Tag: Daiyan Henley

Best photos from Chargers’ preseason loss to Saints

Here are some of the best pictures from the Chargers’ loss to the Saints.

The Chargers fell short in their second preseason game of 2023 to the Saints by the score of 22-17.

To relive some of the action, here are the top photos taken at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

PFF: Chargers’ top defensive players in preseason loss vs. Saints

Here are the top 10 Chargers defensive players and what their grades were in the preseason loss to the Saints.

The Chargers lost to the Saints in the second preseason game of 2023 on Sunday, 22-17.

Despite the loss, they still had some key contributors on defense. Here are the top players on that side of the ball, per Pro Football Focus.

Chargers LB Daiyan Henley shines in preseason loss to Saints, flashes playmaking skills

Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley was all over the field on Sunday.

The Chargers needed to bolster their linebacker corps this offseason. They did so with the signing of veteran Eric Kendricks and the selection of Daiyan Henley in the third round.

Henley, the former Washington State product, showcased why he was one of the best linebackers in this year’s draft class with an impressive performance in the preseason loss to the Saints on Sunday.

With Kendricks, Kenneth Murray, Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga all sitting, Henley got the start in the middle of the defense and wore the green dot as head coach Brandon Staley’s primary play-caller.

It didn’t take long to notice Henley. He showcased his speed to consistently make one-on-one tackles on running backs in the open field.

He did make a mistake in coverage early in the second quarter when he lost running back Kendre Miller on a wheel route up the sideline for a 27-yard gain.

Nonetheless, nine times out of ten, the former wide receiver and defensive back is making a play on the football in the air, with coverage being one of his primary strengths.

Against the run, Henley made a great play in the second quarter. Winston handed off to Miller and Henley read it well, using his quickness to knife the gap and make a good wrap-up tackle at the line of scrimmage.

Henley also made an eye-popping play as a pass rusher. He blitzed in between the left tackle and guard with no blocker in the backfield and with his acceleration coming downhill, Winston had no time to react, resulting in a combined sack with edge defender Carlo Kemp.

Henley led the team with nine tackles.

“I liked the way Daiyan played,” Staley said. “I thought he was aggressive. I think you see what an outstanding tackler he is. He can really feel the run game. He’s physical, outstanding in the blitz game. He just needs to keep improving because he’ll learn a lot from it.”

Henley will start the season as a core special teamer and continue to develop his game at the position, considering he’s only been playing linebacker for three years. But with his coverage chops and prolific blitzing skills, Henley could see some playing time on defense.

Looking ahead, Henley has the necessary traits and makeup to become a starter for the Bolts in his second season, especially after the presumed departure of Kenneth Murray, who is a free agent after the upcoming season.

Studs and duds from Chargers’ 22-17 loss to the Saints

After they dominated the Rams last week, the Chargers just couldn’t keep up with the Saints this time out. Still, it wasn’t all bad.

The Chargers did get a chance to play some preseason football despite some initial fears about the weather. After they dominated the Rams last week, the team just couldn’t keep up quite the same pace this time out. Still, it wasn’t all bad.

Let’s start with a stud of the game first:

Stud: S JT Woods

After good reports out of camp for JT Woods’ performance in joint practices, I was excited to see if he could back that progress up in a preseason game. He did. Woods had good quality coverage that resulted in a few pass breakups and was generally a good tackler.

Woods did miss one tackle on the big play to Lynn Bowden, but he kept his composure and kept playing with good intensity.

Dud: QB Easton Stick

Easton Stick landed in my studs category last week after his effort against the Rams. This outing was not as favorable for the Chargers’ backup. Stick went 21/41 with two interceptions and a sub-50 passer rating.

There were some good moments for him. His two-minute drive toward the end of the first half did show off some legitimate improvisation and creativity. But the moments of occasional improvisational brilliance were outweighed by the decision-making. Stick became a little overly reliant on using his legs to bail him out of plays and just made some perplexing throws. Why was a two-yard pass thrown to Stone Smartt on 3rd and 9?

The scanning of the field through his reads was poor and it felt like he was still sailing the ball wide even when he did make a good read.

Stud: LB Daiyan Henley

It felt like Henley was active from the get-go in this one. He ended up leading the team in tackles with nine and had an explosive sack where he shot the gap to clean up with Carlo Kemp. Henley also blew up some runs in the backfield.

While Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray will be the starting duo, today was the first time that Henley’s overall athleticism won me over on the field. He has to get some defensive playing time early. The speed and motor he has could be used in an almost Drue Tranquill gadget-like way in spots during the season.

Dud: RB Elijah Dotson

Elijah Dotson honestly started the game off pretty well. There weren’t any huge runs early, but it felt like he was running downhill and physical with some confidence. But the production tapered off during the game. Dotson finished the game averaging just 3.5 yards per carry.

More important than the rushing production was the situational football from the Northern Colorado product. Two bad drops from Dotson on the last drive of the game would almost immediately lead to Easton Stick throwing his final interception.

Stud: WR Quentin Johnston

Tonight’s effort from Quentin Johnston was exactly what fans wanted to see in Week 1. Johnston had three catches for 37 yards with no drops. In terms of a skill that was demonstrated in this game, the route running was what really stuck out.

Overall, it felt like the game slowed down a lot for Johnston after he caught that touchdown against the Rams last week. The route-running fluidity and body control were a few strides better tonight.

Dud: Austen Pleasants and Foster Sarell

Both of them deserve a dishonorable mention tonight. Part of why Stick had so much trouble early on in the game was the nonstop pressure he was getting. The interior offensive line shares its role in the blame as well, but Pleasants was especially bad tonight. He was slow off of the line and got beat in the backfield.

And from Sarell, it’s more of the same as last week. This game may have been *slightly* better for him from a pressure standpoint, but it’s of no matter. They’ve both thoroughly proven that neither of them can be trusted to be the swing tackle.

A 41-year-old free agent tackle Jason Peters doesn’t seem that bad now actually.

5 takeaways from Chargers’ 22-17 preseason loss to Saints

Here are five overarching thoughts on the Chargers’ second preseason game of 2023.

In the shadow of a hurricane and aftermath of an earthquake, the Chargers looked shaken and stirred in their second preseason action of the season. After putting up 34 points with a high-flying offense last week, LA managed just 17 against the Saints, falling 22-17.

Here are my takeaways:

PFF: Chargers’ top defensive players in preseason win vs. Rams

Here are the top 10 Chargers defensive players and what their grades were.

The Chargers defeated the Rams in the preseason opener on Saturday, 34-17.

Along the way, they had some key contributors on defense. Here are the top players on that side of the ball, per Pro Football Focus.

How Chargers’ rookies fared in preseason debut

Evaluating Los Angeles Chargers rookies after first week of 2023 NFL preseason.

The preseason is meant to evaluate players, and for a handful of them, this past week marked their first time playing in an NFL game, including the Chargers with their seven draft picks in their win over the Rams on Saturday.

Los Angeles was headlined by first-round pick wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who had an uneven performance. He was targeted early but couldn’t hang onto two passes, including one deep down the right sideline. Johnston was knocked in the draft process for his hands, which is clearly still a work in progress. But right before the half, Johnston came back in the game and hauled in a pass for an 8-yard touchdown, beating Rams defensive back Richard LeCounte from the slot with a smooth route.

“It was alright,” Johnston said about his debut. “Not the best start, it was kind of rough but I bounced back with it at the end with the touchdown.

“At the end of the day, I’m not satisfied,” Johnston added. “Hopefully I’ll come back next week and do better.”

Edge defender Tuli Tuipulotu brought some pressure early on the Rams’ first drive. Tuipulotu displayed high effort, acceleration and closing speed to cover ground and bring down quarterback Brett Rypien, who barely managed to get the pass off. Tuipulotu also looked good at defending the run, setting some firm edges.

Linebacker Daiyan Henley made some key plays on defense and special teams. Henley, the former defensive back and wide receiver, recorded a pass deflection and was always around the football against the run. He wore the green dot and called the plays in the second half. On Derius Davis’ 81-yard punt return touchdown, Henley made a vital block to open up a big hole for him.

Davis, the Chargers’ fourth-round pick, showed why they drafted him: to be their return specialist, with his 81-yard punt return for a score, making it look effortless with his speed and quickness. He also had two catches on two targets for 21 yards.

Jordan McFadden logged all of his snaps at left guard. McFadden was dinged for holding a couple of times, including on running back Isaiah Spiller’s 70+ yard touchdown, which negated it. Aside from that, he performed well, making some key blocks in the run game and looking comfortable out in space as a puller. In pass protection, McFadden was credited for one pressure on 21 pass-blocking snaps.

Defensive tackle Scott Matlock made his presence known with a rush where he got pressure on Stetson Bennett, showcasing his athleticism for a man of his size and up-field urgency to force him out of the pocket, leading to an incompletion. Matlock was also stout at taking on blocks at the point of attack in the run game.

Quarterback Max Duggan took over in the second half following a solid performance from Easton Stick. There wasn’t much to write home about Duggan on Saturday. He completed two of three passes for 19 yards and added a 19-yard run.

5 takeaways from Chargers’ 34-17 preseason win over Rams

Here’s what stood out from the Chargers’ preseason victory over the Rams.

The Chargers started their preseason with a victory in the Battle for LA, beating the Rams 34-17.

It was our first look at the latest version of the Bolts, featuring a new offense helmed by Kellen Moore and a revamped defense with Derrick Ansley at the helm.

What stood out? Here are my takeaways:

Which Chargers players are you most excited to watch in preseason opener vs. Rams?

The Chargers Wire crew listed the players that they’re most excited to watch on Saturday as Los Angeles’ roster evaluation continues.

The Chargers have been hard at work at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA, the past few weeks fighting for roster spots, and now it’s time to transition to live-game action, where they will open up their three-game preseason slate against the Rams.

The crew at Chargers Wire listed the players that they’re most excited to watch on Saturday as Los Angeles’ roster evaluation continues.

8 Chargers players to watch vs. Rams in preseason Week 1

While most starters won’t play in the preseason, there are still Chargers players to watch on Saturday against the Rams.

We’re just two days out from the Chargers’ 2023 preseason debut against the Rams at SoFi.

While several high-profile starters won’t play considering how Brandon Staley normally operates in the preseason, there are still plenty of storylines and players to follow on Saturday.