In the time since quarterback Phillip Rivers arrived in southern California, almost a decade ago, it has been all about the offense for the San Diego Chargers.
One reason these Chargers are 4-1 and sit atop the AFC West Division – one game ahead of last year’s Super Bowl finalist Denver Broncos – is their defence and more importantly, their ability to get after opposing quarterbacks.
Just ask Michael Vick.
“Maybe I didn’t prepare or I wasn’t prepared,” Vick told the New York Post a few days after his New York Jets suffered a 31-0 drubbing by the Chargers last week.
How can you properly prepare for San Diego? For years, their forte has been a pass-happy offense that chews up the clock with a veteran quarterback in charge. But a strong defence, led by veteran linebacker Dwight Freeney, has now taken shape for the Chargers.
Defensive success in the NFL is a special thing. It stands out even more so since NFL officiating and rules have become increasingly more pro-offense.
But a shutout? All but unthinkable.
“I don’t care if you do it against a collegiate team – shutting someone out is hard,” said Freeney, who is in his 12th year and is an eight-time Pro Bowler.
Five weeks into the season, the Chargers’ rout of the Jets served as the NFL’s first shutout of 2014. And this coming from an unlikely source. In 18 games last season, San Diego never took a shutout into the second half, much less the post-game shower.
They could make it two in a row because on Sunday when they face the winless Oakland Raiders, who have a lack of experience at quarterback. The Raiders will start rookie Derek Carr, limited this week by ankle and knee injuries, or Matt McGloin, who went 1-5 as a rookie starter last year.
Expect players like Freeney, safety Eric Weddle and linebacker Jarret Johnson to anticipate correctly the offence’s plans.
Freeney has already done some of the heavy lifting. From the outside linebacker position, he has made two of the team’s 12 sacks this season, hardly off the pace that made him a star in Indianapolis for 10 seasons, where double-digit sack totals were almost expected.
San Diego defensive coordinator John Pagano was happy with last week’s shutout but said he is not quite satisfied with Freeney and his defensive cohorts.
“Was there a lot of good last week? You’re darn right there was,” Pagano said. “But there’s still a lot that we can clean up and there’s still a lot that our players can focus in on.”
The Chargers have allowed the second-fewest points per game (12.6), third-lowest yards per game (290.8) and third-lowest passing yards per game (194.8).
So it may be time to step aside, Mr Rivers, because now the defence rules in southern California.
agray@thenational.ae
Follow our sports coverage on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
BlacKkKlansman
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver
Five stars
ICC T20 Rankings
1. India - 270 ranking points
2. England - 265 points
3. Pakistan - 261 points
4. South Africa - 253 points
5. Australia - 251 points
6. New Zealand - 250 points
7. West Indies - 240 points
8. Bangladesh - 233 points
9. Sri Lanka - 230 points
10. Afghanistan - 226 points
Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Red Joan
Director: Trevor Nunn
Starring: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Tereza Srbova
Rating: 3/5 stars
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
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ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
WIDE%20VIEW
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MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
