Tag: Chargers vs. Football Team

Everything we know about Chargers’ victory over Washington in Week 1

Highlighting everything notable in the Los Angeles Chargers’ victory over the Washington Football Team.

In a neck-and-neck battle between the Chargers and Washington, Los Angeles came out victorious by the score of 20-16.

To recap the season opener, here is everything we know:

It was over when…

Washington decided to punt with a little less than seven minutes in the fourth-quarter. With the ball back in the hands of quarterback Justin Herbert, the offense put together a 15-play, 72-yard drive to eat up the remainder of the clock.

Keys of the game

The Chargers were 14-of-19 on third down.

Washington was held to 133 yards passing.

Los Angeles controlled the time of possession. 36:03 to 23:57.

4 stars of the game

QB Justin Herbert: 31-of-47 for 337 yards, 1 touchdown

WR Keenan Allen: 9 catches for 100 yards

WR Mike Williams: 8 receptions for 82 yards, 1 touchdown

S Derwin James: 7 tackles, 1 pass deflection

Quick hitters

Aside from the work in the red zone, Joe Lombardi called a terrific game by letting Herbert do his thing early and often. The blocking scheme and personnel allowed him to stay clean for the most part and receivers were put in optimal positions with a variety of route concepts/combinations.

Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have the makeup of a phenomenal wide receiver duo in this system.

The newly revamped offensive line did a fantastic job of holding their own against a tough Washington front. Rashawn Slater, in particular, swallowed up everything that came his way, including reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, Chase Young.

While the passing game was the focal point, the run game was not all that efficient, only averaging 3.1 yards per carry. Austin Ekeler was limited to 15 carries and was not used as a receiver. Larry Rountree had more carries than Justin Jackson, finishing with eight to one respectively.

The defense was stronger in the first half than in the second, but against the run was where they struggled throughout the entire game aside from a clutch fumble forced by Kyzir White. Washington finished with 27 carries for 127 yards (4.7 yards per carry).

Generating pressure in a multitude of ways is Brandon Staley’s calling card and it paid off, especially with Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu. Aside from a big play to Terry McLaurin and their only touchdown, the Chargers held Ryan Fitzpatrick and Taylor Heinicke to 133 passing yards.

The two best defensive players were Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr. Both players consistently flew around the field, making big plays in big moments, both in the passing and run game.

Dropped passes and costly penalties in critical situations could have ultimately costed the Chargers this game. I don’t like to blame NFL officiating, but there were a couple of questionable calls, including the roughing the passer on Joey Bosa late in the game.

What’s next?

The Chargers return home to take on the Cowboys in the first regular season game at SoFi Stadium in front of fans on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 1:25 pm PT.

Twitter reacts to Chargers’ victory over Washington in season opener

What the general population thought of the Chargers’ Week 1 victory over Washington.

In the debut of head coach Brandon Staley, the Chargers took care of business against Washington.

It wasn’t pretty considering the game was full of head-scratching turnovers and penalties, but quarterback Justin Herbert and company dominated a very good defense and controlled the time of possession.

On the other hand, Los Angeles’ defense kept Washington’s offense in check for the most part, holding them to only two trips to the red zone.

After the Bolts picked up their first victory of the season, here’s a look at how social media reacted:

Key takeaways from first half of Chargers vs. Washington

Highlighting what stood out in the first half of the Week 1 matchup between the Chargers and Washington.

The Chargers currently lead the Washington Football Team at the halfway mark of the season opener by the score of 13-9.

Here are a few things that have stood out:

Justin Herbert is locked in

One of the main storylines was how Herbert would look in new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s system, and the sophomore has not lost a step. With a combination of solid play design and protection, Herbert is sitting pretty with his high volume of passing. Connecting with nine different targets, Herbert has 19-of-27 passing for 179 yards.

Mike Williams looks like a completely different player

Lombardi said to expect big things from Williams in his role as the ‘X receiver’ and he stuck to his word. Instead of solely being a down-the-field threat like he was the past few seasons, Williams has ran a variety of routes at all levels of the field and has caught nearly everything thrown his way – six catches for 59 yards.

Pressure is paying dividends

Washington has been stymied through the air, as they only have 11 yards passing. The main reason why Ryan Fitzpatrick and Taylor Heinicke have struggled is because it has been difficult in the face of constant pressure. Utilizing twists/stunts, pressure packages and one-on-one matchups, the Chargers have lived in the backfield and have made life easier for the back end of the defense.

Shaky special teams

The special teams department has not been as promising as you would expect after finishing last in the NFL in 2020. The returns were below average. Inconsistent coverage led to decent field position for Washington. They were dinged for a block in the back. All things that need to be cleaned up moving forward.

Watch: RB Austin Ekeler scores first touchdown of season for Chargers

Check out the Chargers’ first touchdown of the 2021 regular season.

It was the Chargers who struck first in the season opener against Washington.

Facing one of the league’s best defenses, Los Angeles scampered down the field with ease on the opening drive.

Quarterback Justin Herbert engineered the majority of the production on the 10-play, 75-yard drive but it was running back Austin Ekeler who found the end zone from three yards out.

Check it out:

Live tweet updates from Chargers vs. Washington

If you’re away from a television and want to stay locked in to the matchup between the Chargers and Washington, we got you covered.

Regular season football is finally here!

The Chargers are set to take on the Washington Football Team in Week 1 of the 2021 regular season in just a few moments.

If you’re away from a television and want to be informed of the game, we got you covered below:

Inactive report for Chargers’ Week 1 matchup vs. Washington

Find out who’s in and who’s out for the Chargers against the Washington Football Team.

The Los Angeles Chargers are set to kickoff their 2021 season on the road against the Washington Football Team.

Here is a look at their inactives today:

Easton Stick

Joshua Kelley

Trey Marshall

Amen Ogbongbemiga

Tre’ McKitty

After being listed as questionable, running back Austin Ekeler is officially active and will play. With Joshua Kelley a healthy scratch, that should mean more goal-line touches for Larry Rountree.

How to watch, listen, stream Chargers vs. Washington

Everything you need to know about the Los Angeles Chargers’ season opener.

The Los Angeles Chargers look to start their 2021 season on a strong note against the Washington Football Team.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Week 1 bout:

Game Information

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Washington Football Team

Sunday, Sept. 12 — 10:00 a.m. PT

FedEx Field — Landover, MD

Television

Those in the yellow area on the TV map will get the game on CBS.

Radio

ALT FM-98.7 (English broadcast)

FM 105.5/94.3 (Spanish broadcast)

Streaming

FuboTV (try it for free)

Social Media

Like Chargers Wire on Facebook
Follow Chargers Wire on Twitter
Follow Gavino on Twitter (@Gavino Borquez)

Chargers Fantasy Football Week 1: Start ’em or sit ’em

Highlighting the Chargers players that you should start or keep on the bench in the season opener against Washington.

We are officially in the midst of the 2021 regular season, with the majority of the games ensuing tomorrow, which also means that fantasy football matchups will largely be determined then.

As owners are finalizing their rosters, join me as I break down the Chargers that you should start and sit to reclaim a title or dethrone last year’s champion.

QB Justin Herbert — Sit

Look, this does not mean you should drop Herbert in favor of another player. Frankly, I believe he is capable of finishing as a top-5 QB by the end of the season. But in the first game, don’t expect a lot of points from the sophomore signal-caller. Facing a fearsome front and a stout secondary that allowed the fifth-fewest points to quarterbacks last season, Herbert could be kept to one of his most quiet performances. Again, only bench him if you have another quarterback on your roster who has more of a favorable matchup.

RB Austin Ekeler — Start

While Ekeler is listed as questionable, head coach Brandon Staley expects him to play, adding that “he looked good” at practice. In this new offense under Joe Lombardi, Ekeler’s workload should be hefty considering Alvin Kamara was one of the most productive backs during their time with the Saints. Despite facing one of the best defenses, Washington still allowed 114.5 rushing yards per game last season. Ekeler’s great ability to make an impact in the passing game should also be put to use.

WR Mike Williams — Sit

The Chargers are excited for the potential of Williams in Lombardi’s offense and while he could have a breakout season, the start of that will unlikely come this weekend. Washington gave up 201.9 passing yards last season and with him expected to draw a tough matchup in cornerback William Jackson, it could be hard for Williams to rack up points. In addition, with Herbert likely to face a good chunk of pressure, the plays down the field where Williams makes his money could be kept to a minimum.

TE Jared Cook — Start

Cook was signed to replace Hunter Henry and because of his familiarity with Lombardi’s offense, which he was quite productive in. In two seasons with New Orleans, Cook had 80 catches for 1,209 yards and 16 touchdowns. Not only did Herbert and Cook develop a strong connection during the summer, the sophomore could look to make a smooth transition in a new system by heavily relying on someone who’s well-versed in it. If there’s a prediction that I’m making, it’s that Cook will lead the team in targets in Week 1.

Chargers defense — Start

Even with Washington adding Ryan Fitzpatrick coupled with the weapons around him, there’s reason to believe why the unit could struggle. Head coach Brandon Staley oversaw the Rams’ defense that ranked No. 1 in both yards and points last season. His emphasis on bringing heat from as many places and coverage disguise in attempt to create uncertainty for quarterback — combined with playmakers led by Derwin James, Joey Bosa, Linval Joseph, Kenneth Murray, Michael Davis, Chris Harris Jr. and rookie Asante Samuel Jr. — could force Fitzpatrick into some mistakes.

Chargers’ Brandon Staley ‘optimistic’ Austin Ekeler will play in season opener

The Chargers’ lead back is trending towards playing this Sunday.

Chargers running back Austin Ekeler returned to practice Friday after missing the last two with a hamstring issue.

Head coach Brandon Staley said that he is optimistic Ekeler will play this Sunday, adding that he looked good in practice.

On the final injury report, Ekeler was listed as a full participant and he is questionable heading into the season opener against the Washington Football Team.

If whatever reason Ekeler isn’t able to go, Staley said that the load would be split up between Justin Jackson, Joshua Kelley and Larry Rountree.

The only other notable on the report is that defensive back Trey Marshall will be unavailable as he’s currently dealing with an ankle injury.

Chargers’ Rashawn Slater puts college matchups vs. Chase Young in past, looks ahead to regular season debut

No other college tackle handled Chase Young better than Rashawn Slater did.

Rookie tackle Rashawn Slater stamped himself as a first rounder with his performances against edge defender Chase Young, most notably when Northwestern played Ohio State in 2019.

That season, Slater allowed zero sacks. In addition to giving up no quarterback takedowns, Slater gave up just one quarterback hit and four quarterback hurries on 355 pass-blocking reps.

Slater, who handled Young better than any other tackle did, will have the opportunity to replicate that in the regular season opener this Sunday when the Chargers take on Football Team.

While Slater was shaped as a prospect during the pre-draft process for his tape against Young in college, he believes that should not matter anymore as they have both developed as players in the two-year span.

“That’s the past, and he’s taken steps and I have taken steps since then,” Slater said. “So I don’t think about that past matchup as having any sort of factor. Really, it’s all about protecting Justin [Herbert] and moving the ball.”

Nonetheless, Slater will have his work cut out for him when he goes up against the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year who had 7.5 sacks, forced four fumbles and recovered three — returning one for a touchdown in 2020.

If the training camp battles against Joey Bosa are any indication how he will fare in this league, Slater is tailor-made to protect the blindside at a high level – displaying the complete package from a mental, physical and technical standpoint.