1983 Chargers

[Bryan]

I’ve been watching a lot of games from the 1983 Chargers. They are a fascinating team to me...

This is a very good write-up. It seems to me that you've done a few of these before, right? If so, I think it would be worthwhile to collect them and have them printed in the Coffin Corner. I think they'd be a welcome addition.

Thanks for the kind words, Bob!

[JohnTurney]

The defense was atrocious. They played a 3-4 The Chargers usually played a base zone,

Classic Tom Bass. I think there were the things you mentioned plus the philosophical differences between players and Bass, and also fit.

Bass wanted to run a Tampa-like defense and in 2nd year got to do it full time his 3-4. He tried it in 1982 but the strike kind of derailed it. They drafted guys for it in 1983 and he got a chance to do what he wanted.

But the bend and don't break philosophy and poor fit by some players made it a dismal defense. Johnson -- you mentioned, was a guy who complained about the switch. He wanted to go back the 4-3 pretty badly. He's still inside on passing downs, but the two-gap Bass ran was a big problem.

The left end was about 240 pounds in 1983, he got bigger in 1984, reportedly to about 260.

I think if we had some all-22 we'd see more man coverage as the year went on -- when Byrd was out. They may have just said "Screw it, let's let the CBs cover man to man. Henderson was a man guy ...

Early in the year it was Bass's Cover-3. His goal was a lot like Fangio's philosophy today --- prevent TDs/explosive plays and get turnovers.

I am sure if you watch the first game they'd simulate pressure and come out of it ... and how in the first week they used Johnson as the RDE and King as LDE in nickle and the last part of season Johnson got to go inside with SMith as the RDE -- which you mentioned.

Agree, it is an interesting mix of a sound philosophy for a team with great offense but with undersized or disgruntled or past-their-prime or rookies trying to get it done and they couldn't.