades.
My take: The evaluation is a reflection of San Diego’s inability to effectively run the ball or stop the run.