Tag: 2019 NFL regular season

6 Chargers to watch vs. Jaguars

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out the six most important Chargers players to watch against the Jaguars.

The Los Angeles Chargers are hours away from kicking off against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Here are six players that could have a big determination of the outcome of the game.

RB Melvin Gordon

After a slow start to the season, Gordon has been riding the hot hand and now he will have a huge opportunity to cash in his best game yet, facing a defense that has allowed 5.1 yards per carry and three 100+ yard rushing games, and two multi-touchdown games.

OL Dan Feeney

Feeney has had an up and down season, but he will have to be on his A-game against four-time Pro Bowler, Calais Campbell. Campbell leads the Jaguars with 19 quarterback hits, 11 quarterback knockdowns and 27 pressures this season.

OT Russell Okung

Not only will Feeney and the other members on the interior have to be stout, but so will the veteran left tackle as he will have to keep rookie Josh Allen from quarterback Philip Rivers’ blindside. Allen leads the team with nine sacks, pressures with 36 and in tackles for loss with 10.

DE Joey Bosa

Believe it or not, but Bosa has not posted a sack in the past three games after amassing 8.5 in the first nine. He will have a good opportunity to get back on track facing an offensive tackle group that has struggled to find its groove. Not only will Bosa look to acquire a sack or two, but force the ball out of quarterback Gardner Minshew’s hands as he’s struggled with fumbling.

LB Drue Tranquill

With LB Denzel Perryman out, Tranquill will take over as the team’s starting MIKE. Tranquill has been one of the best run defenders and he will need to stay hot facing running back Leonard Fournette, who has been running wild in his third season as a pro.

CB Casey Hayward

Hayward will be looking to bounce back after one of his worst performances of the season. It won’t be an easy task facing wide receiver D.J. Chark, who has a knack for explosive plays. Chark should benefit from Minshew behind center as he averages more yards per reception and has caught five touchdown passes with the rookie at quarterback.

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3 Chargers players that have exceeded expectations in 2019

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists three players that have rose to the occasion, which many may have not anticipated.

Despite being hampered by injuries this season, the Chargers still possess one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. While there are players that had high expectations heading into the year, there were a few that weren’t talked about as much and have exceeded many people’s expectations.

With that, here are three Chargers players that have been good in a surprising manner in 2019.

C Scott Quessenberry

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Starting center Mike Pouncey was a hit with a season-ending injury in October, which forced the Chargers to turn to the former UCLA product to fill the void.

Quessenberry, the La Costa native, grew up as a Chargers fan. He wears the number that former Charger great Nick Hardwick wore in No. 61 in hopes to have a big impact on the team that he’s always supported.

In five games played, he’s made an impact on the offensive side of the ball that many may have not been expecting from him when filling in for a four-time Pro Bowler.

But you can tell that the second-year player has used that time learning from one of the best at the center position.

Quessenberry has kept pressure away from quarterback Philip Rivers on the inside by using his high football IQ to recognize blitzes and execute his blocks, along with opening up running lanes for running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler.

Pouncey is slated to become a free agent after the 2020 season, which means that if the Chargers feel like they have something in Quessenberry, they could move on from Pouncey and make Quessenberry the long-term center.

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