Ted Cottrell acknowledges that who he hasn't had and what he has been facing have influenced his play-calling.
But the Chargers defensive coordinator vehemently denies he is holding back the league's best pass rushing duo and, by extension, the league's most feared pass rushing front.
“It's aggressive,” Cottrell said of his scheme.
When evidence to the contrary was mentioned, Cottrell said, “Well, whatever. I'm not going to argue with you. But I'm not sitting back and playing frickin' coverage – don't tell me I'm not going after people.”
Well, something is going on (or not going on) – as evidenced by the simple fact the Chargers have just nine sacks through four games, ranking 14th in the league after leading the league last season with an average of almost four a game.
And an analysis of the Chargers game against the Kansas City Chiefs this past week and the one against the Chiefs last December reveals severe discrepancies in the way outside linebackers Shaun Phillips and, especially, Shawne Merriman were used.
In December's Chiefs game, as in pretty much every game last season, Merriman and Phillips were like kids in the backyard – rushing the quarterback without having to count to even “one alligator.” It was a track meet, stallions running wild. First down, second down, third down, whatever.
And their aggressiveness bled into the rest of the defense, as the Chargers flew around on seemingly every play.
This past week was most often more like watching a waltz.
SignOnSanDiego.com > San Diego Chargers -- Chargers' fearsome pass rush losing bite
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