Bolt Up - Madden 25

[TomBrady]

Bolt Up: San Diego Chargers

Chargers fans don't have A.J. Smith and Norv Turner to kick around anymore, but that doesn't mean their absence magically fixes all that is wrong with this team. Part of the problem has been a series of bad decisions in recent years -- both in the front office and on the field -- but the other part of it comes down to plain bad luck, injuries and abominations like 4th and 29 against the Ravens last season.

New general manager Tom Telesco and new coach Mike McCoy need a lot to go right in 2013 to save the Chargers from another disappointing season, but barring a miracle that includes a revamped offensive line and suddenly healthy wide receivers, San Diego could legitimately find themselves in the Jadeveon Clowney business by late December.

(Ryan Wilson | CBSSports.com)

CCM Settings
Owner Mode
Game: Madden 25
Platform: PS3
Difficulty: All-Madden
Quarter length:: 10 min

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Chargers Yearly Updates



2013

Head Coach: Mike McCoy
Team Record: -
Division Place: -
Playoff finish: -

Schedule:
Week 1: v Houston Texans
Week 2: @ Philadelphia Eagles
Week 3: @ Tennessee Titans
Week 4: v Dallas Cowboys
Week 5: @ Oakland Raiders
Week 6: v Indianapolis Colts
Week 7: @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 8: BYE WEEK
Week 9: @ Washington Redskins
Week 10: v Denver Broncos
Week 11: @ Miami Dolphins
Week 12: @ Kansas City Chiefs
Week 13: v Cincinnati Bengals
Week 14: v New York Giants
Week 15: @ Denver Broncos
Week 16: v Oakland Raiders
Week 17: v Kansas City Chiefs

Pro Bowlers:
-

Free Agency Signings:
-

Draft Recap:
-

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

San Diego Chargers Team History



Team history:
Los Angeles Chargers (1960)
San Diego Chargers (1961–present)

League championships:
AFL: 1 (1963)
NFL: 0

Conference championships:
AFC: 1 (1994)

Division championships:
AFL West: 5 (1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965)
AFC West: 10 (1979, 1980, 1981, 1992, 1994, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)

Playoff appearances:
AFL: 5 (1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965)
NFL: 12 (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)

Retired numbers:
14 | Dan Fouts | QB | 1973–1987
19 | Lance Alworth | WR | 1962–1970
55 | Junior Seau | LB | 1990–2002

Pro football hall of famers:
19 | Lance Alworth | WR | 1962–1970
71 | Fred Dean | DE | 1975-81
14 | Dan Fouts | QB | 1973–1987
- | Sid Gillman | Head coach | 1961-71
18 | Charlie Joiner | WR | 1976-86
75 | Deacon Jones | DE | 1972-73
89 | John Mackey | TE | 1972
74 | Ron Mix | OT | 1960-69
19 | Johnny Unitas | QB | 1973
80 | Kellen Winslow | TE | 1979-87

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Welcome to my Madden 25 San Diego Chargers CCM. This will be a realistic approach to career mode, so do not expect crazy trades or 16-0 seasons. If you are wondering about what to expect from me, please check out my old Chargers CCM in Madden 13 over at DSL; http://www.digitalsportslounge.com/f...8-bolt-up.html

I will also be using my own imported draft class from my Florida Gators dynasty, and will start with relocation turned off. Game reports will probably be graphics based, and not as in-depth as some like, but this will hopefully allow me to go through multiple seasons.

[LopaKa]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

looking good so far Mr. Brady, i'll be following! It should be fun rebuilding the Chargers!

[Gronk4M13]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Following, I like this so far.

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Dean Spanos: San Diego Chargers won't bolt to Los Angeles

Dean Spanos: San Diego Chargers won't bolt to Los Angeles
NFL.com

San Diego Chargers president and CEO Dean Spanos quieted rumors of a team relocation to Los Angeles on Tuesday, expressing to NFL.com's Albert Breer a firm commitment to San Diego as the franchise continues its quest to replace Qualcomm Stadium.

"I've said this the last 10 years. The Chargers belong in San Diego," Spanos said at the NFL Spring Meeting in Boston. "That's where we want to be. We're going to continue to try to get something done in San Diego."

Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns and operates Staples Center in L.A., previously was reported to be interested in building a new stadium near the L.A. Live entertainment complex, possibly for a football team. For now, that idea appears to be at a standstill. Spanos insisted that issue has no bearing on the Chargers' plans.

"Obviously, we know what's going on up in L.A., but we have never used L.A. as leverage against the city of San Diego," he said. "I won't do that. Like I said, our goal is to be in the city of San Diego, and we'll continue to try to get something done there."

Spanos acknowledged that the team has been on a long-suffering journey to remain in the San Diego area. However, he said there has been almost weekly communication with new San Diego mayor Bob Filner in an attempt to find another downtown location for the Chargers.

But Spanos added that the Chargers will need public support to address the team's stadium situation.

"It's very difficult to get public money in the state of California, but in our marketplace, we need a public contribution to get something done," he said. "Everybody's aware of it. We just need to find the right formula that works for everybody, and it has to be fair for everybody. The politicians know what needs to be done. We just need to get something and make it work."

[PadresFan]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

These Chargers franchises are really forcing me to go buy Madden now rather than wait for PS4... Will be following...

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Chargers Preview: Trial and Errors

Chargers Preview: Trial and Errors
By Andy Benoit | SI.com

For the last three years, the San Diego Chargers had been like the post-Michael Scott Office: disappointing, but not bad enough to dismantle and start over. That changed for both programs this past spring. A few months before the curtain closed on one of the great television comedies, Chargers president Dean Spanos finally fired head coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith.

Their terminations seem like a referendum on Turner and Smith rather than a redirection of the franchise because the new leaders appear to share many of their predecessors’ philosophies. Head coach Mike McCoy is, like Turner, an offensive savant. And new general manager Tom Telesco comes from the Bill Polian school, which Smith got at least a taste of early in his career, as his former mentor, John Butler, worked under Polian in Buffalo. If Telesco subscribes to the mantra Polian taught in Indianapolis, he’ll be a strong proponent of building through the draft—just like Smith was.

So far, the Chargers’ roster remains largely the same. Many of San Diego’s key players, including 31-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers, are still in their prime. And this is a team that has posted mediocre but not deplorable win totals of nine, eight and seven over the past three years. The first-time GM may find that a simpler remodeling project here is more practical than an outright rebuilding project.

Unlike The Office, the Chargers’ decline has not resulted from their main character leaving. Instead, their main character has simply stumbled. Rivers has turned the ball over 47 times over the last two years (fourth most in the league) and seen his yards per attempt drop from 8.7 in 2010 to 7.9 and 6.8 in each of the past two seasons. These statistical black marks have largely stemmed from inaccurate throws and poor decision-making under pressure.

To be fair, Rivers’ transgressions are not the only reason for San Diego’s slide. And the quarterback still has made some of the extremely impressive, strong-armed pocket throws that originally defined him. Nevertheless, he is the one standing trial in 2013. If he plays well, he’ll stick around. If he doesn’t, he’ll be released, and Telesco will almost certainly hit Control-Alt-Delete twice on this roster.

OFFENSE

Many believe Philip Rivers was put on trial once Telesco decided not to restructure the remaining three years of the quarterback’s contract. A restructuring would have saved the Chargers some much-needed cap space in 2013, but it would have carried new bonus money, making Rivers far more expensive (in cap dollars) to cut moving forward. But an even more important development occurred when Mike McCoy installed a spread offense. The biggest gold stars on McCoy’s resume are his last two years as offensive coordinator in Denver. In 2011 he rewrote his entire playbook midseason to reflect a staunch run-first approach after Tim Tebow replaced Kyle Orton. In 2012 McCoy rewrote his playbook again to accommodate Peyton Manning.

The man who earned a head coaching job largely because of the masterly way he molds his system around his quarterback has inherited a classic deep-dropping, downfield pocket passer in Rivers. Yet he’s installing a quick, timing-based spread scheme that’s almost the opposite of what’s familiar to Rivers.

If McCoy thought Rivers had no shot in this system, he would not have introduced it. (Not all of it, anyway.) The coach has said he thinks Rivers can complete 70% of his passes in the new scheme. That might be a tad optimistic, but it’s plausible.

Of course, there’s always a learning curve when systems change. And McCoy will bend and accommodate Rivers in certain areas if need be. In the big picture, installing a spread offense is the right thing to do. Quick, timing-based horizontal passing attacks are cutting-edge in today’s NFL. And, looking at the rest of San Diego’s personnel, this is a much better fit than Turner’s vertical passing game, as respected as it was.

A big reason the Chargers offense faltered is they didn’t have enough quality linemen to block up the deeper drop-back timing that Turner’s system demanded (49 sacks allowed in 2012, second most in the AFC). As a franchise, they were completely unprepared in 2011 for the sudden declines of left tackle Marcus McNeil and left guard Kris Dielman. The Chargers still haven’t adjusted.

After suffering through the likes of Jared Gaither and the undrafted Mike Harris at left tackle last season, the Chargers signed aging ex-Steeler Max Starks, hoping he can hold up at least one year. If he can’t, they’ll roll the dice with King Dunlap, a lumbering 6-9 31-year-old who, in five years with the Eagles, never could hone his technique well enough to stay on the field. (Dunlap actually got a bulk of the first team reps early in camp.) Inside, Dielman’s spot will be filled by journeyman Chad Rinehart. But if they truly believed Rinehart was up to the task, the Chargers would have given the free-agent pickup more than a one-year contract.

The other side of San Diego’s line has also been remade, though not necessarily upgraded. Telesco spent the 11th pick on Alabama road-grader D.J. Fluker. However, Fluker’s right tackle position was the one spot that was not overtly weak on this line. Incumbent Jeromey Clary had never been anything special, but he’s someone coaches could trust. Now, Clary has to slide to right guard, where he’ll almost surely be a step down from Louis Vasquez, who signed with the division-rival Broncos in free agency. At center, Nick Hardwick can still get by on craftiness and fundamentals, though if there were a more potent backup than Colin Baxter on the roster, the soon-to-be 32-year-old Hardwick would probably be looking at a competition in training camp.

It’s easy to criticize Telesco for pouring middling resources into the broken offensive line, but there’s a reason he did it this way. First, he did not inherit much cap space. Second, it was a weak veteran market for offensive linemen. Third, five offensive linemen were off the board before San Diego’s first pick. Fourth, Telesco might realize that the beauty of a quick, timing-based spread system like McCoy’s is that you don’t really need a good offensive line. You can save money and get by with an average front.

In a spread, the aim is often for the quarterback to get rid of the ball early in the down. Instead of trying to give Rivers more time to throw, the Chargers will, by design, give him less time but more options. Which means it’s less important that their line thrive and more important that their receivers win quickly off the line of scrimmage.

It will be interesting to see how Malcom Floyd does in this system. In Turner’s scheme, Floyd’s lankiness and verticality were great for winning jump balls on the outside. He isn’t quite a precision route runner, but he is extremely good at establishing initial separation in his release off the line (especially for someone his size). That will probably be enough.

Opposite Floyd, Danario Alexander was a precision route runner before suffering yet another major knee injury (ACL). The ex-Ram joined this squad last October and, in Weeks 9-15, scored five touchdowns and averaged 92.5 yards per game. Now, he leaves a void at the No. 2 spot. It’d be great if 2012 free agent bust Robert Meachem could somehow rise up and fill it.

Most likely, the inside receivers will ultimately determine the effectiveness of this spread. Vincent Brown should be completely healthy after missing essentially all of last season with a foot injury. He showed compelling all-around smoothness as a rookie in 2011. There’s also third-round rookie Keenan Allen, who fell in the draft in part due to injury concerns. Allen has reminded some, including Telesco, of Reggie Wayne coming out of Miami. He showed an uncommon ability to disguise routes at Cal.

Not to be forgotten is Antonio Gates. Foot problems and Father Time have drained a lot of the eight-time Pro Bowler’s juice, but Gates is still capable of winning most one-on-one matchups between the numbers. The Chargers are counting heavily on him; their backup tight ends are John Phillips, who had 30 total catches in his four years with the Cowboys, and Ladarius Green, who barely saw action as a fourth-round rookie last year.

A spread system won’t only affect the passing game—it will also allow running back Ryan Mathews to rely more on his outside speed and quick lateral agility. Obviously, Mathews must finally stay healthy and take care of the football. If he can’t, the Chargers will have to rely on newcomer Danny Woodhead, who is tailored for a spread system but can only handle a situational load. Ronnie Brown would be the other option. In fact, don’t be surprised if the methodical but reliable ninth-year veteran once again takes snaps away from even a healthy Mathews, as Brown is so much smarter in the passing game.

DEFENSE

Essentially, Telesco and McCoy are betting that the same defensive approach from last year can work as long as the secondary plays better. With this in mind, they chose to retain defensive coordinator John Pagano and bring in new cornerbacks. Gone are Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason, whose struggles compelled Pagano to mostly stay with conservative Cover 3 concepts and eschew the creative man-based blitzes that make his hybrid 3-4/4-3 scheme unique. Ex-Jaguar Derek Cox and third-year pro Shareece Wright are now at the corner spots.

But there’s nothing impressive about this new cornerbacking duo. Cox was humiliated in one-on-one scenarios against elite receivers on multiple occasions last year. Wright, a former third-round pick, couldn’t even push his struggling predecessors for playing time.

Of equal concern is San Diego’s depth (or lack thereof) at this position. Disappointing Saints castoff Johnny Patrick will compete with fifth-round rookie Steve Williams for nickel duties. Don’t be surprised if neither wins the job and the Chargers instead slide new safety Marcus Gilchrist back to his original nickel slot. In that case, they’d bring either backup safety Darrell Stuckey or Brandon Taylor off the bench. This is probably the best scenario, though the problem is many of Pagano’s best nickel blitz designs require man coverage. Cox has the movement skills to play man, and Wright—in very limited samples—was solid in relying on his lankiness as a man-defender last year. But overall neither has consistently fulfilled his man-to-man potential. And what about Gilchrist? If the coaching staff was that confident in his man coverage, they would have let him compete for a starting outside corner job.

The saving grace for this secondary is that safety Eric Weddle has the versatility, playmaking prowess and football IQ to erase other people’s mistakes. He can outwit offenses before and after the snap.

Weddle did not play in the box as much as usual last season, but he may be needed in more of Pagano’s blitz packages now that hybrid edge defender Melvin Ingram is possibly out for the season (ACL). Ingram had only one sack last season, but he showed a diverse assortment of explosive traits that undoubtedly would have been the fulcrum of San Diego’s attacks (especially with veteran Shaun Phillips now gone).

Because Larry English is fragile and unimaginative and Jarret Johnson, while great at setting the edge versus the run, is not necessarily feared as a pass-rusher, the Chargers had to go outside the organization to find Ingram’s replacement. They could have done much worse than Dwight Freeney. Yes, the longtime Colt is best cast as a 4-3 defensive end, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a decent situational pass-rusher out of a two-point stance. Freeney’s sacks dropped to five last season, but on most weeks he was still extremely disruptive in his transitions from speed to power off the edge.

The Chargers, overall, still don’t have enough pass-rushing firepower to simply line up and go after the quarterback on a down-by-down basis. Pagano will have to manufacture pressure through his schemes. But that chore could be easier than expected given the athleticism he has along his three-man front line. Corey Liuget, a 2011 first-round pick, is blossoming into a stellar all-around force. He moves well in every direction and will command at least semi-regular double teams this season. Partnering with Liuget is Kendall Reyes, a second-rounder last year who is quick and knows how to use his hands. The Chargers are relying heavily on both ends this season, as their only experienced backup at that position is Jarius Wynn.

The dearth of experienced depth at end is nothing given the utter absence of experienced depth at nosetackle. The release of 33-year-old Antonio Garay saved the Chargers $5 million in cap space, but it also put all of their eggs in Cam Thomas’s basket. The fourth-year pro has emerged as a respectable ground-holder against the run, but he’s averaged about 24 snaps per game over his career. Can he hold up if that number increases?

Rounding out this defense are inside linebackers Donald Butler and Manti Te’o. Butler, when healthy, is an extremely underrated and instinctive hunter. Te’o will start right away and likely play all three downs. If his lack of speed becomes an issue against the pass, look for ex-Packer D.J. Smith, a forceful inside blitzer (at least before tearing his ACL last August), to get the nod.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Mike Scifres has not furthered his legacy since giving the greatest single postseason punting performance in history in the 2008 wild-card win versus Indianapolis. But that doesn’t mean he hasn’t still been an upper-tier punter. Kicker Nick Novak was successful on 18 of his 20 attempts last season, with the only two misses coming from beyond 50 yards. In the return game, Richard Goodman and Eddie Royal will get looks, though both could have trouble making the final roster.

BOTTOM LINE

If Rivers gets things together, the Chargers offense can be good enough for this team to compete for a wild card. Of course, that’s assuming the rest of the players take well to McCoy’s new system. The real concern is whether the defense is still good enough in the secondary to be the creative unit Pagano wants. All in all, we’re probably looking at too many ifs here.

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

San Diego Chargers release first depth chart of 2013

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Game Preview: San Diego hosts Seattle in preseason opener

Game Preview: San Diego hosts Seattle in preseason opener
By Kevin Zimmerman | SBNation.com

A year removed from a surprise season that included the emergence of rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks open the preseason by beginning to fight against any feelings of satisfaction. They head to California on Thursday to face a San Diego Chargers team led by a new coaching staff, one simply trying to meet the lofty expectations that led to the end of Norv Turner's tenure.

Mike McCoy is now in charge, and he'll need to take the talent to new heights. But his first goal is only about meeting expectations. Exceeding them this season would be ahead of the curve.

That's a far cry from where Pete Carroll's Seahawks find themselves. The preseason will be about keeping pace -- no, catching up to -- the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers and building upon last year.

Meet the Chargers

Philip Rivers is still the Chargers' quarterback, and relatively speaking the same team from last year returns. Running back Ryan Mathews is back and apparently more on the thin side. Malcom Floyd is again the face of the receiving corps. The offensive side of the ball, however, is still filled with the most question marks. How will McCoy and new offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt turn the fortunes of a team that has talent, but failed to produce in recent years?

Defensively, San Diego wasn't in too bad of shape last season and held on to defensive coordinator John Pagano, among others. They'll quickly get a chance to show their stuff against a versatile Seattle offense.

Meet the Seahawks

Russell Wilson doesn't seem like the type of player to go through a sophomore slump, but Thursday is the first chance to show it. The usual cast of characters -- running back Marshawn Lynch, receiver Sidney Rice and lineman Russell Okung -- return for the Seattle offense.

But can Wilson add a new wrinkle to his game? The Seahawks averaged the 27th-fewest passing yards per game in 2012, although that had much to do with the ability to pile up the yards by using the run game. Seattle could use more balance and the place to start building Wilson's confidence, if he needs it, is in the preseason.

Meanwhile, Carroll's defense should only improve in 2013, though no matter how vanilla a preseason offense might be, the Seahawks are working with little in terms of scouting the Chargers' new offense.

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Chargers open preseason with low scoring win over Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks @ San Diego Chargers



10 @ 13

Seattle Seahawks Top Performers
QB Russell Wilson - 11/14, 123 Yds
QB Tarvaris Jackson - 6/18, 61 Yds
RB Marshawn Lynch - 12 Att, 38 Yds, TD
RB Robert Turbin - 15 Att, 44 Yds
WR Percy Harvin - 4 Rec, 66 Yds
WR Golden Tate - 3 Rec, 45 Yds
DE Chris Clemons - 3 Tackles, TFL, Sack
CB Brandon Browner - 6 Tackles
SS Kam Chancellor - 4 Tackles, FFumble

San Diego Chargers Top Performers
QB Philip Rivers - 10/18, 130 Yds
QB Charlie Whitehurst - 5/14, 81 Yds
RB Ronnie Brown - 13 Att, 30 Yds
RB Ryan Mathews - 10 ATT, 29 Yds, TD
WR Robert Meachem - 2 Rec, 50 Yds
TE Antonio Gates - 3 Rec, 42 Yds
LB Manti Te'o - 4 Tackles
CB Richard Marshall - 6 Tackles
SS Brandon Taylor - 7 Tackles

Week 1 Cuts
None

[jayenomics]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

not a bad start to the preseason

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Bears pass defense dominate in easy win over Chargers
San Diego Chargers @ Chicago Bears



13 @ 27

San Diego Chargers Top Performers
QB Philip Rivers - 12/19, 126 Yds, INT
QB Charlie Whitehurs - 4/25, 40 Yds, INT
RB Ryan Mathews - 13 Att, 44 Yds
RB Ronnie Brown - 9 Att, 30 Yds
WR Eddie Royal - 3 Rec, 35 Yds
TE Antonio Gates - 5 Rec, 53 Yds
LB Donald Butler - 5 Tackles
LB Andrew Gachkar - 5 Tackles, TFL
CB Richard Marshall - 9 Tackles
FS Eric Weddle - 6 Tackles

Chicago Bears Top Performers
QB Jay Cutler - 10/20, 89 Yds, TD
QB Matt Blanchard - 5/15, 73 Yds, TD
RB Michael Bush - 11 Att, 58 Yds
RB Matt Forte - 13 Att, 43 Yds
WR Brandon Marshall - 6 Rec, 75 Yds, TD
WR Eric Weems - 2 Rec, 25 Yds, TD
DT Henry Melton - 4 Tackles, 2 Sacks
LB James Anderson - 8 Tackles, 2 TFL, 2 Sacks
LB Lance Briggs - 4 Tackles, INT
CB Kelvin Hayden - 4 Tackles, INT

Week 2 Cuts
| WR Deon Butler | TE Mike Windt | TE Kyle Nelson | CB Cornelius Brown |

[TomBrady]

Re: Bolt Up - Madden 25

Eddie Royal, Manti Te'o, out with injuries. Duo expected to miss rest of preseason

Eddie Royal, Manti Te'o, out with injuries. Duo expected to miss rest of preseason

Chargers linebacker Manti Te'o suffered a pulled groin Thursday, coach Mike McCoy announced, adding that he will be sidelined the last two games of the preseason. No timetable was otherwise released.

Te'o was drafted in the second round after starting four years at Notre Dame. He recorded 113 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and seven interceptions last season while finishing second in Heisman voting.

With Te'o out, Bront Bird took first-team reps at Mike linebacker alongside Donald Butler. Bird had 18 tackles and an interception in five games last season.

"Bront is one of those guys who can come in and make plays," Butler said. "Obviously, he had that pick last year in Pittsburgh, which I thought was a heck of a play. He's a solid guy for us."

Wide receiver and return specialist Eddie Royal also suffered an injury against the Bears. He is expected to miss two weeks with a dislocated knee, but should be completely healed heading in to the regular season.

San Diego Chargers injury report:

LB Manti Te'o: Pulled Groin
WR Eddie Royal: Dislocated Knee