Tag: Chargers offense

Everything to know from Chargers’ win over Raiders in season opener

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 22-10 win over the Raiders.

The Chargers kicked off the Jim Harbaugh era in the win column, defeating the Raiders by the score of 22-10.

Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ victory in the season opener.

It was over when…

Ladd McConkey found the end zone to put the Chargers up two scores with less than four minutes remaining in the game.

Highlight of the game

The Chargers’ first touchdown of the season

https://twitter.com/chargers/status/1832905940326322325?s=46

Notable number

Jim Harbaugh improved to 5-0 as a head coach in season openers.

3 stars of the game

  1. RB J.K. Dobbins: After battling injuries throughout his NFL career, Dobbins dispelled those concerns with a monstrous performance in his first game as a Charger. He finished the game with 135 yards and a touchdown on ten carries, with long runs of 46 and 61 yards.
  2. EDGE Joey Bosa: Bosa’s past two seasons were shortened by injuries. But as we know, he is a force to be reckoned with when he’s on the field. And that he was, as Bosa made a few high-effort plays, including a forced fumble and a sack.
  3. EDGE Khalil Mack: Mack had a career year in 2023, and the veteran picked up where he left off. He amassed two sacks, a fumble recovery and a pass deflection that led to an interception by Poona Ford that sealed the game.

Quick hits

  • The offense experienced growing pains in the first half of the game. They failed to surpass 100 yards of total offense, averaging just 3.6 yards per play. Five penalties were committed. J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards combined for 12 rushing yards on eight carries. The offensive line wasn’t gelling. Wide receivers weren’t getting open.
  • In the second half, things changed as the unit started to find a rhythm. The offensive line improved in pass protection and run blocking, eventually leading to their success on the ground. The Chargers finished with 158 rushing yards in the final two quarters.
  • The lack of talent in the wide receiver room was evident as players struggled to separate. McConkey led the group with five catches for 39 yards and his first NFL touchdown. Quentin Johnston showed some juice after the catch but had a dropped pass. Joshua Palmer only had two receptions for 15 yards. Palmer was eventually ejected after getting into a scuffle with Marcus Epps.
  • The offense only converted on third down four times on 15 attempts.
  • Justin Herbert finished the game 17-of-26 passing for 144 yards and a touchdown. Herbert was sacked just once.
  • Jesse Minter’s defense was tremendous. His group forced three turnovers and had four sacks. They also limited the Raiders to 3.2 yards per carry. The interior defensive line owned the line of scrimmage, the pass rush consistently got to Gardner Minshew, and defenders rallied to the football and made plays in the open field.
  • Cameron Dicker made all three field-goal attempts, with a long of 53 yards.
  • JK Scott did not have his best day. On seven punts, Scott only got one inside the Raiders’ 20-yard line and two went for touchbacks.

What’s next?

The Chargers are on the road to take on the Panthers (0-1) next Sunday, Sept. 15, at 10:00 a.m. PT.

For better or for worse: Evaluating Chargers offense ahead of training camp

A quick rundown of each position on offense and whether the Chargers are better, worse or neutral at that spot.

The Chargers lost some key starters from last season but added a few in correspondence via free agency and the draft.

But how do they compare from the end of the 2023 regular season to now?

Let’s break it down by position, starting with the offense.

Quarterback

Offseason moves: Re-signed Easton Stick.

Summary: The Chargers are locked in with Justin Herbert. Herbert is coming off a down year, as he was hit with injuries to both hands, with his throwing hand being season-ending. Another year, another offense for Herbert, marking his fourth in five seasons in the league. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman want to run the football, so it’ll be enticing to see how they design this offense to accomplish that and allow Herbert to flourish as a passer. They brought back Stick to serve as Herbert’s backup. Stick was the backup with zero experience as a starter until last season when Herbert was sidelined with his finger injury. Stick went on to start the final four games and finished with 1,129 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception while adding 144 rushing yards and a score on 27 carries.

Verdict: Same

Running Back

Offseason moves: Lost Austin Ekeler (signed with the Commanders). Signed Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins (previously with the Ravens). Drafted Kimani Vidal (sixth-round pick)

Summary: After playing with the Chargers for seven seasons, Ekeler departed and eventually reunited with former head coach Anthony Lynn, who is now Washington’s running backs coach. With the vision of the offense pounding the rock and wearing defenses on the ground, Los Angeles went out and got guys familiar with Roman’s gap/power scheme. Edwards is coming off a year where he set career highs in rushing yards (810) and touchdowns (13). Dobbins has struggled to stay healthy, but his most productive season came under Roman in 2020 when he rushed for 805 yards, nine scores and 6.0 yards per carry. Vidal was productive at Troy, rushing for 1,661 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns on 295 carries.

Verdict: Better

Wide Receiver

Offseason moves: Traded Keenan Allen (Bears). Lost Mike Williams (signed with the Jets). Drafted Ladd McConkey (second round), Cornelius Johnson and Brenden Rice (seventh round). Signed D.J. Chark (previously with the Panthers).

Summary: Once a strength of the Chargers, now the wide receiver room lacks top-end talent after the losses of Allen and Williams. Joshua Palmer has the most experience in the group, and he is expected to take a big step in his contract year. McConkey, who Los Angeles traded up for to get in Round 2, is expected to be a significant contributor in his rookie season. He and Herbert have already started to develop a rapport. The team is hopeful that Quentin Johnston can shake off his rough rookie campaign and provide the offense with a legitimate yards-after-the-catch threat. Chark hasn’t had a productive season since 2019 with the Jaguars when he earned Pro Bowl honors. He offers elite speed to serve as a vertical threat. Johnson and Rice will compete for roster spots.

Verdict: Worse

Tight End

Offseason moves: Lost Gerald Everett (signed with the Bears). Signed Will Dissly (previously with the Seahawks) and Hayden Hurst (previously with the Panthers).

Summary: In two seasons as a Charger, Everett was vital in the passing game with his yards-after-the-catch ability and clutchness on money downs. They found their replacement for Everett with Hurst, who played under Roman for two seasons in Baltimore. Hurst offers the upside as a receiver but can also block. In a new offense where blocking tight ends are integral, they signed one of the best in that department in Dissly. The offense hasn’t had a good blocking tight end since 2020. Parham returns for another season and should be reliable in the red zone with his 6-foot-8 frame.

Verdict: Better

Offensive line

Offseason moves: Lost Corey Linsley (likely to retire). Drafted Joe Alt (first round)

Summary: The Chargers felt the loss of Linsley throughout last season when he was sidelined with his heart issue. Filling Linsley’s void was arguably the most critical offseason move. They did so with Bozeman, who has seven years of starting experience and is familiar with Roman’s scheme, having played under him for four seasons. Los Angeles struck gold with Rashawn Slater. They hope they do the same with Joe Alt, who will start opposite Slater. Alt should make a difference in the run game from Day 1. Now it’s just a matter of how he holds up against NFL pass rushers. With Alt sliding in at right tackle, Trey Pipkins will move inside to right guard. Despite never playing the position, Pipkins has the athleticism, length and football IQ to make the transition seamless.

Verdict: Slightly better

Justin Herbert speaks on Greg Roman, new offense

Justin Herbert called Greg Roman’s scheme “difficult and complex,” but he’s become more comfortable with the playbook.

Justin Herbert is gearing up to play in his fourth offense in the five seasons he’s been in the NFL: Shane Steichen, Joe Lombardi, Kellen Moore and now Greg Roman.

Herbert called Roman’s scheme “difficult and complex,” but he’s continuously becoming more comfortable with the playbook.

“I’ve done a good job of getting in the playbook,” Herbert said. “As the quarterback, you have to know the ins and outs of the offense, you have to know every role, you have to know it all.

“If [someone] comes to you with a question, it’s either, ‘Here’s the answer or I’ll go find the answer for you.’ But the [coaches] in the quarterback room have done a great job supporting me and I have felt comfortable picking it up,” Herbert added.

Out of all the playcallers Herbert’s played under, Roman is the most run-heavy philosophically. That is why everyone is wondering how that’s going to work with Herbert, who is known for arm.

“Selfishly, as a quarterback, I would love to throw the ball every time and understand that we can throw the ball downfield,” Herbert said.

“But I do think that there is something to being able to do it all, to hold a defense accountable and to understand that a run game starts a pass game, and having a good pass game opens up the run game. So I think that complementary football that we always talk about, I think that’s only going to help us as an offense.”

If Herbert isn’t throwing the ball a lot in a game and it’s more predicated on the run, he’s okay with it as long as the Chargers are winning football games.

“One game, maybe we throw the ball 30 times. One game, maybe we throw it 15 times,” Herbert later added. “As long as we’re finding a way to win and being able to do both, I think we’ll be a talented and successful team.”

Herbert shared what the ultimate goal of the offense is.

“Completions, touchdowns, explosives … that’s the goal,” Herbert said.

ESPN’s Mike Clay projects Chargers’ 2024 offensive stats

ESPN’s Mike Clay takes a crack at projecting the production of the offensive side of the ball for the Los Angeles Chargers.

Mike Clay is an NFL and fantasy football analyst at ESPN who uses algorithms and formulas to project player and team stats prior to the regular season.

Clay revealed his offensive projections for the upcoming season.

Let’s take a look at how he believes the Chargers’ skill players will fare in 2024.

Quarterback

Player C/A Yards TDs INT Carries Yards TDs
Justin Herbert 322/495 3,557 23 10 60 257 2
Easton Stick 39/64 423 3 2 8 37 0

Running back

Player Carries Yards TDs Targets Receptions Yards TDs
J.K. Dobbins 154 769 4 44 34 241 1
Gus Edwards 180 762 6 22 17 134 1
Isaiah Spiller 42 174 1 8 6 40 0
Kimani Vidal 13 52 0 3 2 14 0

Wide receiver

Player Targets Receptions Yards Average TDs Carries Yards
Ladd McConkey 98 63 797 12.7 5 2 14
Josh Palmer 82 53 630 11.9 4 0 0
Quentin Johnston 76 47 601 12.8 4 2 13
DJ Chark 70 38 567 14.9 5 0 0
Derius Davis 16 11 111 10.0 1 13 86
Brenden Rice 5 3 36 12.0 0 0 0

Tight end

Player Targets Receptions Yards Average TDs
Hayden Hurst 60 41 393 9.6 3
Will Dissly 38 30 266 8.9 1
Stone Smartt 16 11 113 10.3 1
Donald Parham 5 4 36 9.0 0

 

Chargers OC Greg Roman emphasizes importance of strong running game

Greg Roman has always boasted strong rushing offenses.

Jim Harbaugh spotlighted improving the running game at his introductory press conference. In hopes of having his vision materialized, Harbaugh hired Greg Roman, a run offense specialist, to oversee the offense.

Roman believes that running the ball effectively will aid Justin Herbert’s play.

“Can you imagine Justin Herbert with a great running game?” Roman said, per ESPN’s Kris Rhim. “… We don’t know, but I can imagine what it might look like. So that’s kind of the vision.”

The Chargers have not had an efficient running game since LaDainian Tomlinson donned the blue and gold. Since 2008, they have finished outside the top 10 in rushing yards per game, most recently finishing 24th.

“I think in this league, you can really, really help dictate the defenses if you have a strong running attack,” Roman said. “If you really talk to most defensive coordinators in this league and got them off to the side when they’re playing a really good running team, they’re sweating a little bit. They’re sleeping a little less that week.”

During Roman’s four seasons as the Ravens’ offensive coordinator (2019-2022), they led the league in rushing yards per game (175.2). When he was Harbaugh’s OC with the 49ers from 2011 to 2014, they were second in the NFL in that time frame in rushing yards per game (139.3).

Roman had Colin Kaepernick and Lamar Jackson as his quarterbacks, and they’re known for their athletic prowesses and the ability to use their legs.

Herbert, on the other hand, is athletic enough to run. But he is more of a prominent passer, which has many wondering how Roman will balance a heavy run game and still let Herbert do his thing through the air.

“It’s going to be a little different,” Roman said. “I think you’re going to see probably a multiple running game. You’ll probably see the use of motions and shifting, and then you’ll see a pretty diverse passing game.

“… Right now, everybody’s got a blank slate of who we can be or what we can do. Could be anything right now, our principles and whatnot of what we do offensively won’t change, but how they come to life on the field will.”

While Roman isn’t known for his passing game, Marcus Brady, who was hired to be the team’s passing game coordinator, should help maximize the offense in that department.

“We’re trying to be great at running the ball, and we’re trying to be great at throwing the ball. We’re trying to be great at both all the time.”

Chargers 2024 offseason position preview: Quarterback

Evaluating the Chargers’ quarterback room entering the offseason.

After receiving a contract that briefly made him the highest-paid quarterback of all time, Justin Herbert was largely the same player on tape in 2023 that we’ve become accustomed to seeing in most of his other seasons. Unfortunately, what surrounded Herbert on offense was not as strong. Several high-profile, season-ending injuries collapsed the Chargers season around him in addition to the adverse coaching situation.

20 touchdowns, seven interceptions, and 3000+ yards in 13 games wasn’t going to win him awards, but it also became clear that the state of the offense, in addition to his own personal injuries affected what the potential production could’ve been.

Herbert played through fractures of his non-throwing hand throughout the season. Eventually, he’d be shut down after he injured his index finger on his throwing hand against the Broncos in Week 14. While he could’ve potentially played through it under some circumstances as opposed to opting for the surgery outright, the Chargers rapidly falling out of the playoff picture made the decision to sit him easy.

To kick off our offseason position preview series, we’re evaluating the quarterback group entering the offseason.

One of Lions’ weaknesses Chargers can expose in Week 10

The Lions have struggled in the red zone this season.

The Chargers are set to face the Lions, who are sharp in nearly every category. But that doesn’t mean they don’t come without their flaws.

While they’ve been efficient on defense, as they rank fifth in total defense, Detroit has struggled in the red zone. Their opponents have scored 65.38% of the time inside the 20, which ranks 26th.

On the flip side, Los Angeles’ red zone offense ranks 2nd in the NFL, as they’ve found the end zone on 69.23% of their trips.

Justin Herbert has been one of the best quarterbacks in the red zone, throwing 11 touchdowns, the fifth-most, to just one interception.

Furthermore, the Lions have struggled against tight ends, as they’ve allowed the eighth-most receiving yards (477) and are tied for the second-most touchdowns allowed to the position (4).

This could be the recipe for solid performances from Gerald Everett and Donald Parham. Everett has two touchdowns in the last four games, while Parham has four scores, all of which have come in the red zone.

If Los Angeles wants to keep pace with Detroit, they must score plenty of points. The red zone is where the magic could happen.

Where the Chargers rank statistically after Week 1

Looking at the major metrics, here is where the Chargers stand after the first game.

The Chargers dropped their season opener to the Dolphins in a shootout.

While Los Angeles was able to keep pace with Miami’s high-octane offense, thanks to their rushing attack, ultimately, Tua Tagovailoa and company reigned supreme.

Now that Week 1 is in the rearview, we now know how the Bolts rank statistically compared to the rest of the NFL. Looking at the major metrics, here is where L.A. stands after the first game.

Chargers OC Kellen Moore on run game identity: ‘It’s heading where it needs to be’

The Chargers are going to prioritize explosive plays in the passing game and an efficient rushing attack.

The run game has been an issue for the Chargers over the past several seasons, but offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is starting to feel more confident in the direction that they have been moving in over the summer.

“It’s heading where it needs to be for the regular season,” Moore said.

The running back room had a staggering 214 yards and two touchdowns in their first preseason win against the Rams. The week after, the Los Angeles logged 120 total rushing yards and another two rushing touchdowns against the Saints – both of which came from quarterback Easton Stick.

“You certainly have certain concepts you feel really comfortable with – those are gonna be our kinda bread-and-butter concepts,” Moore added. “By game plans you’re gonna present different things and I think that’s part of the training camp process. You wanna expose them to the different tools that you’ll utilize through the season.”

The 2022 Cowboys finished their season with 2298 team rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns, placing them at No. 9 on the overall rushing teams of the season.

Meanwhile, the 2022 Chargers totaled 1524 team rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, which placed them at No. 30 in overall rushing out of all 32 NFL teams.

Austin Ekeler, the do-it-all-back, leads the group after becoming the fifth player to post at least 800 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 700 receiving yards and five receiving scores in a single season.

Behind Ekeler is Joshua Kelley, who has been riddled by injuries. But when healthy, he is a threat. Kelley finished the season with 69 carries for 287 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and two touchdowns and caught 14 of his 25 targets for 101 yards.

Isaiah Spiller, the 2022 fourth-round pick, entered his rookie season with a lot of hype. However, that didn’t translate on the field. He only appeared in six games, partially due to an injury and logged 54 yards from scrimmage, averaging only 2.6 yards per carry. He looks to make a leap.

Moore will make in-game adjustments to the run as the quarters progress, which will be a nice change of pace for the players on the field and the fans watching.

Establishing the run identity is a critical factor in unlocking the Bolts’ offensive potential in the 2023 season, and Moore is on his way to doing just that.

WR Keenan Allen closes out Chargers training camp with a bang

Keenan Allen continues to make plays.

The Chargers wrapped up their 2023 training camp on Wednesday before their final preseason game against the 49ers on Friday, and it was Keenan Allen who left his mark at Hoag Performance Center.

Allen caught six passes, and four went for touchdowns, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

Allen, the red zone magnet, made a lot of notable plays, but arguably the most eye-popping was when he pulled in a touchdown pass that he bobbled to himself with cornerback Michael Davis in coverage.

“I got a good look at it,” Staley said of Allen’s scoring play. “It was one of those catches that only Keenan can make.

While most of the attention during the summer from the wide receiver group was on Quentin Johnston, Allen was doing what he does best by being a reliable weapon for quarterback Justin Herbert.

While he is getting up in age, set to be 31 this season and coming off an injury-riddled campaign, Allen is still a play-maker when healthy, as evident from catches like this. He is still one of the best route runners in the league and is a safety blanket on third down.

Allen has been vital to the Bolts’ offense throughout his professional career. During that span, Allen has caught 796 passes for 9,287 yards and 52 touchdowns.

Under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Allen will continue to be the centerpiece of the pass catchers, but he should see some time on the outside in addition to his primary spot in the slot.