In final report card for Bolts, only Herbert receives an A
Another embarrassing season has ended for the NFL Team That Used To Be Here (you know, the Judases/L.A. Lodgers/Backup Singers), this one with the J’s beating up a neutered, uncaring Chiefs team. Winning the final four didn’t save four-year head coach Anthony Lynn from being pink-slipped. He put his own goose in the Dutch oven and overcooked it.
The team, (again) hammered by serious injuries to good players, got whacked by horrible coaching decisions, blew huge leads, was lifted by a gifted rookie quarterback and finished 7-9. Many close losses, which are for losers, not résumés.
So here is my final 2020 report card, which like Lynn’s firing, will come without many of those affected hearing about it first from Fredo Spanos & Sons:
Quarterbacks
AJustin Herbert has one of those NASCAR-sized tool boxes. The third QB drafted, at No. 6 overall, the 22-year-old had the greatest freshman season in the history of NFL quarterbackdom. Showing uncommon poise and awareness, the Oregon product broke most rookie QB records — and he didn’t play in the opener. When a painkiller shot to his ribs went wrong and Tyrod Taylor couldn’t start Game 2 vs. the champion Chiefs, Herbert discovered
he was playing at kickoff and scared the hell out of K.C. By season’s end, he had completed 66.6 percent of his passes for 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns vs. 10 interceptions. At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds and mobile, he is the most physically gifted quarterback in franchise history — and the franchise has had more than a couple decent ones. What’s left to be seen is if these clowns don’t screw him up.
Running backs I (Inoperative) The team led The League in offensive plays, averaging 70.4 per game — 41.3 passing (including sacks) and 29.1 rushing. Lynn always spoke of running more, which he rarely did, mainly because protean Austin Ekeler, one of the finest all-around backs, missed six games with a torn hamstring and his offensive line, The Five Gnocchis, wasn’t much for the ground game. Ekeler ran for 530 yards on 116 carries, scoring once, and caught 54 passes for 403 more and 2 TDs. Justin Jackson, who has skills, played in just nine games (and had the same 4.6 per-carry average as Ekeler). Kalen Ballage, who came in off the street, and rookie Joshua Kelley, had their moments.
Receivers B+ There is just a remarkable amount of promise here. Keenan Allen (100 catches despite missing two games and in for 24 snaps in a third) is one of the game’s premier route runners. Hunter Henry (60 catches, two missed games) is one of the better pass-catching tight ends. Stephen Anderson and Donald Parham Jr. (who’s 6-8) are tight end keepers. Wideouts Jalen Guyton (18.3 YPC) and Tyron “Tryin’ One” Johnson (19.9) can pull the lid off defenses. So can Mike Williams (48 catches, 756 yards, 5 TDs), but he must stop pulling disappearing acts.
Offensive line INC
It starts here, and it’s tough to grade The Five Gnocchis. The projected 2020 starters never played together, but for the most part those who remained managed to keep Herbert ambulatory. Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey (neck), the key, never snapped, which meant guard Dan Feeney had to move over (and was OK). The big free agent acquisitions — RT Brian Bulaga and Pro Bowl RG Trai Turner — continuously were hurt and missed 19 games between them. Much work — and addition — needed here to protect one of the best and brightest young QBs.
Defensive line
D The pass rush spent most of the year sunk, trying to awaken the fishes. Bookends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram were injured a lot — especially Ingram, who started seven games and Blutarskied — 0.0 — on sacks. Bosa, a demon, played 12 games (some partial) and had 71⁄ sacks, plus 141⁄
2 2 tackles for losses. Jerry Tillery, moving from tackle to end to replace Ingram, had 3 sacks, Uchenna Nwosu 41⁄ before injury. Inside
2 tackles Linval Joseph and Justin Jones are stout enough against the run, and Isaac “Rochell” Rochell and Damion Square are decent backups. Linemen produced 27 sacks. A pass rusher is needed here — especially if Ingram has had it.
Linebackers
D- Gifted rookie MLB Kenneth Murray Jr. had f lashes, leading the team in tackles, but he has much to learn (he played at Oklahoma, where defense went out with the Selmon brothers), especially in coverage. Really hurt when Drue Tranquill was lost for the season in the opener. Denzel Perryman still can tackle. Nick Vigil is a backup forced to play too much. Help needed, but that’s a yearly problem.
Secondary D+ The big blow came in camp, when dynamic All-Pro safety/ linebacker/whatever Derwin James was lost for the year. Chris Harris was a good addition at corner. Casey Hayward made many good plays, but too many bad ones given his pedigree. Michael Davis, Rayshawn Jenkins and Nasir Adderley can do nice things, but face it, no secondary can put up good numbers without a pass rush. They need James.
Special teams F This was The Stooges making a horror movie. Things actually improved near the finish, when Lynn “demoted” teams coach George Stewart and found his calling running the unit himself. Michael “Hook and Slice” Badgley missed a stunning nine field goals and three PATs and it was an act of God he wasn’t cut. He will be. Ty Long netted a League-worst 34.1 yards per punt and wasn’t great kicking off, either. Kickers and punters can be found. There are preps who do better than this. Personnel people have neglected special teams for years, and it’s cost them wins.
Coaching F Anthony Lynn is a good guy who got canned because he lost four games in which he blew double-digit leads. And many of the losses were self-inf licted through horrible clock management and a refusal to realize giving the ball back to great offenses when your defense is depleted isn’t a wise thing. His team finished ninth in the
NFL in total offense and 10th in total defense, and yet he didn’t get a win against a club with a winning record. He should have been canned after he got boatraced 45-0 by a Patriots team lacking a skill player who could start for him. He beat the Falcons by 3, the Raiders by 3 and the Broncos by 3 — the breather coming Sunday when the Chiefs played their scrubs. Cincinnati’s kicker missed a last-second chip shot in the opener that would have sent the game to OT. I really can’t recall a head coach being more directly involved in his team’s defeats. To his credit, he (eventually) let the kid QB play. And quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton did a great job with Herbert.
Outlook OI (Owner Impaired) The GOSH — Greatest Owner in Sports History — with a remarkable hiring record, says he’s going to be involved in this one after missing out when Lynn was brought in because he was busy urinating all over San Diego and moving his team to a city that has no use for him or his team. Because of the QB — and many good players when healthy — the new coach will be getting the most attractive job currently available. Remember, fishes don’t stop sinking from their heads.