Former Tampa Bay Bucs General Manager Mark Dominik is not impressed with the Chargers ' offensive line.

"They don't fire off the ball," the ESPN analyst told 1090 AM's Dan Sileo on Thursday. "They don't create a lot of movement."

Skeptical of Chargers-drafted blockers, Dominik said he preferred to buy veteran offensive linemen instead of drafting them because the transition from college to the NFL is so difficult. Though Melvin Gordon is among the NFL leaders in rushes of 20-plus yards, Dominik said inadequate blocking is why the rookie lacks any rushes of 30 or more yards.

On the defensive side, Dominik praised the Chargers as physical but said inadequate speed is evident in missed tackles and bad pursuit angles.

My take: The Chargers are so banged up in the offensive line, they lack cohesiveness and also are struggling individually to develop. Chris Watt was an example of it Monday night as he should not have played against the Steelers but entered with a lingering groin injury because the third left guard went down. At a point in his career when he's working multiple positions and learning his craft, it was a rough night that ended with a head injury.

As for the run blocking, the Chargers have struggled in that area for awhile, though their draw plays and "influence" zone runs are creating some gains. I would like to see them develop the stretch-zone play, which became a staple for Ryan Mathews as the 2013 season unfolded. Chargers blockers never got the stretch going last year.

The defense has lost some zip due to injury and perhaps age. Flowers isn't running as well as he did early last season. Manti Te'o is much improved at diagnosing but exited Monday's game with an ankle injury. The Chargers have missed Dwight Freeney 's consistent pass-rush threat. Young, fast Jerry Attaochu is making progress.

The defense covered a lot of ground Monday night in forcing seven punts through three quarters. In the final quarter, San Diego allowed too many big plays.

Two examples: Mike Vick's 24-yard run off a pulldown and the 72-yard pass to Markus Wheaton. The Steelers made several good blocks to open an RV-sized hole for Vick, yet the Chargers contributed to the runout. John Pagano called it a "great job" by Pittsburgh but a "poor job" by the defense. Flowers getting beat on Wheaton's stop-and-go was pivotal; in addition, three Chargers defenders converged on Antonio Brown 's crossing route, whereupon Vick saw Wheaton and impressively threw long to him a moment before pass-rusher Attaochu arrived, 4.1 seconds after the snap.

Even if Brown is so good he draws extra attention, whenever three defenders flock to one pass-catcher, someone has goofed.

Former Ravens scout Daniel Jeremiah, chatting with 1090's Darren Smith, wants to know if Chargers right cornerback Jason Verrett will follow Packers slot man Randall Cobb all over the formation, as he did with Steelers star Antonio Brown.

My take: Verrett is capable of working out of the slot or outside. The sophistication of Green Bay's offense may complicate that approach at times. I'm as interested to see what the Packers do with Cobb. Hindered of late by a shoulder injury, he is sill effective but not as physical as usual. They may used him from the backfield on occasion, as they have in other years to create free releases and surprise matchups.

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Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will not take offense if a Chargers defender sacks him Sunday and celebrates by mimicking Rodgers' "championship belt" gesture. Rodgers told Smith he loves opponents' celebrations.