Man…I’m getting good at writing these “we just lost” columns, and that’s not a good thing.  We were all hoping some of that London fog would clear the Chargers’ heads a little, but it seems to have just left them even more confused than before.  I’m going to try to make a little sense of it for you, and I’m going to try to do it…sniff…while holding my head up.  As always, this week’s column contains uncredited and unappreciated contributions from Ryan “Leaky Pipes” Thies, JJ “A-Hoo Woo Hoo Hoo” Fiddler, Shar “My Wife” Higa, Angie “Webmistress” Yen, and Paula “I’m Your Mother, I Don’t Need a Nickname” Anderson.

1. Just a quick note before we get underway, here—I think it’s cool that the league has been sending games to London.  Obviously I never want it to be a team I’m rooting for again, but the globalization of sports is something I’m happy to be a part of, and I love watching Europeans root for our teams.  Not watered down European Football League teams, but our teams—it almost makes up for seeing Americans walking around in soccer jerseys…shudder.

2. Random jersey spot from across the pond: a ton of guys in Eli Manning jerseys, and a few ‘Fins ones as well.  I like that statement: I have no allegiance, just wanted people to know I went to the London game last year, too.

3. During the national anthem, they did a back-to-back shot of Philip Rivers doing his usual “I’m from Alabama” angry squint-and-spit move, and then Drew Brees looking wistfully at the flag, his eyes just slightly moistened with patriotic appreciation of his nation.  Don’t ever do that to me again, CBS…it’s like being forced to choose between living with your father and mother post-divorce.

4. Joss Stone is atrocious.

5. Looks like all LT’s toe needed was a transatlantic flight!  Wow, does he look like he’s in 2007 form today.

6. Looks like all Antonio Gates’ hip needed was a transatlantic flight!  Wow, does he look like he’s in 2007 form today.

7. As great and explosive as our offense has looked, Brees looks unbelievable.  He said in a few interviews this week that he was looking forward to getting a little revenge on the team that didn’t think he’d be good enough to hang…after being one of the best three QBs in the league for the last three years, you’d think that would be enough.  But noooo, he’s gonna torch us for a jillion yards today.

8. Okay, Brees is great, but he’s going to look even greater if we keep failing to get any pressure on him.

9. Is there a word like un-pressure?  So little pressure that if we didn’t rush anyone he’d probably be more likely to trip?  Because that’s how it looks right now.

10. The end zone PI call on Cletis Gordon was atrocious, almost as bad as…no, I’m not gonna go there.  But really, that was BAD!  That should have been the end of that drive, and now they’re going to hand the Saints a touchdown. 

11. I just realized I’m not adding enough English flair to this column.  Henceforth, all players shall be referred to by their English title.

12. Lord Brees is really picking us apart right now.  I don’t know why our corners are playing so far off—we’re the most physically talented secondary in the league, and we just can’t hang with anybody.  It doesn’t make sense.  Would love to see Duke Cason get some more time.

13. Okay, I’m going into a hole until this thing is over.

14. The post-mortem: 37-32.  We’re 3-5.  We’re three and five!  There’s no questioning that this loss rests squarely on the defense.  Yes, Phillip threw a pick at the end when we had a shot, but look at the numbers: we put up 32 points, and 451 yards of offense.  And lost.  According to Leaky Pipes, only seven times all season has a team scored thirty points and lost a game—two of those games were the Bolts.  With King Tomlinson and Duchess Rivers firing on all cylinders, the defense just needs to hold people to 28 or less…and I’m not confident that they can.

15. One more note: the penalties were inexcusable.  Fourteen for 134—who are we, the Raiders?  A few of them were questionable (the Gordon PI in the end zone obviously, as well as the roughing the passer), but for the most part these were just stupid: false starts, offsides, and only 6 men lined up on the ball.  I mean come on, there’s no excuse for that penalty post-eighth grade flag football league.

16. The Bolts take a week off next week to recover from jet lag, so View From the Q will take a week off to recover from…uh, thinking about jet lag I guess.  Cheerio!