StormCloud’s been waitin’ all day for Sunday Night, and here it is.
We are less than an hour away from the second time Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert have faced off against each other. Anytime the quarterbacks of the 2020 class face each other it’s bound to be a high-drama affair, as many debates have raged on as to how these quarterbacks would be ranked if they were to be re-drafted today.
So far, Burrow has lost to the Chargers twice, the first loss coming in his first game in the NFL against the Chargers’ Tyrod Taylor. Justin Herbert was his opponent in the next showdown, and it was a Herbie masterpiece as he led the Chargers to an impressive 41-22 victory in Paul Brown Stadium.
The Chargers are a much different team this year, with a much different offensive and defensive mentality. Rather than trying to hang 40+ on the Bengals, the Chargers would be ecstatic to score more than 24, and keep their opponent once again to a total of less than 20 points. The defense has been suffocating offenses all season, but Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins are sure to give them their biggest test of the year.
Let’s get to the inactives:
DJ Chark is alarmingly on the inactives list again after only taking on snap against the TItans. Vidal will be sidelined again – which is less concerning than when this news broke last week, but still a disappointment as he brings such an explosive element to the running back room. Hayden Hurst is out again, but the biggest disappoint is the absence of Khalil Mack. However, this staff prepared for such an event by bringing in veteran depth in the offseason; this is why a piece like Bud Dupree is so important to this roster.
The Bengals offensive line is struggling at the Tackle position, so this is the week for Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Dupree to feast. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are on a two-wave wavelength with each other as plays go on and find gaps in zone defenses like no other pair in the league, so the quicker the pass rush can get home the better chance the Bolts have.
Get the chatter going, StormCloud. Let’s have a helluva game, and a time in the comments below!
Wow. Herbie air mailed that one.
Ladd was wide open and Herbert wasn’t under more pressure than usual. That was simply a rare miss by 10.
He doesn’t usually get rattled, but he looks rattled now.
Missed it. And the Bolts are Still alive. (Get it?)
Bing bang boom 🤣
Wow, I’ve rarely seen a team fall apart this completely.
It really does remind me of the Jacksonville game.
Hang on, brother. Hang on.
I’m hangin’. FG no good, Here we go.
What a ridiculous call!!!!!
Hart and Perryman out. Bosa doing Bosa things. Who’s gonna step up?
Ok. Minter, earn next year’s job. Here we go.
This is painful
Roman offense strikes again
Why are we continuing to throw fucking bombs? Where are tge TE throws and how about a fucking screen?
Bosa looks gassed. Uhg.
27-6 in the third quarter. 97.8% win probability.
Gone.
Oh man oh man oh man. This is getting brutal.
Minters D great against the scrubs
This games a wrap. I’ve seen this same movie for 40 years
Hang on, brother. The fat lady hasn’t even had her tea yet.
Perryman to the locker room. I didn’t hear who is wearing the dot.
Chargering is bigger than Harbaugh
I’m afraid you’re right. It will never end.
Nah. Hold the line. The future is unwritten. The past is not prologue.
From your lips to god’s ears
Fourth! This is when winners win. Chargers get it done now!
Well, it’s do or die time. Score on this drive or it becomes pretty much a toss-up. After leading 27-6.
I’m having flashbacks to the Jacksonville game.
Dobbins wants to win.
Wow. Dobbins what a break
Broken collarbone? It’s going to be a minute.
Gotta get back to running it
QJ has to attack that ball!
Yeah, but that would’ve been like trying to catch the soap in the shower on that play
They roughed up mcconkey out of bounds- no flag
Can we stop the fucking bombs? Just keep stacking first downs.
Late hit on McConkey.
Need a long scoring drive here to calm the game down
Yep. Long drive calms the nerves.
Fulton has a hamstring problem. Hart is being checked for concussion. This offense needs to step up. Let’s go, Herbie.
HUUUUGE momentum shift….
Fulton and Hart were in the tent.
Ooof. Sad to say, but you’re right. Let’s see what this team is made of. Scoreboard says Bolts are still in the lead. Let’s play like it.
Perryman into the tent. Bad sign.
Let’s see if Easter Island Bosa has some gas left.
Well, we’re gonna see how much difference the new regime makes. This is the point at which past Chargers teams would run out of gas and let the other team back in the game.
Second half offense looking anemic again. I really don’t understand. Have Gus, JK, and Hassan push that stupid pile.
Here comes the Roman 2nd half offense.
Collinsworth just got a boner. D needs a turnover now. Shitty punt.
I see your comment earlier, Kyle, and I’m on board. They have to keep pushing here. There’s a lot of game left to go.
They can’t go three and punt here with no time off the clock.
No… two possesion lead with this much time left is nothing. Gotta keep up the pressure
Molden down. Not good.
Touchdown. Not good.
The fact this incredible Bengals offense had to come down to a 4th and goal to finally score a TD with 5 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter. Pretty good sign.
I know Minter will be looking at HC jobs in either the NFL or NCAA next year, but if he’d like to come over and coach my life for a season or two, I’d be good with that.
This is truly a whole new era of Chargers football. This is an absolute thing of beauty
Up by 21 in the third. What do you suppose the DL is thinking right now?
They keep showing a stacked box then retreating. G-Ro keeps passing. I think he’s seeing it, too.
I’ll take the FG.
I just love that they are still pushing it downfield. Not doing anything crazy or creative, but not turtleshelling either
McConkey. This dude. I mean, this dude.
Let’s go. Get a drive here. Even a FG to tack on.
Damn Davis is close to breaking one
That was a 68-yard punt, but it was a line drive. That’s what I hate about the notion of “flipping the field” with a long punt. There was no way his gunners could get down there. Davis had more green than Snoop when he caught that.
Burrow’s right hand ain’t right.
Block in the back on the return.
Good news: Tito is back.
3 and out not ideal first drive
Let’s go G-Ro! Dial this up. Points, points, points.
I know Atlanta is a fraud team, but Denver looked good today. Nix is definitely improving under Payton.
Halftime radio highlight:
On the Dissly TD, they were running three TEs with Fiske and Smartt.
Also, last two Bengal drives were three and outs.
Up by 18. Get the kickoff to start the third. I accept all of this.
Oh, shit. 1st and goal at the one. Do you try to punch it in?