Tag: JC Jackson

Studs and duds from Chargers’ victory over Broncos

Here’s who came through and who disappointed in the Chargers’ victory over the Broncos.

The Chargers moved to 4-2 on Monday night, grinding out a 19-16 overtime win in one of the ugliest games in the NFL this season.

Neither offense could move the ball effectively, turning the game into a slopfest mercifully. It ended only with Ja’Sir Taylor’s heads-up play on punt coverage leading to a muffed punt and Los Angeles recovery.

Dustin Hopkins was able to nail a 39-yarder to lift the team over the Broncos for just the third time in seven tries and win a game for the fourth time in 12 tries on Monday Night Football.

Here’s who contributed to the win and who could’ve done more.

Stud: Dustin Hopkins

After injuring his quad on his first kick of the night, it looked like Hopkins might be down for the count. We all know the narrative around Brandon Staley’s fourth-down decision-making. JK Scott, while lacking NFL kicking experience, kicked four field goals and ten extra points collegiately at Alabama. Scott also proved he had the leg to handle kickoff duty throughout the second quarter and second half. And yet, there was Hopkins, trotting out there for a 37-yard field goal with less than a minute in the first half. He fell to one knee, grimacing in pain while making the kick, but he did make it. Still, it looked like the second half would be field goalless.

And then Hopkins kicked two more, looking like he was in more and more pain each time. The broadcast showed him wearing a device on his quad whenever he wasn’t on the field. But every time, Hopkins went out there and nailed his kick.

Oh, and he hit the game-winner, too. It was one of the grittiest performances by a Charger in recent memory.

Dud: JC Jackson

Something isn’t right about Jackson’s fit in this defense. Maybe it’s his ankle preventing him from turning and running with KJ Hamler down the sideline late in the first half. Maybe it’s the adjustment to a heavy dose of zone coverage, leading to the mistake that left rookie Greg Dulcich wide-open for Denver’s only touchdown of the game. Whatever it is, it’s not working, and the Chargers know it. Jackson was benched in favor of Michael Davis to open the second half, after which the defense seemed to instantly be on the same page on every play. Luckily for Jackson, there’s only one more game before the bye week, which should give him extra time to recover (if it’s injury-related) or grind film (if it’s mental-related).

Stud: Austin Johnson

Both Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day had their best games of the season as run defenders against a Denver interior that had all three of their regular starters in the game with the return of Quinn Meinerz. Denver leaned away from the rushing attack for most of the game, running 23 times for 98 yards, good for a per carry average of 4.3. That’s down from the Chargers’ league-worst mark of 5.8 yards per carry coming into this game. I give the stud nod to Johnson over Joseph-Day tonight because he seemed to be in the backfield the most consistently late in the game. Make no mistake, though, both players did a fantastic job directing Latavius Murray and Melvin Gordon back into the teeth of the defense.

Dud: Zion Johnson

The Chargers’ first-round pick had a tough matchup with DJ Jones across from him, but we’d seen him stonewall Chris Jones to the point that the Chief flipped to the left side to find success in Week 2. The Broncos’ Jones had no such issue, baiting Johnson into three holding penalties and overall causing problems for the Chargers’ offense. Without the benefit of the All-22 tape, it’s hard to say if Johnson’s struggles were due to having a new center in the game and a less-than-healthy Trey Pipkins to his outside shoulder. Regardless, the offensive line as a whole failed to protect Herbert to the level we’d come to expect from the ragtag unit after the Rashawn Slater injury. Johnson was the public face of that struggle tonight as the one drawing penalties. 

Stud: Joshua Palmer

Credit to Palmer, whose hype was rapidly fading after five weeks of drops and timing issues with Justin Herbert. But with Mike Williams shut down against Patrick Surtain II, LA needed another receiver to step up and move the ball in this game. Palmer answered that call, turning a season-high twelve targets into nine receptions for 57 yards, two of which went for first downs and another two of which brought the team within a yard of one. The former Tennessee product also drew three pass interference flags down the field, a key factor in LA’s field position in the first half. Palmer’s performance tonight is an encouraging sign that he and Herbert have worked out their issues, and a drop-free game will only endear him further to his quarterback.

Dud: Justin Herbert

When the lights are brightest, you need your franchise quarterback to step into that spotlight and win you the game. Essentially without your top two receivers, you need your franchise quarterback to elevate other talent and keep the offense humming. Tonight, Herbert simply didn’t have it. He missed throws high, rotated his eyes late, and failed to feel pressure. Maybe the pressure got to him more than usual with Will Clapp in the lineup and Zion Johnson struggling. Maybe it’s the playcalling. Maybe the ribs are bothering him more than he’d ever let on. Whatever the case, Justin Herbert theoretically is on this planet to generate explosive football plays, yet he was 1-of-7 on passes of 15 or more yards. Credit to Denver’s defense, which we knew was a strong one.

Stud: Drue Tranquill

Tranquill had just about the game of his life, logging two sacks in critical situations. With 9 minutes left in the game, tied 13-13, Tranquill found his way home to bring Wilson down and force a Denver field goal. On the next drive, Tranquill came unblocked on a blitz and brought Wilson down in 2.25 seconds, the fourth-quickest sack in the league this season. Nobody on Denver’s offense could stop Tranquill from getting to the QB, as he also logged a third QB hit immediately before Derwin James’ big third-down sack that got the Chargers moving in the right direction. Tranquill was also second on the team in tackles with eight total, completing a standout performance.

Dud: Stick

Joe Lombardi has to diversify his go-to playbook. Credit to him, the Chargers overall called a more creative and effective game than usual, especially on the ground, where Austin Ekeler and Sony Michel got things going for the third straight week. They even took a deep shot on the first play of the game, drawing a pass interference penalty! And then they hardly ever did it again, returning to the bread and butter of stick, spot, and Hank for the rest of the game. Denver’s corners knew it was coming, too, consistently triggering on routes fast enough to cause PBUs and tipped balls, leading to interceptions. It’s one thing to like a play, another to run it frequently enough to be a staple. But to come back to it time after time, to the point that everyone knows it’s coming as soon as Herbert drops into shotgun, is entirely different. Hopefully, the bye week brings some extra installs.

Chargers CB J.C. Jackson benched in second half vs. Broncos

Whether due to an ankle injury or poor play, cornerback J.C. Jackson is out of the game.

Whether due to an ankle injury or poor play, cornerback JC Jackson is out of the game.

After giving up two big plays down the field in the first half, Jackson did not take the field with the Chargers’ defense to open the second half. Michael Davis replaced him.

With Jackson in the game, Los Angeles allowed three completions of 35 or more yards to Russell Wilson, the first time he has accomplished such a feat this season.

Jackson also busted a coverage on Wilson’s passing touchdown to Greg Dulcich, abandoning his Cover 3 landmark to follow KJ Hamler downfield.

Expect Davis to continue to man the corner spot opposite Asante Samuel Jr. if Jackson stays on the sideline. Whether Jackson will return is unclear at this time.

Keys to a Chargers’ victory over Browns in Week 5

Highlighting how the Chargers can extend to 3-2 in Week 5.

The Chargers are looking to extend their record to 3-2 when they face the Browns on Sunday.

Here are the keys to victory for Los Angeles.

Pack the box

You have to limit Nick Chubb somehow, and it’s much easier to creep safeties into the box and hedge against the run when you’re not worried about a quarterback throwing deep on you. Brissett averages just 6.8 intended air yards per attempt this season, good for 24th in the league. (And ahead of Justin Herbert, who’s at 6.7. Sigh.) Last year when these teams met, Chubb rumbled for 161 yards on 21 carries against a league, and maybe decade-worst Chargers run defense. While that’s not likely to be replicated given the personnel changes on LA’s side, Chubb still has pancake chef Wyatt Teller paving the way for him. If the defensive line can’t hold up, Los Angeles must drift more players into the middle of the field.

Help the rookie

Without question, the number one priority in this game will be limiting the impact of Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney as they match up with Jamaree Salyer in the rookie’s second career start. Salyer played surprisingly well against the Texans last weekend, but Jonathan Greenard and company don’t have nearly the same level of talent as the pass rushers in Cleveland. The Chargers will be glad to see Gerald Everett’s Thursday injury designation removed, as he’s been the best blocker of the tight ends on the roster. I’d expect to see a lot of him and Sony Michel, the team’s best pass-protecting running back, on the field to help chip Garrett.

JC Jackson bounceback

For such a middle-of-the-field heavy strategy to work, the Chargers’ corners must play to their potential. On one side, Asante Samuel Jr. has been a revelation from the jump, holding his own against Davante Adams and doing all but finishing plays all season. On the other side, Jackson has only played games in even-numbered weeks, missing the opener while he recovered from ankle surgery and missing Week 3 with further complications with that ankle. Jackson hasn’t looked right all season, getting beat down the field consistently, an especially noticeable flaw last weekend. With Amari Cooper on Cleveland’s side and Jackson’s intended role in this defense, I’d expect some traveling to occur. But if Jackson once again can’t hold his own on an island, it could be a long afternoon for the big money corner.

Get Donald Parham involved

Keeping Everett in to block Garrett more may be a more realistic expectation, with Parham finally making his season debut after a hamstring injury followed him throughout training camp and the early season. Parham’s role in this offense is hard to overstate. The resident freak athlete in the tight end room, Parham is by far the biggest threat up the seam and in open space. His return should open up more room underneath as the Browns’ safeties are forced to carry him upfield. But the way to ensure that continues to happen is to get him the ball early and show Cleveland that he’s someone that must be accounted for.

Leave Derwin James on David Njoku

Njoku has been targeted at least six times and scored a touchdown in all three career games against the Chargers, including a seven-target, seven-reception, 149-yard performance last season. LA has also been a bit lenient on middle-of-the-field receivers this season, but I believe that has a lot to do with leaving Kenneth Murray in coverage more often than they should. In an ideal world, you’d want to move a player like James all over the formation to force Cleveland to account for him. But it’s pretty clear Njoku has LA’s number and his role has only expanded in the offense, on the whole, this season. Bryce Callahan also likely doesn’t have the size to put up with Njoku’s tight end frame all game long. Put Derwin on him, leave them there for 60 minutes, and see who comes out on top. 

Give Joshua Kelley the ball

The Chargers’ running back usage is harder to decipher than the Zodiac cipher. Austin Ekeler is the clear No. 1 option, but he just had his first good game of the season against a league-worst Texans team. Kelley has been the most efficient rusher by various metrics, but he has 13 carries through 4 games. Sony Michel is, as mentioned, the best pass protector but has been ineffective as a rusher. Isaiah Spiller is a healthy scratch every week because Brandon Staley says he needs to prove himself on special teams, and then Michel plays one snap in that discipline against Houston. It’s hard to be surprised that they have the 30th-best rushing attack in the league, up from last before last week’s game. With another weak run defense lining up across from Los Angeles on Sunday, I am begging Joe Lombardi to get Kelley a healthy complement of reps and show what he can do with a larger sample size.

Studs and duds from Chargers’ 34-24 win over Texans

Here’s who came through and who disappointed in the Chargers’ victory over the Texans.

The Chargers got back on the winning track on Sunday in Houston, pulling out a 34-24 victory over the Texans.

The game shouldn’t have been as close as the final score indicates, primarily due to a few poor performances in the second half.

Here’s who came through and who disappointed in Week 4.

Stud: Jamaree Salyer

Give this kid all the flowers you have, man. Salyer hadn’t played left tackle as a pro even in practice until this week and then got thrown out as a starter against a Texans team with four pass rushers with a pass rush win rate of at least 12%. Yet, by my count, Salyer didn’t give up much, and the offensive line only allowed one sack to Houston’s defensive front. The rookie hardly had his name called all morning, generally a fantastic sign for an offensive lineman. Salyer also made his mark as a run blocker the same way he did in the preseason, proving to be a key cog in getting the rushing attack going for the first time this season.

Dud: Kenneth Murray

Murray has improved since last season, but it’s becoming clearer that he’s simply not a viable option in coverage. LA used him primarily as a blitzer in the second half against Houston, a role in which he could find effectiveness as a power rusher. But in coverage, Murray frequently found himself on the wrong side of plays. While it’s not fair to expect him to hang with slot receivers like Brandin Cooks, he’s being asked to at least share that responsibility at a clip that simply does not make sense. At some point, I think the Chargers need to consider taking him off the field in clear passing situations unless he’s going to be rushing the passer.

Stud: Khalil Mack

There was a bit of concern about Mack’s ability to make an impact on this game with Joey Bosa out, considering Houston was likely going to send extra help his way all morning. Despite that, Mack had his usual fantastic day, regardless of whether he was on the left or right side. Tytus Howard was bullied by the former All-Pro, while left tackle Laremy Tunsil committed at least two penalties trying to keep Mack contained. A key fourth and one sack, a pressure on Davis Mills’ interception to Nasir Adderley, and two QB hits made for another standout game.

Dud: Nasir Adderley

Speaking of Adderley, that interception was the only positive play of the day for the safety. Mills’ pass floated right to him on that play, so it’s hard to even give him that much credit for being in the right place at the right time. For the rest of the game, Adderley struggled with the thing he’s always struggled with: taking the correct pursuit angles. He overran Dameon Pierce on the rookie’s 75-yard TD run, expecting Pierce to cut inside. Instead, Pierce caught him flat-footed and beat him to the outside, outracing everyone else to the end zone. Adderley also overran a few routes in the flat; when the Chargers adjusted by making Derwin James the flat defender, Houston found no success with such plays.

Stud: Mike Williams

Williams finally had the type of game we’d been clamoring for him to have since Keenan Allen went down in Week 1. While he had the stats in Week 2 against Kansas City, he primarily won the ways he usually does: deep, contested catches down the sideline. Today, we saw the $60 million man win at every level of the field. Williams was consistently open on slants because rookie corner Derek Stingley Jr. was playing off coverage to hedge against the deep route. He won on crossers in intermediate areas because LA got the running game moving and forced Houston’s linebackers to account for the possibility of a ground attack. It resulted in a seven reception, 120-yard performance on 11 targets. This is what LA needs if Keenan Allen can’t go.

Dud: JC Jackson

Maybe Jackson still isn’t quite right. It’s only his second game as a Charger because of his ankle surgery, and in that first game against the Chiefs, it was obvious that he wasn’t 100%. But this week, Jackson was off the injury report by Friday, indicating that he’s supposed to be full go. Yet he was consistently Davis Mills’ favorite corner to target today, giving up a big catch to Nico Collins and committing a pass interference penalty. His tackling effort on tight end Jordan Akins was also poor, forcing his teammates to recover to bring Akins down by his ankles inside the Chargers’ five-yard line. Again, it’s early, and Jackson still gets his legs back under him. But the contract LA gave him to be their version of Jalen Ramsey is beginning to look like a painful mistake.

Stud: Austin Ekeler

We talked this week about how something had to give between Houston’s league-worst run defense and LA’s league-worst run offense. Although Ekeler still only had 60 yards on the ground, it was a massive improvement over the 27 yards a game he had been averaging through the first three weeks. The Chargers also made it a point to get Ekeler more involved in the short passing game, giving him seven targets for six receptions, 49 yards, and the game-sealing touchdown. Ekeler’s hat-trick will be a big confidence-building performance for him and this new-look offensive line without Rashawn Slater. And yes, it’s against Houston. But maybe this is LA’s spark to get the rushing attack back on track.

Dud: Finishing ability

This Chargers team is built to play a 30-minute game. It’s that simple. There is zero reason they should have let an inferior Texans team get back into the game after going into halftime up 27-7. You cannot score 27 points in the first half and then punt on your first three second-half drives while the Texans score two touchdowns. You cannot fumble a kickoff return and lose further momentum by allowing Houston to kick a field goal to bring it to 27-24. The Chargers went away from everything that worked in the first half until late into the fourth quarter when they had to. Perhaps the most egregious example was Joshua Kelley’s usage. Kelley looked like LA’s best rusher in the first half, consistently getting 6, 7, and 8 yards per carry. Yet in the second half, it was all Sony Michel, who continues to be ineffective. I understand you want to get Michel going in a game that should be all but won when you’re up 20. But at some point, you must ride the hot hand, which goes for the entire team. Learn to play a 60-minute game, otherwise, better teams than this can and will beat you.

Studs and duds from Chargers’ Week 2 loss to Chiefs

Here’s who showed out and who was quiet in the Chargers’ loss to the Chiefs in Week 2.

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Despite a 27-24 loss to the Chiefs, the Chargers played well on Thursday night in Arrowhead Stadium.

However, as always, a few players did more to stand out, whether in good or bad ways.

Here are Los Angeles’ studs and duds from Week 2:

Stud: WR Mike Williams

There was a lot of concern about Williams’ involvement, or lack thereof, in Week 1. But without Keenan Allen and in Arrowhead Stadium, a place Williams has historically thrived, the 27-year-old showed why LA paid him $20 million a year this offseason. With eight catches for 113 yards and a touchdown, Williams was Herbert’s favorite target all game, even late in the game with Kansas City dedicating two defenders to him. It’s the third time Williams has had at least six catches and 100 yards against the Chiefs in his last four matchups with them. The touchdown in the third quarter was Williams’ 7th at Arrowhead, the most by a visiting player in stadium history.

Dud: OC Joe Lombardi

Lombardi once again got stuck in a rut as a play-caller, relying on short passing concepts like stick far too often for a team with a QB as physically gifted as Justin Herbert. The Chargers refused to get Austin Ekeler going early for the second straight game, giving Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo the go-ahead to adjust out of his normal Cover 0 and Cover 1-heavy scheme and play further back to keep things in front of his Chiefs defense. Lombardi never adjusted and kept calling short concepts – their first pass of over 30 air yards came late in the fourth quarter as Los Angeles tried to come back. Kansas City also jumped the stick concept at the goal line for rookie Jaylen Watson’s pick-six that turned the tide for good. Lombardi has received a lot of criticism during his tenure, a lot of it unfairly so. But tonight, his refusal to adjust the game plan and attack the Chiefs’ defense lost the Bolts’ the game.

Stud: LB Drue Tranquill

Tranquill was all over the field, especially in the first half. In the first quarter, Tranquill instantly beat right tackle Andrew Wylie while Khalil Mack came into the pocket unblocked, giving Patrick Mahomes nowhere to escape and leading to a Mack sack. In the second, Tranquill had a key run fit on third and one that forced the Chiefs to punt from around midfield. He and Kenneth Murray Jr. have looked like better players than they were a season ago. Whether that’s because the defensive line is keeping them cleaner or because they feel freer in year two of the defense is unclear, but Tranquill looked like someone the Chargers need to re-sign beyond this season.

Dud: CB J.C. Jackson

It wasn’t the greatest Chargers debut for Jackson in his first game back since undergoing surgery to remove an extra bone from his ankle. Without a verifiable threat on the outside, Los Angeles tried to move Jackson around, but he was less effective on Travis Kelce than Derwin James was. Jackson was also beat by Chiefs receiver Justin Watson for a touchdown on Watson’s first play of the game after he entered for banged-up receiver Mecole Hardman. Los Angeles has always said that the surgery would not affect Jackson’s athleticism and explosiveness, and that didn’t look to be the problem on Thursday. For LA’s sake, hopefully, the problem is just a bit of rust that needed knocking off.

Stud: G Zion Johnson

I wrote earlier today that one of the keys to the game for the offense would be how Johnson performed against Chiefs DT Chris Jones, one of the best interior pass rushers in the league. Perform Johnson did, stonewalling Jones for two and a half quarters before Kansas City adjusted and matched Jones up with left guard Matt Feiler. Jones proceeded to beat Feiler multiple times throughout the second half. Considering how solid Feiler was last season and how often he got beat by Jones, it’s an insane performance by Johnson in just his second career game. It’s still early, but it looks like LA may have hit on another first-round offensive line selection.

Dud: Offensive line depth

The Chargers better hope Johnson keeps it up and stays healthy because the depth looked rough on Thursday. Both Corey Linsley and Trey Pipkins left the game with injuries, which brought Will Clapp and Storm Norton into the game. Clapp was never going to be the same level conductor as Linsley is, but it looked to me like the miscommunications spiked as soon as Linsley left the game. Norton’s first drive was the one on which Justin Herbert faced pressure on three straight drives before going three and out. Later in the game, as the pressure continued getting to Herbert, the losses on the offensive line left Chiefs rusher Mike Danna free to deliver a clean hit on Herbert that caused the rib injury that visibly limited the face of the franchise for the remainder of the game. Linsley and Pipkins proved they were key cogs through their absence on Thursday, and if Herbert can’t go for any length of time, the loss of those two linemen may be what costs LA their season.

Stud: CB Asante Samuel Jr.

I don’t care that Samuel dropped an interception in the end zone that likely would have been a 99-yard pick-six. I especially don’t care that the referees overturned another potential Samuel pick in the third quarter. I don’t care about that because Samuel looked like the Chargers’ best corner on Thursday. After Samuel’s stellar game against Davante Adams and the Chiefs, continuing that momentum against a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes is a hugely positive sign for the second-year player. Samuel has an uncanny ability to stay in phase with receivers and the quick twitch athleticism to jump every route on earth. All that’s left to do now is get his hands right.

Dud: Turnover luck

Yeah, I’m gonna cop out by naming two non-players as duds. Sue me! Most of the Chargers played exceptionally well given the circumstances, especially on defense, for most of the game. But I wrote this morning that the defense would have to capitalize on their chances to force turnovers if they wanted to hang with Mahomes. They failed to do that – two interceptions were called back due to pass interference penalties, Samuel had a pick overturned on review and the dropped INT in the red zone, and Kyle Van Noy should have had one in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Kansas City capitalized on their only turnover of the game immediately. Gerald Everett was gassed on that goal line play, with the Chargers yet again running stick. Rookie corner Jaylen Watson showed outside leverage before the snap but shaded back inside as soon as he recognized Everett’s route. Herbert didn’t see him come back inside because Willie Gay Jr. was bearing down on him, forcing the quarterback into a rare mistake. Watson made a great play on the ball and took it back the other way for six. That was the difference.

Chargers’ reasons for optimism vs. Chiefs in Week 2

Here are four reasons for optimism for the Chargers as they face the Chiefs on Thursday night.

The Chargers largely looked smooth on Sunday against the Raiders.

Will their success continue on Thursday against the Chiefs?

Here are four reasons to believe Los Angeles will start 2-0:

Butterfingers

Kansas City may have beaten Arizona 44-21 on Sunday, but the Chiefs fumbled the ball five times, somehow only losing one of them. Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne, and Isiah Pacheco all fumbled once, while JuJu Smith-Schuster fumbled twice. The Chargers, on the other hand, forced three fumbles against the Raiders. While Kansas City will undoubtedly focus on ball security leading up to the game, the Week 1 stats suggest Los Angeles should be able to pop it loose once or twice on Thursday.

Top 3 quarterback play

If there’s anyone that can hang with Patrick Mahomes, it’s Justin Herbert. The two young superstars have matched up three times in their careers, with the Chiefs holding a +3 point differential across the games. Two of them have gone to overtime, with Kansas City pulling both of them out, while the Chargers won the solitary matchup to finish in regulation. In four career games against the Chiefs, Herbert has thrown for 1,130 yards and ten touchdowns to just two interceptions, good for a quarterback rating of 108.3. Stopping Mahomes entirely is practically impossible, but keeping pace with him has proven to be a winning strategy before. With Herbert at the helm, Los Angeles is one of the few teams capable of doing so.

J.C. Jackson’s possible return

Jackson was estimated as a limited participant on Tuesday after an estimated did not practice on Monday as he continues to rehab from ankle surgery. Getting him back on Thursday would be huge for a Chargers’ defense that has already seen offseason additions Khalil Mack and Austin Johnson make a big impact on the game. There’s plenty of hype for what this defense is capable of with Jackson in the fold, too:

If Jackson’s debut comes on Thursday, it could be enough to tip the scales in the Bolts’ favor.

Road Warriors

Per Tipico Sportsbook, LA is a 3.5-point underdog on Thursday in Arrowhead. But in four games last season as a road underdog, the Chargers finished 3-1 both against the spread and straight up. That’s a bit surprising considering that Los Angeles finished 4-4 on the road as a whole last season. It suggests the Bolts will be ready to play on Thursday, even in a stadium as loud as Arrowhead.

Chargers HC Brandon Staley provides update on J.C. Jackson

CB J.C. Jackson might be making his Chargers debut on Thursday night.

With how good the Chargers defense looked against the Raiders on Sunday, you’d be forgiven if the thought of J.C. Jackson suiting up briefly left your mind.

The star cornerback has been out for the past few weeks as he recovers from ankle surgery, with a Thursday matchup against the Chiefs looming.

Asked about Jackson’s status postgame, head coach Brandon Staley said, “he looks good. We’re excited. And he’s still day-to-day, but we’re excited, trending positive.”

Jackson did work out Sunday morning with the team in pregame preparation, and there have been numerous other reports that he’s been seen sprinting to and from the locker room and training facility in practice.

Staley has also said that Jackson will be ready to play as soon as the surgery wound heals. That time appears to be coming soon, with Staley saying, “could he have played today? Maybe. A couple of guys came to me pregame and said, ‘Hey, he looks good.’”

Ultimately, no matter what the Chargers say, they’ll be cautious with Jackson. Staley has always preached the importance of staying healthy, and this is a team with championship aspirations.

If they’re confident that Asante Samuel Jr. and Michael Davis will get the job done for another week, there’s no reason to rush Jackson up to speed to play Thursday.

But Staley did say it’s a “higher percentage than it was today” that Jackson suits up. Whether that means Jackson’s status is just updated from doubtful to questionable or from doubtful to a full participant remains to be seen.

Either way, Jackson’s debut in powder blue is on the horizon.

Raiders, Chargers final Week 1 injury report: CB JC Jackson Doubtful, will be game time decision

Chargers CB JC Jackson officially Doubtful. Will be a game time decision Sunday vs Raiders

It was a clean sweep of missed practices this week for Chargers cornerback JC Jackson. An ankle procedure had his status in doubt for the season opener when he had it done just over two weeks ago. Well, now it’s official — he’s Doubtful for the season opener against the Raiders.

 

It’s clear the Chargers are still holding out a glimmer of hope that JC Jackson might be able to go; essentially making him a game time decision.

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said Friday that Jackson was doing DB drills during practice. That will continue Saturday and pregame Sunday, adding “we’ll see what happens.”

Also Doubtful for the Chargers is tight end Donald Parham (hamstring).

Showing up on Friday’s injury report is linebacker Drue Tranquill with a back issue of some kind. He is officially Questionable for the game Sunday.

No players are listed in the final injury report for the Raiders, with only Divine Deablo popping up with a wrist injury that didn’t limit him for practice and has him without any official designation.

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4 defensive keys to a Chargers victory over Raiders in Week 1

Here’s what the Chargers must do on the defensive side of the ball to defeat the Raiders.

We’re mere days away from the Chargers kicking off their 2022 season against the rival Las Vegas Raiders.

Starting lineups are beginning to crystallize, injury reports are finalizing, and football is back.

Here are some keys to the game on defense to ensure Los Angeles comes away 1-0:

Rattle Derek Carr

The stats match the eye test with Carr, revealing a quarterback who gets flustered when the rush begins to close in. Per Pro Football Focus, Carr’s turnover-worthy play percentage on all plays in 2021 was 3.2%, good for 13th in the league, along with Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, and Matt Ryan. But when the pressure starts to get home, Carr’s turnover-worthy play percentage jumps to 7%, the fifth highest in the league. Only Ben Roethlisberger, Jimmy Garoppolo, Tua Tagovailoa, and Sam Darnold were worse under pressure last season. Of those four, Tagovailoa is the only one with a starting job in 2022. With a weak offensive line in front of him, scheming ways to get Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack into the pocket will force Carr into mistakes.

Limit Davante Adams

You’ll never completely shut Adams down, especially now that he’s back playing with his college quarterback. But limiting his impact on this game will undoubtedly be a point of emphasis. If JC Jackson can play, it’s an easy fix: put Jackson on an island with Adams, hope your guy wins, and move on. But if Jackson can’t go as he continues to rehab from ankle surgery, Brandon Staley and defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill will have to get more creative. Neither Michael Davis nor Asante Samuel Jr. has the chops to stick with Adams one-on-one. LA will have to dedicate more safety help, likely from Nasir Adderley, in zone looks to keep Adams honest.

Hold up in run defense.

This goes without saying, considering Josh Jacobs ran for 132 yards on 26 carries in Week 18 last season. LA reinforced the defensive line this offseason and kept vaunted run stopper Breiden Fehoko over Christian Covington, who’s more of a pass rush specialist from the interior. Jacobs was 37th in the league in rushing DVOA among running backs with at least 100 carries last season, so his standout performance against the Chargers wasn’t the norm. If LA can field even a competent run defense this time around, they should be able to stymie Jacobs.

Win the turnover battle

In the Week 18 matchup last season, the Chargers failed to record a turnover while the Raiders intercepted Justin Herbert and forced an Andre Roberts fumble on a punt return. LA did force two fumbles, one on Derek Carr and one on tight end Foster Moreau, but Vegas recovered both. But in the Week 4 game, the Chargers picked off Carr and stayed clean on offense en route to a 28-14 victory. As mentioned, getting Carr off-rhythm will force him into mistakes. Converting on those mistakes and forcing the Raiders defense to spend most of the game on the field could be the difference, considering how high-octane Vegas’ offense looks on paper.

Raiders vs Chargers Week 1 Thursday injury report: JC Jackson still not practicing

JC Jackson misses another practice as he recovers from his ankle procedure.

We’re one day closer to the Raiders season opener vs the Chargers. That means another injury report. And with it we see whether anyone has been upgraded or downgraded.

The answer this time is no, to either. This includes JC Jackson missing yet another practice as he recovers from an ankle procedure he had recently.

Jackson is considered day-to-day with the ankle injury. But every day that passes in which he is unable to practice, even on a limited basis, the odds raise that he will not be in the lineup for the Chargers on Sunday.

The Pro Bowl cornerback has one more practice this week to make what seems a rather slim chance of recovery for the game considering his procedure and original 2-4-week timeline began just over two weeks ago.

Joining him in missing another practice was tight end Donald Parham.

No Raiders players showed up on their Wednesday injury report and since they had only a walk-thru today, there were no status changes.