Tag: chargers players

Chargers players heap praise on Giff Smith after first game as interim head coach

Players are rallying behind Giff Smith as they are set to finish the last two games of the season.

Amid the firings of Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco, Giff Smith relished the role of the Chargers’ interim head coach and kept the team focused during the nine days leading up to the game against the Bills on Saturday night.

Smith’s message was clear to the players.

Even while they were missing starting quarterback Justin Herbert and wide receiver Keenan Allen, Los Angeles went toe-to-toe with Buffalo. They held the lead at various points in the game, including a 10-0 start.

Los Angeles looked inspired in all three phases, especially on offense, led by running back Austin Ekeler, who rushed 15 times for 63 yards and caught three of four targets for 21 yards.

“It was great,” Ekeler said, per the team’s official website. “Giff’s done a great job keeping us together and making sure that he’s implemented his message which is the family aspect of bringing everyone together, play for each other … make sure you leave everything out there.

“When you do that, you’re going to be excited to go play again,” Ekeler added. “That’s what we saw there and looking forward to playing for him again next week.”

Making just his second NFL start, quarterback Easton Stick was sharp in some of the throws he made. Stick finished 23 of 33 passes for 215 yards. He also had 25 rushing yards and a one-yard touchdown.

“He was awesome all week,” Stick said of Smith. “He told us that was the plan going into it, let’s get this thing to the fourth quarter and find a way to win it. Obviously, came up a little bit short.

But, the way that he rallied the guys this week, and you saw how hard we played, that’s a credit to Giff and that’s a credit to the guys in the locker room. He did an unbelievable job this week.”

Despite being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, one thing is clear. Players are rallying behind Smith as they are set to finish the last two games of the season under him.

3 Chargers who exceeded expectations in 2021

Here are three Chargers players who exceeded preseason expectations during the 2021 season.

The Chargers’ season ended heartbreakingly, but there was still plenty of good to take away from 2021, including players who surpassed their expectations.

Here are three players who exceeded expectations:

LB Kyzir White

The Chargers always had a talented player in White, but his undefined role in Gus Bradley’s defense kept his playing time to a minimum. That was until Brandon Staley came aboard, and with his system, it was able to maximize White’s true potential. Manning the middle of the defense with the ability to play freely in space, White was impactful against the run, in coverage, and as a blitzer. He had 144 tackles, seven for loss, three passes defended, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and a sack.

OT Rashawn Slater

The Chargers knew that they had their left tackle of the future when they snagged Slater in last year’s draft. However, the team had no idea that he would establish himself as one of the best at his positions in Year 1. Facing the league’s best edge defenders week in and week out, Slater allowed just 26 pressures and four sacks while mauling defenders in the run game en route to being named a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro.

OT Trey Pipkins

Pipkins was selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft with the hope of developing into a starter. However, he was being written off amid his struggles in his first two seasons. When Slater was ruled out with COVID-19 in Week 15 against the Chiefs, Pipkins was called on to make the start in place of him. On 42 pass-blocking opportunities, Pipkins allowed just three pressures. Two weeks later against the Broncos, he started at right tackle in the absence of Storm Norton. He did not surrender a single pressure on 32 opportunities. While it was a small sample size, Pipkins is a prime example that scheme and coaching are significant factors in the development of mid- late-round offensive tackles.

Chargers’ players of the game vs. Washington

Highlighting the most impactful players for the Chargers in their Week 1 victory over Washington.

The Chargers kicked off the 2021 regular season in the win column after downing Washington on the road.

Who had the biggest impact on the game in all three phases?

Here are the players of the game in Week 1:

Offensive Player of the Game: QB Justin Herbert

Either one of wide receiver Keenan Allen or Mike Williams could have been slotted here after their stellar performances but at the end of the day, the engineer of the offense gets the nod.

A stat line of 337 passing yards and a touchdown is seen as pretty normal in today’s NFL, but it is what Herbert did that earned him the award, managing to overcome a fumble into the end zone that resulted in a touchback and a red zone interception.

He led an offense that went 14 of 19 on third down, scoring drives of 75, 76 and 68 yards to close out the game, and a go-ahead touchdown pass to Mike Williams prior to that to make up for the hiccups.

So much for all that talk of a second season regression. Herbert is the real deal.

Defensive Player of the Game: LB Kyzir White

This would’ve gone to Joey Bosa, Derwin James or Asante Samuel Jr. for their outings as a whole but for today, I’m giving it to the player that made the biggest defensive play of the game.

Following Herbert’s interception in the red zone, all the momentum was on Washington’s side. That was until running back Antonio Gibson took a carry up the middle, only to meet White who was able to punch the ball out and have it recovered by Kenneth Murray.

Herbert followed that up with his lone touchdown pass to Williams which ultimately sealed the deal.

White finished the game with five tackles and the forced fumble.

Special Teams Player of the Game: K Tristan Vizcaino

The coaches made the decision to make Vizcaino the starting kicker over Michael Badgley, and he did not disappoint in his regular season debut for the Chargers. Vizcaino was a perfect 4-of-4 on his field goals of 33 and 27 yards and both extra points.

Kyler Fackrell signing paying dividends for Chargers

The Chargers appear to have a gem in Kyler Fackrell.

To add depth to the edge defender room, the Chargers signed Kyler Fackrell earlier this offseason.

Originally seen just as a rotational piece, Fackrell has solidified himself as an integral player at the position.

While Joey Bosa has been sidelined from the preseason action, Fackrell has taken advantage of his playing time – not only making an impact at rushing the passer but defending the run.

In two games, Fackrell has amassed six quarterback pressures, three hurries, two QB hits and a sack. In the run department, he has been disciplined and patient to stack the edge and cut off carries to the outside.

In five seasons in the league, Fackrell has 20.5 sacks, with his most productive season coming in 2018 when he had 10.5 sacks during his time with the Packers.

This summer, he and Uchenna Nwosu have been battling it out for the No. 2 spot opposite Bosa, and it’s been Fackrell who has proven himself as the more superior player.

Regardless of who wins the job, both players are expected to still play often during the season because of the many different packages in head coach Brandon Staley’s defense.

“I want to play as much as possible,” Fackrell said. “I know Uchenna and Joey are great players. It’s hard to go 100 percent playing every snap, but we will have a decent rotation. I will be looking to contribute any way I can.”

5 most under-appreciated Chargers players

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists the players who aren’t getting the recognition that they deserve.

I asked fans on our Facebook and Twitter pages who they believe are the most under-appreciated players on the Chargers. For the most part, the answers were mutual.

With that being said, here are the five most under-appreciated members of Los Angeles heading into the 2021 season:

TE Donald Parham

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.

Heading into this season, even with the additions of Jared Cook and rookie Tre’ McKitty, Parham could see an uptick in production from last season due to offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s philosophy, where he will be an asset up the seam and a mismatch in the red zone.

During the final season that Lombardi called plays for the Lions, former Lions QB Matthew Stafford targeted the tight end on nearly 25 percent of his passes. In addition, Saints’ Drew Brees relied heavily on his tight ends.

CB Michael Davis

Despite coming into his own last season, Casey Hayward and Chris Harris Jr. still got the majority of the spotlight at the position. It was until injuries kept Hayward and Harris Jr. off the field when Davis finally started to get the recognition he deserved.

Davis slowed some of the league’s top receivers and made a few big plays in critical situations. He was on the field for 92% of the team’s defensive snaps, logging 64 tackles, 14 passes defensed and three interceptions, all of which were personal bests.

Heading into the upcoming season, Davis’ versatility in coverage, length and athleticism make him an excellent fit for Brandon Staley’s scheme. Yet to make a Pro Bowl appearance, there’s a chance that could change very soon for the 26-year old.

EDGE Uchenna Nwosu

For the past three seasons, Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram were the focus of attention at the position. All the meanwhile, Nwosu was making impactful plays against the pass and run, yet he was never rewarded for his hard work.

With his defensive snaps being under 40% in 45 career games, Nwosu has still managed to total 10 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 59 quarterback pressures and 44 hurries.

Now heading into his fourth season, Nwosu is in a position to breakout in a big way.

Not only has he flashed enough to be an effective player, but the sky is limit knowing what Staley could do to Nwosu’s game when factoring in what he was able to do with Leonard Floyd with the Rams last season.

Floyd is coming off his most productive year as a pro, totaling career-highs in sacks (12.5), tackles (55) and quarterback hits (19), as well as a career-best 52 total pressures.

If everything clicks, Nwosu could see career-highs in various categories, which could lead to a contract extension since he will be a free agent at the end of the season.

“I think Chenna can be a high-level player in this league. We love how he plays,” general manager Tom Telesco said.

WR Tyron Johnson

Coming into the 2020 season, there was the question of who would be the receivers that would establish themselves as reliable pass-catching options behind Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

One of those players was Johnson, who showed his true potential when injuries to Allen and Williams led to extended playing time.

In 12 games, Johnson amassed 20 receptions for 398 yards (19.9 yards per reception) and three touchdowns, with zero drops. Four of his first five receptions in the NFL went for 50 yards or more.

In 2021, Johnson has the opportunity to become one of quarterback Justin Herbert’s go-to targets because of how well he does in the intermediate and deep parts of the field, and he should reap the rewards due to his speed and hands.

RB Austin Ekeler

Ekeler has proven himself as one of the league’s best do-it-all running backs, but he still isn’t talked about as much compared to others at his position.

Asserting himself as a key piece in the offense with his multi-dimensional skillset, Ekeler has totaled 1,901 yards on the ground and 2,079 receiving yards as well as 25 touchdowns in four seasons.

With a competent offensive line and an offensive coordinator in Lombardi, who has historically gotten his running backs involved in the passing game more than almost any other team, Ekeler could be in for a career season.

“I know that Ekeler has some of the skill sets that I’m used to seeing in New Orleans with whether it was Reggie (Bush) or Darren Sproles or AK (Alvin Kamara),” Lombardi said.