CHARGERS: Shouldering the blame
Players know their performance is reason for Cottrell's firing
By MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer | ∞
Cornerback Quentin Jammer says Chargers defenders need to shoulder the load for defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell's firing on Tuesday. (Photo by Jamie Scott Lytle - Staff Photographer) SAN DIEGO ---- Ted Cottrell took the fall for the Chargers' poor defensive showing over the first half of the season. But several of the team's defensive players know part of the blame lies on them.
A Chargers' squad that led the NFL in interceptions and takeaways last season has become a sieve this season with the unit ranked just 28th in total defense and dead last in pass defense at the midway point of the NFL season.
Ron Rivera has been handed the task of getting an underachieving defense back on track. But the firing of Cottrell as defensive coordinator on Tuesday was a signal to some players that accountably doesn't just apply to coaches.
"Most definitely," linebacker Matt Wilhelm said Wednesday. "A few players even joked about that we screwed up so much we went and got a guy fired. Obviously, it's embarrassing because he's the guy on the cover of the paper and he's gone now and we're still here."
Veteran cornerback Quentin Jammer said too many players have been making on-field mistakes and said corrections have to be made immediately. He said the Chargers, sitting with a 3-5 record entering Sunday's bye, are now a more dangerous team now than they were at the start of the season.
He explained his reasoning this way: "Because people are getting fed up with some of the (stuff) that's going on around here. Losing ---- we're fed up with. There's going to be something done about it."
Rivera was Chicago's defensive coordinator from 2004-06 and had been serving as the Chargers' inside linebackers coach the past season-and-a-half.
Coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith hope the switch in defensive coordinators will be the thing that bolts the Chargers to life.
Turner and Smith, along with president Dean Spanos and executive vice president of football operations Ed McGuire, met several times last week while the team was in London to discuss options that could jump-start the struggling team. A switch of defensive coordinators ---- something that began being discussed in early October among the four men ---- was Turner's recommendation.
Turner was hired as Chargers head coach in February, 2007, and followed up on Smith's recommendation to hire Cottrell as defensive coordinator to replace Wade Phillips, who had been hired as Dallas' head coach.
Smith said Wednesday that it wasn't the first time he had recommended Cottrell as a possible defensive coordinator hire to a Chargers coach. Smith said he recommended Cottrell ---- along with Phillips and current Buffalo coach Dick Jauron ---- to former coach Marty Schottenheimer following the 2003 season.
Cottrell and Smith had worked in Buffalo for six seasons before being reunited last season. But Smith agreed with Turner that a change was necessary.
"We're just not happy," Smith said. "We're struggling. Everyone has an opinion. The bottom line is at the halfway point, we felt we have to make a change and that it wasn't going to get any better."
The defense has struggled without injured star linebacker Shawne Merriman, who brought an edgy attitude as well as stellar production (39 1/2 sacks from 2005-07). Still, nobody foresaw the defensive unit declining from the one that led the NFL in interceptions (30) and takeaways (48) just last season.
Even Smith can't pinpoint a reason.
"I can't tell you except that it is not working," Smith said. "You watch the games just as we do. It's not working, it's not effective, there's something wrong and we need to fix it.
"The whys and all that, you can go around forever. The bottom line is the results and the production. If something's not right, you continue with it and hope for the best or you make a change and give someone else an opportunity to game plan, strategize and take on offenses."
Meanwhile, the players are searching for answers. Defensive end Luis Castillo said the problems can't all be placed on Cottrell and said "you can't expect one guy to come in here and magically change everything."
Inside linebacker Stephen Cooper said the defense isn't playing physical enough and isn't getting after the quarterback like it did last season. Strong safety Clinton Hart said the defenders need to focus more on fundamentals and the little things.
Defensive end Igor Olshansky likes Rivera's intelligence and thinks his playing experience of being around great players with the Chicago Bears of the mid-1980s will be a boost. Outside linebacker Shaun Phillips said the change could create excitement. Wilhelm said the recent trend of mistakes not being addressed and "being slid under the rug" needs to end.
Jammer, who normally doesn't pack a big vocal bite, called for a greater sense of urgency from his teammates.
"If you don't have a sense of urgency around here now at 3-5, then obviously you don't love the game and you need to be somewhere else other than in the San Diego Chargers locker room," Jammer said.
Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.
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Bobby wrote on Oct 30, 2008 8:28 AM:Marty got canned after 14/2 because he would not take Smiths buddy Teddy. You got to wonder what Dean was thinking? Who is going to hold A.J. Divine accountable?
Sam wrote on Oct 30, 2008 2:24 PM:Oh look, Bobby's back. Accountable for what? Actually winning two playoff games and pushing an undefeated Pats team to the brink with a gimpy quarterback a 50% Gates and sans LT. Yeah, sure I'd rather have Marty blowing playoff games to the Jets and the Pats at home...yeah, that was soooooo much better. Season's not over. AJ manned up and said it didn't work out this season and they got rid of Ted. Who's going to hold you accountable for your blind faith and devotion to Marty "LET'S PLAY NOT TO LOSE" S. RIDICULOUS!
EF Hutton wrote on Oct 30, 2008 6:08 PM:I just hope Rivera is not locked into a long term mortgage.
Toilet Duck wrote on Oct 30, 2008 6:33 PM:Marty had to play with a streamlined offense in 2006 because AJ ran Brees out of town.
Marty would have won that NE game with Brees but instead had to win with a rookie starter.
Thats on AJ Smith.
So he fires Marty and hires Norv?
Yeah that makes sense.
AJ scapegoated TC too because the truth is that turnover ratios fluctuate year to year. Much like the murder rate in a big city, its going to fluctuate but there isnt any ryhme or reason sometimes. That explains why AJ claimed he didnt know why it was happening. TC seemed to do fine in the NE and NYJ games.
He did fine last year too.
The problem is that you dont play with the same emotion on the road that you do at home.
Sam wrote on Oct 30, 2008 9:58 PM:Really Toilet D$ck,
I guessed you missed Marty's call on 4th and 11 in the first half against the Pats...I guess you missed his ridiculous challenge on McRee's play losing a timeout and not giving the Chargers one more play and settling for a 54 yard attempt at the end of the game. I guess you missed him not taking charge and telling Cameron to keep feeding LT when the Pats couldn't stop him. They weren't stream-lined against the Pats, in fact they were passing too much. Marty himself panicked on McRee's play. He more or less admitted by saying the gravity of the situation called for it when even when everybody in the stadium and nation realized it was a fumble. OH YEAH THAT WAS ALL ON AJ. For a ridiculous FAIDER FAN you spend an awful lot of time watching the Chargers. I guess when your FAIDERS ARE PLAYING FOR A BCS BID you have to follow a good pro team. YOUR POSTS ARE A JOKE. ENJOY A FALCON BEATDOWN YOU TOOL.
DAGOCHILD wrote on Oct 31, 2008 10:27 AM:When you face constant hate.
Tell me what can you do with things like A incomplete pass call. Is there anybody out there ready to man up? A reverse lateral is what it was (free ball) SD denver game.
My point The CHARGERS will always be a hated on underdog. Last year is over,T.C is gone, learn from it, move on & remember where you came from!!!!
Now it's time to get super charged up!!! LET'S GO DAGO
Toilet Duck wrote on Oct 31, 2008 12:24 PM:I thought Marty was too conservative?
How is going for it on 4th and 11 conservative?
Please dude, Marty didnt lose that game.
Your players did.
You point to ONE PLAY and call that an argument.
Had Marty had Brees, that play would have been irrelevant.
In fact, a veteran QB might have converted the 4th and 11.
I can point to all type of mistakes and none of them were Martys coaching.
McCrees INT/Fumble, Florence' penalty, etc.
Those cost you the game and not that 4th down call.
Puh-leaze!
Terry wrote on Oct 31, 2008 7:07 PM:To be honest, the firing of Cottrell came two weeks late. Did you notice once we finally went to man to man late in the game we caused 3 and outs and we got the ball back. When I see Jamal Williams not getting off the line of scrimmage time and time again I know we have no chance to get to the QB.The entire def scheme was not working and in this league, if you can't pressure the QB you won't win. We make all pro's out of mediocre guys. Time for the players to step up or step out.
Toilet Duck wrote on Nov 1, 2008 4:08 AM:Rivera plans to employ some zone pressure packages.
However, this isnt as talented of a team as the Bolts were in 2006 so I wouldnt be surprised if your secondary continues to get torched. You need DEs that can drop into coverage to zone blitz as well as a LB that can cover like Edwards did.
The zone blitz, like the 5-2 leaves the middle wide open and Im not sure your LBs can cover well enough without Merriman.
Using a zone pressure scheme will allow you to attack the pocket and not put your CBs in risky man assignments. Thats how NE plays but as you saw earlier this year, a good QB can eat that up if you dont have a pass rush that doesnt rely on the blitz.
The jury is out on the firing of TC as the problems have more to do with personnel.
However, it is an upgrade for the future but this team lacks players on defense.
Sam wrote on Nov 1, 2008 6:00 AM:Hey Toilet D$ck,
I like how you say I point to one play...Really, is that what I said you B.S Artist? Yep 4th and 11. But I guess you missed Marty's stupid challenge in that game that lost them a timeout. Guess you missed him not overruling Cameron and running LT when they couldn't stop him. NO SELECTIVE ARGUMENTS PUH-LEAZE. Don't even make me go into the Jets playoff game. You don't want me to go on. Ask the Chiefs and Browns and anyone else in the league if they feel that Marty's "PLAYING NOT TO LOSE" cost them trips to the SuperBowl. RIDICULOUS..
RandyR wrote on Nov 1, 2008 8:33 AM:I'm a betting man...I say that the Charger's win this week! lol
When the front office wakes up...when they finally make the changes that need to be made...I might put some $$'s on a Charger's victory.
Toilet Duck wrote on Nov 1, 2008 5:25 PM:Is Norv doing any better?
Other than harvesting the benefits of Martys work last season, the alternative to Marty has run your team into the ground in just his second season.
I guess you would rather have what you have now than what you had with Marty.
Im a Raider fan so its fine with me too.
DJ wrote on Nov 1, 2008 8:33 PM:I can't believe anyone would bash on Marty yet remain silent about Norv. Marty has an overall winning record of 200/126. His career with the bolts went 47/33 (.588). Norv has an overall losing record of 72/92. His career with the bolts is 14/10 (.583). Marty took a losing team and led them to the playoffs just 3 years later. Norv took an AFC Championship team that Marty built and the team has been going downhill since. Look at his numbers with Washington, look at his numbers with Oakland. This guy sucks.
Sam wrote on Nov 2, 2008 12:24 AM:I like these Marty lovers forget how he Played to Lose against the Jets. AND THEN WITH YOUR BELOVED BREES MISSED THE PLAYOFFS THE NEXT YEAR...WHAT YOU GUYS FORGET THAT? MISSED THE PLAYOFF WITH A PLAYOFF TEAM ON THE RISE AND THEN HAS HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE AND CHOKES IT AWAY AGAINST THE PATS....NICE SELECTIVE MEMORY. LET'S SEE NORV GOT TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME...THIS SEASON'S NOT OVER SO WE'LL SEE. BUT MARTY'S CHOKE JOBS ARE WELL DOCUMENTED..CHIEFS/BROWNS.
Oh, and DJ you can't Norv's time in Oakland, coaching a college level team doesn't count!
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