Tag: Chargers vs. Bills recap

Instant analysis of Chargers’ 27-17 loss to Bills

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez breaks down Los Angeles’ loss to the Buffalo Bills.

They kept it close, but the Chargers were unable to prevail against the Bills on Sunday.

Here is my instant analysis from Los Angeles’ Week 12 loss to Buffalo:

Injury Report

Tackle Bryan Bulaga was active but did not play a single snap due to an illness. Linebacker Denzel Perryman suffered a back injury and did not return to the game. The status of his injury is unknown.

Play of the Game: Joey Bosa’s sack

Rather than one play, I decided to include all three of Bosa’s sacks. This was one of the best performances of his career.

Quick Takes

Quarterback Justin Herbert was up and down today. The majority of Herbert’s production came from the short-to-intermediate parts of the field rather than passes to the deep parts of the field, partly due to the constant pressure by the Bills. He was also inconsistent with his accuracy, especially in the first half. The rookie finished 31-of-51 passing for 316 yards, one touchdown and an interception.

The running game wasn’t anything special, but having running back Austin Ekeler back was a breath of fresh air. Ekeler posted 129 yards from the line of scrimmage. RB Joshua Kelley wasn’t used that often, but he managed to post his longest carry of the season (33 yards).

Buffalo’s secondary did a great job of keeping Herbert’s targets in check. Ekeler led the group in receiving, followed by tight end Hunter Henry with seven catches for 67 yards. Wide receiver Keenan Allen was targeted 10 times, but only hauled in four passes for 40 yards and the only passing touchdown.

The pass defensed did everything they needed to do to limit quarterback Josh Allen, who only had 157 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Defensive end Joey Bosa was the most impactful player on the field, as he had three sacks, five quarterback hits, six tackles for loss and a pass deflected.

Meanwhile, the run defense struggled immensely. The unit failed to get any push up front and could not tackle ball carriers. In total, 172 yards was given up (5.7 yards per carry).

The Chargers forced three turnovers, but the offense was unable to capitalize. Why? The play calling was poor, and that’s an understatement to describe it. Rather than letting Herbert work his magic, the coaches resorted to the ground game in the most crucial moments.

Anthony Lynn’s game and clock management deficiencies were on full display. A lot of scratching decision making all throughout the contest. The Chargers have a talented roster, but the coaching is an issue.

Even after making changes to the coaching staff, the special teams was still inefficient. Kicker Michael Badgley missed an extra point. Their starting position was below average and the return coverage gave up way too many yards.

Up Next

The Chargers host the Patriots at SoFi Stadium next Sunday, Dec. 6 at 1:25 p.m. PT.