1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,120 Speaker 1: All right, guys. We know you love the Chargers, but 2 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: you also probably love saving money too, and Mercury Insurance 3 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: can help you with that because Chargers fans save an 4 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: average of seven hundred sixty nine dollars with Mercury. Now, 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: I'll get you great seats for the game and jerseys 6 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: for the whole family too. So what are you waiting for? 7 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: Get a quote today at Mercury Insurance dot com to 8 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: see how much you could save. It only takes a 9 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,159 Speaker 1: few minutes to switch, and it could save you a 10 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: lot of money. Don't wait. Get a quote today at 11 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: Mercury Insurance dot com. Savings info based on twenty nineteen 12 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: California Department of Insurance Rate Comparison Profile thirty eight eight 13 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: individual savings may varry. What's up, guys, Welcome to the 14 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:39,279 Speaker 1: Final Drive presented by Mercury Insurance. After the Chargers lose 15 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: to the Steelers twenty four seventeen in Week six, dropping 16 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: to two and four in the year. Alongside Haley, ol 17 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: would I'm Chris Hayry Haley. Very similar to last week, 18 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: A slow start equals a loss. Yeah, it's just kind 19 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: of a bummer. When do you think that after what 20 00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: happened last week. The team would come out out with 21 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: some fire, but you know, they punt on the first 22 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: offensive possession and they just don't get it going until 23 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter. And at that point, when you're down, 24 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: you know, say twenty four three, it's almost too little, 25 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: too late at that point. Now, they did have an opportunity, 26 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: they made a little bit of a run at it 27 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: was just too late. Yeah, it was too late. And 28 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 1: you and I talked about this on Friday. Not turning 29 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: the football over when you have three turnovers against the Broncos. 30 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: That was the reason you lost that game. And right 31 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: off the bat, that rookie Devin Bush with an interception, 32 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: also that fumble recovery a nine yard touchdown that was 33 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: the first score of the game set the tone for 34 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 1: the Steelers. They had a third string quarterback. He didn't 35 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: have to do too much in terms of throwing the 36 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: ball down the field dumping it off the James Connor 37 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: and Connor was sixteen for forty one and a touch 38 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: on the ground, but seven for seventy eight through the 39 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: air with along at twenty six and another touchdown. So 40 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: Devlin Hodges didn't have to do too much. He had 41 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: a comfortable lead right from the beginning. Yeah, and that's 42 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: the thing. When you don't have to do too much 43 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: and you're kind of just working with what the defense 44 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: has given you, you're going to just make plays that 45 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,119 Speaker 1: benefit your offense. And that's what happened today. Yep. Frustration, 46 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: you know, there's frustration in the locker room. You never 47 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: want to be two and four, especially when you have 48 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: a team like this. And we've talked about the injuries. 49 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: There's there's no two ways around it. There's been a 50 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: lot of injuries, you know, Mike Pouncey being the latest 51 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: blow to an offensive line that's already down, Russell Okung, 52 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 1: you know, so Melvin Gordon's trying to work his way 53 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: back in over the last couple of weeks. And the defense, 54 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,399 Speaker 1: when you don't have Derywin James out there, that guy 55 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: brings a lot of energy. Adrian Phillis brings a lot 56 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 1: of energy and leadership. So they're down some guys that 57 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: have really helped them win games. Just talking to some 58 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: of the folks that you and I talked to last week, 59 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: it's pretty amazing how in a ten month span from 60 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: when these two teams last met in Pittsburgh, there's no 61 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: Big Ben, There's no Antonio Brown, there was no Michael 62 00:02:57,639 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: Badge lead, there was no Justin Jackson in this game. 63 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: There was no Darwin James, there was no Russell o'coon, 64 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 1: there was no Mike Pouncy. We can keep going, right. 65 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: It was a very different game than what we saw 66 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: less December. A very different game. And to kind of 67 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: your point about losing some of those guys, Melvin Gordon 68 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: talked about that and just talked about those guys not 69 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,119 Speaker 1: only are great players, but great leaders in this locker room. 70 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: And he said, you know, I'm not trying to discredit 71 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: anyone else in this locker room, but when you have 72 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: those veterans like say a Pouncy or say or Russell, 73 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: who have been here before, who have done this multiple 74 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: times throughout their tenure in the league, and you lose it, 75 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: it's hard because now it falls on some of those 76 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: younger guys to pick it up and put the onus 77 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: on themselves and take that leadership role. But it's hard. 78 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: It's hard when you're still kind of trying to find 79 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: your way. You you said, Melvin's working his way back. 80 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: Hunter came back today. Now he did have a great 81 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: night that was But excuse me, you kind of do 82 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: have those pieces that are coming back. But it's tough. 83 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: But you know, we've heard this, we've heard this over 84 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: the last couple of weeks. It's a different team than 85 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: it was last year. They had to nip this in 86 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: the bud quickly fast because two and four and three 87 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: and three there's a big difference there. Now you go 88 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: on the road at Tennessee, at Chicago, you got to 89 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: get two wins to get to four and four and 90 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: then you're back in it, right, you're back in the mix. 91 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: But the adversity, it's gonna strike all thirty two teams 92 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 1: at some point they're in the season. And that's almost 93 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: a turning point in each respective team season, right like, 94 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: what are you going to do about it? Are you 95 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: are you gonna handle are you going to bounce back? 96 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 1: Or are you gonna continue to fall into this hole? 97 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: And when you have a lot of players who have 98 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: won twelve games like the Chargers did last year, you 99 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: hope it's fight and win next week. Yeah, one hundred percent. 100 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: And look, the Titans were blanked today by the Broncos. 101 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 1: I know Ryan's Tannahill came in. I think starting quarter 102 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: starting quarterback next week, and that'll be an interesting one. 103 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean, Melvin Gordon said, they're gonna look 104 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: at tape, they're gonna review things, and then they're gonna 105 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: move on and they need to kind of like what 106 00:04:58,040 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: we talked about last week with Denver, they do need 107 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: to move on and just turn the page. And how 108 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: they respond next week is going to be a huge, 109 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: huge factor and pretty much determining how the rest of 110 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: the season plays out. You know, watching Kansas City lose 111 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: the last two weeks, it really got me thinking because 112 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: there's almost a kind of a blueprint the teams have 113 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: been using against them. The Colts outpossessed Kansas City by 114 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: fifteen minutes last week, the Texans did it by sixteen 115 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:26,559 Speaker 1: seventeen minutes this week. You have to pack a strong 116 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 1: running game and you got to control the clock. And 117 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: that's what I think to charge. You got to put 118 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: an onus on the running game and get that going. 119 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: It was not able to get going today. Eight for 120 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: eighteen for Melvin Gordon, just five rushes for Austin for 121 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: fourteen yards. Austin called just three balls for fourteen yards 122 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,720 Speaker 1: and Melvin three for thirty so those two guys they 123 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 1: got to be a bigger part of the offense and 124 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: in terms of controlling the clock, and it's hard to 125 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 1: do that when you're down so early in the game. 126 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 1: That's just start throwing the ball. But the Steelers today 127 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: time of possession thirty four minutes in five seconds. Chargers 128 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: twenty five minutes and fifty five seconds. Yeah, so it 129 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 1: tells you a lot, right That first drive of the 130 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: second half took up like seven eight minutes. The touchdown 131 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 1: drive that they had, and I believe it was I 132 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: think it was the Connor the twenty six yard touchdown. 133 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 1: I think that took up like nine minutes or something 134 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: like that. So you have to be able to control 135 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: the clock. And like you said, it deals though with 136 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,360 Speaker 1: starting fast, because when you get in that hole, running 137 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: the football becomes a lot more difficult than you become 138 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: a one dimensional team because the opposition obviously knows what 139 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,960 Speaker 1: you're going to do. Devlin Hodges fifteen of twenty four, 140 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 1: one hundred and thirty two yards. That was the game 141 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: plan for the Steelers. You played tough defense, maybe you 142 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: score on defense, you forced turnovers, You put your third 143 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: string quarterback on the road in a position to win. 144 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 1: That's certainly what they did, and that's kind of been 145 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,479 Speaker 1: a blueprint of them over the season, even though they 146 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: were one and four coming into this game. Their defense 147 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 1: has been tough. Last week against the I think it 148 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 1: was the Baltimore Ravens, I want to say it was, 149 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: they had five sacks, three picks. They're no joke, and 150 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: they came in full force today. No sacks today for 151 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: the Chargers. Also weird because you know, you think with 152 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: the Ricky quarterback, he's he's never made a start before 153 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: in this league, so affect him, you need to affect him. 154 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: And but because he was just kind of giving taking 155 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: what the Chargers defense, I guess you could say was 156 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: giving him. Kudos to the Seelers too, because they put 157 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: him in positions where he didn't have to drop back 158 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: and stand in the pocket for as long as typically 159 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: you would have to, especially when you have a lead. 160 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: And you know, for Philip Rivers twenty six forty three, 161 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: three hundred twenty yards, he was sacked once, two interceptions. 162 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: So the Chargers go on the road for two straight 163 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 1: one against the Tennessee Titans. Haley, you alluded to it. 164 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: They were shut out by the Denver Broncos. You just 165 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: got to get back into win column by any means 166 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: necessary to get to three and four, and you can't 167 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: be prognosticating. You can't start thinking of, Okay, if we 168 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: do this, then we need the other teams to start 169 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: falling or doing whatever. You don't worry about any of that. 170 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 1: You can't worry about any of that right now. You 171 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: just have to worry about yourself and you just have 172 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: to worry about the next game in front of and 173 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: right now that's in Nashville next Sunday against the Titans. 174 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: And Philip said it earlier this week and unfortunately it 175 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: didn't happen, but he's like, we just need one. We 176 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: just need one win to hopefully start getting a little 177 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: bit of momentum and stacking them up. So it starts Sunday. 178 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: I know this frustration, but we are going to try 179 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: to give a little bit of positivity here. You have 180 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: five AFC West games to go. That's why these next 181 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: two weeks are so important because if you can get 182 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: to four and four, that puts you in a spot 183 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: where you have not played your best ball. Hopefully you 184 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 1: get somebody's back and you have a stretch run. You 185 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: have the last eight games to look forward to to 186 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,559 Speaker 1: hopefully get back into the tournament. So that's why I 187 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 1: think these next two weeks really going to be important 188 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: for this team because you'll lose two at home that 189 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: you probably should have won against teams that were owing 190 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: four and one and four. You got to get back 191 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: on the road, get back to five hundred. See what 192 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 1: happens yep. One thing I guess I should say in 193 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: terms of these injuries though they have some guys on 194 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: ir guys, but some of the other ones who are 195 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: just missing time right now could potentially come back. And 196 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: to your point, if you start playing well and you 197 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:09,480 Speaker 1: start winning games and you hopefully get some of those 198 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: pieces back, then maybe plain meaningful football in December is 199 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: a possibility with guys who would have been great to 200 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: have at the first part of the year. But then 201 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: on the back end, maybe it means something that point. Well, 202 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: we'll see. We're gonna keep this one short and sweet 203 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: this week on the Final Drive presented by Mercury Insurance 204 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: for Haley Elwood of Chris Harry. We'll see you guys 205 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: next time.