Tag: Chargers Joe Lombardi

Grading the Chargers’ hiring of Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator

Here is our initial grade of the Chargers’ hiring of Kellen Moore to oversee the offense.

On Monday, the Chargers announced that they had hired former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as their new offensive playcaller. The move came less than 24 hours after it was reported that Moore and Dallas were parting ways after a disappointing playoff exit.

Let’s grade the hire, accounting for Moore’s reasons for leaving the Cowboys and what he produced in his time there.

Over the least four seasons, Dallas has fluctuated in offensive DVOA ranking. In 2019, Moore’s first as offensive coordinator, the offense skyrocketed from 24th in offensive DVOA to second in the league, behind only the Ravens. 2020, when Dak Prescott missed all but five games, produced less incredible results, falling to 24th. With Prescott healthy, the offense jumped back up to 6th, falling back to 15th this season with Prescott missing time yet again.

Such is the criticism of Moore: when everyone stays healthy, his offenses hum along to the tune of a top ten unit in football. Lose a key piece, however, and things begin to fall apart. If that sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the exact same narrative surrounding Joe Lombardi. However, Moore’s offenses at their peak have consistently outperformed Lombardi’s at theirs, and raising the ceiling in that manner is a must for the Chargers.

In his tenure as Cowboys offensive coordinator, Moore was never afraid to push the ball downfield:

That’ll be a huge boost for Justin Herbert, who many have felt has been underutilized in Lombardi’s short passing game scheme. Moore also gets his quarterbacks on the move: in the last two seasons combined, the Cowboys rolled their quarterback out more than all but eight teams. Herbert has shown ample ability to make throws on the run or while rolling out, which should only grow his prowess as a quarterback under Moore.

Moore also played quarterback in the NFL, which could unlock a new level for Herbert after playing under coaches without NFL-level signal-calling experience. It could also mean that the Chargers become more willing to move away from a veteran backup for Herbert, instead leaning towards a player they’re confident can keep the offense afloat.

Beyond quarterback, Moore’s hiring is a good sign for Austin Ekeler and Gerald Everett (or a tight end the Chargers draft in April). Dallas’ Tony Pollard ranked 23rd out of 116 qualifying running backs in target share when on the field in four seasons under Moore, suggesting that Ekeler’s large share of passing game targets will carry over into next season. With more space to operate as other players run downfield routes, this could result in a career season for the 28-year-old.

In the three seasons where Prescott was healthy for the majority of the year, Dallas threw to tight ends frequently. Their 280 receptions and 27 TDs in the 2019, 2021, and 2022 seasons both rank fourth in the league. Dallas also had Dalton Schultz on the roster, and the Chargers lack that kind of top-tier talent at present. But with a strong tight end class entering the draft, that may not be true much longer.

Overall, Moore’s hiring indicates the Chargers’ willingness to be aggressive in their pursuit of improvement on that side of the ball. The fact that this hiring came together as quickly as it did shows how much trust LA has in Moore as a scheme builder. While there are some criticisms that mirror the ones that beleaguered Lombardi, there’s plenty of reason to believe that Moore’s offense can bring the Chargers to new heights.

For all these reasons, I’m giving the hiring an A-.

Instant analysis of Chargers firing offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi

Here’s what led to the firing of Chargers OC Joe Lombardi.

Joe Lombardi is out after two seasons in Los Angeles, leaving Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco to search for a new offensive coordinator in what will likely be a make-or-break season for both head coach and general manager.

Lombardi’s firing is no surprise, and that it was paired with the firing of pass game coordinator/QB coach Shane Day should also not be a shock. The Chargers’ offense took a step back in nearly every meaningful way this season, falling from 4th in DVOA in 2021 to 19th in 2022.

So what went wrong?

For starters, injuries. To get out in front of this: no, that’s not an excuse for Lombardi. The way he handled injuries to key players, however, informed his ability (or lack thereof) to adapt the offense on the fly. When Keenan Allen was injured in Week 1, Lombardi had no way to scheme other receivers open. DeAndre Carter, Josh Palmer, and Michael Bandy ran Allen’s routes like nothing had happened, except those less talented players failed to get open at the same rate Allen did. After Corey Linsley left the game in Week 2, Lombardi continued to run traditional drop-back passing concepts. At the same time, Kansas City’s defensive line took advantage of miscommunications on the offensive line, eventually leading to Justin Herbert’s rib injury. Mike Williams’ injury resulted in Palmer plugging directly in for him. Injuries along the offensive line, namely to right tackle Trey Pipkins, decimated the Chargers’ control of the pocket while Lombardi refused to get Herbert on the move.

That refusal links back to another issue with Lombardi’s offense: it seemed like he never truly figured out what he had in Herbert. The running joke online was that Lombardi was running the late-stage Drew Brees offense with the Chargers’ signal-caller. Brees, in his later years, had a weak arm but a sharp processor, so running a series of quick routes for him to snap through was an effective game plan. Herbert has similar processing ability but also is able to make throws that few other people on Earth are capable of. Downfield throws, no matter how often they worked for the Chargers, were limited to one or two chances a game. Again, getting Herbert on the move was frequently not a consideration, despite it working to perfection nearly every time they called the plays. It often felt like Lombardi had a script after the script; that no matter what his opening script told him about the defense, he was sticking to his pregame notions of how to win the game.

This stickiness, if you want to call it that, was a large part of why the Chargers could not get any offense going in the third quarter this season. (The Stick-iness of the offense was also a problem.) Lombardi would script out the first few drives, LA would get a lead, and then he’d decide his job was done, and they just needed to sit on the ball until the game ended. Defenses would adjust at halftime, Lombardi would not, and the offense would stall. Herbert would either make magic happen to pull the game out, or the Chargers would lose.

Red zone playcalling also proved to be problematic for Lombardi, who consistently could not design run plays to get the ball into the end zone and ran pass plays that were designed short of the goal line. This was despite having the basketball team of Gerald Everett, Donald Parham Jr., and Mike Williams available at his disposal. Granted, all three of those players missed time at one point or another, but even when all three were on the field, Lombardi preferred to run bubble screens to a hamstrung Keenan Allen than draw something up for one of his taller receivers.

All in all, Lombardi’s tenure with the Chargers is emblematic of his refusal or inability to adjust to his circumstances. Press conferences midseason included many quotes from the offensive coordinator about how they didn’t have the speed to attack downfield, despite deep crossing routes to Mike Williams working when Herbert rolled out. Lombardi doesn’t have the final say on the roster construction, and I get that, but part of the job is to turn what you’re given into something functional. Coaches like Brian Daboll in New York are running better offenses, with Daniel Jones throwing the ball to Richie James and Isaiah Hodgins. Lombardi got head coaching interviews recently as a year ago for what he did when everything was perfect: no injuries, only the base version of the offense installed, lower stakes. How he fared when things got messy is why LA let him go on Tuesday.

Projecting realistic stat line for Chargers RB Austin Ekeler

Breaking down how Chargers running back Austin Ekeler might do in the 2022 season.

After a hamstring injury sidelined him for six games in 2020, Chargers running back Austin Ekeler rebounded in a big way with a productive season that saw him set several personal bests.

Ekeler became a worthy Robin to Justin Herbert’s Batman. He led the backfield with 911 yards on the ground while punching in 12 scores, the latter of which was good enough for fifth among league rushers. He added 70 catches through the air, racking up 647 yards and eight more scores, which returned him to fantasy football glory. Most importantly, Ekeler remained healthy to play an entire 16-game slate, hit his career-best in rushing yards, and be crowned the league’s king for total touchdowns.

Even with the arrival of fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller, Ekeler is the primary safety blanket for Herbert and a valuable weapon that will be asked to produce in various creative fashions. 

So what can Chargers fans expect Ekeler’s next season to look like?

Well, expect the rushing touchdowns to enjoy a bit of positive regression. With Spiller in the fold, Ekeler’s red-zone carries will likely decrease. If Spiller cuts into Ekeler’s early-down role, then it would certainly have an effect on the rushing numbers. With his longest rush going for 28 yards last season, Ekeler will need a fair amount of handoff volume to reach 1,000 yards on the ground.

But since Los Angeles added no notable receivers outside of retaining Mike Williams, Ekeler’s high-volume receiving duties are expected to be preserved. That means a lot of third-down work, where Ekeler will extend routes into the flat and test his quickness against linebackers that will look to eliminate him from the passing game. It’s a safe bet to assume offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi will develop plenty of scripted motion and predetermined reads to get the ball in Ekeler’s hands and let him make a play.

Ekeler came seven yards short of a 1,000-yard receiving season two years ago. A Melvin Gordon holdout allowed him to gobble up the majority of backfield duties. According to Player Profiler, Ekeler caught 92 of his 108 targets and averaged 10.8 yards per catch (first in the league). He ran 265 routes on 44.4% of the team’s passing plays.

Let’s compare that to his latest campaign. Ekeler ran more routes (393) on more plays (61.6%) than in 2019. He was targeted the most out of any running back in the NFL, and he racked up most receiving yards, too. Although his receptions “dipped” to 70, that mark still ranked second among running backs. 

The sixth-year back is being deployed more, which is allowing the Chargers to break open defenses and spread the ball around. While Ekeler is being force-fed less than his 2019 breakout, his numbers in the passing game are still grand enough to rank in the upper echelon of dynamic running backs. It helps when Ekeler is astoundingly good at creating for himself – he created 940 yards after evading the first tackle attempt.

Ekeler’s rushing totals should decrease a bit when factoring in Spiller’s gradual emergence. In turn, this may lead to him running over 400 routes and seeing more opportunities as a receiver. He might not score 20 touchdowns again, but Ekeler’s ability to succeed in virtually any role will be a nagging headache for defenses to keep track of.

A rushing line of 200 carries, 850 yards, and eight touchdowns seems reasonable. As a receiver, seeing Ekeler hit the century mark is not a total fantasy, but he will likely fall in between that and his 2021 season. Tab him for around 80 catches, 750 yards, and seven touchdowns.

Chargers TE Donald Parham listed among free agency losers

Donald Parham was the Los Angeles Chargers’ TE1 for a brief moment.

With the big-name free agents all but gone for the most, some players will benefit from the new change of scenery or situation, while some won’t be in the most ideal situation, likely due to another player coming in.

For Chargers tight end Donald Parham, he was the No. 1 player on the depth chart for a brief moment after Hunter Henry chose to sign with the Patriots. However, that quickly changed after the signing of veteran Jared Cook.

The Athletic’s Eric Moody listed the winners and losers of free agency, and he believes this offseason was a loss for the former XFL star.

There was a lot of excitement surrounding Parham once Hunter Henry signed with the Patriots. The 6’8″, 23-year-old tight end caught three touchdowns last season in a very limited role for the Chargers. Parham runs a 4.6 40 and has a 36-inch vertical leap. The Chargers, unfortunately, pumped the breaks on the hype train when they signed free-agent tight end Jared Cook. Perhaps Los Angeles isn’t ready to make Parham a full-time player.

Signed last offseason, Parham took advantage of his limited opportunities, as well as the season-ending injury to Virgil Green, where he recorded 10 catches for 159 yards and three touchdowns on 20 targets in 2020.

Even before the signing of Cook, Parham likely wasn’t seen as someone capable of manning the full-time starting role. While he’s an intriguing receiving option and a mismatch in the red zone, his blocking still leaves a lot to be desired.

Cook isn’t known for his blocking prowess either, but he does have plenty of experience as a starter in the league. Stephen Anderson, who was re-signed last week, is the one tight end on the roster who brings the run and pass-blocking chops.

Nonetheless, Parham could see an uptick in production from last season due to the influence that offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi will have from the Sean Payton type of offense, but he isn’t likely going to put up starter-like numbers.