Bolts Coaching Search & Broncos Preview | LA Chargers

On this episode of Chargers Weekly, Matt “Money” Smith and Chris Hayre analyze last Sunday’s game vs the Buffalo Bills and preview the Bolts’ matchup with the Denver Broncos in Week 17. The hosts break down quarterback Easton Stick’s strong performance as well as how the team can create opportunities for running back Austin Ekeler during the coaching search. Find out how Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham can impact the game replacing Russell Wilson, how the Bolts can defend wide receiver Courtland Sutton, & how the LA Chargers can bounce back. Presented by Microsoft Surface.

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T aan 1510 touchdown Chargers what’s up guys we are back with a week 17 edition of charged weekly as always powered by Microsoft Surface and as always joined by Matt money Smith as the Chargers head to Denver closing the season with a pair of divisional opponents after a really great performance I thought in terms of effort

Uh I guess the Buffalo Bills 24 to 22 and budy it it felt like a different team uh I was really rooting for gift to get his first win and and they darn almost did it yeah almost a lot to a lot to kind of get into from what we saw and

I think we’ll start at the very end you know when you talk about almost I thought Kell Moore Drew up a heck of a play and you know considering how recent the passing was at Frank week it would have been uh a heck of a tribute to him

To to get the Music City miracle rehashed against the bills um and have the Chargers do it you know unfortunately for for Kellen is as welld designed and as perfectly executed as the first part of that play was from Eckler back to to Easton and then the lateral to Erikson just couldn’t quite

Get that first block to to seal that line even though they had all the bodies over there and and Zion just kind of climbed a little bit too far too fast and and Brennan kind of whiffed on the Block and Erikson had to immediately peel off what looked to be a perfectly

Designed play but I think I’ll just start there Chris I really enjoyed the game plan that Kellen put together for this offense and I really enjoyed seeing Cameron Dicker kick five field goals uh for the first time by a charger kicker s and at least 10 years so it was that

Type of game the defense played great you knew it was going to be tight DJ kept saying it just take him to the deep end and let’s see if you can pull him under at the end and get out of here with a win and I thought it was you know

Unfortunately fourth time they’ve now lost you know when having a lead in the fourth quarter I think sixth time this year now they’ve lost by three or fewer points those are tough to swallow but but I really enjoyed the game I I did I thought they played inspired

Football and you you just look at everything that they were working with no Justin Herbert no Keenan Allen I thought that gif said it perfectly he said he was expecting a heavyweight fight he wanted to take the points at uh every chance he could get

And is very smart with when you have a a kicker that’s as good as camer Dicker man I I don’t think we’ve seen a kicker come into the Chargers as confident and as automatic as he has been money and you know I think you talked about the

Week before just how good he’s been and even in spots where you know it’s Fourth and three or fourth and five and you want to go for it sometimes taking the points is the better option and GIF kind of used that and said hey we’re going to

Take the place we’re going to get something out of these long drives I don’t care it’s seven to three we’re going to get points on the board yeah I mean you know let’s just go back to what we talked about three weeks ago or two two weeks three weeks ago and I go

Through the playby playay and you’re talking about uh zeros you lose on Downs uh you’re now down 70 after the interception that Justin threw inside his own three yard line and you’re still down 7-0 you lose a ball on downs and you’re down 10 nothing and you lose a

Ball on Downs and it’s like that’s nine points that’s nine points in a 10 to n game with two minutes left in the third quarter is and it just it felt like it was that kind of game against the Broncos and you couldn’t quite figure out okay this isn’t the Chiefs it’s not

The Dolphins it’s not the Lions why are we chasing points and I think you saw GIF recognize the type of game that this was going to be that the bills have had a pension for turning the ball over quite a bit this year and losing games

That a lot of people think they should not lose but they do it because they’re they’re careless with the football and I think he played you know the that that was the script that he wrote for this game and I thought they followed it perfectly and they darn near had it and

You know I was doing the the Bal show with Lorenz O’Neil and he made a perfect point he you know we talked about the zero Blitz that da called that was it was a perfect call you know you’ve got Josh Allen on the Run he’s falling

Backwards and he heaves that ball to the right sideline and if there’s better communication between Hawkins and and Asante they’re going to switch instead of try to work through each other and bonk off each other and one of them’s going to get a pick six but he made the

Point he’s like Josh Allen’s probably the only quarterback in the league that makes that throw that gets it all the way to Shakir you know that’s just you just got Josh Allen I mean that’s really all that that happened there it was a perfect call they played it great and

Josh Allen just kind of got the the better of them and they end up getting out with a loss instead of a win Char f r hop and she cure scored right you get the ball right back and I think that that that really kind of ended the game

You away because the bills had that that ample time to milk clock and kick their field goal and and go ahead and right uh that was I think the difference because even gon man and more times than not that’s a pick six that’s going the other

Way U but that that kind of did it right like had they scored e sck would have had uh much more time with a crack to win right right so and this is just sidebar this is one of my problems with instant replay you you you can’t do it that like

And look the Chargers lost didn’t have that opportunity because this was a nationally televised game on NBC or peacock and they had the 10 cameras so you get the extra cameras you get the NBC it you get the super slow-mo like to me there should be a cap on how tight

You can get how slow with you know the frames per second that you can get in there because that’s one where if it’s just a regular one o00 kick on fox or CBS you probably got six cameras instead of 10 and that thing stays a touchdown

And I’m not saying it like my point is I just feel like when you’re looking at this thing for five minutes and you’ve got to get to the ninth or 10th camera and you’ve got to slow it down to you know milliseconds in order to figure out

Oh yeah look there’s a couple Blades of turf touching his knee it just kind of takes a little bit of the romance out of the game um so that’s you know it’s unfortunate had had Shakir not you know had that probably one 100th of 1 second

Where his knee was in contact with the turf we get to see Easton who had a heck of a game and this offense try to get back after it and score but you know I think the the one thing you know when we we do it half glass you know glass half

Full now let’s go glass half empty you know this is something that we’ve seen repeatedly this season where the offense gives you a lead all you got to do is get off the field get off the field you know get off on a third down force a

Fourth down and maybe a long field goal attempt and unfortunately it just it happened again you know where you got a busted coverage you got someone that breaks a tackle and you know they end up getting the win and the Chargers find a way to lose Chargers fans minds are

Everywhere at this point right they’re they’re focused on who the next coach to General Manager going to be and you know you got the broos and Chiefs up are you going to lose out and get a higher draft pick or do you actually want just just bury the Broncos this Sunday and maybe

Make it miserable for the Chiefs in week 18 um so a lot to kind of digest just sticking with this game for a little bit we’ll start offensively you mentioned e stick in the game that he had they only scored one touchdown in the game but I

Thought Austin Eckler they got back to just getting him the ball 18 touches he needs to have the touches uh for this offense to to go we talked about all the guys that he don’t have but I thought that after the second half in Vegas and and just the the nightmare

That e stick had in terms of two touchdowns going the other way he really rebounded and this is a great evaluation process for him over the next two weeks to see if EA stick’s going to be the backup quarterback here well I think GIF said it best after the game Easton’s an

NFL quarterback there’s no doubt you know he’s in good for him you know you never know until you get the call and teams want to see can we count on this guy to win us a game can we count on him to win us a quarter can we maybe count

On him to win us three games and I think Easton’s certainly proven that he can do that and he’s going to spend a lot of time in the NFL now what his future looks like and whether or not one of these teams that drafts a quarterback in

The first round and isn’t quite sure that they want to throw him out there right away let’s bring in a bridge for somebody to compete and try to take that shot you know I think I think that was a possibility for Easton this year I as a

Matter of fact I know it was I know for a fact that somebody had kind of proposed that and he opted to stay with the Chargers for one more year and and so I’m very excited for him I don’t think there’s any question that the Chargers would love to have him back I

Think it’s hard to spend money in a quarterback room when you’ve already got a quarter of a billion dollars tied up to that position you try to find a rookie contract to to put in there someone you can trust you know like we had trust in Easton but for him I’m just

I’d like to see him get a win I want to see him get a win on that that resume when you see you know the GS game started 02 and zero I’d love to see it read two and two for him moving forward knock off the Broncos knock off the Chiefs get those

Wins in the division officially eliminate the Broncos from playoff contention you know put an e next to their their name and the standings and and see if you can ruin the Chiefs and push them all the way down to the four spot the following week um I understand

The draft pick and and I do I do sympathize right well I do understand I don’t want to say I empathize or sympathize with people that that want that but I think this is a team that desperately needs needs more young talent that needs draft picks and if you

Can find yourself in the top five and you start talking about quarterbacks you know like Jaden Daniels and B Knicks and Michael panck obviously behind Drake May and Caleb Williams then maybe you’re talking about getting a pretty big Hall you know with with Marvin Harrison Jr up

There and so I understand that that aspect of it as well and I don’t and I and to me that’s what I would do I think you know with the pick I feel like I would I would really like to add a lot of selections because I just feel like

This team needs you know more seconds more thirds more fourth rounders that are out there making an impact with the with the big con just they need more youth this team needs to get younger I I really believe that and I think Chris it you know it may start as soon as this

Week where we want to see a little bit more youth out there you know performing it’s a big chip right a top 10 pick in this dress specifically is a big chip when you even take Drake May and Caleb Williams out of it you mentioned those other quarterbacks somebody’s going to

Fall in love with one of these quarterbacks sure J Daniels is probably going to be a top 10 pick now you mentioned B Nicks and the amount of starts that he has under his belt in Oregon that’s going to be attractive to a team so for a team like the Chargers

Who had no it really no thought of being in the top 10 this year to be able to trade out of that and and Stack Up on both sides of the football especially defensive and offensive lines uh for Justin Herbert uh I think that’s great you considering too money just the the

Cap uh numbers of some of these players you know a lot of these guys are not going to be here next year just plain and simple financial decision we’ll get into the one that they made in Denver too but uh quickly defensively seeing Derwin James out there for 71% of the

Stabs mostly in slot what were your thoughts well you know I I I read the article that popper had and and it definitely had a negative tone to it which which I understand it’s the fewest percentage of snaps that derwin’s played since he was dra drafted saved being

Ejected or injury I think it was 74.6% or something like that and he’s been at 95 or 100 for nearly every game but we’ve talked about this this season just because he can do it doesn’t mean he should do it yes he can play high yes he

Can play in the slot yes he can play outside corner he can obviously he plays box safety but I felt like GIF did exactly what we’ve been talking about which is tired of see him Derwin 30 yard off the line of scrimmage that is not where he

Excels I know they primarily listed him as a slot Defender you know which he was but I just felt like it was more a line of scrimmage Defender it was a box safety he was playing around the ball almost got to Josh Allen on that one Blitz he forced the incompletion because

He got the pressure there but man he was just a maybe half a hand away from swatting that ball away and that’s what I want to see more of that’s why I said you know couple weeks ago like I I know they’re they’re labels that you don’t like necessarily attaching because the

The linebacker position has been so devalued but to me like that’s that’s where I want him he’s got the strength he’s got the pop to play linebacker he’s got the speed where he makes the middle of the field and and it continued to be an issue in that game against the bills

Where you know our current pair of linebackers struggle in coverage you know and i’ I’d love to see Derwin get some snaps there so maybe that’s where they’re going so I what I’m getting at Chris is I don’t see that as a negative I see that as hey let’s get 74% of snaps

At 100% of Derwin let’s not get 100% of snaps at 75% of Derwin because when you’re lining him up as the nickel opposite Trey Tucker and he burns you for a 60- yard touchdown that just sucks it sucks for Derwin he’s got no business being in that position in the first

Place so I thought they deployed him in a much more efficient and effective way agreed it’s been a difficult season for Derwin even dating back to last year you know what I I go back to that um really a year ago that Indianapolis game that

That 15 yard penalty that he got uh you know he’s he’s playing football and it’s sometimes it’s it’s got to be very frustrating for him because some of those 15 yard penalties carried over into this year and I think it you know I’ve never played Safety in the NFL

Right but naturally you have to feel like man I have to be kind of aware of where I’m going to hit somebody and maybe you’re thinking a little bit too much and then you throw in the fact that he’s playing a million different positions on defense I think that this

Was the perfect opportunity for GIF to just say hey man you going do one thing you know sell down get take a breath and you know I don’t really view it as a negative either because they are also in evaluation mode with some of these other

Younger safeties on on the field so I think it in December it’s it’s you don’t want to read too much into it um but I know that derwin’s going to want to be out there during the money downs and you know I I could tell maybe he was a

Little bit frustrated by it but it is what it is at this point and I I think it’s been a difficult year for durwin but he’s still an all proo player and uh wherever or whoever the defensive coordinator is next year is going to have a really nice ship and it’s just a

Matter of trying to find the perfect place for Derwin as you said I I don’t think Derwin would push back on any of that I think he be very as it has been a really rough year for him you know there have been some busted coverages there

There’ve been some bad angles there have been some missed tackles been some bad penalties you know it’s just been a rough go it’s been a rough season but we certainly know the talent because you see it you see it in bursts and so you know and look he was tasked with so much

I think Brandon Staley had this vision for him that that he could essentially be this sort of omnipresent Force you know out on the field you know he bought into that money he did he bought to his credit yeah 100% he never pushed back but I think it goes to some of the

Things that we saw you know under coach Staley where Joey Bose is trying to cover a tight end leaking out of the backfield and just getting burned on the sideline and saying what are we doing you know and khil Mack five yards too wide chipping a slot receiver before he

Tries to pass rush knowing he’s never going to get home like just some of those things um were eliminated you know and and these guys were able to just get after it last week and if there’s one thing i’ you know I think I’d like to

See different is it goes you know it’s what we keep saying I just like to see some different names out there you know and and we did and we saw it in the defensive line and we saw Scott Matlock out there for snaps we saw Nick Johnson

And we saw Tito abon and I thought the rotation on the front was really good and they stayed fresh and they kept putting pressure on on Josh he’s a tough guy to bring down so you’re not going to get the sacks but you’re going to force the incompletions you’re going to force

The short runs the checkdowns and they did a lot of that so I would just like to see it at some other positions you know and particularly it goes back to I can’t quite can’t quite figure out why Dan Henley’s not getting snaps I just don’t I don’t think that makes it

Doesn’t make sense to me unless again it’s something in practice it’s something that we’re not privy to which very well could be the case you know that Kenneth Murray and Eric Kendricks just bust their tail in practice they’re really good leaders and you want to reward them with playing time but for me

I’d be a little bit selfish and say I need to do this for the organization you know moving forward we’ve got to evaluate you know this young talent to see if he can be our linebacker you know moving forward and and save us a heck of

A lot of money because he’s a third round pick it’ll be interesting to see what happens these next two weeks because I I believe everything GI said in the organization said they’re trying to go out and win these games like they they wanted to beat Buffalo and I I

Don’t think they’re going to pull some of these like I was interested money to see what the running back share was going to look like it is is Spiller going to just take the LI share and they said you know what we’re going to win

The game we’re going to try to win the game and we’re going to put the ball Austin’s hands and and enough with just the the three different running backs carrying you know what though Chris you know what I think that is too that’s that’s a veteran coach respecting a

Veteran player we talked about it so now all Austin needs is 80 yards in each of the next two games to get his million and I think that’s that’s GI that’s that’s how you win a locker room that’s how you get players to respect you to

Say look you’re 28 going on 29 years old million dollars is a lot of money you know for you moving forward kind of knowing what the landscape is for for running back contracts let’s put that let’s put that million bucks in your pocket you’re you’re probably not going

To get you know I he could get four touchdowns in the next two games I think it’d be pretty tough to get the extra 600 Grand but I think they feel like we can get you that million dollars we we you know we can get you to 1125 and and

Get you you know an extra bit of cash in your pocket and so I think that played a big role in why Austin got all those touches and I love it and I think I think he deserves it and I think it’s great for the locker room and it’s great

For camaraderie for guys who want to fight to get him those yards you know it’s a I I think I think players respect that you know and and and are going to get behind GIF and and get out there and try to try to help Austin get to that

Number no doubt we’ll put a pen in Buffalo uh quick break and then we’ll talk Denver and then everything else going on in the NFL that they relate to the Chargers in this coaching search all right guys a big thank you to our partner Microsoft Surface the official sideline technology provider and laptop

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Drinks and fair and much more visit NFL on location.com or search NFL onlocation today your football experience of a lifetime awaits only with on location so money big news out of Denver yesterday taping this on a Thursday uh Des Shan pton putting Russell wi Wilson

On the bench for the last two games of the Season Broncos are seven and eight after losing to the Patriots pretty much put their playoff hopes on life support and it feels like Russell is the scapegoat quite frankly I know that this is a financial decision but based on

Some of Shawn Peyton’s comments it was kind of funny to me that uh they’re put all this on Russ when they’re seven and eight and I could go back through the season and see 35 points the commander scored on 31 points that the Jets scored on him 70 points that the Dolphins

Scored on him 42 points that the Lions scored on him and Russell if you put Russell’s uh numbers up next to Justin they’re about to say yeah actually Russell has six more touchdowns and I know they’re different players and everything but I I just think that it’s

A little bit of a of a scapegoat situation and I don’t think Shawn Peyton wanted to coach Russell Wilson to begin with no to me it’s it’s identical to what happened with Derek Carr last year I think it’s exactly know we’re going to

Try to make it work he’s not my guy I if it were up to me he would not be here but he is and he’s making a lot of money so let’s see if we can you know and he’s got a pretty good resume let’s see if we

Can make it work and ultimately when you get to the point when you’re eliminated from the playoffs and you can’t take the risk of that player getting hurt because then their contract’s going to vest The Following season you just move on and so I you know I look I would love to to

Really put them you know my foot on the the pedal and and say yes this is Shawn pyton trying to absolve himself of any responsibility from the mess that this year happened to be and there is part of that I I think we’ve seen enough from from pton to recognize that and then

That’s sort of hiso a little bit but to me it was a okay we’ll try to make it work I’m not crazy about it that’s why I want you to sign this guy for six million bucks as a backup to a quarterback that’s making $37 million so

We saw this writing on the wall that that Peyton was not sold on him it’ll be interesting Jared had a couple good good starts last year for the Raiders when he it’s funny right so it’s like the same thing for stum like you did this with

Carr last year and now you’re going to do it to Wilson this year and the guy threw for over 300 yards per game he can sling it around but I’ll tell you as as far as what what I’d like to see yeah I’m I’m fine for the Chargers seeing s

Him instead of Russ Russ extends plays very similar to what you know the headaches that that those mobile quarterbacks give you I they played pretty well against him you know they they had that great pick Mikey had that great pick in the first you know on the

First attempt of the game that they weren’t able to cash in for any points but it’s it’s still a very good defense they’ve moved on from from Kareem Jackson obviously but you still got Justin Simmons out there you still have Zach Allen who’s a nightmare and and

This will be interesting because when we talked about what a mess it was after that game the Chargers offensive line just couldn’t pick up a blitz like they they had no idea and they were standard blitzes we were talking to Tony baselli about it because he he came for for the

Next game he’s like it’s the damnest thing I’ve ever seen it’s just a standard slot slot Corner Blitz nickel Blitz safety Blitz delayed blit like there was nothing exotic about what they were doing and this front had no idea where to go where to shift protections

And I think you saw a little bit of it last week and so so going back two weeks right against the Raiders what do we talk about with Easton great second half some great things in there but you can’t have a pick six and cough the ball up

Twice and he eliminated all the turnovers but he still took the sacks so you want to see him now eliminate the sacks let’s okay you’ve cleaned up the turnovers now let’s clean up the sacks and I think on top of that Easton will go back and watch that film against

Buffalo and realize all those rpos that that East that uh Kellen was giving him man he needed to keep two or three of them and those things were going for big gains if he doesn’t hand that ball off and he keeps it and takes it instead so

I I to me that’s that’s the next step for East in this game now in his third start okay i’ I’ve cleaned that up I know I have to take care of the ball step two let’s eliminate the sacks and let’s use my legs a little bit more

Let’s let’s get out there because it’s going to work and and Kell’s dialing up some really good calls on these rpos and he’s just got to make better decisions on on a handful of those so I know we started that by talking about Russell Wilson and and uh Jared stum but

Whatever just kind of came back to came back it is and it’s been uh it hasn’t been a kind place for the Chargers Denver in terms of going in there and trying to get wins real quick on on Russ before we move on do you think that had

They beaten the Patriots and gone eight and seven that that Russ would be the the starter today right I do because they’re still they’re still very realistically alive for the playoffs you know you got Chargers team down half their roster and now you’re nine and seven and 10 and seven very well could

Get you in so to me yes I think he’s still the starter it’s a season’s lost he’s not going to be back here next year we cannot afford to get him injured and and give him that extra money money the only reason I keep

Bringing this up is I I I find this just very interesting as far as it relates to the Chargers moving forward and whoever the head coach is going to be because the the Broncos have said that Russell Wilson isn’t going to be at of Center

Next year for us he’s not going to play quarterback for us right is that is that’s pretty much what we got from that yeah yeah so I feel like I feel like it was a he’s not he’s not a Shawn pyton type of quarterback Shawn Peyton is Drew

Brees Joe Lombardi We Know It I think Joe to some degree wrecked Justin Herbert those couple years and tried to make him into Drew Brees he’s not like that’s it’s not what we got here we’ve got the most talented physically talented quarterback in the league use

It you know and that’s just that’s what those guys believe in snap the ball take the ball get rid of the ball and let everybody else do the work and that’s what they want to do and that’s just not Russell Wilson’s Forte that’s not what he’s best at so this is what the

Division is though right it’s it’s Andy Reid and Sh pton right so we know like Hall of Fame head coaches or Andy Reed Surefire Hall of Fame head coach um Patrick Mahomes without receivers it look a little bit different this year uh the Raiders a no Connell not sure he’s

The answer didn’t even attempt a pass after the first quarter of the game against the Chiefs and then now at Denver is it St is it a rookie is this somebody you bring in Via free agency all I know is that Herbert and momes still as far as the quarterback position

Is concerned the class of the division and when you bring in a uh let’s say you bring in an established head coach to coach this Chargers team I just I feel like that that there’s more questions about the Broncos when we thought that they were kind of turning the corner

With Russ and they were going to go on a little run maybe make the playoffs it looks a little bit different now especially with the cap impli implications that than Russ has moving forward well the one thing that the Broncos have that perhaps the the Chargers don’t is they’ve got pretty

Good depth right so they’ve specifically on defense they’ve got a really good secondary um love their linebackers you know Browning Singleton like they’ve got good they you know their offensive line is kind of finely sort of figured it out you know which was a big struggle for a

While they’ve managed to put that together a little bit now so I feel like they just with the coaching look Shawn pton as much as maybe people don’t like him he’s a good coach he’s a really good coach and I figure they’ll they they just need to find

Their guy like as crazy as it sounds you know we’ve seen a bit of a decline from from Russell you know he doesn’t quite have the explosiveness doesn’t have the quicks that he used to so those Those runs those extending the plays they’re not quite what they used to be so I

Think they’ll which what direction do they go I don’t know you know I’m not quite sure it doesn’t doesn’t seem like a rookie you know is is going to be in range from where they’re they’re picking but tough to say I you know maybe they sign Easton stick who knows you know

What I mean like I I don’t quite know but clearly it’s not Russ and they think enough of Jared STM to give him that amount of money I think it was 6 million bucks if I remember right that’s a lot of money I think he got like 10 million

For two years yeah so that that’s a lot to back up a guy that’s making 40 million bucks so maybe it is going to be stum and they’re just doing this two- game audition now look the Raiders tried to do that and ultimately decided no

We’re going to we’re going to move on to Garoppolo I don’t know what their cap situation is but there are going to be some interesting quarterbacks out there this upcoming season Kirk Cousins is going to be a free agent great decision maker very good getting the ball out

That’s a real possibility but again when you’re going to be carrying 38 million I think it’s 38 million next year of a cap number for for Russ it’s probably more likely than not Jared S and a rookie is is what I would guess yeah you’re not gonna trade you’re not trading that

Contract no there’s no chance uh Kirk kuzas would be perfect in Denver but I don’t think they can afford it and uh I I don’t know I’m like the rookies like Bon knck is the only like experienced like rookie I think did work with pennx too yeah penck a little adri

Prone but he’s been awesome this year um yeah I don’t know I just I I I just find the the the division fascinating now uh with all the decisions that deah has to make and what are the rankers going to do like they they crushed the Chargers

They went into Arrowhead and beat the Chiefs and their defense was just ball it out like you you have to make pierce the head coach down no please please it’s my answer to that please do it please that’s 100% look they’re playing great they’re playing inspired football

Clearly they like playing for him I don’t think there’s any I’m not taking anything away from him but he puts 63 up on you know on the Chargers their rival on national TV knocks off the Chiefs at Arrowhead those are impressive that is impressive to put on

Your resume I I’m not taking anything away from that so I wouldn’t and look if you’re Mark Davis you gave John guden a $ hundred million ultimately I don’t know what they had to give him to to get it right so he didn’t sue him after

Being fired the way he was but I’m sure it was a pretty big number to settle they got 30 million bucks going to Josh McDaniels because they signed him to a fivey year I think it was five years 50 if I remember right maybe it was four

Years 40 whatever it was it was a lot of money a lot of money so you maybe you give Antonio know 3 years you know at four per something like that and that way you’re you’re saving a little bit of money you’re only paying 14 million

Bucks for your head coach instead of 25 because you’re chasing you know Jim Harbaugh 15 mil or you know Bill bich at 20 mil like that’s I I don’t know what their financial situation is but I would assume sooner or later that’s a pretty big tab I mean heck you got the rumor

Out there that Ben Johnson wants 15 million bucks to be a firsttime head coach there’s no way I mean I appreciate the agent trying to plant that seed but come on man let’s let’s be real here so I wouldn’t be surprised I think it would be a

Calculated Risk by the Raiders to just like you said like four years per if the wheels come off next year you can par way pretty easily and then go after another big fish right I’m all for it as far as this uh as far as this head coaching uh position is concerned I

Think our Buddy Joe REI uh tried to ask Jim har about the the Chargers opening oh did I see yesterday he was in Disney World and uh or Disneyland and they asked I think Joe just went in there and you know shouted out the fact that the

Chargers are uh looking for a coach and his reaction and Jim hit him with the one track mine one day at a time attack today attack today somebody asked him about another head coach we’re going to one track M attack today so we got to

Give Joe Rey a shout out for swing in the back you know yep love you Joe and your cats um way to go love it yeah look I I we’ve said it now three ever since Brandon was let go to me I just I feel like that’s

What the people want and I have and I’m with him he’d I there are plenty of good coaches we’ve we’ve talked about all the names that I think make sense you know Dan Quinn who’s been a head coach before is a great guy has worked with Kellen

And I think it’s an opportunity for Kellen to show off a little bit here these next couple weeks with Easton and these play you know no Keenan no Mike Williams you know no Justin Herbert can you put up some points and get a couple wins and then you can kind of keep that

Synergy going moving forward so I think there’s there’s some some great positives there I I just keep going back to the idea that the moment Jim Harbaugh walks in that door he walks in with an offensive background with I was a quarterback in the lead one playoff

Games I’m in the Ring of Honor in in Indianapolis you know and I’m a winner I’m I’m not just a winner at Stanford I’m not just a winner at San Diego I’m not just a winner at Michigan I was a winner with the 49ers we were two

Minutes away from winning a Super Bowl turned around a team that was in it was the dregs I mean it was a disaster of a team when he took it over and I can’t 44 and 14 or something like that was his record incredible he was incredible so I just

Feel like there’s something to that presence to we’re going to change things you guys lost more one- score games than any team over the last five years y’all lost more games by three or fewer points they got a shot at doing that the most in history it’s the 93 Oilers that were

Zero and seven in G in games they lost by three points or less right now the Chargers I got six of them so we’re changing I’m a winner you guys may not be winners but I am and you’re going to join me in in being winners moving forward so I just think there’s

Something there’s something to that um if it’s anybody else if it’s Ben Johnson or Mike McDonald great you know I mean I’m sure they come in with great that’s the thing it’s like people we don’t know we don’t know what these meetings are like or how they go or what the

Presentation is what the vision is um but I just for me I feel like I know what Jim Harbaugh is freaking is a psycho he is a psycho who’s super competitive and all he wants to do is win football games that is why he believes he was put on Earth to go win

Football games and there’s something about guys like that that I just appreciate and you get to interview him every week I mean I don’t know I don’t know if he’d be okay with maybe maybe maybe that’ll change I mean the funny thing is like when he first got the job

At San Diego we used to put him on we would put him on the Petro money show and then that carried over when he got the Stanford job he came on all the time because he would use us to recruit Southern California I would assume that

Was his idea like well hey here’s the number one show in Southern California he’s he’s talk to you every week sometimes he’d be great other times he’d be like not enjoying this I don’t like you guys very much um but you know and also I got to call a ton of Stanford

Games with with Curtis Conway who was his teammate you know and and we would go down on the field and some games he’d be in a great mood and other games he wouldn’t be and it just kind of depend on what Jim Harbaugh you got but there’s

No n it’s it’s not about not about how how comfortable we’re going to be it’s about winning games and giving Justin Herbert and this team the best voice moving forward and I think anybody you talk to that’s in his inner circle they all say the same thing that not winning

That Super Bowl tore him apart and and he is fueled he is determined to get back to the NFL at some point get back to the Super Bowl and win it so let’s let’s have it be with the powder blues I think the best case scenario for those

Who want Jim hard ball in the NFL specifically in Los Angeles is they go out and they beat Alabama and the Rose Bowl and they win a National Championship and he can leave Michigan knowing that he accomplished the mission and really he kind of has already right

Going to back to back cfbs he totally has but just to have the complete icing on the cake and cherry on top winning a national championships then I feel like he would be like you know what I did what I said I was going to do now I got

To go back to the NFL and win a Super Bowl and who knows it could be with the Chargers that we we talked about all the big fish money uh bellich Harbaugh Tomlin who I think would be it’d be ridiculous if he went anywhere I think

He’s going to stay in Pittsburgh yeah um the the first time coordinators or the coordinators who used to be head coaches that list I think is rather short you know you mentioned Dan Quinn a guy who has been to a Super Bowl and has done a

Heck of a job in Dallas Ben Johnson who I mean he he lights up the scoreboard every week but I I think I even said it last week you know we’re not in the interview I I don’t know I mean I know he’s learned from Dan Campbell and Dan

Campbell’s learned from Shawn pyton and I’m I’m sure that he has a a CEO type mentality in there somewhere but I don’t know uh Mike McDonald the defensive coordinator would you bring in another defensive mind I think that’s very Brandon stales right guy that coordinates the number one defense first

Year doing it what what do we make of that what’s the take away that you know what I mean I think that to me is a lot of times the pendulum’s got a swing and that’s too similar when you go through it you’ve got Frank Reich who was let go

By the Panthers and reportedly they were interested in bringing him in as the OC no one in Arizona Washington Eric benmy but there’s a reason why he’s interviewed for seemingly every head coaching job and keeps you know not getting them what do you think about benmy it’s you know hows play really

Good ball then he just hit a complete wall the team’s a mess but kid city is also a mess offensively yeah right I I don’t know I I you you mentioned it he’s interviewed a ton of times I guess it hasn’t gone well no and I’m going Bears

They may get rid of everl I don’t know if you can bring him in considering his record Saints no Packers no Falcons if they let go of Arthur Smith you’d probably bring him in for an interview I know they were interested in him when they hired Brandon Staley no Vikings

Seahawks Rams Raheem Morris be interesting you know was so young when he got that opportunity he was with and that those players my gosh you look at the defensive Talent on that team it is all kids it’s allies the second year guys and they’re playing their tail off

So that’s interesting you mentioned Dan Quinn tampao Ben Johnson’s the hot name out of Detroit Philly nobody San Francisco you know they’ve been kind of just picked clean um Patriots we already talked about bellich Tennessee you’ve talked about if they move on from able but I just don’t quite see that

Happening um Bengals Steelers Tomlin we talked about Colts bills um Browns Jim Schwarz that’s an interesting one you think about you’ve got no quarterback on that team the quarterback position’s been an absolute disaster and you got 10 wins and you’re kicking ass on defense so that’s that’s an interesting one you

Mentioned that day because all I can think about is the Jim Harbaugh Jim Schwarz handshake after one of the games yeah yeah exactly fir to him too when he took the the lies to the playoffs yeah yeah the year after they were over genius too I think he he went to

Georgetown and he’s he’s a very bright guy yeah yeah very bright Geor would be an interesting name he’s had success as a coordinator everywhere he’s going yeah that’s that’s an interesting one Chiefs nobody Dolphins I mean there’s that Frank Smith thing but I can’t see that you know not not somebody that was

On Brandon’s staff there so that would be weird so yeah I think that’s you know there’s a lot there’s and there’s I’m sure some names that we’re not thinking of some names besides Harbo I mean selfishly the only one that I would everybody talks about Ryan day

That he definitely has an NFL presence to him more of a CEO you know stickler to details details details details kind of guy so that would be one and and rumor is he’s interested in in making the jump I think that’s more important than just like one of the scheme guys

Selfishly for me one of my absolute favorite people in the profession is Chris Peterson I think that guy would be successful anywhere he goes he is such an inspiring figure the way he speaks to people the motivational just there’s something about him he just anytime you’re in his presence you just feel

There’s like a lift um he just won’t do it I think he’s so content in his post coaching life but you’re talking about a guy that won at Davis that made Boise State and National Power and knocked off Oklahoma in a BCS game took Washington to the playoff like that guy’s that

Guy’s a coach he can freaking coach so and there’s the connection with Kellen obviously you know the two made incredible magic at boisey together so that would be it I don’t think there’s anyone else from the the coaching rank you know there’s the Brian Kelly but no

Thank you I’ll take a pass on that um oh all I can think about Brian Kelly is my family oh here we go now you know he’ll show up here at our press conference and be like what’s up super stoked up BR here guys yeah no no thank you I’ll take

A pass on Brian Kelly I mean look what you’ve already got it out there the guy’s just never I don’t know it’s like I don’t remember who put it out there if it was felt I think it might have been Bruce that put it out there that if Jim

Were to leave Michigan that Brian Kelly be interested it’s like dude relax just relax jump jobs so I think that I wish I could think of I mean I guess if I go to NCAA and go to uh rankings let’s see if there’s anybody that we’re forgetting Michigan I mean

Look da old Dabo rumors I don’t think that that I don’t think he’s an NFL guy uh no Sark no Sabin not GNA do it norell is you know Kirby I think those guys are you know they’re they’re great coaches but I think recruiting is such a big

Part of their success uh Dan lanning’s interesting I mean he certainly got those guys fired up you know and and is is pretty incredible what he’s been able to do at Oregon but those are all just such big risks you know that that’s and then like when you talk about the

Lincoln Riley you know sort of thing those are just sort of scheme guys and I think you fall into a little bit of a danger zone with guys like that as opposed to leaders more of the oh yeah that guy’s a head coach and that’s sort

Of the sense you get with Jim har with kayin dor with Nick Sabin with Mike norell like these guys are head coaches they’re Ryan day you know they’re not play card you know what’s the next great play I can call they’re they’re leaders so there’s a lot of interesting names

Midway through the USC I think Lincoln who who there you thought there were some rumors about he want to go to the NFL those quickly went away you know yeah so I think Roo yeah no doubt I mean and he’s making a ton of cash and and

Yeah I man he’s making a ridiculous amount of money now look he’s losing Caleb Williams it was fun to watch Miller Moss last night you know put together a heck of a game and set a USC record I love seeing those stories it’s wonderful even if he never plays you

Know another game for SC because they bring someone in through the transfer portal but you know it’s it goes to show you Lincoln can coach offense man he can freaking coach offense so there’s I get it you know I totally get it but you

Know to me I think for the Chargers I do think there’s something to having that winning mentality walk through the door yeah set a tone change I’m not necessarily saying change a culture but just I think set a tone is the best way to put it I think establish a culture of

Winning you know with with with somebody who’s done it before and yeah money La last thing because I I think that there’s been some chatter among fans too like well shoot next year look at the cap it’s we 40 million over we’re going to take a step back anyway uh you know

What what could next year look like I think a with with A+ coaching they could be all right and and B like what do you think they need to do to make sure that they can make the playoffs next year like you mentioned the top 10 draft pick that’s a chip that

Can be turned into a lot of different from positions and they need some positions um do you bring back Mike or Keenan Joey or khil like there’s a lot of big decisions that need to be made and again these last two weeks we talked about the development of some of these

Guys we haven’t seen Henley out there um there’s some other guys that we need to see across the defensive line especially um but I I don’t think that they’re too far away I I think that the you know the cap some people say the cap is a myth

And you can you can get around it you can you can you know manipulate it and to some degree you can I know Justin verer is gonna make a ton of money here over the next several years but you can still feeli I think a contending team I

Well they have one of two paths they can take and the the One path is the Saints and you kick the can down the road another year and you move some money around and you keep all the old guys and you just you’re like well because you’re

Going to have to take your medicine sooner or later it’s going to happen you can’t yes the cap keeps going up and but it’s just eventually you’re going to have to reset and you’re going to have to move or cut and take your take your poison pills you know in terms of cap

Hits with dead cap money you know the Rams had to do it and they were able to compete you know the Rams did it this year and they they and two years ago and they had to restock their roster with all that young talent and last year they

Played like crap and this year they’re back you know and next year they’re going to be even better and so I I think just since 25 like to me it it almost makes a little bit more sense just to take your medicine now take it right away rip the

Band-Aid off and so and by that what I mean is I think you shop you figure out which of these big numbers can get a trade can I can I get a mid- round pick can I get a three for for one of these Blue Chips because that then lessens

Your financial impact right it it takes it down a little bit so you don’t have as big of a hit against the cap is just letting the guy go and eating all the dead money if you can make a trade get some of that money back they’re already

Doing it with JC Jackson you know they took a took a huge hit on that because they had to pay the majority of the salary just to get him off the roster um but if you can find some teams that are willing to trade for and restructure because they feel like they’re really

Close and maybe they’re one wide receiver away or one defensive lineman away then to me that would be a yes I think they say yes in those situations can we get an asset can we get a mid- round pick can we get a day two pick you

Know a two three or a four for one of these guys and and just restock the roster and get young and and kind of reset our financial situation moving forward because it’s clear they have to I mean you know that’s just it’s either that or all right we’re 40 million over

Let’s restructure convert this to signing bonus add some voidable years and we’re coming back with the same guys A+ coaching will will mask that too if you rip the bandaid off yes you you know Shan McVey is the perfect example of that like like what what they’re doing

Money is remarkable with all these young guys and and a and a an elite quarterback also masks that like Stafford was hurt during that five and 12 year and it just the wheels came off a little bit but had Stafford stay healthy they probably would have won

Eight or nine games last year yeah they had to reset their o line you know and I think but they did and I think that’s it’s kind of what we’re getting at right you know you just got to reset you’re going to have to reset some pos position

Groups that either got old or underperformed with some young talent and hope you can coach them up and develop them and that’s what the Rams did no doubt uh Denver on Sunday anything else about that matchup that you want to dive into or you know let’s

Get Eckler his 80 yards maybe try to get him a 100 so he all he needs is 60 against the Chiefs get him his money let’s get Easton a win you know let’s continue to give a win let’s keep miked up in the locker room post game

100% I’m with you I would love to see him get this win I think it’s attainable they split with the the Broncos every year so let’s get they beat them you know the Broncos beat the Chargers here let’s let’s get the split by knocking them off there you know get your sixth

Win and see if you can close it out by ruining the Chiefs and and pushing them down to the four seed that’s what I’d love to see could you imagine if the Raiders win next week and the Chiefs lose to the Bengals and the Chargers have the ability to keep the Chiefs out

Of the playoffs that would be amazing putting the Raiders in but the fact that she can knock the Chiefs out makes it sweeter maybe get Antonio Pierce a 10-year contract life liftime contract exactly all right guys uh Merry Christmas Happy New Year money safe travels to Denver this has been Chargers

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