Tag: J.K. Dobbins

Everything to know from Chargers’ win over Browns

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 27-10 win over the Browns.

The Chargers beat the Browns on Sunday afternoon, improving to 5-3.

Here’s our recap of the Week 9 win.

It was over when…

The Chargers went up 20-3 right before the half. The offense was rolling, and the defense was stymying Jameis Winston and company. The defensive dominance carried over into the second half.

Notable number

According to NextGen Stats, Justin Herbert has reached 100+ passing yards on passes over ten air yards in three straight games since their Week 5 bye. He totaled just 145 yards on such attempts in Weeks 1-4.

3 stars of the game

  1. QB Justin Herbert: Herbert put together yet another strong performance, completing 18-of-27 passes for 282 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
  2. WR Quentin Johnston: Johnston led the team in receiving with 118 yards on four catches, including a 66-yard TD.
  3. Defense: 6 sacks, 3 interceptions

Quick hits

  • The Chargers defense pitched a near-shutout. Jesse Minter’s unit allowed a field goal before a garbage-time touchdown in the final minute. The Browns managed only 57 yards in the first half. They sacked Jameis Winston six times and picked him off three times.
  • The Chargers had the best scoring defense coming into the game, and they only improved as they gave up just 10 points.
  • Fifth-round pick Tarheeb Still played a vital role in the defense’s solid day. Still had an interception and two passes defended.
  • The interior pass rush hasn’t been effective this season, but they finally got a spark from Morgan Fox, who had two sacks.
  • The run defense was stout, limiting Nick Chubb to just 2.9 yards per carry.
  • Herbert posted his third straight total of over 275 passing yards and second consecutive contest of multiple passing touchdowns. He also didn’t throw an interception, marking his sixth straight game without a pick.
  • J.K. Dobbins had two rushing touchdowns, including a scamper for 34, but he was largely ineffective outside of that carry as he struggled to find running room.
  • The Chargers’ second-half offensive struggles popped up again. They only managed one first down on their first five drives.

What’s next?

The Chargers are back home to face the Titans next Sunday, Nov. 10, at 1:05 pm PT.

Chargers rise in NFL power rankings after Week 8 win over Saints

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye after Week 8

The Chargers got back over .500 after defeating the Saints last Sunday.

After Week 8, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 18 (Previous: 19)

“They’re getting nice returns from their rookie class. Per Next Gen Stats, RT Joe Alt didn’t concede one pressure on 38 pass-blocking plays Sunday, tied for the best showing by a rook in the past three seasons. Meanwhile WR Ladd McConkey’s six-catch, 111-yard, two-TD game might have cemented him as QB Justin Herbert’s primary target for years to come. McConkey’s 100-yard day was the first by a Bolts rookie in 11 years.”

NFL: 15 (Previous: 17)

“The Chargers offense remains a work in progress. It broke an eight-quarter TD-less streak and the wide receivers finally broke out, with Ladd McConkey catching two second-half scoring passes. Oh, and it was their fifth turnover-free game this season. But there were too many pass-protection breakdowns to call it a good day offensively, even while scoring a season-high 26 points. Justin Herbert was sacked three times and hit four more, with every starting lineman other than rookie Joe Alt allowing multiple pressures. Herbert also escaped a few would-be sacks, turning one into a career-best 38-yard scramble, but he needs better protection. The eight points the Chargers’ defense allowed Sunday were their second-fewest on the season, and c’s unit has yet to give up more than 20, so this one fit the theme of previous victories. Right now, keeping Herbert healthy feels like the most overwhelming concern.”

ESPN: 17 (Previous: 18)

Best offseason addition: Running back J.K. Dobbins

“After the Chargers’ win over the Saints, coach Jim Harbaugh used his news conference to campaign for Dobbins as the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. “If I am the first to nominate him, then so be it,” Harbaugh said. After an Achilles tear ended Dobbins’ season in Week 1 last year, he has been one of the league’s best running backs. He is sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (76.4) and is tied for sixth in rushes of 10-plus yards (14).”

CBS Sports: 16 (Previous: 20)

“At 4-3, the defense has really come up big for this group. The good thing about the offense is Justin Herbert is starting to throw it around more.”

Sports Illustrated: 13 (Previous: 19)

“The Chargers’ post-Brandon Staley identity was certainly not one I would have predicted. Sans Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, the stars of this team are the drone-like Ladd McConkey and the absolutely horrifying 300-pound fullback, Scott Matlock. Staley knew this team had to be tougher but struggled to find the right fits for these pieces. The Chargers are not perfect but they’re starting to make some sense. This week’s Browns matchup, with the surging Broncos also facing a difficult test, is quietly fascinating.”

Bleacher Report: 15 (Previous: 20)

“The Chargers offense is a different animal when it can actually stretch the field with wide receivers. They were able to do that with a healthy McConkey on Sunday, and I expect to see continued offensive growth once Quentin Johnston (ankle) returns to the lineup. If head coach Jim Harbaugh can marry even an average offense to the league’s top-ranked scoring defense, Los Angeles should be relevant over the second half of the season.”

“However, I still believe L.A. is a year away from being a contender. The closest thing the Chargers have to a quality win has come against the Broncos—and the jury is still very much out on Denver. Still, the Chargers might not need to be great to slip into the postseason. They’ll have a chance to pad their record with upcoming games against the Browns, Titans and Bengals.”

Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 8 win over Saints

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ highest and lowest-graded Chargers players from the win over the Saints.

In Week 8, the Chargers defeated the Saints, 26-8.

En route to victory, there were some standout performers and others who did not contribute as much.

That said, here are the best and worst performers from Sunday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

QB Justin Herbert — 95.3

WR Ladd McConkey — 87.9

OT Rashawn Slater — 87.6

WR Jalen Reagor — 80.3

OT Joe Alt — 70.3

Top 5 Defense

EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu — 86.4

CB Ja’Sir Taylor — 85.2

LB Denzel Perryman — 84.2

DT Teair Tart — 77.7

S Elijah Molden — 75.3

Bottom 5 Offense

TE Eric Tomlinson — 44.2

WR Simi Fehoko — 49.4

OL Bradley Bozeman — 51.6

OL Zion Johnson — 55.9

WR Josh Palmer — 57.4

Bottom 5 Defense

DT Otito Ogbonnia — 43.2

S Alohi Gilman — 46.4

S Derwin James — 48.9

EDGE Bud Dupree — 51.7

LB Daiyan Henley — 54.1

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: JK Dobbins breaks touchdown drought

The Chargers’ touchdown drought lasted 59 minutes and 23 seconds of game time.

Los Angeles’ touchdown drought lasted 59 minutes and 23 seconds of game time.

The Chargers hadn’t found the end zone since Week 6, when they scored on a JK Dobbins run with 1:00 remaining in the second quarter against the Broncos. It seems fitting, then, that Dobbins was the one to break the drought, as the running back scored on a one yard plunge with 1:37 remaining in the first half against the Saints.

The score capped a 15 play, 90 yard touchdown drive for Los Angeles that was characterized by Justin Herbert scrambles and throws to Ladd McConkey and took 8:07 off the clock. The Chargers thought they had scored three plays earlier on a deep pass to Simi Fehoko from the 20 yard line, but the officials ruled that Fehoko did not get both feet down in bounds as he backed towards the end line.

Fehoko drew a pass interference penalty on Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore on the next play, putting the Chargers on the 3 yard line. After a false start by tight end Eric Tomlinson and another throw to McConkey, Los Angeles needed two plays from the 1 to find the end zone.

Dobbins’ touchdown was his fourth of the season. Cameron Dicker missed the extra point, which left the Chargers with a 9-2 lead late in the second quarter.

Will Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry’s success change how RBs are viewed in free agency?

Will Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry’s success change how the running back position is viewed in free agency?

Five of the NFL’s top ten leading rushers in 2024 were on different teams in 2023, and three of those players, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs, were vocal about running backs getting the short end of the stick when it comes to contracts, and a fair pay scale for the position.

Before this season, only Christian McCaffrey ($19M) and Alvin Kamara ($15M) were the outliers for massive contracts for running backs. Since then, Jonathan Taylor scored a deal for $14 million per season, while Barkley ($12.5M) and Jacobs ($12M) have proven the doubters the wrong on dishing out considerable contracts to running backs.

Ahead of the Week 8 matchup against the Bengals, Barkley was asked if his and Derrick Henry’s success this season can change how the position is viewed in free agency and when new deals are discussed.

Barkley is among the top five in rushing yards, while Henry is on pace to shatter the league’s single-season rushing record. Joe Mixon, David Montgomery, and Aaron Jones flourish with new teams or deals.

James Conner (Cardinals), Jones, Najee Harris, Nick Chubb, J.K. Dobbins, and Chuba Hubbard are among the big names who’ll test free agency, and this new theory that dual-threat running backs deserve to be paid like their counterparts at wide receiver.

Chargers take a dip in NFL power rankings after Week 7 loss to Cardinals

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye after Week 7

The Chargers fumbled the game away on Monday night, falling short to the Cardinals.

After Week 7, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 19 (Previous: 17)

“You could say a lot of things about the Bolts over the years, but rarely that they were boring. Welp. HC Jim Harbaugh’s Big Ten approach probably further lowers this team’s already limited ceiling.”

NFL: 17 (Previous: 15)

“This one is going to sting. Jim Harbaugh was irate with a pair of late officiating decisions — a non-call while his offense had the ball and an unnecessary roughness on his defense — but the Chargers really lost Monday’s game at Arizona by failing to finish drives. Los Angeles bled off more than eight minutes on its final march, but ultimately had to settle for Cameron Dicker’s fifth field goal of the night to go up, 15-14. On the Cardinals’ ensuing drive, the 15-yard flag on Cam Hart hurt, but giving up a 33-yard catch-and-run to James Conner on the very next play was what truly allowed Arizona to score the final three points and nab a 17-15 win. Justin Herbert passed for a season-high 349 yards and made some pretty throws — some caught, some not — when he wasn’t under heavy pressure. L.A.’s lack of offensive weaponry right now is glaring, especially with the run game stalling out. The Chargers crossed midfield seven times, but ran just one play inside Arizona’s 10-yard line. The schedule lightens in the coming weeks, but this loss is going to stick in Harbaugh’s craw for a while.”

ESPN: 18 (Previous: 17)

Young riser: FB/DT Scott Matlock

“As a rookie defensive tackle last season, Matlock played primarily on special teams. He was expected to have an increased role on the interior defensive line this season, but coach Jim Harbaugh switched Matlock to fullback and he has been an essential part of the Chargers’ rushing game. Matlock, 24, still plays defense and special teams; his 236 snaps are the 11th most on the team. He’s emerging as an unlikely but crucial part of one of the NFL’s best rushing offenses. ”

CBS Sports: 20 (Previous: 14)

“They are limited on offense with the injuries at receiver, and it showed up in the loss to the Cardinals. They need to get bodies back. The defense let them down late in that loss.”

Sports Illustrated: 19 (Previous: 15)

“Too low? I was impressed with the team’s ability to grind out an eight-plus minute drive to take the lead late in Monday night’s loss to the Cardinals, but Jim Harbaugh is going to have the time and space to build out his weapon set here in Los Angeles … and he’s going to need it. Will Dissly led the way tonight in receiving for the Chargers.”

Bleacher Report: 20 (Previous: 16)

“This is the sort of loss that comes back to haunt a franchise late in the season—the sort of defeat that can be the difference between a Wild Card spot and watching the postseason on TV. The Chargers outplayed the Cardinals in some respects. But the run game never got going, and Los Angeles only reached the red-zone once and settled for a field goal then. The argument can be made that Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers got out-toughed Monday night—and that’s a bad look for a squad that has hung its hat on physicality over the first month-plus of the season.”

Everything to know from Chargers’ loss to Cardinals

Here’s our recap of the Chargers’ 17-15 road loss to the Cardinals.

The Chargers lost to the Cardinals on Monday night, falling to 3-3.

Here’s our recap of the Week 7 loss.

It was over when…

Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland made a 32-yard field goal as time expired.

Notable number

Justin Herbert threw for 349 yards with a 97.1 passer rating tonight. No other quarterback in NFL history has thrown for that many yards with that high of a passer rating and yet had his team fail to score an offensive touchdown and lose the game, according to OptaSTATS.

3 stars of the game

  1. QB Justin Herbert: Despite not having much of a supporting cast around him to throw to, Herbert was still sharp and kept the Chargers in this game. He finished the contest 27 of 39 passing for 349 yards. Herbert also averaged 8.9 yards per pass, which is incredible, given the lack of talent in the receiving room.
  2. TE Will Dissly: Dissly was signed primarily as a blocking tight end. But on Monday night, he stepped up as Los Angeles’ top target in the passing game. Dissly caught eight catches for 81 yards.
  3. K Cameron Dicker: All the Bolts’ points came from field goals. Dicker made all five field goals he attempted, connecting from 59, 50, 29, 47 and 40 yards out.

Quick hits

  • Herbert played his best game of the season, throwing for over 300 yards. However, the Chargers still came up short. He connected with nine different pass-catchers. Five of them had catches that went for over 20 yards. But the group still struggled to create consistent separation and dealt with dropped passes.
  • Coming into this game, many, including myself, thought the Chargers would have success running the ball against a Cardinals defense that ranked 29th against the run. Los Angeles failed to do so. J.K. Dobbins only had 40 yards on 14 carries (2.9 YPC). Arizona did a good job of winning at the line of scrimmage and filling holes.
  • The Chargers failed to find the end zone in their only trip to the red zone. They have had 14 straight drives without a touchdown. The lack of talent among the skill players has been a factor, but Greg Roman’s playcalling is also to blame.
  • The Cardinals had their way against the Chargers on the ground. James Connor ran 19 times for 101 yards. Los Angeles had a hard time bringing down Connor the entire game, including on the final drive when he scampered for a 33-yard gain to get Arizona in position for the game-winning field goal.
  • We emphasized how imperative it was for the Chargers to contain Kyler Murray. For the most part, Murray was kept in check until he wasn’t when he ran along the sideline for a 44-yard touchdown.
  • The Chargers had a few plays they wish had gone the other way. It started with Teair Tart’s interception, which the Cardinals punched out and recovered. Shortly after, Jalen Reagor caught a deep pass and had it popped out into the end zone for a touchback. Cam Hart forced a fumble on Connor early in the second quarter, but Trey McBride recovered it.
  • The Chargers committed five penalties, but the last two were the most detrimental. As it approached the two-minute warning, a third-down flag was thrown for illegal contact/holding, but it was picked up. That would’ve resulted in a fresh set of downs. Then, Hart was flagged for unnecessary roughness on a hit to Marvin Harrison Jr.

What’s next?

The Chargers are back home to face the Saints (2-5) on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 1:05 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on FOX.

3 bold predictions for Chargers in Week 7 vs. Cardinals

The Chargers are set for their first primetime game of the season in Week 7 against the Cardinals.

We are just hours away from kickoff in Glendale, AZ. The Chargers are coming off a thrilling victory in Week 6 and need another win on Monday night to stay above .500.

Despite being on the road, Jim Harbaugh’s squad is slightly favored for the primetime matchup.

With that, here are some bold predictions for Monday night’s contest.

J.K. Dobbins goes for 100+ rushing yards

Dobbins went for over 100 yards in the first two weeks of the season but has not done so since then. However, there’s no better opportunity for him to reach that feat again. The Cardinals have allowed 153 yards on the ground per game, the third-most in the NFL. Dobbins is coming off a 96-yard performance in Week 6, and the Chargers offensive line should be able to open massive running lanes for the sixth-year running back.

A Charger tops 60 receiving yards

The Cardinals’ defense is also vulnerable in the passing game, as they rank 23rd. Now, 60 yards doesn’t sound like a lot, but the Chargers have had just one pass catcher in the top 51 yards in a game this season. Ladd McConkey had 67 yards in Week 4 against the Chiefs, and he’s the most likely candidate to lead the team on Monday if he plays. Quentin Johnston is doubtful, while McConkey is questionable with a hip issue. If he plays, look for him to take advantage of Arizona’s poor set of cornerbacks.

Chargers win the turnover battle by 2+

This has been a recipe for success for Harbaugh’s squad this season. In five games, the Chargers are +7 in the turnover department, which ranks third in the NFL despite playing just five games on the season. The offense has only turned the ball twice, a major reason for their 3-2 record. On the flip side, the Cardinals have the same number of giveaways (8) as takeaways.

Chargers stay steady in NFL power rankings after Week 6 win

Find out where the Chargers stand in the national eye after Week 6

The Chargers are coming off a big divisional win over the Broncos last Sunday.

After Week 6, let’s see where Los Angeles stands in NFL power rankings:

USA Today: 17 (Previous: 18)

“After Sunday’s win in Denver, HC Jim Harbaugh triumphantly declared he’s “2-0 with arrhythmias” after another irregular heartbeat forced him to miss the start of the game. Sorry, Coach, but also not a sustainable formula.”

NFL: 15 (Previous: 19)

“I never lost faith in the Chargers, and the early bye week seemed to give them great energy in building a 23-0 fourth-quarter lead in Denver. The big story was Justin Herbert throwing the ball more than he had all season, racking up 184 first-half pass yards and looking healthy and confident in the process. The Chargers got a little too conservative in the second half, especially without four-minute back Gus Edwards (who hit IR last week), but they held on for the win in a very clean game (three mostly harmless penalties, zero turnovers) to improve to 2-1 on the road and in the division. The defense was strong early, led by big plays from Khalil Mack and Elijah Molden, and the offense received some pleasant-surprise contributions from the likes of Kimani Vidal and Simi Fehoko. Also good to see Jim Harbaugh come back after briefly leaving the game with atrial flutters. I’ve had those, too, and they’re no fun.”

ESPN: 17 (Previous: 18)

Lesson learned: Coordinator Jesse Minter has changed the defense.

“Since the Chargers drafted QB Justin Herbert in 2020, they have had one of the league’s worst defenses. They allowed the fifth-most points (24.9) and the 10th-most yards (353.3) per game over that span. Through five games in 2024, however, the Chargers have one of the league’s best defenses, allowing the fewest points per game in the NFL through six weeks (13.2). The Chargers have allowed fewer than 21 points in each of their first five games of the season for the third time in franchise history.”

CBS Sports: 14 (Previous: 20)

“Coming out of the bye, they dominated the Broncos. The defense really showed up as they’ve overcome a lot of injuries on that side of the ball.”

Sports Illustrated: 15 (Previous: 15)

“I’m finally starting to get it. Ripping off a 20-play drive that just ends with a field goal is such a middle finger to the opposition. And utilizing Justin Herbert as a kind of In Case of Emergency switch is kind of brilliant and back-breaking when you really think about it. Run the ball, then when the defense finally gets you into a third-and-4, allow Herbert to extend the play and whip a ball over the middle to Stone Smartt. What a way to drain the life out of your opponents.”

Bleacher Report: 16 (Previous: 20)

“…While I’m still not fully convinced the Chargers are a legitimate contender, their schedule is favorable. None of L.A.’s next five opponents currently owns more than two wins. Jim Harbaugh’s squad has, thus far, shown an ability to beat the teams it is supposed to beat. If that trend holds, the Chargers will have plenty to play for entering December.”