Tag: Elijah Molden

Everything to know from Chargers’ win over Saints

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 26-8 win over the Saints.

The Chargers beat the Saints on Sunday afternoon, improving to 4-3.

Here’s our recap of the Week 8 win.

It was over when…

Ladd McConkey scored his second touchdown to extend the Chargers’ lead to 18.

Notable number

According to NextGen Stats, Joe Alt did not allow pressure on any of his 38 pass-blocking snaps against the Saints, tied for the most snaps without pressure allowed by a rookie tackle over the last three seasons.

3 stars of the game

  1. QB Justin Herbert: Herbert had a strong performance against the Cardinals last Monday night and carried that over to this weekend. Herbert finished 20 of 32 passing for 279 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 49 yards on the ground on four rushes, including one for a big 38-yard gain.
  2. WR Ladd McConkey: McConkey has shown flashes this season, but it was only a matter of time until he had a breakout game. That came on Sunday when he caught six passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns, including one for 60 yards.
  3. LB Daiyan Henley: Henley led the team in tackles (11) and had a pass deflection.

Quick hits

  • Herbert engineered a multitude of big plays through the air. On 10+ yard throws, he finished 7 of 11 for 195 yards and two touchdowns, highlighted by McConkey’s 60-yard scoring grab.
  • The Chargers had no problems finding the end zone after failing to score a touchdown since the second quarter of the Week 6 game against the Broncos.
  • Second-half scoring has been a problem this season. The Chargers hadn’t scored a touchdown in the third or fourth quarter since Week 1, but they ended that drought by scoring two in the second half. They were 2-of-3 in the red zone.
  • The offense had its fair share of struggles, however. The Chargers struggled to run the ball against a Saints defense that was bottom of the barrel in that department. They went 3-for-12 on third down. The pass protection was uneven.
  • The Chargers held the Saints to 2-for-14 on third down and prevented them from reaching double digits in scoring. But they still allowed 366 total yards, 117 of which came on the ground. Alvin Kamara had a few explosive plays, a product of Los Angeles’ handful of missed tackles in open space.
  • The Chargers did a much better job of generating pressure. They finished with five sacks and seven quarterback hits.
  • Special teams was sloppy early on. Josh Harris and JK Scott failed to connect on a punt snap, which resulted in a safety. Cameron Dicker also missed an extra point.

What’s next?

The Chargers are back on the road to face the Browns next Sunday, Nov. 3, at 11:00 am PT.

Chargers highlight: Elijah Molden picks off Bo Nix

Entering Sunday’s game, Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix had never thrown an interception.

Entering Sunday’s game, Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix had never thrown an interception.

The Chargers changed that on the first drive of the game.

Nix dropped back to pass on third on 8 after two one yard runs by running back Javonte Williams. He looked over the middle for receiver Marvin Mims, but put the ball high. Mims got a hand on it and tipped it into the air, with the ball floating into the arms of Chargers safety Elijah Molden.

Molden returned the pick 25 yards to the Broncos 31 yard line, setting Los Angeles up with great field position on their first offensive drive of the game.

It was Molden’s second interception of the season after he picked off Panthers quarterback Bryce Young in Week 2. The Chargers acquired Molden before the season from the Titans for a late-round pick in 2026.

https://twitter.com/chargers/status/1845558035277852795

Jim Harbaugh credits depth for Chargers’ Week 2 victory

The Chargers had 22 players take the field on defense.

The Chargers asserted their dominance in Week 2 with a 26-3 victory over the Panthers. Jim Harbaugh’s unit took control from the start, and once again, Justin Herbert didn’t have to do much through the air.

Once again, several guys stepped up to help the team improve to 2-0. Harbaugh spoke at length about the complete team effort and the overall depth of the squad.

“We had 22 players who played on defense. The rotations were really good. More importantly, anytime anybody went in, they played really well.”

As mentioned, 22 defensemen saw time on the field for the Chargers on Sunday. Multiple guys received game balls for their performances, and rightfully so. Most notably, Elijah Molden and Daiyan Henley were two of the defenders that delivered in a big way for Los Angeles.

Molden is the perfect example of the depth that Harbaugh mentions. He’s been with the team for less than a month and was able to snag a crucial interception along with six total tackles. Molden stepped in while Alohi Gilman was sidelined with an injury.

While the start to the season has been promising, the Chargers did face the worst team in the NFL on Sunday. They’ll face a stiffer challenge in Week 3 in a battle of two undefeated teams. The Chargers face Mike Tomlin and the Steelers in Week 3, which will really be a battle in the trenches.

We’ll see if defensive coordinator Jesse Minter can continue to use rotations in order to keep his guys fresh. The Steelers offense has scored just 31 points in their first two games, a large part in which has been due to their lack of playmakers. For Minter though, If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and so far, it hasn’t been broke for the Chargers.

Chargers highlight: Elijah Molden intercepts Bryce Young

The Elijah Molden trade is already paying dividends.

The Elijah Molden trade is already paying dividends.

Los Angeles traded a 2026 7th rounder to Tennessee for Molden after roster cuts, adding a third safety with starting experience to the Chargers roster. With Alohi Gilman out with injury on Sunday, Molden stepped into a starting role next to Derwin James.

In the second quarter with the Chargers leading 13-0, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young dropped back to pass and tried to fit a pass over the middle to Diontae Johnson in double coverage. Linebacker Junior Colson dove to tip the pass but missed, but Young’s throw overshot Johnson and came directly to Molden, who crashed on the route and tumbled over Colson to give the Chargers the ball just behind midfield.

The pick quickly led to a JK Dobbins touchdown to give the Chargers a 20-0 lead with two minutes to go before halftime.

Molden’s interception is his first one since Week 12 last season against the Texans when he was a member of the Titans.

https://twitter.com/chargers/status/1835380094249968025

Chargers’ updated 53-man roster for the 2024 season

After cutting their roster to 53 players on Tuesday, the Chargers brought in three new players.

The Chargers set an initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, but that changed after the team made a few roster moves over the past couple of days.

Here is a look at the updated squad:

Offense

Quarterback (3): Justin Herbert, Taylor Heinicke, Easton Stick

Running back (4): Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins, Kimani Vidal, Hassan Haskins

Wide receiver (7): Josh Palmer, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, D.J. Chark, Derius Davis, Simi Fehoko, Brenden Rice

Tight end (3): Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Stone Smartt

Offensive line (9): Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, Bradley Bozeman, Trey Pipkins, Joe Alt, Brenden Jaimes, Jamaree Salyer, Jordan McFadden, Foster Sarell

Defense

Edge rusher (4): Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Tuli Tuipulotu, Bud Dupree

Interior defensive line (6): Poona Ford, Morgan Fox, Teair Tart, Scott Matlock, Otito Ogbonnia, Justin Eboigbe

Linebacker (4): Denzel Perryman, Junior Colson, Daiyan Henley, Troy Dye

Cornerback (6): Asante Samuel Jr., Kristian Fulton, Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart

Safety (4): Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, AJ Finley, Elijah Molden

Special teams

Specialists (3): K Cameron Dicker, P J.K. Scott, LS Josh Harris

What the trade for Elijah Molden means for the Chargers

Breaking down what the Elijah Molden trade means for the Chargers defense under coordinator Jesse Minter.

On Wednesday, the Chargers acquired defensive back Elijah Molden from the Titans, adding another versatile piece to the secondary.

Molden takes the spot vacated by JT Woods, who was waived on Wednesday after Los Angeles claimed Titans running back Hassan Haskins earlier in the day. A player like Molden is likely the ideal outcome the Chargers were hoping for when they moved Woods to corner midway through the preseason – the former Titan played almost the same amount of snaps in the box, at deep safety, and in the slot for Tennessee last season.

For Los Angeles, it also gives them four safeties they can truly rely on. Derwin James and Alohi Gilman have been penned in as the starters ever since Gilman re-signed with the team in March. AJ Finley took a massive step forward in training camp and earned the third safety job over Woods. But beyond that, the Chargers had Woods – who again, moved to corner – and veteran Tony Jefferson, who made the 53 off the back of a stellar performance in the preseason finale.

With Molden on the roster, they can now rotate James, Gilman, Finley, and Molden into different spots depending on matchups and disguises, a hallmark of the Jesse Minter defensive scheme. Molden’s experience as a starter – he started eight games for Tennessee last season – likely propels him into the third safety spot. That also has the consequence of pushing Finley back into a primarily special teams role, where he excelled in 2023. Los Angeles would have relied on Woods, who has struggled on special teams, in that role if the initial 53-man roster stuck.

But Finley has also played well enough to earn a role on defense, and it’s not out of the question that the Chargers could play three or even all four safeties together depending on the package. Dime packages could include Molden and James moving into the slot with Gilman and Finley as the deep safeties. James and Molden both can play in the slot, which will allow the defense to be much more multiple under Minter.

For as little as the Chargers gave up—NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that LA sent late-round draft compensation to the Titans—it may end up being a move that unlocks a new level of this defense.

Titans trade Elijah Molden to the Los Angeles Chargers

The Tennessee Titans completed a trade on Tuesday sending a former starter to the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Tennessee Titans continue to stay busy retooling their roster. The day after setting their initial 53-man squad, they made several moves to improve depth and give the team some financial flexibility. The latest move is another trade.

According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, the Titans have traded defensive back Elijah Molden to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for a future late-round selection.

A starter in 2023, Molden recorded 73 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception, a defensive touchdown, and four defended passes in 15 games. While Molden has been solid and flashed some abilities, he has been relegated to a depth role in 2024 as the Titans have remade their secondary with the likes of L’Jarius Sneed, Chidobe Awuzie and Quandre Diggs. 

The Titans will also see a $3.116M cap savings from the move, giving them the exact number they needed to cover after acquiring linebacker Ernest Jones from the Los Angeles Rams in a deal on Monday.

The Chargers have been busy collecting former Titans players today. They also claimed running back Hassan Haskins off waivers. Here’s hoping both former Titans find success in their new home. 

Watch: Highlights of new Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden

To get excited about what Elijah Molden is going to bring to the table, check out these highlights.

The Chargers added depth to their secondary by trading for cornerback Elijah Molden.

While most of his snaps throughout his NFL career have come in the slot, Molden possesses the versatility to play safety.

To get excited about what Molden is going to bring to the table, check out these highlights:

 

 

 

Chargers trade for CB Elijah Molden

The Chargers have added to their secondary.

The Chargers have added to their secondary.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Los Angeles has agreed on a trade with the Titans to acquire defensive back Elijah Molden.

In return, Tennessee is expected to receive a late-round pick, Rapoport added.

Molden reunites with CB Kristian Fulton, who also played with the Titans before signing with the Chargers in March.

Over the past three seasons, Fulton has appeared in 33 games (16 starts), posting 140 tackles, eight passes defended, five tackles for loss, and two interceptions.

Selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Washington, Molden finished with 153 tackles, 20 passes defended and five interceptions.

Titans-Saints preseason Week 3: Offense, defense and special teams snap counts

The Tennessee Titans won their Week 3 preseason game against the Saints. Here are the snap counts on offense, defense and special teams.

The Tennessee Titans wrapped up their preseason slate with a 30-27 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon.

For many players, it was their final showcase before cutdown day on Tuesday. The deadline is 4:00 p.m. EDT to trim rosters down to the initial 53, so Sunday was their last time in a Titans uniform.

Now let’s take a closer look at the snap counts that contributed to the Titans’ Week 3 preseason victory.

Offensive snaps: 65
Defensive snaps: 55
Special teams snaps: 32

Quarterback Will Levis took just 18 snaps but it certainly felt like more. He was impressive and productive during his time on the field, leading the Titans to two scores before being spelled by Mason Rudolph.

Rudolph and Malik Willis also played well during their snap share, bringing the final decision on QB2 down to the final days.

Cornerback Elijah Molden recorded two tackles (both solo) and one pass defensed in just five snaps before leaving the game to be evaluated for a concussion.

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