Can we please go back to that time a few weeks ago w

hen the Chargers were posting one boring Adrian Phillips Color Rush Jersey , uneventful win after another over inferior opponents? I’m just not sure how much more of this my heart can take.After racing out to what felt like a commanding 14-3 lead in the first 15:09 of the game, the home team appeared to do everything in its power to give the game away in its preceding 44:51. The Chargers forgot to run the ball, struggled to give Philip Rivers a clean pocket from which to throw, missed tackles, wasted a turnover on downs that led to a short field, and repeatedly gifted the Bengals with short fields thanks courtesy of the aged their geriatric punter, Donnie Jones.And yet, in spite of all of that, they managed to notch a sloppy 26-21 win.It was ugly, to say the least.But, as the saying goes, a win is a win. And, while this one was neither particularly easy, nor particularly pretty, it did allow the Chargers to head into their crucial divisional matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs boasting both a three game winning streak AND the second best record in the AFC, so it wasn’t all bad.And now, without further adieu, let’s review my five observations from the Chargers 26-21 win over the Bengals:The Chargers found their kicker: Did Michael Badgley kick a 59-yard field goal prior to half time, or did someone set a cannon off at mid-field? Good lord Drew Kaser Color Rush Jersey , what a kick! Badgley ended the day having made all four of his field goal attempts (59, 31, 32 and 45) and both of his PAT’s, all while earning the confidence and adoration of Chargers fans everywhere. And the timing couldn’t have been better, as it feels like a foregone conclusion that the Money Badger will to be called on to win a game for this team come January. Whis finally gets it right with Ekeler: Ken Whisenhunt finally figured out how to tweak his offensive game plan in order to better feature Austin Ekeler. It started with them doing a better job of moving him around the formation (wide out, slot, single back, shot gun) and scripting swing passes and screens, but they also matched him up with linebackers and got him out on the edge of the defense as a runner. The result? 17 touches, 94 yards and a touchdown, with most of the serious damage being done in the first 15:09 of the game.Whis goes bi-polar: As beautifully as the first 20-ish plays were scripted, and as smoothly as the offense moved the ball in those first 15:09 (17 plays, 160 yards, 2 touchdowns), it was a disaster in the final 44:51 (38 plays, 128 yards, four punts, four field goals). They were in rhythm, they rarely snapped the ball with less than 0:10 on the play clock Hunter Henry Color Rush Jersey , and they were explosive. Unfortunately, Whis abandoned the run after Justin Jackson was dropped for a two-yard loss at the 12:08 mark of the second quarter, rendering the Chargers dynamic offense impossibly one-dimensional. He also dragged the tempo down to a snails’ pace and struggled to find a rhythm while consistently playing behind the chains. And if it hadn’t been for the Bengals handing them two short fields, they would only have managed to cross the 50-yard line twice in their final eight possessions. That is鈥ot good.Effort not an issue: While most will say the Chargers sleepwalked through much of this game, that is not what the game tape revealed. They certainly made a few mistakes, but I came away impressed with the effort in all three phases when I broke the game down. This is particularly true on defense, where the game was literally won on the back of what felt like dozens of effort plays at all three levels of the field. Derwin James and Joey Bosa led by example and everyone else fell in line. While I think they got outcoached at times, there is no doubt they played hard.Total team defensive effort: Make no mistake, the defense won this game. What’s more, the defense won the game thanks in large part to the wealth of impact plays made by several players at all three levels of the defense. Think about it: we saw Derwin James stuff a crucial two-point conversion just before half time, Joey Bosa had a sack and several run stops, Michael Davis had a key fourth down run stop, Adrian Phillips broke up a third down pass to force field goal in the fourth quarter, Darius Philon snuffed out a second two-point conversion with a sack, and Uchenna Nwosu ended the game with a sack. It’s really a testament to the defensive talent they’ve accumulated and how well coached that unit is.While I may be alone in this assessment, I didn’t take the Chargers play on the field as a bad omen for what might happen in Kansas City. Don’t get me wrong, it certainly wasn’t pretty or impressive, I was just didn’t see a lack of effort or pride between the white lines. To be honest, I was far more concerned with the game Ken Whisenhunt called than anything I saw on the field.At the end of the day Joe Barksdale Color Rush Jersey , the Bolts gutted out another tough win in the face of adversity; even if most of that adversity was self-inflicted. They won, they control their own playoff destiny on December 10, and they head into Thursday’s mega-matchup with the Chiefs with a legitimate shot at tying Kansas City for the AFC West lead. You’ll have to excuse me if I find it difficult to complain under those circumstances.Those are my observations from Sunday’s win over the Bengals; what did you see? Share your observations in the comments section below This is a great time of year to be thankful for what we have, where we have been, and what the future holds. Although the Chargers have lost their way a bit in recent years, the month of December still holds such incredible promise! This advent calendar is an attempt to hearken back to these days of December joy. Each day will bring a new advent from the Bolts’ history that makes it wonderful to be a Chargers fan.Dec. 25: Philip Rivers is DEFINITELY Heading to CantonIt’s easy to look at near every quarterback in the NFL and find a flaw. Some are inaccurate passers, some struggle under pressure and some just shouldn’t be out on the field due to age or their athletic traits. Still, when we hear the talks of Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, and Cam Newton, all seem to be considered among the best of the last near-decade and soon to be heading to Canton, Ohio. Here’s the kicker, once again Philip Rivers has been left out the conversation. Since being drafted out of North Carolina State with the fourth overall selection, Rivers has always carried a persona around him. When the Chargers initially selected Manning with the first overall pick, Rivers was seemed to be considered the second option. The real fact, however, is the 37-year-old quarterback has perhaps been the biggest blessing in disguise. Sure, while Manning took the New York Giants to a pair of Super Bowls against the New England Patriots, Rivers stats are bit more consistent. Compared to Manning’s 55 Casey Hayward Color Rush Jersey ,480 passing yards, 358 touchdowns and a completion rating of 60.3%, Rivers has gone for 54,480 passing yards, 373 touchdowns, and completion rating of 64.6%. The biggest plus of all, Rivers is armed and ready to continue to add to his stellar resume while Manning is about to head out the door. Compared to some of the other high profile quarterbacks of the last 15 seasons, Rivers has the same completion rating and more touchdowns than Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger, who was drafted just seven picks after the Alabama native. Drafted just one year later, Rivers also has more passing yards and touchdowns than Green Bay Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers. While there’s plenty of people out there, who will say “Aaron Rodgers sat for three seasons,” Rivers sat for two full years before finally getting the starting gig. While Tom Brady and Drew Brees are past the 400 touchdown club, Rivers could be joining that unit sometime next season. If so, Rivers would be just one of just six quarterbacks to meet that mark. Who are they you might ask? Good question. What do Dan Marino, Brett Farve, Peyton Manning, Brady, and Brees have in common? All either current and future Hall of Fame players. Rivers should easily be in that conversation if he passes the 400 mark. It shouldn’t be up for debate. If the likes of Big Ben and Eli are considered locks due to their Super Bowl appearances, the NFL is looking at the team rather than the player. Rivers has been the golden boy of the Chargers organization since 2004 thanks to his loyalty and commitment to bringing the franchise a Lombardi Trophy. Even when the team moved to Los Angeles Melvin Ingram Color Rush Jersey , Rivers elected to stay with the team and make the 120-mile drive daily so his family wouldn’t have to up-haul their entire life. It’s like that old holiday song Chargers fans sing every year. Cmon, you know the words! (To the tune of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer)”You Big Ben and Peyton and Tommy and Eli, Russell, and A-Rod and Flacco and Matty IceBut do you recall, the most undervalued quarterback of all?Philip the Redneck Rivers joined the league in 2004And if you watched his game film, all he ever does is score (both on and off the field!)All of the NFL voters, seem to overlook his name.All because that LA Cowboy has played in several playoff gamesThen in 2018, Rivers came to say...HEY YALL! We’re the gosh darn Chargers, and as you can see, I’m trying to win the MVP!Now the Chargers are heading to the playoffs; Rivers has been one of the best in the game.Philip the Redneck Rivers, He’ll be headed to the Hall of Fame. Headed to the Hall of Fame!”Merry Christmas Chargers fans and a happy playoff season!And that concludes our holiday season of remembrance! Thank you, everyone, for joining!