Tag: Chargers vs. Bills

Keys to a Chargers’ victory over Bills in Week 12

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out what Los Angeles needs to do to beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

The Chargers are set to face off against the Bills on Sunday. There are a few things that Los Angeles will need to do in order to a secure a victory.

Offensively, quarterback Justin Herbert and company could be in for a field day, facing a Buffalo defense that has allowed 872 total yards and 66 points.

However, their secondary, which features a few studs, will be fresh off a bye week. The offensive line will need to be on their A-game, as well. The Bills have posted 27 sacks this season.

L.A. will have running back Austin Ekeler back in the mix after he was activated off the injured reserve on Saturday. Ekeler could quickly get back on track, facing a run defense that ranks No. 29 in the NFL.

Defensively, the Bolts will have their hands full. Not only is Josh Allen one of the league’s most prolific quarterbacks, the Chargers will be short-handed, as they will be without cornerback Casey Hayward and defensive ends Melvin Ingram and Uchenna Nwosu.

It all starts up front with generating pressure. Joey Bosa, who had five quarterback hits, will need to make up for Ingram and Nwosu being out to minimize the time in the pocket for Allen. Jerry Tillery, Justin Jones and Linval Joseph will also be needed in a big way.

The Bills haven’t been susceptible to running the football, which means that it could take the pressure off of the linebackers. However, Allen is just as efficient with his legs as he is with his arm. A quarterback spy will be needed, and it’s all about making sound tackles in the open field, which is something the team has struggled with.

The battle in the secondary will be the most critical matchup. While Chris Harris Jr. returns to the action, Hayward will be out. Buffalo features two stout wide receivers, Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley. Michael Davis, Tevaughn Campbell and Brandon Facyson will have to keep them close.

Special teams is an area where games have been determined for the Chargers. After being ranked last, the team made some changes to the coaching staff in hopes of fixing their woes. We will see if the changes pay off.

Chargers final injury report vs. Bills: CB Casey Hayward among 3 players out

The Los Angeles Chargers will be without three key defenders against the Buffalo Bills.

The Los Angeles Chargers released their final injury report ahead of the Week 12 battle with the Buffalo Bills.

Here is a look at the report:

OUT

CB Casey Hayward

DE Melvin Ingram

DE Uchenna Nwosu

QUESTIONABLE

RB Kalen Ballage

Facing a dominant Bills offense, it doesn’t help that the Chargers will be without Hayward, Ingram and Nwosu.

With Hayward out, Tevaughn Campbell will likely get extended reps on the outside. Meanwhile, Los Angeles will go with the “hot hand” approach to fill the LEO position. Coach Anthony Lynn said he’ll rotate Joey Bosa, Jerry Tillery and Emeke Egbule.

If Ballage can’t play, running backs Joshua Kelley and Troymaine Pope will split the reps. However, there’s a chance that Austin Ekeler could return this weekend, which would be huge for the backfield.

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler has ‘chance’ to play vs. Bills

The Chargers could be getting one of their most prolific offensive weapons back this Sunday.

The Chargers could be getting one of their most prolific offensive weapons back this Sunday.

Coach Anthony Lynn said that there’s a “chance” running back Austin Ekeler will play in Week 12 against the Bills.

Ekeler has been held out since Week 4 after suffering a hamstring injury during the team’s matchup against the Buccaneers.

Wednesday marked the first time that Ekeler practiced in weeks, but he has yet to be activated off the injured reserve.

In the first four weeks, Ekeler was efficient, rushing 47 times for 236 yards and one touchdown. He was also extremely impactful in the passing game, catching all 16 targets for 143 yards.

Another key player who could return to the field is cornerback Chris Harris Jr. Harris, who suffered a foot injury in Week 3, was also designated to return from the IR.

Lynn said CB Brandon Facyson will come off the COVID-19/Reserve list, which will give the Chargers some depth at the position if Harris isn’t ready to go.

Prediction poll for matchup between Chargers, Bills

Can the Los Angeles Chargers pull the upset over the Buffalo Bills?

The Los Angeles Chargers are set to face off against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Nov. 29 at 10:00 a.m. PT at Bills Stadium.

The Chargers are looking to build off of their victory last weekend over the Jets. For the Bills, they are fresh off a bye week after suffering defeat to the Cardinals in Week 10.

Offensively, Los Angeles continues to be carried by rookie quarterback Justin Herbert, who set another milestone last Sunday. His favorite target, wide receiver Keenan Allen set a team-record 16 catches. Defensively, L.A. has been struggled, allowing 29.3 points per game over their last three contests.

Meanwhile, Buffalo’s offense has been led by quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs, both of whom are near the top in various categories at their perspective positions. Their defense has allowed over 30 points in their last two outings.

I expect this to be an offensive showdown between two of the ascending signal-callers in the league. Both teams will give up a handful of touchdowns, but knowing that they have the playoffs in sight, Buffalo will ultimately prevail. I’ve got the Bills winning by the score of 31-27.

What do you guys think? Post in the poll below.

Who will win Week 12 matchup between Chargers, Bills?
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What Bills said about Chargers QB Justin Herbert

High praise for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

The Bills are set to meet one the NFL’s most prolific passers this upcoming Sunday.

Quarterback Justin Herbert heads to Buffalo with the mindset to build off of last weekend’s season-high performance. Herbert will have the opportunity to have a big game as he is facing a secondary that has struggled in recent weeks.

Coach Sean McDermott believes that Herbert is way ahead of the curve. McDermott possibly threw some shade at Jets QB Sam Darnold saying “He’s not one of those young quarterbacks who gets confused or sees ghosts once in a while.”

Some of Herbert’s success has been attributed to development by offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.

“I think Shane Steichen does a great job putting him in positions and they’ve got weapons around him. He’s tough. He’s got a big arm. He is off to a great start.”

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and safety Micah Hyde, who have been a key pieces of the defense, also great things to say about the rookie signal-caller.

“I think he’s making some big-time plays out there. His numbers are showing it and he’s getting recognition around the league,” Edmunds said.

“He just doesn’t seem like a rookie,” Hyde said.

3 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 12 opponent, Bills

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez breaks down Los Angeles’ Week 12 opponent.

The Chargers are set to meet the Bills this Sunday.

Here are three things to know about Los Angeles’ Week 12 opponent:

Dynamic duo

This past offseason, the Bills acquired one of the top pass catchers for quarterback Josh Allen, signing wide receiver Stefon Diggs. This season, the two have been on a tear. Allen has thrown for 2,871 passing yards, 21 touchdowns to only seven interceptions, all of which rank within the top-10. Meanwhile, Diggs is second in the league with 906 receiving yards and right behind WR Keenan Allen in receptions with 73.

Struggling defense

If it wasn’t for Allen averaging four touchdowns per game, the Bills might’ve had some losses the past few weeks. Buffalo has been scorched by opposing offenses, allowing 872 total yards and 66 points. The team has particularly struggled on the ground. The Titans had 139 rushing yards, the Chiefs amassed 245 rushing yards, and the Cardinals rushed for 217 yards, which were all three of the Bills’ losses.

Running game has been put to the side

Even with the duo of running backs Zack Moss and Devin Singletary, the chances of the ground game being a focal point for the Bills are slim. Buffalo ranks 28th in rushing yards per game and yards per attempt and 29th in rushing touchdowns per game. In the last two weeks, the Bills have only run the ball 37 total times. However, the Chargers have been allowing 4.6 yards per carry, which means Buffalo could look to exploit it.

Chargers open up as 6-point underdogs vs. Bills in Week 12

The Chargers and Bills meet in the clash of the quarterbacks.

The Los Angeles Chargers (3-7) have opened up as six-point underdogs to the Buffalo Bills (7-3) in Week 12 of the 2020 regular season, per BetMGM.

The Chargers snapped their losing streak last Sunday, defeating the New York Jets, 34-28. It was another stellar performance put on by quarterback Justin Herbert, who threw for three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the defense and special teams struggled to stay consistent.

On the other hand, the Bills had their bye week. The week prior, Buffalo lost a close one to the Cardinals. The team has been guided by quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Allen sits near the top in passing yards while Diggs is top in receiving yards and receptions.

Sunday’s matchup will begin at 10:00 a.m. PT and will be televised on CBS.

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Chargers’ Keenan Allen included in top WR/CB battles for 2020 season

Los Angeles Chargers WR Keenan Allen will be looking to put cornerbacks on skates once again.

It’s never easy for cornerbacks when being tasked with lining up across from Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen.

Allen is arguably one of the league’s most premiere route-runners and it never fails to see him put even the best corners on skates on a weekly basis.

This season is no different as he will draw some tough competition, but Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller particularly notes the Week 11 matchup against the Bills as Allen will be shadowed by CB Tre’Davious White.

White is an underrated superstar with awesome timing, awareness and technique to hang in coverage against wide receivers both big and small, fast and powerful. He has all the footwork and agility you need in an elite cornerback. But stopping Keenan Allen will take all of that and maybe more.

Allen is the best route-runner in the NFL with excellent footwork. His moves should be cut up and put in a training video for young receivers. He’s silky smooth without being overly big or fast, but he always finds himself open while basically playing chess with cornerbacks thanks to his array of moves and his understanding of the game.

Allen vs. White doesn’t have the high-profile athleticism of the other matchups listed before them, but the art of their technique makes this must-watch.

The two have faced off twice in their professional careers.

In 2017, which was White’s rookie campaign, Allen went off for 156 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 12 receptions. The year after in 2018, Allen hauled in six passes for 67 yards.

In both contests, Allen managed to have success against White. However, White took a step forward in 2019, slowing some of the league’s best receivers. He was named to the Pro Bowl in which he tied for the league lead in interceptions with six and had a team-high 17 passes defensed.

Last season, Allen continued his dominance, finishing with 104 receptions on 149 targets for 1,199 yards and six touchdowns. He also earned a trip to the Pro Bowl.

It’s uncertain how the quarterback play will shape up with Tyrod Taylor and/or Justin Herbert under center, but one thing is certain and that’s Allen will most likely be open due to his crafty route-running ability.

Allen is set to become a free agent after this season, and with another strong season, he could be looking at cashing a big check.