Category: Latest Chargers news

Chargers final injury report vs. Eagles: 3 out, 1 doubtful

The Chargers’ secondary will be thin on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Chargers released their final injury report ahead of the Week 9 battle with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here is a look at the report:

OUT

CB Michael Davis (hamstring)

RB Justin Jackson (quadriceps)

CB Asante Samuel Jr. (concussion)

DOUBTFUL

S Alohi Gilman (ankle)

With Davis and Samuel out, Tevaughn Campbell and Ryan Smith will start alongside Chris Harris Jr.

After an eyebrow-raising performance against the Patriots, Jackson will not play. Instead, Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree will split the carries behind Austin Ekeler.

If Gilman can’t play, rookie Mark Webb should be due for more time on the field.

Who are the experts taking in Chargers vs. Eagles?

Find out who national pundits are favoring in the matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles.

The Los Angeles Chargers are considered 1.5-point favorites over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9 of the 2021 season. The over/under is 49.5 points, per Tipico Sportsbook.

That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 49.5 points.

My score prediction for the game is a 28-24 win for the Chargers, with a combined total of 52 points. So if I were putting money behind my prediction, I’d bet the over.

As for game picks, analysts seem to be favoring Los Angeles.

Expert Pick
Nate Davis (USA Today) Chargers
Mike Jones (USA Today) Chargers
Mike Clay (ESPN) Chargers
Matt Bowen (ESPN) Chargers
Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Chargers
Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) Chargers
Gregg Rosenthal (NFL Media) Chargers
Bleacher Report Chargers

Sunday’s game will begin at 2:05 p.m. PT and will be televised on CBS.

Will the Chargers-Eagles matchup be on in your area?

Find out if you will get the matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles on national television.

The Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) are set to get Week 9 underway against the Philadelphia Eagles (3-5).

Those in the periwinkle area on the TV map will get the game on CBS, courtesy of 506 Sports.

If you’re in the red area, you will get the matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns. Those in the green area will see the Las Vegas Raiders take on the New York Giants.

If you’re in the orange area, you will watch the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Buffalo Bills. Those in the yellow will get the bout between the New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers.

Ian Eagle and Charles Davis will have the call.

Los Angeles is currently a 1.5-point favorite over Philadelphia. Sunday’s matchup will begin at 2:05 pm PT.

Chargers injury update vs. Eagles

Quarterback Justin Herbert returned to practice while four players did not.

The Los Angeles Chargers had their second practice ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

After being limited with a right hand injury on Wednesday, quarterback Justin Herbert returned to practice in a full capacity.

However, all four of the players who did not participate yesterday remained sidelined for the second consecutive day.

If cornerbacks Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. are unable to play, Ryan Smith and Tevaughn Campbell would replace the two.

If Alohi Gilman can’t play, Mark Webb is likely to see an uptick in snaps.

If running back Justin Jackson can’t go, Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree would split the carries behind Austin Ekeler.

The Chargers have their final practice on Friday before flying out to Philadelphia.

Chargers’ reasons for optimism vs. Eagles in Week 9

A look at some reasons for optimism as the Los Angeles Chargers look to get back on track.

Despite the two tough consecutive losses to the Ravens and Patriots, there are a few reasons to remain optimistic as the Chargers look to get back on track against the Eagles this Sunday.

Let’s dive in.

Chargers WR Josh Palmer due for an increased role

It’s time to unleash the Chargers’ third-round pick.

Following a standout summer, Chargers rookie wide receiver Josh Palmer was viewed as the team’s clear-cut third option heading into the regular season.

The third-round pick out of Tennessee showed off his size, ability to separate and catch everything on a regular basis, finishing the preseason with 10 receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown.

However, his snap count has not been reflective of that role to the slightest.

Instead, Palmer has been buried behind Los Angeles’ No. 3 wideout, Jalen Guyton, who has been on the field nearly three times as much as Palmer, yet has not been as productive with his playing time.

On 304 snaps, Guyton has only caught ten passes for 139 yards on 20 targets. On the other hand, Palmer has seen just 102 snaps and has turned 11 targets into seven receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown.

As the Chargers’ passing offense has been underwhelming the past two games, it needs a spark and involving Palmer more frequently could lead to more positive results, as seen this past Sunday against the Patriots.

Amid all the drops, Palmer raised eyebrows with his touchdown grab in the end zone on the final drive. Over two defenders, he used body control, toughness, and hands to high-point and come down with the ball.

“When the ball’s in the air, I don’t think receivers think about the possibility of not catching it, you know we want to catch every ball,” Palmer said. “We put in a lot of work every day after practice just high-pointing the ball so that’s what I wanted to show.”

The problems with the passing game go beyond the drops that have come up as of late, and the inability to push the football down the field is one of them. Luckily, Palmer is a player who can shine on the vertical plane, possessing the separation skills off the line, deep speed and burst.

Palmer has stayed after practice to build chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert since Day 1, and it is only a matter of time until we get to see that translate to live game action on more of a consistent basis.

6 Eagles who pose biggest threat to Chargers

Highlighting a few Philadelphia Eagles players who could make it difficult for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers take on the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday at 2:05 p.m. PT.

Here are a few Eagles players who the Bolts must hone in on to increase their chances of coming out victorious.

QB Jalen Hurts

Hurts might not be one of the most prolific passers in the league, but he is one of the best at running the football. Like when he played Oklahoma, RPOs and zone-reads are staples of his, which he has been such a threat to opposing offenses. Hurts has carried the football 73 times for 432 yards (5.9 yards per carry) and five touchdowns.

RB Boston Scott

A running back has fallen on this list every week, and it is going to remain that way until the Chargers show progress with their run defense. With Miles Sanders out, the Eagles will go with a committee between Scott, Jordan Howards, and Kenneth Gainwell, but the 26-year old is likely to lead the team in touches like he did last weekend against the Lions when he rushed for two touchdowns.

TE Dallas Goedert

After Zach Ertz was traded to the Cardinals, Goedert has fully embraced the No. 1 tight end role the past two games. In Week 7 against the Raiders, Goedert was targeted five times and had three catches for 70 yards. In Week 8 against the Lions, Goedert was targeted seven times and had six catches for 72 yards. Unfortunately, the Chargers have been susceptible against opposing tight ends, as they have allowed five touchdowns this season.

EDGE Josh Sweat

Teams are realizing that the right side of the offensive line is a weak spot, with Storm Norton becoming a weekly culprit, and the Eagles have a player who can easily expose him. This season, Sweat has 22 quarterback pressures, 13 hurries, five QB hits, and four sacks.

DT Javon Hargrave

Philadelphia’s fearsome front does not just stop at Sweat. Along the interior lies the team’s sack leader, Hargrave, who has six over eight games. Furthermore, he leads in pressures (25) and has 14 hurries and six QB hits. Left guard Matt Feiler will draw Hargrave the majority of the game, and it could be a mismatch because he has been up and down in pass protection.

CB Darius Slay

Quarterback Justin Herbert will look to get back on track after two consecutive rough outings. Not only will the Eagles’ pass rush pose a threat, but they also have one of the best defensive backs that can also neutralize him. Through eight games, Slay is the fourth-highest graded CB (78.6), is tied for fourth in defensive stops (13), allowing the fourth-lowest yards per reception (7.2), and allowed under 20 yards in five games.

First injury report for Chargers ahead of matchup vs. Eagles

The Los Angeles Chargers had four players who did not practice and Justin Herbert was limited.

Following their loss to the Patriots, the Chargers returned to work in preparation for the Week 9 matchup with the Eagles.

Here is a look at Wednesday’s injury report:

The Chargers had four non-participants: cornerbacks Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr., safety Alohi Gilman and running back Justin Jackson.

Davis left this past weekend’s game against New England with a hamstring injury. Jackson left with a quadriceps issue. Samuel did as well for a concussion and remains in protocol.

If Davis and Samuel are unable to play this weekend, Ryan Smith and Tevaughn Campbell would likely get the starts alongside Chris Harris Jr.

A surprise on the injury report was quarterback Justin Herbert, who was limited with a right hand issue. Herbert sustained it late in the Patriots game when it came in contact with someone’s helmet following a pass.

How much it is bothering him remains to be seen and will be closely monitored the remainder of the week.

Chargers set to face former offensive coordinator Shane Steichen

The Chargers will see a familiar face on the opposing sideline this Sunday.

The Chargers will see a familiar face on the opposing sideline this Sunday.

Former Chargers offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, now the OC for the Eagles, will face his former team.

In his lone season as offensive play-caller, Steichen was credited with helping nurture Justin Herbert en route to being named Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Herbert recorded the most total touchdowns (36), most passing touchdowns (31), most completions (396), and most 300-yard passing games (eight) by a rookie quarterback.

“He’s big, he’s got a huge arm, he can stand in the pocket,” Steichen said about Herbert. That’s one of the biggest things I learned from being around him, is from a rookie last year, he’s able to stand in there when the blitz is coming and he can take hits, stand there deliver the throws.

He’s smart, he’s intelligent. He gets the ball out of his hands. You’ll see on tape, a lot of times he’s hitting his back foot, and boom, he’s getting the ball to the check down quickly. He has accelerated vision. Can do it all. Heck of a football player.”

While Herbert’s last two games have not been all sunshine and rainbows, Steichen knows, having coached him, how talented of a player he is, which is why defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon reached out to get insight on his strengths and weaknesses.

“[Steichen told me], ‘This is what Herbert does really well and this is what we were trying to improve with him,’” Gannon said. “‘These are the looks that he likes. This is how he wants to play.’ Just with any quarterback, what is he comfortable doing, and what can we try to do to make him uncomfortable?”

This season, Steichen has not had the passing game as prolific with QB Jalen Hurts as he did with Herbert, as the Eagles are averaging just 216.4 yards per game. However, Philadelphia has had its way on the ground, rushing for 131.6 yards per game and five yards per carry.

In other notable ties, Gannon and head coach Brandon Staley played AAU basketball together near Cleveland when they were 10 years old. As they grew older, Gannon recommended Staley for the defensive coordinator vacancy at John Carroll University.

Why Chargers LB Kenneth Murray could benefit from change in role

Chargers HC Brandon Staley said LB Kenneth Murray’s role is “evolving.”

Expected to make a leap in Brandon Staley’s defense, which was viewed to cater to his strengths, Chargers linebacker Kenneth Murray’s play did not reflect that before being sent to the injured reserve.

Even though he was given more downhill responsibilities, Murray struggled with them. While opportunities were there, he often missed tackles, over-pursued ball carriers, and struggled to shed blocks and work off contact.

Set to return to the field as he will be designated to return from the IR this week after missing the last four games, Murray could be put in a position where he will have more success.

At Wednesday’s media availability, head coach Brandon Staley was asked about giving Murray snaps as an edge defender, and he replied that his role is “evolving.”

While Staley did not elaborate on his response, this could indicate that the second-year player might transition to the position moving forward.

The change might be sudden, but it could pay dividends for a group that has not had the most production as of late.

During his three years at Oklahoma, Murray handled the Mike linebacker role. Even though he primarily patrolled the middle of the field, Murray had his occasional reps along the line of scrimmage, where he showed promise.

Murray possesses the explosiveness, play speed, timing, and body control to thrive as a true pass rusher.

Given how well Kyzir White and Drue Tranquill have played as the starters, broadening Murray’s tasks would allow their playing time not to be cut into, either.

With Murray back at practice, the Chargers have 21 days to activate him off the IR.

It remains to be seen if he will play this weekend against the Eagles, but when Murray does get back on the field, look for him to have more duties at getting after the quarterback.