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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:
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.
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:
Los Angeles Chargers vs. Washington Football Team
Sunday, Sept. 12 — 10:00 a.m. PT
FedEx Field — Landover, MD
Those in the yellow area on the TV map will get the game on CBS.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Washington’s Ron Rivera and Chase Young offered their thoughts on Chargers rookie Rashawn Slater.
The Washington Football Team boasts one of the best defensive fronts in the league and while they’re equipped to wreak havoc, they know it won’t be an easy task to get in the face of quarterback Justin Herbert with a newly revamped offensive line that features tackle Rashawn Slater.
Slater will line up across from a familiar face that defined him as a college prospect and solidified him as a first rounder, with that being edge defender Chase Young, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year.
When Northwestern played Ohio State back in 2019, it was Slater who got the better of Young. Young remembers their battle and knows what the rookie brings to the table.
“He has real good feet, strong hands, you know their whole O-line is looking pretty good. So, you know as a D-line we are excited to get after them,” Young said about Slater and the rest of the line.
Washington did their homework on Slater, as the team was in need of a tackle heading into the draft, and head coach Ron Rivera liked what he saw on film.
“We thought he was very athletic. We really did. I believe he took the year off last year, but he’s a very athletic football player. He’s got good strength, good quickness. His foot work is exceptional. He’s got long arms. I think he’s a guy that if he gets his hands on you, he can control you,” Rivera said.
The matchup between the two will be one of the biggest storylines and even though it was the Slater who stymied Young then, the 22-year old believes that they have grown as players in the past two years, which is why the battle on Sunday will be more telling.
How NFL experts around the league are viewing the matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Football Team.
The Los Angeles Chargers are considered 1.5-point underdogs to the Washington Football Team in Week 1 of the 2021 season. The over/under is set to 44.5 points, per Tipico Sportsbook.
That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 44.5 points.
Our unofficial score prediction for the game is a 27-21 win for the Bolts, with a combined total of 48 points. So if we were putting money behind our prediction, we’d bet the over.
As for game picks, analysts are leaning towards the home team.
| Expert | Pick |
| Nate Davis (USA Today) | Washington |
| Mike Jones (USA Today) | Chargers |
| Mike Clay (ESPN) | Washington |
| Sporting News | Chargers |
| Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) | Washington |
| Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) | Washington |
| Gregg Rosenthal (NFL Media) | Washington |
| Bleacher Report | Washington |
Sunday’s game will begin at 10:00 a.m. PT and will be televised on CBS.
Breaking down key matchups to watch for in the Chargers’ opener against Washington.
The Chargers’ 2021 regular season kicks off with a road matchup against the Washington Football Team this Sunday at 10 am PT.
Here are five matchups to keep an eye on in Week 1:
General manager Tom Telesco made a major investment into the line this offseason, signing Corey Linsley, Matt Feiler and Oday Aboushi and drafting Rashawn Slater to join Bryan Bulaga.
On paper, this is arguably the most talented lines that the Chargers have had in years, but what matters at the end of the day is the product that they put on the field.
Facing a Washington defensive front that largely attributed to having the second-best overall defense last season, Los Angeles will have their work cut out for them.
In particular, the battle between reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young and Slater is one of the biggest storylines.
After finishing No. 31 in pass block win rate in 2020, this matchup should set the tone early on. If the Bolts can hold their own, they’re capable of doing it against any other team.
Even in the face of a fearsome front, the Chargers will still likely look to put the ball in the hands of quarterback Justin Herbert. While pressure is one thing, Herbert will still have a talented pairing in the defensive backfield to be aware of.
Football Team signed William Jackson, who limited Keenan Allen to only four catches for 37 yards on eight targets last season when he was with the Bengals. Washington will also put Kendall Fuller in the slot, with Jackson moving outside.
After spending two seasons prior to with the Chiefs, Fuller re-signed with the team that originally drafted him last offseason and put together one of his better campaigns from a production standpoint – amassing 11 passes defensed and four interceptions.
Re-signed this offseason after proving his worth in a starting role against some of the league’s top wideouts in 2020, Davis is now the No. 1 cornerback for the Chargers, and he will have the opportunity to live up to his label to kick off the season with a tough matchup in McLaurin.
Catching passes from seven different quarterbacks, including Colt McCoy, Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinicke, McLaurin still managed to be productive – eclipsing over 2,000 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in his first two seasons.
With Curtis Samuel out of this contest due to a groin injury, veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will likely target McLaurin early and often. Davis will look to use his foot speed, length and width to challenge him as much as possible.
During the final season that offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi called plays for the Lions, QB Matthew Stafford targeted the tight end on nearly 25% of his passes. Saints’ Drew Brees relied heavily on his tight ends, as well.
This season, Jared Cook and Donald Parham will be integral pieces of the passing offense, and don’t be surprised to see them involved quite often this weekend in hopes of exploiting Davis, Washington’s first-round pick.
One of Davis’ strengths coming out of Kentucky was his ability to cover bigger tight ends, so only time will tell if that skill translates over in his regular season debut.
Chargers EDGE Joey Bosa vs. Washington rookie OT Samuel Cosmi
Chargers LB Kenneth Murray vs. Washington RB Antonio Gibson
Chargers S Derwin James vs. Washington TE Logan Thomas
Chargers CB Asante Samuel Jr. vs. Washington rookie WR Dyami Brown
