Chargers vs. 49ers preseason Week 3: How to watch, listen and stream online

Find out how to tune in to watch the Chargers take on the 49ers in the preseason finale.

The Chargers close out the preseason on Friday night.

Today, they kick it off in a bout against the 49ers.

Here is everything you need to know so you can tune in:

Game Information

Los Angeles Chargers vs. San Francisco 49ers

Friday, Aug. 25 — 7:00 p.m. PT

Levi’s Stadium — Santa Clara, CA


Television

The game will be televised on NFL Network and on KCBS-TV in Los Angeles. Matt Smith and Daniel Jeremiah will have the call.


Radio

ALT FM-98.7 (English broadcast)

FM 105.5/94.3 (Spanish broadcast)


Streaming

FuboTV (try it for free).

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.

Chargers WR Quentin Johnston reflects on first training camp

Cleaning up the drops will be a process, but Quentin Johnston will still have a sizable role for the Chargers.

Like any rookie, Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston’s first exposure to the NFL was filled with some teaching moments.

While he had his fair share of highlight catches throughout the summer, Johnston also experienced some dropped passes, which he had been criticized for coming out of college.

In the preseason opener, Johnston had a couple of drops. However, he bounced back with a three-catch performance on three targets for 37 yards against the Saints this past Sunday.

“A step better, for sure. First one, I felt like I was confident to a certain extent,” Johnston said. “But looked back at the tape and had a few drops. That was something that is unacceptable, especially at this level.

“So, I took that hard,” Johnston added. “The next week I went harder than I did the week before and came back and feel like I did much better.”

This will be a process for Johnston, but he is staying committed to improving that certain area day in and day out.

When the regular season starts, the Chargers will lean on quarterback Justin Herbert to link up with Johnston to create explosive plays with his speed and quickness in space, the reason why they drafted him in the first place.

“I feel like he trusts me, for sure. Obviously, still a work in progress,” Johnston said. “I’m still fairly new and haven’t been in a full-game situation with him but I feel like it’s up there.”

Chargers roster bubble: Which players helped their cause in preseason Week 2

Which Chargers helped themselves as a result of their performances in Week 2 vs. the Saints? Let’s take a look at who impressed.

There’s just one week until all NFL rosters must be cut down to 53 players by 4 PM ET next Tuesday.

Unlike previous seasons, the Chargers haven’t had to make more minor cuts before creating the final roster. Many players have gotten their chance to prove themselves in the preseason. Of course, the practice squad will also be formed in addition to their 53-man roster.

Which players helped themselves the most due to their performances in Week 2 against the Saints? With one preseason game left, let’s look at who impressed.

TE Stone Smartt

Smartt led the team in receptions with four for 32 yards. Smartt leaped in the air for an acrobatic catch on a slight overthrow from Easton Stick. Later in the game, he’d throw a block to get his quarterback into the end zone on a designed run.

It’s probably still tough for Smartt to make the roster with Gerald Everett, Donald Parham, and Tre’ McKitty in front of him. On a pure merit basis, though, Smartt has been the most consistent tight end in preseason action, with Everett not playing. He’s starting to feel like a practice squad lock, even if he doesn’t make the active roster.

RT Zack Bailey

Bailey is a right tackle, as listed on the roster, but he’s been kicking inside this preseason for some reps at right guard. So far, so good. Bailey has easily been one of the best depth linemen through two games.

Bailey has 80+ PFF grades in both pass blocking and run blocking. The South Carolina product allowed just one pressure against the Saints.

Considering that the Austen Pleasants and Foster Sarell experience at the tackle spots hasn’t been much to write home about, I’ll be curious to see if Bailey gets some snaps at his natural position against the Niners on Friday.

CB Tiawan Mullen

Tiawan Mullen had a top-three Chargers’ coverage grade on PFF against the Saints. As far as the preseason goes, he’s been one of LA’s top performers in the secondary. He’s a relentless tackler despite his size.

In Sunday’s game, Mullen had a critical pass breakup on third down and was active as a special teams tackler. With the Chargers already loaded up in the secondary on the main roster, Mullen’s role on the team would primarily have to be on the practice squad. However, there’s an opportunity for him to get that chance, given Kemon Hall’s recent injury and surgery.

WR Keelan Doss

Doss has been the most steady Chargers’ depth wide receiver through two games. Many early preseason hype went to John Hightower in the receiver room as the potential breakout star to make the roster. But when the games have mattered, Doss has been the steadier performer.

Doss has six receptions for 81 yards in his first two preseason contests, 42 of which came against New Orleans on Sunday. The most impressive thing to me was how comfortable Doss looked being used in motion in the Kellen Moore offense. The Chargers did list him higher than Hightower originally on their unofficial depth chart, and it’s certainly played out that way to this point.

Making the roster will depend on the status of Jalen Guyton. Guyton is the sixth receiver if he comes off the PUP list before the season. But Doss is making a name for himself to clinch a practice squad spot or be the placeholder if Guyton is not ready by Week 1.

DT Christopher Hinton

Hinton is making a solid case to be the sixth defensive tackle on the final 53-man roster if tackle Otito Ogbonnia remains on the PUP list. On Sunday, Hinton had a sack, two pressures, and two run stops against New Orleans. He showed excellent hustle on his sack, in particular after knocking down a Saints lineman.

Hinton also played with a similar relentless motor in the first preseason game against the Rams. Assuming Ogbonnia is not ready to start the season, Hinton feels like a quiet lock to make the roster.

WR Terrell Bynum

An outstanding catch in triple coverage on 4th and 23 is certainly one way to endear yourself to both the coaching staff and Chargers fans:

Bynum is competing for one of the practice squad receiver spots, if anything, but he’s had a presence in camp. He and Hightower were both productive at the scrimmage, and he’s been consistent throughout the month.

Chargers vs. Saints preseason Week 2: How to watch, listen and stream online

Find out how to tune in to watch the Chargers take on the Saints in the second preseason game.

The Chargers continue their three-game preseason slate.

Today, they kick it off in a bout against the Saints at SoFi Stadium.

Here is everything you need to know so you can tune in:

Game Information

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New Orleans Saints

Sunday, Aug. 20 — 4:00 p.m. PT

SoFi Stadium — Inglewood, CA


Television

The game will be televised on NFL Network and on KCBS-TV in Los Angeles and Orange County. Noah Eagle, Dan Fouts, LaDainian Tomlinson will have the call.


Radio

ALT FM-98.7 (English broadcast)

FM 105.5/94.3 (Spanish broadcast)


Streaming

FuboTV (try it for free).

7 Chargers players to watch vs. Saints in preseason Week 2

Players who flashed in Week 1 will be looking to continue their momentum on Sunday.

The Chargers are still currently scheduled to play their second preseason game against the Saints on Sunday despite potential concerns with Hurricane Hilary.

Joint practices seem to have gone well for both teams. Players who flashed in preseason Week 1 will be looking to continue their momentum on Sunday while others will be looking to get their first quality reps up on the scorecard.

S JT Woods

Woods had a good week during joint practices with the Saints. Woods recorded multiple PBUs and even got an interception in the two-day meet between the squads.

Woods didn’t have a bad game against the Rams last week either. He had no missed tackles on the day and gave a clean performance on the field for the most part. There have been signs of improvement. But Woods committed an egregious penalty after he hit Ben Skowronek in the helmet after a 3rd down stop near the goal line. Stetson Bennett would go on to throw a touchdown to Puka Nacua just a few plays later.

Derwin James obviously won’t play in this game and Alohi Gilman is currently dealing with a knee contusion. This would be a great opportunity for the Baylor product to put an authoritative stamp on the 3rd safety role if he’s able to turn in a solid performance. He’s shown improvement in his tackling and in coverage so far.

K Dustin Hopkins

Hopkins has struggled to stay on the field during this preseason and training camp period. Before Hopkins returned to practice this week, Cameron Dicker handled all of the kicking duties in the Chargers’ Week 1 preseason win.

Hopkins returned to practice but wasn’t as efficient as Dicker by any stretch. He also missed a 48-yarder short. Clearly, his injury isn’t behind him and Staley seemed rather uncertain that he would even play on Sunday at yesterday’s presser.

If Hopkins wants any chance of making this team, preserving his trade value, or landing somewhere else after he’s waived, it’s now or never for 2023.

DT CJ Okoye

CJ Okoye’s sack was that was seen around the world. He’s been a star this week after his big play, appearing in a Chargers’ media availability session and “The Rich Eisen Show”.

Okoye is such a raw prospect in that he’s still learning techniques and football basics, but his development curve seems to be going well up to this point. He’ll be a free spot for the Chargers on the practice squad this year with the International Player Program.

Considering the Chargers’ need to keep their top defensive tackles healthy throughout the rest of the month, Okoye should get some decent mileage this week. He could see an even larger snap count next week as the Chargers wind down the preseason in San Francisco.

WR John Hightower

Hightower suffered a minor injury last week in practice that caused him to have to sit out the Rams’ game. Assuming the game is played Sunday, this will be Hightower’s first chance to do some damage this preseason.

Hightower burst onto the scene early in training camp with a number of touchdowns and big catches. Staley has talked quite a bit about his performances and the overall depth of the receiver room. When asked about keeping five or six wide receivers yesterday, the Chargers’ head coach did say that this wide receiver room is the deepest they’ve had since he’s been with the team.

Jalen Guyton is still on the PUP list and there wasn’t a non-53-man roster receiver who really made his presence felt last week. WR6 is still out there for the taking and Hightower will be able to play Sunday.

RB Elijah Dotson

Dotson finds himself in the driver’s seat for RB4 if the team does indeed decide to go in that direction on the roster. If not, he’ll likely at the very least have earned a practice squad spot when the time comes.

However, that’s contingent on Dotson staying healthy and finishing out the preseason strong. He doesn’t need to have nearly 100 yards and two touchdowns every week, but the team will still need him to back his Week 1 performance up.

The Chargers waived former 2021 draft pick Larry Rountree earlier in the week. The door is wide open if Dotson wants to run through it.

CB Cam Brown

Brown’s preseason debut did not include flashy highlight reel material, but he kept it simple and efficient. Brown had three tackles, two pass breakups and a run stop while also contributing on special teams.

Kemon Hall was waived earlier in the week with an injury designation after he had surgery. Hall contributed quite a bit on special teams as a practice squad member and rostered player over the years with the Chargers.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that Brown will be the next man up, but he’s certainly competing for a practice squad role. Of note, the Chargers signed Matt Hankins earlier this week at cornerback as well.

EDGE Carlo Kemp

Kemp flashed last week against the Rams with five quality pass rush pressures. His speed and bend on the outside were certainly more than most expected to see.

Another good effort from Kemp could earn him some more potential practice squad consideration.

Chargers’ Easton Stick blossoming into reliable backup quarterback

The Chargers should feel good with Easton Stick as their backup quarterback.

The Chargers saw something in Easton Stick to be the primary backup to Justin Herbert, leading to them re-signing him this spring. This past Saturday, in the victory over the Rams, it was all on display.

Stick got the start under center while Herbert and most of the starters were sidelined and pieced together the best performance of his career.

While known for his athletic ability, Stick’s accurate arm is what stood out in his showing. He made a handful of beautiful throws, including his lone touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston right before halftime.

Before that scoring play, Stick put together a masterful two-minute drill. He guided the offense 75 yards down the field on ten plays to give the Bolts’ their first touchdown of the game.

Along the way, Stick looked composed in the pocket, even in the face of pressure, and delivered darts. He kept the drive alive with a third-down scramble in the red zone.

“I thought his two-minute drive was phenomenal,” Kellen Moore said. “Picking and choosing when to use his legs, made good decisions with the ball, aggressive when he needs to be and then take some completions. I just loved the way he operated the whole thing.”

Stick finished 14-of-21 passing for 109 yards and a touchdown while adding two rushes for 12 yards.

After being the No. 3 quarterback on the roster the past few seasons, Stick has shown this summer that he is more than capable of being reliable in a backup role.

Chargers RB Elijah Dotson among ‘Secret Superstars’ of preseason Week 1

Elijah Dotson raised some eyebrows in his NFL debut.

The Chargers ran wild in their preseason victory over the Rams on Saturday, finishing with 214 yards on the ground.

A key piece of their rushing attack was undrafted free agent Elijah Dotson. Dotson had 92 yards on six carries, including two long touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Dotson was one of Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar’s “Secret Superstars” from the first week of the preseason for his efforts.

Talk about an under-the-radar guy… Dotson spent four seasons as a secondary factor at Sacramento before moving to Northern Colorado and rushing for 935 yards and six touchdowns on 204 carries. That got him a shot with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent, and against the Rams on Saturday night, Dotson made more of that opportunity than anybody had a right to expect. He rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns… on just six carries and seven total snaps.

Dotson began his career at Sacramento State and was a two-time, first-team All-Big Sky selection. He was a graduate transfer to Northern Colorado last year, where he had 933 yards on the ground, led the team with 48 catches and had an 82-yard punt return touchdown.

As the Bolts build out their backfield, Dotson’s performance helped his cause. It remains to be seen if Los Angeles will roster three or four running backs, but if they’re to have four, Dotson could very well be in consideration for a spot if it keeps stacking up solid showings. At the very least, he should warrant a practice squad spot.

Chargers DL CJ Okoye on first sack: ‘It was an amazing moment for me’

It was a moment CJ Okoye will never forget.

Chargers defensive lineman CJ Okoye recorded a sack in last Saturday’s win over the Rams in the preseason opener. While this would be a tally in the stat sheet for any other player, this was a special moment for Okoye.

It marked Okoye’s first-ever organized football game. Not just an NFL game but the first organized football game. Okoye is a Nigerian athlete signed by the team as part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program.

“It was an amazing moment for me,” Okoye said Tuesday.

Okoye sacked Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett on the Chargers’ final defensive play. Afterward, his teammates went wild on the sideline.

“Watching it is like putting all this together in one, it was a moment for me,” Okoye said. “It was [an] amazing moment seeing my teammates, see my D-line room go crazy like that. I wish to go back there again.”

Notable players from the International Pathway Program include Raiders’ Jakob Johnson, Commanders’ Efe Obada and Eagles’ Jordan Mailata.

Even though he made a highlight play in preseason action, Okoye knows that nothing is guaranteed, and he will have to keep his head down and keep working hard.

“I don’t think I’m a celebrity yet, it’s just my story,” Okoye said. “I have never played football, just magically got a sack. I won’t lie, it’s an awesome feeling but you don’t go too high, you don’t go too low just stay in the middle and do your thing.

“For me, it’s just learning the most I can do, go out there and learn because we have the best D-line in the entire league. I want to learn more plays and learn more techniques.”

Regardless if Okoye makes even the practice squad or not, this was a moment that he will never forget.

Chargers CB J.C. Jackson non-committal on playing Week 1 vs. Dolphins

J.C. Jackson was non-committal on whether he would play in the regular season opener after he was asked for a projection.

Chargers’ cornerback J.C. Jackson was non-committal on whether he would play in the regular season opener after he was asked for a projection. When asked if he’d “project himself to be out there Week 1,” Jackson said this:

I don’t want to put a projection on myself at this time. Like I said, I’m working each and everyday to be ready. Week 1 or Week 3, whatever week it is, I’m going to be ready mentally and physically.

Jackson sat out a few practices over a week ago with “knee soreness” as he continues his recovery from patellar tendon surgery. The former Pro Bowler also expanded on his condition and how he’s feeling:

I’m working each and every day. There are going to be some good days and some bad days, but I just have to keep working, keep going.

On building up strength in his knee, Jackson expanded on the challenge and his mentality:

It’s just work. It’s nothing bigger than a challenge to me. I look at it as just work, becoming who I need to become, coming out here each and every day, being a good teammate, and working my ass off.

Time will tell if the former Pro Bowl corner does play against Miami in Week 1, but his progress to this point is still an incredible achievement. Considering that his knee injury occurred at the end of last October, a turnaround of “Week 1” or “Week 3” would still be quite the feat.