Tag: Chargers vs. Jaguars

Key things to know about Chargers’ Wild Card round opponent: Jaguars

Here are some key things to know about the Los Angeles Chargers’ opponent ahead of the Wild Card round matchup.

The Chargers are in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and they’re set to face the Jaguars, under the lights, on Saturday night.

To preview the matchup, here are some key things to know about Jacksonville.

Talk about a turnaround

The Jaguars were a combined 4-29 the previous two seasons. They’ve finished in last place in the AFC South for four straight seasons before this one. They were 3-8 with five consecutive losses at one point this season. Entering this contest, Jacksonville is on a five-game winning streak.

Made the leap

The first time the Chargers and Jaguars faced each other in Week 3, Trevor Lawrence was lights out, completing 28-of-39 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns. As the season progressed and Lawrence got more acclimated to Doug Pederson’s system, he continued to grow as a passer. Lawrence finished the regular season, completing 66.3% of his passes for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

Pederson’s pieces

Aside from Lawrence, the Jaguars have a slew of weapons contributing to their top-10 offense. Travis Etienne Jr. has 1,125 rushing yards and is averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Christian Kirk has 1,108 receiving yards to go with five touchdowns. Zay Jones, Evan Engram and Marvin Jones Jr. have over 500 receiving yards, and they’re averaging at least 10 yards per reception.

Uneven defense

The Jaguars’ defense has struggled against opposing quarterbacks. They are 30th in passing defense DVOA. They’re 28th in passing yards allowed per game (238.5), and they have the sixth-fewest sacks (34). Where Jacksonville is stronger, however, is defending the run – 11th in rush defense DVOA. They have allowed the fifth-lowest yards per carry (4.2) and are 12th in rushing yards allowed per game (114.8).

Other notes

  • The Jaguars are 20th in red zone offense and 24th in red zone defense.
  • The Jaguars have the ninth-best third-down offense and fourth-worst third-down defense.
  • The Jaguars are top 10 in pass-blocking efficiency and allow the eighth fewest sacks (19).
  • Foye Oluokun is the league leader in total tackles (184).
  • Josh Allen and Arden Key have 68 and 44 pressures, respectively.
  • The Jaguars are tied for sixth with the Chargers in turnover differential (+5).

Chargers HC Brandon Staley explains decision to keep starters in late

The Chargers had nothing to gain or lose.

The Chargers entered Sunday’s game against the Broncos with the fifth seed already secured, but that didn’t stop Brandon Staley from playing his starters.

Most of them, including Justin Herbert, stayed in the game through three quarters in the loss to Denver. But, along the way, Staley’s decision backfired.

Mike Williams suffered back spasms in the second quarter, resulting in him getting carted off the field. Joey Bosa and Kenneth Murray also got banged up, which forced them to get pulled out of the action.

Even though the seeding was known before the game, Staley had plans of playing the starters regardless.

“We felt like the process that we would take, regardless if (the Ravens) had won or lost, we knew what our plan was going into the game, and I thought we executed it today,” Staley said.

Did it make sense to play the starters to fine-tune some things, maybe? Yes. But for as long as they did? No. The approach should have been to play the backups extensively.

When Staley was asked why the starters played as long as they did, this was his response:

We only get two practice squad elevations for the game, and you have to put a team out there, and you can’t decide when you’re having to play a football game who isn’t going to play and who is going to play and how you’re going to subtract this. You got to go out there and play the football game, because this isn’t the preseason when you have 90 guys to choose from. You only have 48 players to choose from, so you have to go out there and you have to field a football team. And so we did it the best we could. We wanted to play well in the game, and then we wanted to be safe for next week. And that’s what we did.

Staley added that other teams took the same approach by playing most of their starters for a large portion of the game.

“I think when you look across the league at the other teams who were playing in the playoffs and what they did this last week, I think you’ll see a lot of high-level players playing in their football games. I think that’s fair to say. I think you’ll see all the big-time quarterbacks, big-time players were out there for their football teams because they have to be.”

Across the league, the Giants, who were locked into the sixth seed, sat starters, including Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Andrew Thomas, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Dexter Lawrence.

The Buccaneers won the NFC South title a week ago, and they still took a cautious approach. Tom Brady and several other starters were pulled before halftime.

The Chiefs and Bills played their starters for the entirety of their respective games, but they had playoff implications.

Williams had x-rays on his back and the results were negative. He will get more tests done tomorrow. If Williams happens to miss next Saturday’s game against the Jaguars due to the injury, all fingers will be pointed at Staley for his decision.

Chargers take accountability for loss to Jaguars, shift focus to Week 4

Brandon Staley and Drue Tranquill reflected on the Chargers’ loss to the Jaguars.

The Chargers allowed the Jaguars to end an 18-game road losing streak today. Jacksonville’s last win on the road dates back to 2019 in Oakland against the Raiders.

Linebacker Drue Tranquill described the 28-point defeat to Jacksonville as “embarrassing.”

Though Tranquill’s description of the game was filled with emotion, some context should be added to this humbling and disappointing Chargers’ loss.

For one, quarterback Justin Herbert played, despite having fractured rib cartilage. The injured Herbert was also missing his favorite offensive weapon Keenan Allen. Additionally, center Corey Linsley was absent and tackle Rashawn Slater left the game early in the second half due to a bicep injury.

In other words, Herbert and company weren’t anywhere near their full capacity and strength. 

On the other side of the ball, star edge defender Joey Bosa left the game with a groin injury which opened up several opportunities for Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence to throw the football well and running back James Robinson to bust free for a 50-yard rushing touchdown. 

Although the Chargers endured a tough game, Tranquill’s words reflected the team’s reluctance to make excuses following the loss. 

“Just got to play better, hold ourselves accountable. That’s not our standard of play, and we know that. All of us,” Tranquill said. “We all feel it, as a competitor it stinks, but we’re thankful for the opportunity that this is Game 3.”

Head coach Brandon Staley didn’t have much to say following today’s humbling loss; however, what little he did say was poignant. 

“We’re just three games into a 17-game season. That’s how the NFL is, you treat it one week at a time,” Staley said. “Sometimes games like this happen in the NFL. It’s how you respond tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day after that.”

Los Angeles will look to get back on track on the road against the Texans next Sunday at 10:00 am PT.

Studs and duds from Chargers’ Week 3 loss to Jaguars

Here’s who helped and hurt the Chargers in their Week 3 loss to the Jaguars.

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The Chargers suffered one of the more frustrating losses in recent memory, allowing the Jaguars to beat them in California for the first time in franchise history and end a road win drought that extends to before the pandemic.

Jacksonville dominated Los Angeles from start to finish, and while I’m of the opinion that the Jaguars are a legitimately good football team, there’s still plenty to criticize on LA’s side.

Here’s who earned the brunt of that criticism, along with the bright spots:

Stud: Justin Herbert

Given the circumstances, I probably would’ve named Herbert a stud simply for making it through the entire game. While the stat line was uglier than normal – 22/39 for 278 yards, one touchdown, and one interception – Herbert still made some of the extraterrestrial plays we’re used to seeing from him when fully healthy. His strike to Jalen Guyton for a gain of 54 yards was one of the best throws we’ve seen from him. Especially after Rashawn Slater went down at left tackle, Herbert was consistently forced to escape the pocket to make plays and did so. If this is what we get from Herbert while he recovers from the rib injury, the Chargers should at least have a chance going forward.

Dud: Chris Rumph II

After Joey Bosa went down with a groin injury, it seemed like this was the time for Rumph to show that his preseason was no fluke. And yet, while Rumph did show some flashes here and there, today’s game was marked more by the sight of #94 on the ground and gashing runs to his side of the field. It seems like the second-year edge rusher may still not have the power and mass to be an every-down player in the NFL, and to be fair to him, he wasn’t expected to be. But if he’s the next guy up with Bosa out, he needs to be a significantly better run defender at the very least.

Stud: Derwin James

James has, unsurprisingly, been one of the Chargers’ best and most consistent players through three weeks. After powerbombing Travis Kelce last Thursday, James continued his reign of terror against Jacksonville. Every tackle the All-Pro made looked like his opponent had run into a concrete wall, not to mention James making life difficult for Trevor Lawrence as a blitzer. James also performed well in coverage, as he was the one that had the most success on Jaguars primary receiver Christian Kirk.

Dud: Mike Williams

Bottom line: the Chargers need more out of Williams than 1 catch for 15 yards, even if that catch was a beautiful toe-tap in the end zone. With Keenan Allen out of this game, it’s reasonable to assume that Williams drew more bracket coverage and double teams than he would normally. But Los Angeles isn’t paying him $20 million a season to not be able to get open in those situations. When Williams is on, he’s an absolute menace as a jump ball threat. But when he’s off, LA struggles to move the ball. Today was the latter.

Stud: Asante Samuel Jr. 

Samuel’s performance today has me questioning what the coaching staff thinks they’re accomplishing by yo-yoing players on the depth chart. There’s really no reason why Michael Davis should have ever been taking game reps from Samuel as the presumed CB2 this preseason, and Samuel has proven that by coming out with his hair on absolute fire to start the season. The second-year corner is still giving up receptions, and that’s fine. But you can see his instincts developing to a near-otherworldly level in real time – go check out his PBU in the red zone early in the game. Once JC Jackson returns, this should be a top pass defense in the NFL.

Dud: Run game

Jacksonville bullied Los Angeles at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, opening lanes for James Robinson and company to rush for 151 yards on 36 carries while holding the Chargers to 26 yards on 12 attempts. We talked about the effect replacing Joey Bosa with Chris Rumph had on the run defense, but that’s really only part of the equation. LA also came out in dime package on the 4th-and-1 play where James Robinson ran for a 50-yard touchdown, a clear personnel mistake with Jacksonville in 13 personnel. On offense, the Chargers again abandoned the running game early, with Austin Ekeler finishing with four carries for five yards. Joshua Kelley was nowhere to be seen until garbage time after looking better than Sony Michel in the first two weeks. This team needs Isaiah Spiller to be the guy he was advertised as, and they need it quickly.

Stud: Khalil Mack

Mack was pretty routinely getting pressure before Bosa exited, and even after that, he managed to be fairly productive despite Jacksonville sliding their protections over to focus solely on him. He’s looked like the player the Chargers were hoping for when they traded a second-round pick for him this offseason, and it’s a positive sign that he was still able to get pressure without Bosa on the field. Also, just as an aside, it speaks to the quality of the team performance when Herbert, James, and Mack are all studs in this one and the team loses by 28 points.

Dud: Injury luck

This is classic Chargers football, really. You have one of the most talented rosters in the league on paper. You lose Keenan Allen and JC Jackson early. Hurtful, but not the end of the world. Corey Linsley and Justin Herbert suffer lingering injuries in Week 2 – a much rougher proposition. Then, in Week 3, you lose Joey Bosa (groin), Rashawn Slater (biceps), and Kenneth Murray Jr. (unclear). That’s six of the Chargers’ best eight or ten players, plus Murray, who’s looked improved in the first two weeks of the season. It’s an insanely unlucky run for a team that strongly emphasizes avoiding injury throughout Brandon Staley’s tenure. The depth has looked awful as well – we talked about Rumph earlier, Storm Norton had two holding penalties in a quarter and a half, and the wide receivers have struggled to get open. It’s so brutally early wishing for the bye week, but that seems to be the point we’re reaching.

Top Twitter reactions from Chargers’ 38-10 loss to Jaguars

How Twitter reacted to the Chargers’ loss to the Jaguars on Sunday afternoon.

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The Chargers were short several starters this week, which showed in their 38-10 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.

Here’s how the internet reacted to Los Angeles’ loss:

 

Everything to know from Chargers’ 38-10 loss to Jaguars

Highlighting everything notable from the Chargers’ Week 3 loss to the Jaguars.

The Chargers were dominated by the Jaguars in Week 3, 38-10.

To recap the game, here is everything to know.

Watch Chargers QB Justin Herbert’s weekly eye-popping throw vs. Jaguars

Justin Herbert makes it look routine.

Justin Herbert has done it again.

On 3rd-and-15 from the Chargers’ 20, Herbert was forced to roll out of the pocket to find anything that could keep the ball moving. With Josh Allen bearing down on Herbert, the third-year quarterback launched the ball down the field without a solid base while Allen tried to pull him down.

The result? Nothing short of spectacular.

Herbert placed a pass perfectly into the hands of Jalen Guyton, who hauled it in for a gain of 54 yards to move the chains and put LA into plus territory. It’s the classic throw we’ve grown used to from Herbert: a ludicrous display of pure arm talent and placement that drives the Chargers down the field.

Watch Herbert and Guyton link up here:

Watch: Chargers WR Mike Williams toe taps in the end zone vs. Jaguars

Mike Williams doing Mike Williams things.

Mike Williams is keeping things moving for the Chargers.

With Justin Herbert finding DeAndre Carter multiple times to drive Los Angeles into the red zone, the Bolts drove into the red zone for the first time this afternoon.

With 1st-and-10 from the Jaguars’ 15, Herbert locked onto his primary red zone target – Williams.

Williams did what he’s done repeatedly as a Charger, bringing the ball in and getting both toes down in bounds to score LA’s first touchdown of the game.

The Chargers now trail, 13-7.

Watch Williams haul it in here:

Chargers EDGE Joey Bosa questionable to return vs. Jaguars with groin injury

Another Chargers star has suffered an injury.

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Another Chargers star has suffered an injury.

Edge rusher Joey Bosa left the game in the first quarter after suffering a groin injury. Bosa appeared to slip on the turf at SoFi Stadium and stayed down on the field before exiting under his own power.

The Pro Bowler was able to make it to the locker room unassisted as well, where he currently remains.

If Bosa is unable to return, Los Angeles will be without him, Keenan Allen, Corey Linsley, and JC Jackson, while also playing with a limited Justin Herbert.

With injuries continuing to pile up, the Chargers now trail 13-0. The second year player Chris Rumph will play in Bosa’s stead.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert starting vs. Jaguars

Justin Herbert will get the start under center.

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The Chargers have made their decision.

Justin Herbert is active and will start at quarterback against the Jaguars on Sunday afternoon.

Along with Herbert, Chase Daniel and Easton Stick are active for today’s game. Normally Stick is inactive on game days.

Herbert has been dealing with fractured rib cartilage that he sustained in the Week 2 loss to the Chiefs.

The team’s medical team encouraged Herbert to take the “long-view” in weighing his decision, as his rib cartilage injury can last several weeks to several months, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

If Herbert takes a pain injection before the game, it will be done with the assistance of an ultrasound imaging monitor so the doctor can hit the weak spot at the right part of his body, according to Mortensen.

Having Herbert on the field is a huge boost for the offense, but Los Angeles will be without two other key players on that side of the ball in wide receiver Keenan Allen and center Corey Linsley.