Tag: Chargers regular season

Every season-opening game for Chargers since 2011

Here’s a look at every opening week game for the Chargers since 2011.

After a massive collapse in the 2022 playoffs to the Jaguars, the Chargers are more motivated than ever to put that to bed and make it a deeper run this season. It all starts in Week 1, as Los Angeles hosts the Dolphins this Sunday.

How have the Bolts fared in season openers? Here’s a look at every opening week game for them since 2011:

1 big question for every Chargers offensive position in 2022

As much as fans may feel confident in the Chargers, there are still questions that need to be answered to determine the season’s outcome.

The 2022 training camp for the Chargers will kick off in a month, putting us closer to the start of the NFL season. During this time, fans and analysts are left to speculate about how the team will play in the upcoming campaign.

For Los Angeles, this is a massive summer in terms of the direction of the organization, with the Super Bowl in sight. Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley spent the offseason revamping the team on both sides of the ball in hopes of finally making the deep run.

On paper, the Bolts look like one of the most talented units. But that’s just one thing, and if the team expects to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, every positional group needs to gel. This leads to many questions about what is in store for this season.

With that said, here are answers to some of the biggest questions surrounding the offense of the Chargers.

6 things to know about Chargers DL Christian Covington

Get familiar with the newest member of the Los Angeles Chargers, defensive lineman Christian Covington.

The Chargers signed defensive tackle Christian Covington to a one-year deal on Monday.

To get familiar with him, here are six things to know about the 27-year old.

Dad was a stud in the CFL

Covington’s father, Grover, was a star defensive end for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1981-1991. He is the league’s all-time sack leader (151). In 2000, he was inducted to the CFL Hall of Fame.

Collegiate career

Covington, the Canada native, played college football at Rice. He posted 78 tackles, 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in three seasons, and was named to the All-Conference USA team after his sophomore year. Covington was then drafted by the Houston Texans in the sixth-round of the 2015 NFL draft.

Played out his rookie contract

It doesn’t happen that often where a sixth-round pick stays on the same team throughout his entire rookie contract, but Covington was among the few. Appearing in 50 games over four years, he had 65 tackles, 7.5 sacks and a forced fumble in those appearances. His best season came in 2018, a year where he posted eight quarterback hits and 3.5 sacks in 12 starts.

Bounced around the league

After experiencing his best football with the Texans, Covington has not been a mainstay. The past two years, he’s played for the Cowboys, Broncos (practice squad) and Bengals.

What he brings to the table

Covington is a long-armed interior defender who possesses great lateral quickness and burst to jump off the snap and get up field in the snap of a finger. When double-teamed, he utilizes his length to his advantage and strength & leverage to dominate them. Covington is versatile, capable of playing inside and outside of the tackles.

Could be in for a big year

Given the fact that his best playing days came with Houston in their 3-4 scheme, Covington could make an impact for the Chargers and their defensive system that features a three-man and hybrid fronts, even if it’s just as a rotational role.

Chargers claim CB Kemon Hall off waivers

The Los Angeles Chargers added another cornerback to the roster.

The Chargers have claimed cornerback Kemon Hall off waivers.

Hall was undrafted out of North Texas in 2019. He signed with Los Angeles and played with the team through the preseason before going on the practice squad early in the regular season.

After being released by L.A., Hall bounced around the league, having spent time with the Vikings, Saints and Cowboys.

Hall joins a deep cornerback room led by Michael Davis, Chris Harris Jr., and rookie Asante Samuel, Jr.

He will be competing for a roster spot this summer with others, including Brandon Facyson, Donte Vaughn, John Brannon and Ryan Smith.

Report: Chargers would host Vikings for 17th game in 2021

An extra regular-season game might be added in 2021.

As we are approaching the new league year, one of the changes the NFL is planning to make is adding a 17th regular season game.

The plan was approved but nothing is set in stone yet. If the league does go through with it this upcoming season, the Chargers would host the Vikings at SoFi Stadium to finish the regular season, per Peter King of NBC Sports.

This is subject to change as the league may not add the 17th game to the schedule in 2021.

The schedule has yet to be released and we may not know until the middle of April. Here’s a look at the rest of Los Angeles’ opponents.

4 Chargers players that fans are most excited to see in 2020

The Los Angeles Chargers boast an enticing roster of players.

Things in the sports world have been crazy as the coronavirus pandemic has put the action to a halt. Minicamp should be going on right now, but it’s not. However, great news keep on coming as training camp, preseason and the regular season should start as scheduled.

With that being said, we wanted to get an idea of which members of the Chargers fans are most excited to see this year as the team looks to turn things around after a dud of a season in 2019.

I went to our official Twitter and Facebook accounts to ask fans who they’re looking forward to the most. Below is a look at what the majority of the bunch said:

LB Kenneth Murray

Murray was the team’s second first-round pick after trading up 14 spots to snag him. The aggressiveness to ensure the former Oklahoma product was in the blue and gold goes to show that the coaching staff believes he could give the defense a huge boost immediately. Slated to start as the Will linebacker, Murray has rare instincts, combined with closing speed quickness and ability to cover a large amount of ground, which should contribute in coverage, stopping the run and rushing the quarterback. The combination of his skillset and intangibles could earn him the responsibility of calling out the plays on defense as early as Year 1.

S Derwin James

Fans were eager to see James in his sophomore season, but that was put a halt after he sustained a foot injury in training camp. The injury wiped out the majority of his season, but he still managed to play in five games, where the do-it-all defender was a force to be reckoned with. Ensuring James is on the field in 2020 will be critical. James gives the Chargers a rare defender who can cover wide receivers, the best tight ends in the NFL, stop running backs at the line of scrimmage and put pressure on quarterbacks, all of which are key elements in stopping the reigning Super Bowl champions – Kansas City Chiefs.

LB Drue Tranquill

It didn’t take long for Tranquill to get a strong grasp of the defense and make an immediate impact in his rookie season. The former Notre Dame was given a larger role as the year went on, finishing as the Chargers’ second-leading tackler with 75 total tackles, along with being tied for the most special teams tackles by any rookie (11). Heading into Year 2, Tranquill is expected to take another step forward as the team’s middle linebacker. Denzel Perryman may start, but Tranquill will come onto the field in passing situations. Eventually, he should be the permanent starter alongside Murray.

QB Justin Herbert

It’s no surprise that fans are electrified to see their first-round pick take the field, especially when it’s the replacement to veteran quarterback Philip Rivers. It remains to be seen how much playing time Herbert will receive this upcoming season since he’s in a position to sit and enhance his game while 30-year old Tyrod Taylor is under center. However, it might be the most optimal situation for the former Oregon product, who could benefit from learning from quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton before taking the reins. Herbert has all the physical tools and arm talent in the world, but he needs to develop his instincts and decision-making. If he does, the sky is the limit for Herbert.

3 best bargain contracts for Chargers in 2020

General manager Tom Telesco has done a fine job at acquiring players on great deals.

The Chargers present one of the most talented rosters in the NFL. A handful of those players were obtained by general manager Tom Telesco on great deals, too.

With that being said, here is a look at three of the best bargain contracts that Los Angeles has on the roster for the upcoming season:

OT Bryan Bulaga

Average salary: $4,833,333

In need of solid play along the offensive line, the Chargers were able to land one of the best players at the right tackle position for a heck of a deal. Bulaga was signed to a three-year deal worth $30 million. There are 37 tackles in the league that will make more than him this upcoming season, some of which are backups. The 10-year veteran should accelerate the transition process for new offensive line coach James Campen who coached him during their shared time with the Packers. But most importantly, protect Tyrod Taylor or Justin Herbert and aide in paving the way for the members of the backfield.

S Derwin James

Average salary: $3,378,806

It only took a season for James to make his mark as one of the league’s best safeties. His 105 tackles (75 solo), six quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in his rookie campaign hardly showed how phenomenal he was, as the do-it-all defender helped take the defense to another level. Had he not been hurt in Year 2, the former Florida State product would have been a prime candidate for Defensive Player of the Year honors. There are 37 safeties who are set to make more than James during the 2020 season. If James cranks it up another notch this season, a contract extension could be in discussion.

CB Desmond King

Average salary: $2,202,998

The Chargers boast a strong secondary, but one player who hasn’t gotten as much recognition as he should is King. He has been tabbed as Second-Team All-Pro (2018), snubbed from a couple of Pro Bowls and has the second-highest three-year Pro Football Focus grade on defense from the 2017 NFL Draft (90.7). There 62 cornerbacks set to make more than the former Iowa product this upcoming season. Slated to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, it would be difficult to see a key defensive back leave, but the signing of Chris Harris Jr. might leave him out of a job with the team after 2020.

Final stat leaders for the Chargers in 2019

Which Charger led the team in receptions, passes defensed, among others?

All attention has been shifted to what the 2020 season will hold, but it’s still appropriate to reflect on this past season for the Los Angeles Chargers.

With that, here are the final stat leaders from the 2019 regular season:

Silas Walker/Getty Images

Offense

Touchdown Passes – QB Philip Rivers (23)

Passing Yards – QB Philip Rivers (4,615)

Rushing Yards – RB Melvin Gordon (612)

Rushing Touchdowns – RB Melvin Gordon (8)

Receptions – WR Keenan Allen (104)

Receiving Touchdowns – RB Austin Ekeler (8)

Total Touchdowns – RB Austin Ekeler (11)

Yards From Scrimmage – RB Austin Ekeler (1,550)

Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Defense/Special Teams

Sacks – DE Joey Bosa (11.5)

Tackles – LB Thomas Davis (112)

Interceptions – S Rayshawn Jenkins (3)

Passes Defensed – CB Michael Davis (9)

Forced Fumbles – DE Joey Bosa (1)

Punt Return Yards – CB Desmond King (118)

Kick Return Yards – CB Desmond King (331)

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Tom Brady-to-Chargers choir continues to expand

Many believe that Tom Brady will be the starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2020.

The Los Angeles Chargers might be in the market for a new quarterback given the fact that Philip Rivers is set to become an unrestricted free agent.

There are endless possibilities to fill the void that include re-signing Rivers, drafting one in the first-round, or trading for one. But there’s been one possibility that started as a fire but it continues to spread, and that’s signing Tom Brady.

Brady, 42, is also expected to become a free agent. Like Rivers, he has expressed that he doesn’t see himself retiring. The narrative started because Brady is a California native, he would be able to market his TB12 brand and also add some buzz to a belittled fan base.

It’s been a popular pairing for many as of late. Most recently, NBC’s Cris Collinsworth said that Los Angeles would be his wild guess for Brady after Sunday’s playoff game, saying they would be franchise that could use him the most.

Days before Collinsworth made his prediction, Skip Bayless of FS1’s Undisputed said that he believes Saturday’s loss to the Titans will be the last time Brady suits up in a Patriots uniform, and will be the starting quarterback of the Chargers in 2020.

Nick Wright of FS1’s First Things First concurs.

As does Bart Scott and Pat McAfee of ESPN’s Get Up.

Until we find out what the team actually does, don’t expect the chorus of Brady to the Chargers to stop anytime soon.