We’ve just released Episode 156 of the Thunder Down Under Chargers Podcast.
Our synopsis is below:
#BoltUp! The Chargers dropped a shocker in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, and the Bolt fam is spiralling. Today on Thunder Down Under Chargers, we channel the fan rage, break down what went horribly wrong, and answer the burning question: Is this just an early-season aberration, or cause for real panic?
What we cover today:
🐦Cardinals Recap: Key takeaways, alarming trends, Herbert’s tough outing, and initial impressions of the new offensive scheme & defensive coordinator debut.
🤔Yeah/Nah & Nah/Yeah Awards: Alister hands out our signature Aussie awards to the standout disaster performance and the lone bright spot.
🎓#TeachableMoment: Jack puts on the teacher cap to share his lesson and big-picture reflection from the Week 1 loss.
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Hope you enjoy the episode! Thanks so much for listening 🙂
Long time team fan, podcaster (with Thunder Down Under Chargers Podcast), husband to a beautiful wife, friend to all fellow Chargers fanatics, and father-to-be!
Listened to the show today and I think the alarm bells should be blaring after that loss. I know weird losses can happen opening week and you could have used that excuse losing by 3 or missing a game winning FG or something, but to come out completely flat and unprepared for an inferior opponent they had months to prepare for is disturbing. Daniel Jeremiah said they looked slow and lethargic. That’s how you come out week 1? If Harbaugh isn’t going to have the culture set and the team ready to play every week, he really offers no purpose since he doesn’t coordinate any phase of the team.
I said it during the offseason that the way the roster was handled in FA was malpractice and people were trying to talk themselves into lesser players b/c it could be covered up with the scheme. How dumb does that sound now? If you don’t have the horses, you can’t run the race. With how bad this regime let the IOL deteriorate under their watch the last two seasons, they had no choice but to overpay and overkill if necessary. This also goes to the argument of scheme fit. How does that look now? Would you still rather see Strange out there than Ioane b/c of scheme? I won’t even get into the platoon at LG.
I will give the defense a little grace b/c COL is relatively inexperienced, but they must get it figured out quickly. This isn’t the MAAC where the next opponents are Akron and Toledo.
This week is essentially the season. Lose this week and you are staring down the barrel at 0-4, 0-5 before you know it and there’s no coming back from that.
I doubt a coach would ever force a QB to make a throw pre snap. QB’s get into enough trouble on their own locking on to receivers and forcing throws into coverage.
I can absolutely imagine McDaniels telling Herbert in the headset that the shot will be open and to take it. Certainly not an attempt to shift blame, just something to ponder as we see the new offense and play-calling.
For example, I thought McDaniels called the run game differently after the Fumble but it was a small sample since that was like drive #2 .
Listened to the show today and I think the alarm bells should be blaring after that loss. I know weird losses can happen opening week and you could have used that excuse losing by 3 or missing a game winning FG or something, but to come out completely flat and unprepared for an inferior opponent they had months to prepare for is disturbing. Daniel Jeremiah said they looked slow and lethargic. That’s how you come out week 1? If Harbaugh isn’t going to have the culture set and the team ready to play every week, he really offers no purpose since he doesn’t coordinate any phase of the team.
I said it during the offseason that the way the roster was handled in FA was malpractice and people were trying to talk themselves into lesser players b/c it could be covered up with the scheme. How dumb does that sound now? If you don’t have the horses, you can’t run the race. With how bad this regime let the IOL deteriorate under their watch the last two seasons, they had no choice but to overpay and overkill if necessary. This also goes to the argument of scheme fit. How does that look now? Would you still rather see Strange out there than Ioane b/c of scheme? I won’t even get into the platoon at LG.
I will give the defense a little grace b/c COL is relatively inexperienced, but they must get it figured out quickly. This isn’t the MAAC where the next opponents are Akron and Toledo.
This week is essentially the season. Lose this week and you are staring down the barrel at 0-4, 0-5 before you know it and there’s no coming back from that.
A short commentary I did on that brutal Herbert INT:
My thought on this throw was that he was told pre-snap in the headset to take the shot because it seemed so unlike him.
I doubt a coach would ever force a QB to make a throw pre snap. QB’s get into enough trouble on their own locking on to receivers and forcing throws into coverage.
I can absolutely imagine McDaniels telling Herbert in the headset that the shot will be open and to take it. Certainly not an attempt to shift blame, just something to ponder as we see the new offense and play-calling.
For example, I thought McDaniels called the run game differently after the Fumble but it was a small sample since that was like drive #2 .
He might say to take the shot if it’s there, but he has no idea what the defense will be when he is calling the play.
Some All-22 clips I posted to X earlier today from the game
Clip 1: https://x.com/TDU_Chargers/status/2100003569672094084
Clip 2: https://x.com/TDU_Chargers/status/2100009529350246825
Clip 3: https://x.com/TDU_Chargers/status/2100014981853188356
Clip 4: https://x.com/TDU_Chargers/status/2100016159194284481
Clip 5: https://x.com/TDU_Chargers/status/2100017729835352482
Clip 6: https://x.com/TDU_Chargers/status/2100030551440978047
Clip 7: https://x.com/TDU_Chargers/status/2100042928232239145