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Philip Rivers Bandwagon (1 Viewer)

I'd like to see them open up the playbook a tad more this week. I'd hate to have to go from 0 to 60 facing the Baltimore defense.

 
Chow still 'crazy as heck' about former pupil Rivers

By Kevin Acee

September 15, 2006

Norm Chow remembers the toughness and the smarts and those late-night video sessions that Philip Rivers wouldn't let end.

And he remembers the victories.

Chow was North Carolina State's offensive coordinator for only Rivers' freshman season there, but it was an important time in the kid's development.

Rivers said this week the way Chow coached him “propelled me forward for the rest of my career.”

Chow has other things to worry about this week than how his former pupil is doing, even a pupil of whom he thinks so highly.

He will be in the visiting coaches' booth Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium. As offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans, he will be paying attention to the field primarily when Rivers is off it. Neither has he had time to watch any video of Rivers this season.

But he gladly takes the time to speak about him.

Chow often prefaces his comments about Rivers with the disclaimer that he is biased.

“You're asking the wrong guy,” he says. “I love the guy. I'm crazy as heck about him.”

It was Chow – long revered as the offensive mind behind the high-flying Brigham Young offenses of the 1980s and '90s and noted quarterback-maker who molded Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC – who was predicting great things for Rivers leading up to the 2004 NFL draft even as everyone else was falling all over Eli Manning.

“Whoever drafts him will be in the Super Bowl in three years,” Chow said.

At the time, it was not known Rivers would be sitting on the sideline for two years. But Chow's belief in Rivers has not changed.

“I was hoping (Drew) Brees would stay healthy and maybe (Rivers) would come to Nashville,” Chow said this summer. “ . . . He will will that team to a couple wins (this season).”

Chow saw that first-hand.

It took Chow and N.C. State coach Chuck Amato one day to make Rivers their starting quarterback in spring drills before his freshman year. (Rivers graduated from high school a semester early.)

“You knew he was special the minute he got there by his demeanor,” Chow said. “There was a veteran (quarterback) there. After the first practice I went into the head coach's office and said, 'Chuck, c'mon now.' He was thinking the same thing.”

And Chow will never forget the first two games Rivers played for the Wolfpack, come-from-behind victories with fourth-quarter rallies engineered by Rivers.

Rivers threw for 397 yards and two touchdowns against Arkansas State in his debut and a week later for 401 yards and five touchdowns at Indiana, coached at the time by Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.

“The first time we ever put an outfit on the field, against Arkansas State, we couldn't make a first down for nothing,” Chow said. “It was pouring rain. Philip kept going. We tie for overtime and win it. Ask Cam Cameron, we got to Indiana with two or three minutes to go.”

The Wolfpack started 4-0 under Rivers and finished 8-4, winning the Micron PC Bowl, of which Rivers was MVP.

“That team wasn't very talented that year,” Chow said of North Carolina State in 2000. “He willed half those wins.”

Rivers gives Chow much praise for his accomplishments that season – and, to a certain extent, beyond.

“I never would have been able to play as a freshman if he wasn't there that spring,” said Rivers, who went on to make an NCAA-record 51 starts, including the four bowl games in which he was MVP. “He didn't spend a lot of time on the fundamentals, which I wasn't very good at. He coached me on it, but he didn't spend (a lot of) time. He spent time on getting me ready to play, giving me a chance to succeed as a young quarterback. By him doing that, we were able to win a bunch of games my freshman year.

“I wouldn't have had a chance if we were trying to do too much. He was real simple, but he gave us a chance by knowing what I could do. By him giving me that start I think that kind of propelled me forward for the rest of my career.”

Chow heard that Rivers threw just 11 times against the Raiders. He knows that was not the Chargers' plan going in, but he thinks it was “smart” given “the Chargers' defense and what they were doing.”

Still, Chow has a sense that Rivers is not yet appreciated by fans here.

“I don't think people realize the talent this young guy has, not only the physical skills but the mental makeup, the things he will do,” Chow said. “This guy is special.”
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No offense, but the only thing this tells me is that their "clutch rating" system is meaningless. Rivers has made little to no true clutch plays so far in his pro career, anything that ranks him at the top of the clutch category at this point is a joke. I'm not saying he isn't clutch, I'm not saying he won't be, I'm just saying he hasn't been (and really hasn't needed to be) so far.

 
Chargers may have the juice for Super Bowl run

By Jim Corbett, USA TODAY

SAN DIEGO — LaDainian Tomlinson is the authority when it comes to Chargers quarterbacks.

Arguably the game's best all-around running back, Tomlinson has been the offensive constant in San Diego's rise from the Ryan Leaf debacle to a hungry team that believes it is poised to make a championship run.

Tomlinson was drafted in 2001, just months after the Chargers gave up on Leaf, the second overall pick of the 1998 draft and a man who came to define quintessential first-round bust.

Tomlinson has also been part of and witness to two of the biggest blockbuster deals involving quarterbacks in recent NFL history.

The Chargers traded the chance to select Michael Vick with the first overall pick in the 2001 draft, opting for Tomlinson as the first brick in their rebuilding effort with the fifth overall selection. The former Texas Christian University star joined Eric Dickerson and Eddie George in 2005 as the only running backs in league history to rush for 1,200 yards in each of their first five seasons.

Tomlinson became close to quarterback Drew Brees, whom San Diego selected after L.T. in the 2001 draft. Brees took the quarterbacking reins from Doug Flutie after the club's 5-11 2001 campaign and ultimately led the Chargers to the playoffs in 2004.

But Brees was cast adrift when he suffered a career-threatening injury to his throwing shoulder in the 2005 regular-season finale. Despite the potential severity of the injury, the Saints signed him for six years and $60 million in March.

Tomlinson wanted Brees back in 2005. But he also knew the meter was running on Philip Rivers, who signed a six-year contract worth approximately $40 million after holding out for most of training camp as a rookie. The Chargers drafted Rivers fourth overall in 2004 after swapping the top pick and the right to draft Eli Manning to the Giants. Manning's refusal to play for San Diego resulted in the deal that also yielded defensive standout Shawne Merriman and kicker Nate Kaeding through the draft as well as veteran tackle Roman Oben.

So for all the focus on Rivers this season as he takes over under center, understand this: The Chargers Offense runs through No. 21, who as a runner, receiver and blocker is being asked to take some of the big-play pressure off his team's newly minted starting quarterback.

"The fact that they took Ryan Leaf, that put the Chargers behind the eight-ball," Tomlinson says. "They were expecting to have a franchise quarterback for the next 15 years. So when Leaf didn't work out, it put us in a rebuilding situation.

"It wasn't the situation we have now, where we've built something with draft picks."

Leaf's personality, as well as his performance, contributed to his quick exit.

"Philip has a little swagger to him," Tomlinson says. "Being a coach's son, he knows how to connect with guys as a leader.

"He appreciates and understands the game. That's why he is who he is.

"He's going to do well for us this year. He's shown he's on his way."

Tomlinson doesn't care about making a fourth Pro Bowl or winning a league rushing title. He's all about leaving his fingerprints on a Lombardi Trophy.

"Winning a Super Bowl is what it's all about, that's why I play this game," Tomlinson says. "You're remembered by winning championships.

"We have a good blend of both young and old guys, and everyone understands what we're trying to do. We have a group of hungry guys who want to win and expect to win. They understand it's all about all of us. Don't let this opportunity slip."

Rivers gets that. He also understands the 2-0 Chargers stumbled out of the gate last season at 0-2, went 4-4 at home and ultimately missed the playoffs at 9-7. Tomlinson, big-play tight end Antonio Gates and a smothering defense act as buffers for Rivers.

There will surely be times when Rivers will be challenged to make decisive throws, most likely on third downs against the similarly stifling Ravens and Steelers Defenses that the Chargers face Oct. 1 and 8, respectively. Rivers wasn't forced to make those throws as the Chargers steamrolled the Raiders and Titans to open the season.

The Chargers have two things going for them in their transition from highly respected Brees to Rivers, who earned his own respect with the way he handled his two-year apprenticeship: they have chemistry to go with all of their talent.

"We have a really good group, a college-type team in terms of closeness," Rivers says. "That's what's made the transition so easy for me. It's a great character team, and at the same time it's a close bunch.

"People say, 'It's your team now.' It's really our team. It's not something that just happened this year. It's obviously something that's been going on since I've been here.

"I'm in a great situation where I don't have to do too much."

Not every quarterback is blessed with a Tomlinson to help ease his transition.

"The thing about L.T. is that there's a lot of superstars in this league where they're above the team," Rivers says. "L.T. is amongst us, practicing hard every day. He gives me even more confidence knowing not only I can hand the ball to him, but that I can throw it to him as well out of the backfield."

There is no timeline for a young quarterback's development, no way to know when everything will click and his team will soar. Ben Roethlisberger and Dan Marino are the ideal. Roethlisberger, the first quarterback selected after Manning and Rivers in the 2004 draft, won a Super Bowl in his second season with the Steelers. Marino took the Dolphins to Super Bowl XIX in his second season.

Rivers inherits similar complementary parts to what Roethlisberger had: a clock-consuming run game, a harassing defense and special teams that can control field position and allow Rivers to know that sometimes a punt is the safe play.

After all, Rivers has always had a precocious ability to read the field and brings maturity and ability to the huddle.

"Philip got married before his junior year at N.C. State to his middle-school sweetheart, Tiffany," says his dad, Steve.

"Philip was riding in the car with his mom, Joan, when he was in eighth grade, and they passed Tiffany standing on a corner with her friends in a residential area. Philip turned to his mom and said, 'You see that girl right there, mom? She's a really good girl. I'm going to marry her one day.' "

It forced Rivers to grow up early, raising a family while leading the Wolfpack to a 34-17 record. He was the MVP of five bowl games, including the 2004 Senior Bowl.

He showed in his second NFL start, a 40-7 throttling of the Titans, he can be much more than an on-field manager for "Marty Ball," coach Marty Schottenheimer's preference to control games with a strong run game. He completed 25 of 35 passes for 225 yards, spreading the ball to nine receivers and throwing a 12-yard touchdown strike to Vincent Jackson.

But afterward, Rivers beat himself up for a couple of big throws he just missed, feeling he left points out on the field.

"I called him up after the game and left a message on his cellphone, saying, 'I hope I never see you again,' " says Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who coached Rivers during his freshman year at North Carolina State. "He called me right back and we talked.

"He's a special guy. He's the all-American kid, the point guard, the shortstop who married his high school sweetheart. He has that 'it' factor.

"It was a pipedream on my part, but I can dream, too. Had Drew Brees not got hurt — you don't know what they might have done with Philip. So I was hoping maybe we might have had a chance to get him (last offseason) because we knew we probably couldn't afford to have Steve McNair back.

"But Philip sat two years. It's time for him to play. The Chargers handled it perfectly."

Rivers, who owns a funky-looking, three-quarter delivery, throws the ball straighter and releases it quicker than some give him credit for.

"Everybody has different throwing styles, and there was never a need to change Philip's motion," Chow says. "The thing you look for No. 1 is that mental toughness and the accuracy. He has them both. Philip's a winner."

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith, the longtime Bills scout, was sold on Rivers' arm strength and leadership intangibles.

"Philip reminds me a lot of Dan Marino because of all my years in Buffalo," Smith says. "People say, 'Well, what do you mean Dan Marino?' In the sense of his quick release and his ability to shuffle in the pocket and buy time with vision downfield. And he makes quick decisions. Dan couldn't run and scoot, but he would shuffle left, shuffle right. But the vision was always locked, not looking at a rush guy. He knows they're there. He feels the rush. That's a quarterback gift.

"Philip is extremely accurate. Now it's a matter of him growing on the job."

ESPN analyst Merril Hoge also sees the comparison.

"Philip Rivers reminds me of Dan Marino," Hoge says. "He's already at a level of anticipation that's unbelievable. He can throw that thing right over somebody's shoulder right in their ear. He has a swagger when he throws the ball, a willingness to throw where other quarterbacks wouldn't even dream of it. The only other guy I've seen like that is Marino."

Philip and Tiffany's daughter, Halle, 4, couldn't understand one of life's little mysteries: Her daddy played football for a living, yet she never saw him wearing his helmet during a game the last two years.

So before the Monday night season opener against the Raiders, Philip told Halle not only could she stay up to watch the game but there would be a fun reason to watch.

"Halle doesn't know what an interception is and all that, but she understands I'm going to football," Rivers says. "She knows where I work. Last year, midway through the year, I said, 'You going to watch Dad today?' They still showed me on the sideline and she would say, 'Yeah, but how come you don't ever wear your helmet?'

"It was funny. I was leaving to go to Oakland and I said, 'Hey, you going to watch Dad? You can stay up late tonight. And I'm going to have my helmet on most of the time.' "

Rivers has a born leader's charisma. He's a grounded guy who genuinely cares about connecting with people. It's a football trait he got from his father, a high school coach in football-crazed Alabama for 33 years.

Their folksy Southern drawls are so similar that when people would call the Rivers household, they invariably had trouble telling whether they were talking to Philip or Steve.

Rivers wears No. 17 because it was his dad's number as a high school standout and safety at Mississippi State. His father was the best man at his wedding, and the two talk daily by phone.

Steve remembers his son coming home after practice, mimicking the positional drills he'd witnessed that day out in the backyard. It's where he taught himself to throw with that slingshot motion that is his composite of all those quarterback posters on his bedroom wall growing up — Marino, Brett Favre, John Elway, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman.

One of the toughest moments father and son experienced was the ending to Philip's high school career when the realization of something far more permanent than just a playoff loss hit hard.

"It was just a touching moment, our time together as coach and player was final," Steve Rivers says. "Those were good times we had together. You think back to him having been on the practice field with me from when he was 6 years old.

"We had a real good team and we had just lost a heartbreaking game in the quarterfinals of the state championship. A lot of people have apprehensions of coaching their son. Not me. I loved it. Philip loved it. And then the rug was pulled out from under us.

"In the locker room, I was picking up some Gatorade bottles. We didn't realize we were the only two left in there. We approached each other, and I said, 'I'm sorry it's over.' And Philip said, 'I love you Dad as well.'

"He's a good guy and a good teammate. He's a good daddy and husband who's made his mother and I proud."

Rivers has communication skills encoded into his DNA.

"I remember being out there doing defensive line drills this offseason and having Philip come out there and just watch us, the defensive linemen," second-year end Luis Castillo says. "We were like, 'What the heck are you doing out here?'

"He was just really making an effort to connect with his teammates and to really gain our trust. He knows he has our respect, and he wants to continue to strengthen that bond.

"I came in last year as a first-round pick and saw this guy who was the No. 4 overall pick the year before who wasn't coming to practice every day all ticked off that he wasn't playing. He was working hard. Then, after Drew left, Philip assumed that responsibility of being the guy."

Leave it to the coach's son to make a point of developing a rapport with his go-to receiver for years to come. Rivers and Gates are close in age and are fun-loving, fierce competitors at anything, from basketball to table tennis.

Gates, the former Kent State basketball forward, cleans up on the court, but Rivers owns his tight end on the ping-pong table. Rivers is teaching Gates poker.

The two locker side by side and live less than a mile apart.

When they aren't working to perfect their timing, they are trash-talking about who can beat whom at what.

Gates, 26, a Detroit native, is told his ebullient, sunny personality recalls a young Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

"Yeah, Magic was from Michigan and that's where I'm from, and I've heard that before," Gates says. "Myself and Philip both have the same goal, to win a championship. That alone brings you closer, and we understand what it takes.

"When we saw each other's personal side based on this business, we were like, 'Wow! We're similar. We can be real good friends.'

"I understand the fire this guy has, just the way he competes at everything. We can be trying to throw something in the trash and we're competing to try to beat each other.

"We're real good friends outside of football. We challenge each other every day at something.

"It's like we've been playing together for years."

That rapport will be all the more important under the duress of an all-out blitz.

Smith grew up in the Bills organization under Marv Levy, Bill Polian and late Chargers GM John Butler, whom Smith succeeded. He followed the Bills' Super Bowl blueprint in building the current Chargers team: finding a Thurman Thomas-like back in Tomlinson and building a dominant defense under current coordinator Wade Phillips, who coached in the Bills organization.

Levy's Bills proved remarkably resilient by overcoming bitter disappointment to reach four consecutive Super Bowls.

Smith knows the importance that Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly played in epitomizing that resilience.

"The way I sum it up is there are three marquee players who came out in that 2004 draft: Roethlisberger, Manning and Rivers," Smith says. "Those guys reminded me of some great quarterbacks who came out in '83. I think the three of them are going to be exceptional quarterbacks in the NFL. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if all three were winning Super Bowls, if they're in the right spot.

"Just talking on talent, those three are special. Who's first, second and third? I think you can figure who I had first and second."

Former NFL quarterback Neil O'Donnell likes what he's seen from Rivers.

"He looked the part," says O'Donnell, now a Titans television analyst. "He was reading his third receiver. On a naked bootleg, his eyes went to L.T. on a shallow crossing route, his third read. He managed the whole game. That's what you have to do at the quarterback position. You have to get in that zone. Philip is letting the game come to him and not trying to force the ball downfield."

This is the NFL opportunity Rivers has visualized since he was 10, pasting his face over then-Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter's on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

"I have that poster board up on our den wall," Steve Rivers says. "It says, 'Philip Rivers, age 10. Things I like: Church, family. Things I don't like: Lima beans. What I want to be when I grow up:' There's a picture of Cris Carter on the cover of SI and Philip put his face over it."

Rivers taped a memorable picture up in Merriman's locker as well.

It was a shot of Rivers and Merriman going chest to chest when Rivers played at North Carolina State and Merriman at Maryland. Rivers was frustrated because Merriman had sacked him.

"It was late in our last game at Maryland in 2003," Rivers says. "We never beat Maryland, and the game was over at that point and he had just got me again. I don't remember what was said, but it was a cool picture, us going face to face. We laugh about it now. I put it in his locker when he got drafted here."

Says Merriman, "Anytime you see your quarterback not being a guy who's going to be pushed around, that symbolizes your team."

Schottenheimer sees Marino's fire in a third-year quarterback willing to jump someone when an intolerable mistake is made.

"Philip has all the intangibles," Schottenheimer says. "He shows his emotions more than Drew did. Drew was very businesslike. Philip is more inclined to get in your face like Marino would."

Smith staked his scout's reputation on Rivers. "Even though I'm a scout, sometimes you just go with your instincts," Smith says. "Time proves you wrong or proves you right. That's the beauty of our business.

"I just believe Philip Rivers is going to be special. I think he has a bright, bright future."

The question is, can that bright future arrive this postseason? These Chargers are planning on it.
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We will know tons more about mr.rivers after these coming weeks. @Balt and then Pitt coming off a bye on national TV.

Hell Leaf was 2-0. ;)

 
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Started Philip yesterday, lost a close one, but was VERY happy with his performance - as a Charger fan I'm very excited about how he did yesterday.

 
From NFL Matchup:

Sal Palantonio: When will Marty take the training wheels off for good?

Ron Jaworski: If he doesn't, he has to be out of his mind after watching that performance Sunday. Philip Rivers was really stroking it. It wasn't against a defense like the Detroit Lions. It was the Pittsburgh Steeler defense, a #### LeBeau defense that usually eats up young, inexperienced QBs. As I went through tape, I was literally blown away by the performance of Philip Rivers. He was outstanding. He has a gun-slinger mentality. That means he throws the football without knowing the result and he can make that tough stick throw.

Watch this third-and-eleven throw by Philip Rivers. The coverage was man under two deep. You have two safeties playing over the top to take anything deep. Focus on Joey Porter matched against Antonio Gates. With help over the top, Porter was able to undercut Gates's seam route squeezing down the passing lane for Rivers. There was not a lot of room to get the ball in, but an absolutely essential attribute for an NFL QB is the willingness to pull the trigger when the window is tight. From the endzone camea, you see just how small window it was. Most importantly, you see the accuracy, another often overlooked element of consistent quarterbacking. This single throw said an awful lot about Philip Rivers as does his overall performance against the Steelers outstanding defense.

At that point in the game, the Chargers were down ten points to the Pittsburgh Steelers. As I talked to Philip Rivers, he said that play turned the game around. I think that play might have turned their season around

Merrill Hodge: Hello! You know what, I have been on an island with this guy and now you come to the party. I've been saying this guy looks like Dan Marino. He can fling it like nobody else. He has all the instincts and the savvy and the anticipation and now you are starting to saying he's got it.

Ron Jaworski: I finally got the tape to look at it. I don't make things up, Hodge. I look at film.

Merrill Hodge: He had it in college. He had it in the senior bowl. He had it in the preseason.

Ron Jaworski: This is the National Football League. This is the National Football League.

Sal Palantonio: It's four games.

Merrill Hodge: I'm sticking with it. He reminds me of Dan Marino. Throws like that. That was what Dan Marino did. This kid does it. I'm getting fired up here.
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:goodposting:

Thanks as always Maurile! I think the kid's just fine. I'm a huge Chargers homer, and i do own the Rivers/Gates combo. Won two games because of them this year already. I guess it's about time i officially hop on board.

Everything i've seen about this kid off-field has been outstanding too. Nice guy, smart kid, family-oriented, dedicated to the community, good head on his shoulders, and a natural, charismatic leader through-and-through.

 
How did this thread not get bumped yesterday?

P. Rivers 29/39 334 2 0

:shock:

That's way more than I was expecting from him at this point. Yeah the intentional grounding in the end zone was a bone head thing, but not so unforgivable.

Who's banking on him for the rest of the season? I think this week's game will be tougher than probably most people would expect. Of course I'm also a self avowed Charger pessimist.

 
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QB Passer Rating

1. Donovan McNabb - 104.8

2. Rex Grossman - 100.8

3. Philip Rivers - 100.6

4. Marc Bulger - 99.8

5. Peyton Manning - 95.6

Adjusted Yards Per Attempt

1. Donovan McNabb - 8.5

2. Marc Bulger - 7.6

3. Rex Grossman - 7.3

4. Peyton Manning - 6.9

5. Philip Rivers - 6.8

 
Gr00vus said:
How did this thread not get bumped yesterday?P. Rivers 29/39 334 2 0 :shock: That's way more than I was expecting from him at this point. Yeah the intentional grounding in the end zone was a bone head thing, but not so unforgivable.Who's banking on him for the rest of the season? I think this week's game will be tougher than probably most people would expect. Of course I'm also a self avowed Charger pessimist.
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Thanks to the Culpepper debacle, he's my starting QB the rest of the way. And I'm feeling pretty good about it.
 
That's the beauty of NFL QB position, if you don't have Peyton or McNabb you can always find a new comer (and not have to waste a high draft pick).

 
Rivers AFC Offensive Player of the Week

Quarterback Philip Rivers is the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for games played the sixth week of the 2006 season (October 15-16), the NFL announced today.

Making his fifth career NFL start, Rivers notched his first 300-yard passing game with 334 yards and a pair of touchdowns without an interception in a 48-19 win at San Francisco. The 6-5, 228-pound quarterback completed 29 of 39 pass attempts for a glittering 116.8 passer rating and posted a streak of 13 consecutive first half completions, equaling the third-longest stretch in team history. During his completion streak, Rivers racked up 195 yards through the air and completed his two TD strikes – a 57-yard catch-and-run by Antonio Gates and a 33-yard pass to the end zone to Vincent Jackson. The Chargers recorded four scoring drives (three TDs, one FG) in which Rivers did not throw a single incompletion. The first-year starter was nine of 10 on third down passing for 142 yards and a touchdown and also had two short runs for first downs on third-and-one plays. Rivers owns the NFL’s second-highest passer rating (100.6), second-highest completion percentage (68.8), second-highest third-down passer rating (114.8) and third-highest fourth-quarter passer rating (114.7).

In his third year from North Carolina State, this is Rivers’ first Player of the Week Award.
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Maurile Tremblay said:
Rivers AFC Offensive Player of the Week

Quarterback Philip Rivers is the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for games played the sixth week of the 2006 season (October 15-16), the NFL announced today.

Making his fifth career NFL start, Rivers notched his first 300-yard passing game with 334 yards and a pair of touchdowns without an interception in a 48-19 win at San Francisco. The 6-5, 228-pound quarterback completed 29 of 39 pass attempts for a glittering 116.8 passer rating and posted a streak of 13 consecutive first half completions, equaling the third-longest stretch in team history. During his completion streak, Rivers racked up 195 yards through the air and completed his two TD strikes – a 57-yard catch-and-run by Antonio Gates and a 33-yard pass to the end zone to Vincent Jackson. The Chargers recorded four scoring drives (three TDs, one FG) in which Rivers did not throw a single incompletion. The first-year starter was nine of 10 on third down passing for 142 yards and a touchdown and also had two short runs for first downs on third-and-one plays. Rivers owns the NFL’s second-highest passer rating (100.6), second-highest completion percentage (68.8), second-highest third-down passer rating (114.8) and third-highest fourth-quarter passer rating (114.7).

In his third year from North Carolina State, this is Rivers’ first Player of the Week Award.
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:thumbup: Somehow the Chargers are still flying virtually under the radar.

KC should be pumped for this week's game, it's always tough in Arrowhead.

 
bump - for those who missed Rivers being named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Who knew that the Chargers were UPGRADING while saving themselves 10M by letting Brees walk?

:drive:

 
i just read in Chase's article that KC is the 4th toughest defense for QB's this year.... can that be true or did i misread?

 
Righetti said:
i just read in Chase's article that KC is the 4th toughest defense for QB's this year.... can that be true or did i misread?
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Truth, but havent really faced amazing offenses. Cardinals (Leinarts first starts), Broncos (still struggling), Cinci (tough team), San Fran (nothing special), and Pitt (tore them up)
 
rockbottom895 said:
Righetti said:
i just read in Chase's article that KC is the 4th toughest defense for QB's this year.... can that be true or did i misread?
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Truth, but havent really faced amazing offenses. Cardinals (Leinarts first starts), Broncos (still struggling), Cinci (tough team), San Fran (nothing special), and Pitt (tore them up)
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Chase's article takes into account who the defense has faced into his rankings. It's all in his mathematical formula. He explains it briefly to show why the Saints are ranked as a harder defense versus QBs than San Diego is. So, yes, the Chiefs are tough versus QBs.
 
Righetti said:
i just read in Chase's article that KC is the 4th toughest defense for QB's this year.... can that be true or did i misread?
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Righetti - don't sleep on KC's defense, they're vastly underrated, or at least I thought they were until the Pittsburgh game. Surtain and Law in the defensive backfield is a vast improvement from the terrible KC CBs of years past. I'm worried about the Bolts this weekend, with Diego coming off of such a convincing win and the Chiefs being embarassed.
 
For Chargers, a Gamble At Quarterback Pays Off

By AARON SCHATZ

November 1, 2006

This past off-season, the Chargers had a dilemma. Would they re-sign Drew Brees, who had developed into one of the league's top passers and become the team's locker room leader? Or would they allow him to leave, handing their championship-quality team over to Philip Rivers, an unproven firstround prospect who had been taking up space on both the bench and salary cap for two years.

General manager A.J. Smith's decision was made somewhat easier when Brees suffered a shoulder injury in the final game of the season. But still, many observers criticized the move. The Chargers had perhaps the league's best running back and tight end in LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates, and they had a great defense. Sure, Rivers was a top-five draft pick, but so were Joey Harrington and Tim Couch once upon a time, and they never developed into stars. Why dump a proven leader for an unproven commodity with no career starts in the NFL?

The season is only half over, but already Smith can feel vindicated. The Chargers are 5–2,tied with Denver atop the AFC West. The Chargers lead the AFC with 216 points, and both losses came by just three points apiece. As for Rivers, he ranks fourth in the NFL with a 97.6 passer rating and is one of only three full-time quarterbacks to complete more than 65% of his passes. He's also been consistent; Rivers only has one game with a passer rating below 80, and that came against Baltimore, the top defense in the league this year.

Just as important as Rivers's statistics is the anecdotal evidence that shows him playing at a veteran level despite starting just seven NFL games. He has pocket presence, rarely panicking in the face of a strong pass rush. His passes have touch, often delivered in the precise location where only his receiver, and not a defensive back, can get to it. Teammates rave about his leadership in the huddle and publicly pressured head coach Marty Schottenheimer to open up his offense and let Rivers throw more. Television analysts from John Madden to Merril Hoge have compared Rivers to Hall of Famer Dan Marino.

It's impossible to predict the development of quarterbacks with perfect accuracy, but in retrospect, Rivers's maturation into one of the league's top passers should have surprised no one. Scouting reports on Rivers emphasized his accuracy, instincts, and leadership skills. He was known for his ability to go through progressions and find secondary receivers, often a problem for college quarterbacks who graduate to the pro level.

The scouting reports are backed up by research by Macalester College student David Lewin, presented in "Pro Football Prospectus 2006." Quarterbacks taken in the top two rounds of the draft can be projected with remarkable accuracy using just two statistics: collegiate games started and completion percentage. The lowest-rated quarterbacks by this measure include Ryan Leaf, Jim Druckenmiller, and Akili Smith, all washouts. The highest-rated quarterbacks, in order, are Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning, and Carson Palmer. Rivers started 51 games at North Carolina State, and his senior-season completion rate of 72% is an ACC record.

And while most rookies struggle in their first exposure to the NFL, Rivers isn't a rookie. He has spent two seasons on the San Diego bench, watching film in meetings, working out with NFL coaches, and throwing in practice to NFL receivers. The last top quarterback prospect to sit out two years before finally playing was Chad Pennington. Pennington's constant injuries tend to obscure that he was one of the top quarterbacks of 2002 from the day he entered the lineup for the first time.

Entering the season, the conventional wisdom said the Chargers were a Super Bowl contender, but their novice quarterback would likely hold them back. Instead, Rivers is one of the main reasons why the Chargers are a Super Bowl contender — but the unit most people considered the heart of the Chargers could end up holding them back.

Last year, San Diego had one of the best front sevens in football. Opposing running backs averaged just 3.6 yards a carry, and 46 sacks put the San Diego pass rush near the top of the league. Linebacker Shawne Merriman was Defensive Rookie of the Year, and nose tackle Jamal Williams went to the Pro Bowl.

This year, Williams seems to be the only stable part of the unit. The pass rush is still ferocious and leads the league with 26 sacks, but opposing running backs are gaining a league-average 4.0 yards a carry. A red-zone defense that was average in 2005 has been the worst in the league so far this season.

Part of the problem has been personnel. Linebacker Steve Foley was shot by an off-duty cop in a still-mysterious encounter before the season began. His replacement, Shaun Phillips, has missed the last two games with a calf injury. Defensive end Igor Olshansky will miss at least three weeks after knee surgery.

The biggest blow is the four-game suspension to Merriman after he tested positive for a banned substance. Though Merriman claims the positive drug test was caused by a tainted legal supplement, most reports have tied the test to steroids. Merriman played on Sunday against St. Louis after appealing his suspension, but he dropped that appeal yesterday to prevent the possibility that a delayed rejection of the appeal would keep him from playing both games against Denver, November 19 and December 10. Merriman can have no contact with anyone from the team for the next four weeks, and the Chargers will have to go on the road to face Cincinnati and Denver without him.

With the exception of Foley, all these players will return in time for the stretch run. But the Chargers simply can't afford any more close losses if they want to grab home-field advantage in the postseason. Climate is not destiny, but warm-weather teams have a terrible historical record in the playoffs, and it is hard to see the Chargers winning in Denver, Baltimore, or Foxboro on a cold day in January.

However, what if home-field advantage belongs to an indoor or warmweather team, and all of San Diego's defensive pieces are back in place? In that case, it would be very easy to picture Philip Rivers leading the San Diego Chargers into the Super Bowl. And for A.J. Smith, that would be the best vindication of all.

Mr. Schatz is the editor in chief of FootballOutsiders.com.

 
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No longer throwin' for a loss

Rick Gosselin

Dallas Morning News

Marty Schottenheimer is on the rise on the all-time coaching list. With his five victories this season, Schottenheimer is eighth on the all-time list with 196.

Schottenheimer needs six more wins to pass Dan Reeves. That would put the San Diego Chargers coach behind six Hall of Famers: Don Shula (347), George Halas (324), Tom Landry (270), Curly Lambeau (229), Paul Brown (222) and Chuck Noll (209).

But for all of his success, Schottenheimer has never been able to close out a season. The six Hall of Famers above him all won NFL championships. Schottenheimer has not.

So the perception exists that Schottenheimer doesn't belong in the same conversation with those six. In a sense, he doesn't. All six of those coaches won titles with Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Schottenheimer has never had that franchise quarterback.

Until now. Philip Rivers is the most talented quarterback Schottenheimer has coached – and quarterbacks have always been the ticket to coaching greatness. Shula coached three Hall of Fame quarterbacks: Johnny Unitas, Bob Griese and Dan Marino. Little wonder Shula ranks first on the all-time victories list.

Bill Cowher shared the same rap as his mentor Schottenheimer: can't win the big one. Then Pittsburgh drafted Ben Roethlisberger. Two years later, Cowher and Roethlisberger had Super Bowl rings.

Bill Belichick was considered a failure as a head coach at Cleveland in the 1990s. But Belichick has won three Super Bowls at New England this decade with Tom Brady taking the snaps.

Take Joe Montana away from Bill Walsh, Otto Graham from Brown and Roger Staubach from Landry. How many titles do you think those coaches would have won? That Schottenheimer has won 196 games with the quarterbacks he has had is testimony to his coaching skill.

Schottenheimer took the Browns to back-to-back AFC title games in the 1980s with soft-armed Bernie Kosar throwing ducks. He took Kansas City to the AFC title game in 1993 with an aging Montana (37) taking the snaps. Schottenheimer lost all three games to Hall of Fame quarterbacks (John Elway and Jim Kelly).

Schottenheimer coached the Chiefs to 13 wins in 1995 with Steve Bono and in 1997 with Elvis Grbac. He took Kansas City to the playoffs with journeymen Steve DeBerg and Dave Krieg. He won eight games at Washington in 2001 with Tony Banks.

Schottenheimer has been able to win by minimizing the quarterback position. With Rivers, the fourth pick of the 2004 draft, he can maximize it.

In his first season as a starter, Rivers ranks fourth in the NFL in passing efficiency and has won five of his first seven starts. The Chargers share first place in the AFC West with Denver.

Schottenheimer has a quarterback capable of winning a championship. Suddenly he's a better football coach. Funny how that works, isn't it?
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Except for LaDainian and the run blocking the Chargers' offense looked poor and out of synch this last Sunday, Rivers included.

I also don't like how Rivers gets visibly, agitatedly upset/frustrated on the field when things don't go right. It's o.k. to care, but you've got to be able to keep your emotions a bit more in check or you'll be susceptible to melt downs when things really get tough and also could have an adverse affect on your teammates. I'd like to see him be a bit less highly strung. Hopefully that will happen as he becomes more experienced/comfortable in his career as an NFL starter. It's a minor quibble right now to be certain, but there's always room for improvement.

 
Gr00vus said:
Except for LaDainian and the run blocking the Chargers' offense looked poor and out of synch this last Sunday, Rivers included. I also don't like how Rivers gets visibly, agitatedly upset/frustrated on the field when things don't go right. It's o.k. to care, but you've got to be able to keep your emotions a bit more in check or you'll be susceptible to melt downs when things really get tough and also could have an adverse affect on your teammates. I'd like to see him be a bit less highly strung. Hopefully that will happen as he becomes more experienced/comfortable in his career as an NFL starter. It's a minor quibble right now to be certain, but there's always room for improvement.
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Gr00vus, I think I know the exact moment you're talking about from Sunday. Not disagreeing, but in context, that was the 3 or 4th Charger drive in a row that had stalled, and Rivers wasn't angry with a specific teammate or mistake, more with the way the offense as a whole was struggling, including himself. I give him a pass on this one.I'm absolutely, 100% sold on the kid. There are only a handful of QBs I'd rather have to win a game today. If we're talking about QBs for the long run, I'd take Rivers over just about anyone.
 
tommyGunZ said:
Gr00vus, I think I know the exact moment you're talking about from Sunday. Not disagreeing, but in context, that was the 3 or 4th Charger drive in a row that had stalled, and Rivers wasn't angry with a specific teammate or mistake, more with the way the offense as a whole was struggling, including himself. I give him a pass on this one.I'm absolutely, 100% sold on the kid. There are only a handful of QBs I'd rather have to win a game today. If we're talking about QBs for the long run, I'd take Rivers over just about anyone.
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Yeah that was the most prominent instance this week, but there were a couple of other times. And it wasn't just this week either, it's been any time things haven't quite gone the offense's way. I can understand being frustrated, sure, but you've got to handle it better. You've got to stay a bit cooler under the pressure, you're the team leader out there, you've got to stay calm, put it behind you and focus on doing better the next play. Acting like a petulant kid isn't going to do anyone any good and it could very well do some serious bad both in his own mental state and ability to focus and with his teammates. Put it this way, you hardly ever, if ever, saw a Joe Montana do something like that, or an Elway, or a Kelly, or a Fouts, or an Aikman, etc. Sure those guys would get ticked at bad calls by the Refs, or if someone on the team was really messing up or dogging it, but that's about it. You'd never see them go borderline temper tantrum on the field. Rivers needs to move in that direction if he wants to be great. I give him a pass on it this year since this is his first shot at the big time, but it's something he needs to get a handle on going forward.But you're right, there are very few other qbs in the NFL I'd rather have.
 
Gr00vus said:
Put it this way, you hardly ever, if ever, saw a Joe Montana do something like that, or an Elway, or a Kelly, or a Fouts, or an Aikman, etc. Sure those guys would get ticked at bad calls by the Refs, or if someone on the team was really messing up or dogging it, but that's about it. You'd never see them go borderline temper tantrum on the field.
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Nit picking, but I think you're being a bit selective in your memory here. I was just a kid when Marino was in his prime, but I remember him digging into his receivers and linemen at times.
 
tommyGunZ said:
Nit picking, but I think you're being a bit selective in your memory here. I was just a kid when Marino was in his prime, but I remember him digging into his receivers and linemen at times.
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You'll note I specifically did not include him in my list, because I too remember him as being a bit "uptight" at times. Steve Young did that a bit too. As always there are exceptions to everything, but I think Rivers would be very well served by learning to control his temper a bit. You want your qb to be as unflappable as possible, and I think most of the great ones, the championship ones, were.
 
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Gr00vus said:
Put it this way, you hardly ever, if ever, saw a Joe Montana do something like that, or an Elway, or a Kelly, or a Fouts, or an Aikman, etc. Sure those guys would get ticked at bad calls by the Refs, or if someone on the team was really messing up or dogging it, but that's about it. You'd never see them go borderline temper tantrum on the field.
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Actually, I almost posted earlier about seeing Fouts give it to WR's before they even got off the field if they were guilty of dropping a pass or running the wrong route, and that was when Fouts was a grizzled veteran. He never did it to a guy like Joiner to my knowlege(probably due in large part due to the fact he rarely ran the wrong route) but he definitely has been demonstrative in expressing his displeasure with teamates.I'm not one of the people that will jump to Rivers defense as quickly as some others, but in this instance it doesn't bother me as long as it's in the heat of the moment during in-game situations. If he were complaining about lineman or receivers after the game THAT would be a problem.
 
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Gr00vus said:
Yeah that was the most prominent instance this week, but there were a couple of other times. And it wasn't just this week either, it's been any time things haven't quite gone the offense's way. I can understand being frustrated, sure, but you've got to handle it better. You've got to stay a bit cooler under the pressure, you're the team leader out there, you've got to stay calm, put it behind you and focus on doing better the next play. Acting like a petulant kid isn't going to do anyone any good and it could very well do some serious bad both in his own mental state and ability to focus and with his teammates. Put it this way, you hardly ever, if ever, saw a Joe Montana do something like that, or an Elway, or a Kelly, or a Fouts, or an Aikman, etc. Sure those guys would get ticked at bad calls by the Refs, or if someone on the team was really messing up or dogging it, but that's about it. You'd never see them go borderline temper tantrum on the field. Rivers needs to move in that direction if he wants to be great. I give him a pass on it this year since this is his first shot at the big time, but it's something he needs to get a handle on going forward.But you're right, there are very few other qbs in the NFL I'd rather have.
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Did Philip express anger towards a player? I watched all his years at NC State, and he never once had a melt down, or yell at a teammate, or place blame on a teammate. He is a fierce competitor and a big ball of energy, and if he got animated on the sidelines, which wasn't often, it was to nobody in general. Shaking off some of that frustration doesn't have to be a bad thing. You'll notice he has a lot of energy in general, and he can be animated. Have you ever heard him talk, and notice how fast he talks, and you can see in his eyes that his mind is always thinking. He is young, and he has some growing to do on the field. I'm shocked to hear of him having temper tantrums. I definitely don't think of him as a hothead. Jake Delhomme on the other hand, now he's got that rajun cajun in him. Look out when he gets steamed. Jake and Steve Smith say they fight like a married couple.
 
BoltBacker said:
Actually, I almost posted earlier about seeing Fouts give it to WR's before they even got off the field if they were guilty of dropping a pass or running the wrong route, and that was when Fouts was a grizzled veteran. He never did it to a guy like Joiner to my knowlege(probably due in large part due to the fact he rarely ran the wrong route) but he definitely has been demonstrative in expressing his displeasure with teamates.
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That's a different thing in my opinion. Most of the great ones did that too - try to correct a teammate that was screwing up. That's not the same as getting so wound up and frustrated in general that you're venting to no one in particular on the field. I realize it's a subtle distinction but to me it's an important one. You've got to be able to keep your composure in those situations rather than getting all worked up about it. I don't want to invoke another ex-Charger first round draft pick QB's name here for fear of soiling Rivers's good name, and I don't think Rivers has remotely any resemblance in most ways, but in this one very small aspect he does remind me a tiny bit of that guy - and that's not a good thing however miniscule the similarity is. I don't see him going on that way either, I think his exuberance in this area is mainly attributable to being young and new to the job, I just hope he tones it town a little.
 
simey said:
Did Philip express anger towards a player? I watched all his years at NC State, and he never once had a melt down, or yell at a teammate, or place blame on a teammate. He is a fierce competitor and a big ball of energy, and if he got animated on the sidelines, which wasn't often, it was to nobody in general. Shaking off some of that frustration doesn't have to be a bad thing. You'll notice he has a lot of energy in general, and he can be animated. Have you ever heard him talk, and notice how fast he talks, and you can see in his eyes that his mind is always thinking. He is young, and he has some growing to do on the field. I'm shocked to hear of him having temper tantrums. I definitely don't think of him as a hothead. Jake Delhomme on the other hand, now he's got that rajun cajun in him. Look out when he gets steamed. Jake and Steve Smith say they fight like a married couple.
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He was just mad/frustrated in general. It wasn't directed at anyone in particular as far as I can tell. It wasn't a rip roaring temper tantrum, just a minor one, but a teammate could easily take it the wrong way in a given circumstance and thus I think it's a case where he needs to learn to channel his frustration and energy in a more positive way.
 
simey said:
Did Philip express anger towards a player?
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No, towards the ref. The ref was going to call intentional grounding, and Philip got all animated about it because he disagreed with the call. (The ref ended up picking up the flag and not calling grounding, even though it definitely was.)I don't know what other occasions Gr00vus has in mind, but that's the one I remember.
 
The time I was mainly discussing, and I think which TommyGunz was thinking of, was after a particularly pathetic drive ended and Rivers was coming off the field. He was pretty livid, swearing up and down, shaking his fist, bright red in the face, contorting in various directions - waayyy too upset for the given situation. He really did look like a little kid throwing a tantrum there for a few seconds, it's something he needs to work on avoiding in future.

 
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simey said:
Did Philip express anger towards a player? I watched all his years at NC State, and he never once had a melt down, or yell at a teammate, or place blame on a teammate. He is a fierce competitor and a big ball of energy, and if he got animated on the sidelines, which wasn't often, it was to nobody in general. Shaking off some of that frustration doesn't have to be a bad thing. You'll notice he has a lot of energy in general, and he can be animated. Have you ever heard him talk, and notice how fast he talks, and you can see in his eyes that his mind is always thinking. He is young, and he has some growing to do on the field. I'm shocked to hear of him having temper tantrums. I definitely don't think of him as a hothead.
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I didn't see the game yesterday, so I can't comment on the incident(s) referenced here, but, like simey, I watched all of Rivers' college career, and I think simey's description of Rivers is spot on. I was going to post something similar. He is very passionate. Passion can be a good thing or a bad thing. With Rivers, it has always been a good thing. Nothing to worry about here.
 
Gr00vus said:
I don't want to invoke another ex-Charger first round draft pick QB's name here for fear of soiling Rivers's good name, and I don't think Rivers has remotely any resemblance in most ways, but in this one very small aspect he does remind me a tiny bit of that guy - and that's not a good thing however miniscule the similarity is.
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This is absurd. In no way, shape, or form does Rivers resemble Leaf, other than the fact that they both lined up at QB for the Chargers. If you "don't want to invoke" Leaf's name with regard to Rivers, then don't.
 
Just Win Baby said:
This is absurd. In no way, shape, or form does Rivers resemble Leaf, other than the fact that they both lined up at QB for the Chargers. If you "don't want to invoke" Leaf's name with regard to Rivers, then don't.
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I figured someone would overreact to that. Interestingly you didn't see the game, so you don't really know the incident that I'm talking about. To my mind for those brief few seconds Rivers did have a Leaf moment (which you could recognize if you'd also seen some of Leaf's antics in this area) - it was a pure expression of immaturity plain and simple. And he's done similar things during a few other games this season. I took great pains above to say I don't think Rivers is much like Leaf at all, but in this one area of behavior there is a similarity, however small. Rivers isn't perfect, nobody is, I'd hope we'd all be able to engage in some non-pointed analysis of those areas while expressing our hopes that he can improve in those areas.
 
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Gr00vus, I don't see the same thing you see at all. I see a passionate kid who cares about winning. I don't see that as a problem at all.

 
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