How ex-Chargers TE Hunter Henry is faring with Patriots

Checking in the former Chargers tight end.

Among the Chargers’ most notable departures this past offseason was tight end Hunter Henry, who signed a multi-year deal with the Patriots.

Injuries derailed Henry while wearing the blue and gold, but he was still one of the more productive players at his position, finishing with 196 receptions for 2,322 yards and 21 touchdowns over the course of five seasons.

Now, he has carried that type of talent over to New England while rocking No. 85 to pay homage to Antonio Gates.

Playing 72% of the offensive snaps, Henry has caught a touchdown pass in each of the past four games to go with 24 receptions for 264 yards.

Henry has steadily built a solid rapport with rookie quarterback Mac Jones, leaning on him in the red zone.

What does not show up on the stat sheet is Henry’s hard work as a blocker and on special teams, two other things that he brought value to when he was with Los Angeles.

“Hunter has been really good in a lot of ways. He’s a smart player,” head coach Bill Belichick said. “He’s helped us in a lot of ways: running game, passing game, kickoff returns. He’s a good, smart, tough, dependable player.”

Henry will meet his former team this Sunday at 1:05 pm PT.

4 key things to know about Chargers’ Week 8 opponent: Patriots

Highlighting important things to know about the Chargers’ opponent ahead of Week 8.

Following their bye week, the Chargers are set to take on the Patriots on Oct. 31 at 1:05 pm PT in hopes of getting back on track after being blown out by the Ravens.

Here are four important things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the Week 8 bout:

The best rookie quarterback from this year’s class

Not Trevor Lawrence, not Zach Wilson, not Trey Lance, not Justin Fields, but Mac Jones, who is undoubtedly the most prolific passer from the 2021 draft class up to this point. After beating out Cam Newton for the starting job, Jones has started since Week 1, in which he has completed 70.4% of his throws for 1,779 yards and nine touchdowns. While he experienced some growing pains early in the season, Jones has shown steady growth as he looks more comfortable throwing to all areas of the field now.

How’s the run game?

After facing two of the better rushing offenses back-to-back in the Browns and Ravens, the Chargers are going up against a Patriots unit that’s far less superior, averaging just 95.4 yards on the ground. However, that number could be a lot higher on Sunday. Not only will New England be matched up against the league’s worst run defense, but the team’s new-look offensive line with Ted Karras at left guard and Michael Onwenu at right tackle could also be the recipe for success.

Decent defense

The Chargers’ offense will look to find its groove against a Patriots defense that is allowing 20 points per game (6th), 245 passing yards per game (16th), 105.6 rushing yards per game (11th). The last time Los Angeles and New England met, quarterback Justin Herbert was held to the least productive performance of his career. Head coach Bill Belichick stymied Herbert with an array of stunts/twists and disguised coverages.

Checking in on former Chargers

The Patriots have two notable players that used to suit up in the blue and gold: safety Adrian Phillips and tight end Hunter Henry. Phillips, the versatile defender, is currently New England’s highest-graded defensive player, per Pro Football Focus. He has 34 tackles, two tackles for loss, an interception, and a pass breakup. Meanwhile, Henry has been an integral piece on offense and special teams. He has caught a touchdown pass in each of the past four games and totaled 24 receptions for 264 yards.

Chargers reaffirm faith in kicker Tristan Vizcaino

The Chargers are going to continue to roll the dice with Tristan Vizcaino.

Chargers kicker Tristan Vizcaino missed his extra-point attempt in the team’s most recent loss to the Ravens. It marked his fifth miss in the last four games.

The week before that, Vizcaino missed a crucial game-tying point against the Browns late in the fourth quarter, which would have been costly had quarterback Justin Herbert not engineered the game-winning drive.

Despite his rough start to the season, head coach Brandon Staley continues to have faith in Vizcaino, who won the job over Michael Badgley.

“We’re going to make sure we keep all our options open at that position,” Staley said. “But we still have a lot of confidence in Tristan.”

This begs the question, how many more errors can Vizcaino commit until confidence runs out?

The 25-year-old Vizcaino has a strong leg, but if his errors continue to hinder the Chargers’ offense, especially in crucial moments, this may become a detrimental problem.

Football is a team sport, so the blame can’t wholly be put on Vizcaino; however, it is imperative that he returns from the bye week with improved accuracy.

HC Brandon Staley assesses Chargers’ run defense struggles

The Chargers need to get better against the run heading into the final stretch of the season.

Despite the Chargers’ 4-2 record, certain areas need some adjustments for the team to succeed down the season’s final stretch.

The most evident is the run defense, as Los Angeles has been gashed on the ground every week.

L.A. has given up over 150 yards in five of six games this season, with 400 rushing yards and six touchdowns coming from the Browns and Ravens the past two outings.

On Monday, at media availability, head coach Brandon Staley was asked about the issues in the department and how they could be improved. But, instead of pointing to the personnel, he blamed himself for the deficiencies.

“Our front mechanics and technique at the first level need to improve, and where it needs to improve is with me,” Staley said. “I need to do a better job coaching because our players will play better if we define things better.

We played three premium running teams that exposed those tough moments for us. So like I said, you can look at me for why it didn’t go well enough. We’ve made some good corrections over the last week or so, and I’m excited to get it going with our guys.”

While Staley’s defense is predicated on limiting explosive plays through the air, which he has done a great job of, the weakness against the run began starting to hamper the team as a whole against Baltimore, who totaled 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

One of the primary reasons the Chargers have been susceptible on the ground lies along the defensive line. Interior defenders have not been able to take on blocks efficiently, and with them getting pushed off the line of the scrimmage, massive holes have been created.

Plenty of that has to do with the lack of talent in the trenches. However, the group could be getting a boost this weekend with the likely return of Justin Jones, who was designated to return from the injured reserve.

Jones should aid this area, but he will still need assistance from his fellow teammates to get on the right track. Therefore, the second and third levels need to take proper angles to the football, stay off blockers and be low-man-wins tacklers with stopping power.

The Patriots do not have a prominent rushing offense, only averaging 95.4 yards per game. However, it would not be a surprise if offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels resorts to it in hopes of exploiting the Chargers’ shortcoming.

Bill Belichick on Justin Herbert: ‘He’s going to be one of top quarterbacks for a long time’

Quarterback Justin Herbert has a big fan in head coach Bill Belichick.

The last time the Chargers played the Patriots, head coach Bill Belichick got the better of quarterback Justin Herbert.

Herbert completed just 49% of his passes — a career-low — and threw for 209 yards. He threw two interceptions, and no touchdown passes.

Despite the dismal output, Herbert put together one of the most prolific rookie seasons, shattering multiple records en route to winning the prestigious award.

Now, Herbert is amid a surging sophomore season, in which he has put himself in the MVP conversation. Through six games, he has thrown for 1,771 yards, with 14 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Heading into this weekend’s bout between Los Angeles and New England, Belichick talked about what he has seen from Herbert since the last time the two teams met, highlighting his size, field vision, arm strength, and athleticism.

“I don’t think you’re going to find too many better than him. This guy is really an impressive player. I thought he was really good when we played them last year, and, luckily, we had a pretty good day, but I’m not counting on that again.

“I have a ton of respect for him. I think he’s going to be one of the top quarterbacks in the league for a long time to come.”

Regardless of the words that came out of Belichick’s mouth, inside his mind is a game plan that he is attempting to draw up to replicate last year’s defensive dominance.

Herbert was disrupted all game long by the stunts and twists up front and the disguised coverage schemes that Belichick enforced.

Of course, Herbert will be with an entirely different offensive system and personnel, which has proven to be successful up to this point. However, the brilliance of Belichick is not to be taken for granted.

Point spread, over/under for Chargers vs. Patriots in Week 8

The Los Angeles Chargers open as favorites over the New England Patriots.

The Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) are currently 5.5-point favorites over the New England Patriots (3-4) heading into Week 8 of the regular season. The over/under is set at 48.5, per Tipico Sportsbook.

The Chargers are coming off their bye week. But prior to that, Los Angeles was a victim of a total beatdown by the Ravens, 34-6.

Quarterback Justin Herbert was held to just 22 of 39 passing for 195 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Defensively, the Bolts could not stop the Ravens rushing attack, allowing 189 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

Meanwhile, the Patriots recently rolled over the Jets, 54-13. QB Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes in his first 300-yard game. Furthermore, running backs Damien Harris and J.J. Taylor ran for two touchdowns each.

The last time Los Angeles and New England met was last season. It was then when head coach Bill Belichick drew up the perfect game plan to force Herbert into the worst performance of his career. The result was a 45-0 win for the Patriots.

Sunday’s contest between the Chargers and Patriots will begin at 1:05 p.m. PT and be televised on CBS.

Where the Chargers rank among remaining strength of schedule

The Chargers shouldn’t have it too rough the rest of the way.

Currently, on the bye week, the Chargers are 4-2.

Upon returning next weekend, Los Angeles is set to have a favorable schedule, which should help as they look to maintain superiority in the AFC West.

According to Tankathon, the Chargers have the fifth-easiest schedule remaining in the NFL. Only the Jets, Eagles, Titans, and Bills have a more manageable schedule remaining.

The Bolts’ remaining opponents have a combined winning percentage of .427. The Chargers’ two losses came from games against Dallas and Baltimore, two playoff contenders.

The most recent loss to the Ravens exposed a significant need for improvement against the run. The team is allowing 162.5 rushing yards per game, which is the worst in the NFL.

Furthermore, the early-down playcalling and special teams areas that Los Angeles needs to shore up.

If the Bolts can make the changes and you couple that with how advantageous the remaining schedule is, the team has a great shot at winning the division and locking up one of the top spots for the playoffs.

Chargers-Patriots named one of the most intriguing matchups of 2021

The Los Angeles Chargers will be looking to get revenge this upcoming season.

The Chargers are set to face the Patriots for the second consecutive season in 2021.

This time around, Los Angeles should be more hungry than ever after suffering the worst loss in a franchise history to New England a year ago, where they were shutout by the score of 45-0.

The matchup between the two teams which comes in Week 8 was named one of the most intriguing games on the 2021 schedule by Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield.

Here’s what Schofield wrote about the bout:

Let’s look at when the New England Patriots have the football. Sure there have been a ton of new additions — including former Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry — but now the Patriots offense will be squaring off against Brandon Staley and a new-look Chargers defense. Let’s not forget, Staley’s defense did a number on this Patriots team a year ago when he was the defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams. The chess match between Staley and New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will be fascinating to watch unfold.

Then when the Chargers have the football, young QB Justin Herbert will get his second shot at a Bill Belichick defense. Belichick has often enjoyed success against younger quarterbacks, and last year’s game was no exception, but year two of Herbert might find the young passer with a few more tricks up his sleeves.

The Patriots suffered a rough patch in their first season without quarterback Tom Brady. But the team brought in a handful of reinforcements this offseason for their presumed starter, Cam Newton, as well as their future, Mac Jones.

New England went on a free agency frenzy, acquiring former Chargers tight end Hunter Henry, TE Jonnu Smith and wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bournce, among others, as they look to get back to their winning ways.

Last year, the Patriots offense was too much for Los Angeles. But it should be a different story knowing that Brandon Staley had no problem stymieing them last season when he was the Rams defensive coordinator, and the pieces on the defensive side of the ball are capable, if healthy.

In addition, the special teams department cost them this game, too. The Bolts allowed a punt return touchdown, and also had a kick blocked that the Patriots returned for a touchdown. New ST coordinator Derius Swinton II and the players brought in should help to avoid a repeat.

On the other side that could determine the outcome of this game is the play of quarterback Justin Herbert.

Bill Belichick is one of the best in the business at getting the best out of young quarterbacks, which is what he did last season, holding Herbert to a 49.1% completion percentage for 209 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions.

Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s game plan for Herbert and the rest of the offense could ultimately decide the fate of L.A. in this game.

Chargers GM Tom Telesco’s seat could be hot

While Anthony Lynn is the one on the hot seat, Tom Telesco should shoulder some of the blame.

All eyes are on head coach Anthony Lynn, who’s job with the Chargers is on the line.

But general manager Tom Telesco is worth being brought up in discussion as a member of the organization who could be unemployed after the season.

Since being hired back in 2013, Telesco went on to hire Mike McCoy, which was short lived after going 9-23. Fast forward to now, Lynn, his second hire, is 29-32 and is likely going to be on his way out after this season.

It’s unlikely that a general manager is allowed to pick a third head coach after the first two proved themselves as incapable to produce a winning track record.

Telesco has only been to the playoffs twice in his eight-year tenure.

Telesco is coveted for landing players like wide receiver Keenan Allen, defensive end Joey Bosa, safety Derwin James and most recently quarterback Justin Herbert in the draft. But he has failed to bring in reliable depth players and it shows.

Offensively, he’s failed to put together a competent offensive line. Instead of getting top talent early on, he’s banked on mid to late rounders in hopes of them developing. That hasn’t paid off, especially when you have your quarterback running for his life all game.

Defensively, Telesco has prioritized that side of the ball, both in free agency and the draft. But the impact that the majority of those players have made has been minimal, as seen when they’re called upon when injuries have occurred.

That all ties into special teams. It’s been practice squad players that have been tasked with attempting to get the job done. The result? Ranked last in the NFL. It also doesn’t help when safety Adrian Phillips and fullback Derek Watt, two key special teamers from previous seasons, were let go of.

Don’t get me wrong, Telesco has brought in a lot of talent at various positions. But when the team has suffered back-to-back underwhelming seasons, you have to turn your attention to the man in charge of the football operations department, not solely the coaching.

When the 2020 season ends, it might not just be Lynn out of a job. Telesco might be shown the door, too.

4 takeaways from Chargers’ loss to Patriots

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez breaks down Los Angeles’ embarrassing loss to New England in Week 13.

The Chargers were embarrassed by the Patriots, suffering their worst defeat in the team history on Sunday, 45-0.

Here are four things that I took away from Los Angeles’ Week 13 loss:

Worst performance yet

Prior to the game, coach Bill Belichick had the highest praise for quarterback Justin Herbert. While everything he said about his strengths sounded good, Belichick is notorious for exploiting rookie signal-caller’s weaknesses, which is what he did on Sunday afternoon.

The Patriots gave Herbert no room to breathe, pressuring him 26 times, hitting him 11 times and sacking him three times. As a result, the 22-year old completed only 26 of his career-high 53 attempts for just 209 yards and two interceptions.

With how bad the deficit was and how much of a beating Herbert was taking, there was absolutely zero reason for him to stay on the field.

Following the game, coach Anthony Lynn said that he “wanted to be in the game with his teammates.” Herbert told reporters that he didn’t recall having a conversation with Lynn about coming out of the game,

“I can’t really remember the situation on the sideline,” Herbert said. “I just knew I was going to go back in, kind of regardless of what the situation was. I was going to be out there with the team.”

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