Tag: Chargers

Chargers DT Jerry Tillery flashes skill vs. Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Jerry Tillery had his best game of the season against the Oakland Raiders.

There isn’t another player on the Chargers roster that has gotten as much heat as rookie defensive tackle Jerry Tillery has.

Tillery, the former Notre Dame product, had expectations like any other first rounder would. He did not live up to those, failing to make his presence known, which made many believe that he was a waste of a pick.

He was drafted to give the interior part of the defensive line a boost in the pass rushing department. Even though he hasn’t put the pieces together, he has still been doing positive things that might have gone unnoticed since he isn’t filling up the stat sheet.

In the Week 17 loss to the Oakland Raiders, Tillery took a step forward, which raised some eyebrows. The rookie defensive tackle had half a sack, showing the pass-rushing skills that he was coveted for coming out.

On the play, Tillery burst off the ball and dipped his inside shoulder to loop his way around the guard to bring down quarterback Derek Carr, along with defensive end Melvin Ingram.

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On the following drive, Tillery was close to acquiring another sack but he was unable to bring down Carr. Instead, Ingram was credited for the sack. Tillery beat the guard with a club-rip move and speed on this play.

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Coach Anthony Lynn said that it marked his best game of the season.

Tillery, who has two sacks now, will have a full offseason to develop his game. For someone who is as tall as he is playing the defensive tackle position, it’s essential that he plays with proper leverage at all times. That, and continuing to work on his hand usage and countering will be key.

Tillery didn’t have a full offseason heading into his rookie season since he spent the majority of it rehabbing his torn labrum. But with that under his belt, he could take a giant leap in his second season, similar to how Justin Jones did.

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ESPN’s latest power Rankings should have Bucs fans furious

The latest power rankings from ESPN have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sitting behind two lowly NFL teams.

Over the past two weeks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have looked more and more like the team we thought we were going to see from the get-go of the 2019 season.

With back-to-back road wins over the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Bucs find themselves at 5-7 and are hitting their stride as they approach the final four games of the regular season.

There dominant performance against the Jags Sunday helped propel Tampa Bay up six spots in the latest USA TODAY NFL Power Rankings, jumping from 23 to 17.

But, ESPN feels differently about the Bucs, and in their newest power rankings Tampa Bay comes in at just 22, behind both the Cleveland Browns (5-7), Los Angeles Chargers (4-8) and even the Carolina Panthers (5-7), who lost at home Sunday to the Washington Redskins.

The Browns, meanwhile, lost on the road in Week 13 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were playing their third string quarterback Devlin Hodges. The Chargers lost a tight one in Denver against the Broncos, and have looked nothing like the team that went on the road and beat Baltimore in last year’s playoffs.

Tampa Bay has been one of the hottest teams in the league the past two weeks, so only moving them up one spot while allowing the dumpster fire that is the Browns and Panthers to rank ahead of them seems disrespectful to the boys in the bay.

Hopefully, another convincing win in Week 14 will make ESPN see the error of their ways.

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UGA football great after Tech win: ‘We still run this state’

UGA Football great Thomas Davis gave a shout out to the Georgia Bulldogs after beating Georgia tech again

On Saturday, Georgia beat rival Georgia Tech 52-7 for the 16th time in the last 19 meetings.

The Dawgs move to 11-1 on the season and will have a tough matchup with LSU for the SEC Championship, which for Georgia will be a College Football Playoff play-in game.

One former Bulldog who was proud to see his alma mater take home the Governor’s Cup once again is Thomas Davis, who is in his 15th NFL season and now with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Davis was a monster at Georgia, and though he made his NFL earnings as a linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, he actually played safety in Athens before becoming a first round pick. One of the hardest hitters in school history, Davis was a two-time All-SEC selection, making the second team in 2003 and the first team in 2004. Also, if that’s not enough, the dude has come back from three torn ACLs in the same knee. And you know who he credits his perseverance to? UGA.

Chiefs remain atop AFC West standings following Week 12

The Kansas City Chiefs remain on top after the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos lost their matchups in Week 12.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers both had bye weeks during Week 12. Both the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos played opponents in the AFC and the results didn’t end up too great for either team. The Raiders suffered a 34-3 loss to the New York Jets, and the Broncos fell to the Buffalo Bills by a score of 20-3. The AFC West scored a combined six points in Week 12.

While Week 12 hasn’t ended quite yet, all of the AFC West teams have played their games already. Here’s a look at the standings in the division through the twelve weeks of play:

Place Record Team Next Opponent
1 7-4 Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders
2 6-5 Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs
3 4-7 Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos
4 3-8 Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles

Week 13 will be a unique week in that each of the teams in the AFC West plays another division opponent. Oakland will go to Kansas City and Los Angeles will travel to Denver.

The Chiefs have a 1.5 game lead over the Raiders heading into Week 13. The story could have been a whole lot different had Oakland won against the Jets. A Week 13 win would only tie things up in the division rather than giving Oakland a lead. Instead of coming into a division rivalry game hot, the Raiders will now be trying to get back on track in Kansas City. It’ll be a tough one given Andy Reid’s tremendous 17-3 career record coming off of the bye week.

The Broncos and Chargers are both playing for draft positioning at this point. Neither team has much of shot at making the playoffs even if they won out the remainder of the season. If Denver gets the win on their home turf they’ll tie things up in the AFC West standings with Los Angeles.

Following Week 12, the Chiefs sit in the driver’s seat to bring home a fourth consecutive AFC West title. It’ll be the first time they’ve won four in a row in franchise history. That’s about the best outcome you could possibly ask for, especially when your team didn’t play a football game this week.

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That feeling about the Chargers and one-score games is real

The Chargers and Philip Rivers always find ways to lose by one score.

This year the internet picked up on the fact that Philip Rivers and the Chargers are always in these one-score games. It was something that always happened like cold weather in the northeast during winter. If the Chargers were playing, Rivers was down seven or fewer points driving with under two minutes to go. We didn’t need proof or stats to that tell us that it always happens. Well, now it’s to the point where the numbers are ridiculous.

That’s only since 2015. Rivers has the most one-score losses by a quarterback in the Super Bowl era with 61. That means almost half of those one-score losses have come in the past four years. That’s ridiculous.

It’s hard to figure out who to blame here. Does Rivers have a preternatural ability to keep games close but blow them in the most heartbreaking way imaginable? Is it coaching? The Chargers had a long stretch of kicker issues.

It’s really unfathomable. Generally, teams that suffer a ton of one-score losses bounce back because that’s how reversion to the mean works. Apparently, statistical rules don’t apply to the Los Angeles — and prior San Diego — Chargers.

Chiefs snap counts, Week 11: Kansas City goes international

What can we learn from the Chiefs’ Week 11 snap counts?

The Kansas City Chiefs got a win south of the border on Monday night. It was a hard-fought victory that saw ups, downs and everything in-between. The Chiefs dealt with some injuries throughout the course of the game but several players also felt the impact of the thin air and altitude in Mexico City.

Here’s how the snaps came down in Week 11:

*Snap counts via NFL Game Statistics and Information System

Observations

  • Austin Reiter was the only offensive lineman that didn’t play the full 68 offensive snaps. He left the game and was evaluated for a concussion after suffering what looked to be a completely different injury. He would later return to the game and finish it out with no problems.

 

  • Stefen Wisniewski played just seven snaps in place of Reiter. It felt like longer, but the Chiefs defense spent a good portion of time on the field while Reiter was getting checked out.

 

  • Rookie WR Mecole Hardman saw the most offensive snaps he’d seen since Week 2 of the regular season. Not having Tyreek Hill out there meant an increased workload for Hardman.

 

  • The running back carries were once again heading to a two-way split between Damien Williams and LeSean McCoy. Both players ended up injured and Darrel Williams swooped in to take the lead with 29 total carries.

 

  • Deon Yelder only received 30 offensive snaps in place of Blake Bell. That means for more than 50% of the game the Chiefs only had one tight end (Travis Kelce) on the field.

 

  • Gehrig Dieter played in three offensive snaps after being elevated from the practice squad on Sunday. He also played 10 snaps on special teams.

 

  • The safety group led the way in defensive snap counts with Juan Thornhill being the only play to play 100% of the defensive snaps. After the game, he said that he felt the altitude difference but battled through it.

 

  • For the second week in a row, Reggie Ragland played just 17 snaps. This was likely dictated by what the Chargers’ offense threw at the Chiefs.

 

  • Frank Clark played in 86% of the defensive snaps and you could tell because he really showed up for the Chiefs. From the first drive, he was making plays that had an impact on the game.

 

  • A week after being inactive, DT Mike Pennel played just 23 defensive snaps. As few snaps as he played, he made quite the statement. He accumulated a sack, three total tackles, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.

 

  • Dorian O’Daniel, Darron Lee and Cameron Erving were all relegated to special teams only snaps. Ben Niemann and O’Daniel tied for the most snaps on special teams with 23.

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5 takeaways from Chiefs’ Week 11 win vs. Chargers

Five things we learned in the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chiefs were able to get back on track with big 24-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Mexico City. In a game where the offense struggled, the Chiefs defense got the job done to improve their record 7-4 going into the bye week.

Here are five takeaways from the victory over the Chargers:

AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu proved their worth

Clark and Mathieu were both dominant at their respective positions and should be given a lot of credit for the victory.

Mathieu’s contributions were huge, especially early in the game, getting the Chiefs their second interception of the night and returning it to the Chargers’ 6-yard line. The interception would set up the Chiefs’ first touchdown, which was important considering how the offense struggled to move the ball during certain points of the game. If Mathieu hadn’t returned the ball on the interception, the Chiefs might never have made it into the end zone before the second half.

Clark had his best game as a Chief. He lived in the Chargers backfield and had a sack, a forced fumble, a pass deflection and multiple quarterback hits. He also deserves some credit for Derrick Nnadi’s interception. Clark had been battling a neck injury, so Monday night showed that Clark was over the injury, or it was at least not affecting him as much as it was earlier in the season.

The large contracts Kansas City paid in the offseason feel a little more worth it now, and Clark and Mathieu will need to continue the great play to keep the defense performing well.

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The morning after a Chiefs Week 11 victory

Grab your morning cup of coffee as we recap and react to the Chiefs’ Week 11 win over the Chargers.

Grab a cup of coffee and join us as we start off our seventh Victory Monday (Tuesday) of the season, Chiefs Kingdom!

Every morning following a Kansas City Chiefs win or loss, a few of our writers here at Chiefs Wire will provide their post-game thoughts and quips. It’ll let you know how we’re all feeling about the Chiefs after covering them on gameday. Gather around and be sure to share your thoughts on the Chiefs with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Charles Goldman

Twitter: @goldmctNFL

The Chiefs needed a win and they got a win. It wasn’t the prettiest win, but I think it was an important one nonetheless. Not because of the playoff implications necessarily, but to see the defense step up into the driver seat and slam the door shut on this game. They waited until the last minute to do it, but they still did it. They allowed no points scored on four consecutive punts by the struggling Chiefs’ offense.

Sometimes you’re not going to fire on all cylinders and have each phase of the game working right. To be able to grind out a win relying on a unit that has really failed to provide much spark all season, well, it gives new life to this team down the stretch. The best part is they get to relish in it for a week before heading back to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Oakland Raiders.

Mitch Carney

Twitter: @MitchMitchcar11

It wasn’t the dominant win that Chiefs’ fans wanted over a division rival, but this was a great win for the Chiefs as they go into their bye week. The offense had a rough game, but it was enough to get the job done. I think the offense should be given a break because so many times the offense has had to carry the defense the last two seasons. I know the offense isn’t going to be the reason why we lose when the playoffs start, so it’s ok that they had a bad game and had to rely on the defense.

The defense maybe had their best game of the season forcing Philip Rivers to throw four interceptions. I’m not sold that it’s going to last. We thought that the defense turned around after the Vikings game, so they are going to have to perform for a couple more games before I get excited about that group.

I did like what Frank Clark was able to do though. Clark was dominant and I think he is finally getting over his neck injury and isn’t playing “soft” anymore. I am really excited to see if he can do it again against the Raiders after the bye.

Max Ramsey

Twitter: @The_Wild_Chief

Man, that was a stressful game. It seems like that is always the outcome when the Chiefs and Chargers play against each other. Clearly there were issues in that game on both sides of the ball, but for now, I’m just looking at the positives.

Patrick Mahomes may not have lit up the stat sheet in the passing game, but he certainly looked like the Mahomes of 2018 with his legs. He moved around with confidence in the backfield and when the play broke down in key situations, he managed to break off some big runs to keep drives alive in crucial spots.

Defensively it was the kind of game I wanted to see. Spagnuolo looked like he understood exactly where their strength was in this matchup, and that was pressuring Rivers. On several plays, you could see that he went with heavy blitz packages basically forcing Rivers to throw the ball quick. Sometimes it worked in his favor for some big plays, but overall it paid off with four interceptions on the day. I love the high risk-high reward style of defense and cant wait to see how they choose to play after the bye week.

Nicolas Roesch
Twitter: @Nicolas_Roesch

I have to give the Chiefs credit for winning an ugly game. Unfortunately, the same issues are lingering over them. Kansas City is committing too many penalties, have issues with ball security and cannot put away teams in the fourth quarter. Four straight punts in a one-possession game are inexcusable. Because of these issues, I still have my doubts as to whether the Chiefs can get to the Super Bowl. I cannot dismiss them, however, because there is still plenty of time left in the season to take things up a notch.

The bye week has truly arrived at the perfect time and could give not only the players a much need rest but the coaching staff the opportunity to figure out solutions to the issues holding this team back.

Danilo Di Julio

Twitter: @ThunderDan88

How about those Chiefs? After being much maligned for allowing an average of 148 yards per game on the ground, Kansas City’s defenders held the Chargers to 93 total yards rushing. Digging deeper, Kansas City went 3-1 versus the Chargers, Vikings, Packers and Broncos giving up an average of 94.5 rushing yards per game. It seems they have a better shot at winning when they can limit the ground game.

The needle is absolutely pointing up for this Chiefs defense who tonight added interceptions to the menu taking away four from the Chargers, and it could’ve been more if Kansas City didn’t gift Philip Rivers a few drops. Enjoy the win and the bye Chiefs Kingdom. We’ll see you in two weeks at Arrowhead Stadium for Raiders Week. Go Chiefs!

Chiefs injury update following victory over Chargers

Andy Reid provided an injury update on Tyreek Hill, Damien Williams, LeSean McCoy and more Kansas City Chiefs players.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid provided a brief update on some injuries during his press conference after Monday night’s win over the Chargers. Things seemed to still be fluid for several players and he really only had the preliminary information on each injury.

“As far as the injuries go, just real quick,” Reid began. “Tyreek Hill strained his hamstring early in the game. Damien Williams hurt his ribs, they’re looking at those as we go here. Jordan Lucas hurt his shoulder. (Austin) Reiter came out but went back in, and then LeSean (McCoy), I’m not sure exactly all what happened there but something with his head. So I’m not sure exactly what the final decision was there.”

Hill had his strained hamstring after the first series and a few plays into the second series. He eventually returned to the sidelines but he didn’t have his helmet, which suggests the Chiefs shut him down.

As for Damien Williams, his injury looked to be the worst of the bunch. He was squirming in pain on the ground after taking a knee to the chest area. Reid explained that he was getting those looked at and it wasn’t entirely clear if it was the Chiefs training staff or doctors that were doing the looking. Hopefully, it’s only a minor injury such as bruised ribs.

Finally, McCoy left the game late and the broadcast said he’d be evaluated for a concussion. Reid said he wasn’t exactly sure what happened or whether McCoy was actually ruled out and placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol. We’ll have to wait for more information on that one.

The updates on Lucas and Reiter didn’t really provide much new information. All in all, the Chiefs seem to be fairly healthy coming out of this game and heading into the bye week.

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Best Twitter reactions from Chiefs’ Week 11 win against Chargers

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers Week 11 game helped create some great tweets and we’ve found some of the best!

It took until the final seconds of the game, but the Kansas City Chiefs managed to hold off AFC West rivals the Los Angeles Chargers to take home a needed victory in Mexico City. Thanks to a late interception from Daniel Sorenson, Andy Reid’s men are back on top of the division and still in serious conversations for a Super Bowl appearance.

As Chiefs Kingdom breathes a sigh of relief, here are the best tweets from Kansas City’s 24-17 win against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Injuries aplenty

First, it was Tyreek Hill, then it was Austin Reiter, then it was Jordan Lucas, then it was Damien Williams and the list goes on. The Chiefs could not escape injuries Monday night, and now it leaves more questions than hope about the team’s fitness.

The Mahomes-Kelce connection that broke the internet

Up until the five-minute mark in the third quarter, tight end Travis Kelce was largely silent, with the exception of a few great plays here and there. However, it was the 23-yard touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes that put him back conversation of who was the biggest playmaker of the evening.

Daniel Sorenson saves Chiefs from another embarrassing loss.

Safety Daniel Sorenson had his fair share of struggles on Monday. However, it was his interception off a bad throw from Philip Rivers that he will be remembered for, especially because he saved the Chiefs from not only another tragic loss but also prevented the Oakland Raiders from going top of the table in the AFC West.

The Chiefs are on a much-deserved bye week before hosting the Raiders in another contentious AFC West matchup on December 1.