Rivers and LT: mutually exclusive?

[poogums]

Are the chances of Philip Rivers and LT having great years mutually exclusive? There's a lot of debate surrounding LT this year (in decline, or rebounding from injury back to greatness), and there seems to be questions about Philip Rivers repeating with another awesome campaign. (Was he breaking out and coming into his own, or will the offense run through a healthy LT again?) People who seem to think Rivers will fall back to being a borderline top-10 QB seem to believe that because they see a Tomlinson renaissance. Conversely, LT doubters tend to like River's chances of being a surefire top-5 QB.

I don't want to start another LT thread (link below) because the current one is excellent, and if someone has already started a Rivers thread, please link:

viewtopic.php?t=438742

But does anybody think both players will be at the top of their positions?

[Sex Panther]

I think that, in the division they play in (6 against 3 of the worst teams in the NFL), and with the overall talent on the Chargers, I see no reason why both can't excel in that offense and both finish in the top 5 at their respective positions.

Outside of their disvision their schedule is by no means a cake walk - NFC East & a 1st place Schedule, however, they do get Cinci (week 15) & Cleveland.

Weeks 6,7,8 - DEN, @ KC, OAK
Weeks 11,12,13 - @ DEN, KC, @ CLE

Strecthes like that are phenominal and are games in which the Chargers can drop 40+ easy. When that happens, chances are LT & Rivers are going to both make you happy.

I still see this offense running through Gates & LT. Jackson, Sproles, and Chambers are nice complmentary players, but Gates & LT are HoFers (and by all reports hungry and healthy).

What bolsters the Rivers/LT cause is the fact that LT is dynamic in the passing game.

I would be more than happy to have both on any of my squads.

Can't.Wait.For.Drafts.

8/30, 9/3, 9/6

[dgan]

I have never believed in the theory that a good running game hurts the QB, or a good passing game hurts the RB. At least not dramatically. If those two positions don't produce, it is because they aren't very good - not because another position was playing too well.

There are, of course, exceptions when you talk about the offense philosophy. For example, the run and shoot isn't going to produce a great ground game, and the smashmouth style isn't going to produce a great QB. But if you have a good QB, you are typically going to see that philosophy evolve to utilize the strenghts of the personnel.

Think of Gannon in Oakland when they passed nearly every down. Garner was good, but better utilized as pass catcher. Look at Westbrook and Philly...they find a way to get him the ball even though they run less than any other team. Look at Pittsburgh...notorious for a smashmouth running game until Roethlisberger turns out to be better than FWP. Now they have a much more balanced offense. What if Arizona develops a good running game? <chuckle> Does Fitzgerald suddenly become the 10th best receiver? No...maybe he drops from ridiculous to great, but he's still going to have a superb year.

All that to say I think both Rivers and LT can and will be successful and productive. I personally believe neither will be top 5 at their position but both will be top 10.

[mattb47]

I don't think that it is necessarily mutually exclusive...but I do think it's unlikely that they both have huge years. I am personally in the school of thought that LT will make a return back to a top tier RB this season and that Rivers will fall back a bit...not necessarily because he's going to be "worse" but because he put up such incredibly high numbers for the amount of attempts he had that it's unlikely that he'll repeat that performance with a similar or lower amount of attempts (which I think he'll have).

The problem is that SD wants to run the ball which hurts Rivers overall...they passed more than any other team in the NFL in the 4th quarter and Rivers still only had 478 attempts on the season. With their defense likely improved this season and running more at the end of games...chances are we won't see Rivers with a ton more attempts (if any more) than he did this season. I don't think Rivers will be a QB2 or anything...but I also don't think that he'll be a high QB1 and have him near the bottom of my top 10 rankings this year.

[breezyb]

The problem is that SD wants to run the ball which hurts Rivers overall...they passed more than any other team in the NFL in the 4th quarter and Rivers still only had 478 attempts on the season. With their defense likely improved this season and running more at the end of games...chances are we won't see Rivers with a ton more attempts (if any more) than he did this season. I don't think Rivers will be a QB2 or anything...but I also don't think that he'll be a high QB1 and have him near the bottom of my top 10 rankings this year.

I think with the schedule and improved defense SD is a much better team than last year...Rivers will still be an excellent NFL qb...but his ff numbers will drop.

[Kareighuis]

The problem is that SD wants to run the ball which hurts Rivers overall...they passed more than any other team in the NFL in the 4th quarter and Rivers still only had 478 attempts on the season. With their defense likely improved this season and running more at the end of games...chances are we won't see Rivers with a ton more attempts (if any more) than he did this season. I don't think Rivers will be a QB2 or anything...but I also don't think that he'll be a high QB1 and have him near the bottom of my top 10 rankings this year.

I think with the schedule and improved defense SD is a much better team than last year...Rivers will still be an excellent NFL qb...but his ff numbers will drop.

Agreed- I'm more often to check a defense's strength and attempt to determine the opposition's offense to gauge a QB's and RB's prospects for the season, then their backfield partner.

[moochman]

There are no less than nine games in which a Charger score fest would not be surprising. I think LT could be out to prove that he isn't done, and Rivers has shown that he can be a...,um.., how you say.., a penis. So if the Bolts D is better and they get up on teams early, I can see them bludgeoning teams. Many points for all parties.

[Timbathia]

I somehow ended up with both in my main league, as well as their defense. Hadnt intended it, but it somehow happened.

There is something about playing 6 games in the AFC West, as well as 4 against the AFC North that is appealing for the defense, and 8 of the games appealing for Rivers and LT.