Tag: Joshua Palmer

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.

Top Twitter reactions from Chargers’ win over Broncos

How Twitter reacted to the Chargers’ victory over the Broncos in Week 6.

The Chargers defeated the Broncos 19-16 in overtime on Monday Night Football. Kicker Dustin Hopkins made the winning 39-yard field goal, which puts Los Angeles at 4-2 on the season.

Here’s how the internet reacted to the thrilling game:

Studs and duds from Chargers’ victory over Browns

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

The Chargers went into Cleveland and found a way to win, moving to 3-2 with a 30-28 victory over the Browns after rookie kicker Cade York missed a potential game-winner.

Los Angeles finally found a rhythm offensively, but there are still a few areas for improvement.

Here’s who helped secure the victory and who needs to step up next week.

Stud: Austin Ekeler

Ekeler carried his momentum from last week’s three-touchdown performance into this one, finishing with nearly 200 yards from scrimmage on just 19 touches. The star running back looked like his usual self in Cleveland, finding plenty of running lanes and making defenders miss at nearly every turn. Even if you subtract his 71-yard scamper in the first quarter, Ekeler averaged 6.8 yards per carry. He also passed Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson for most games with a rushing and receiving touchdown in franchise history with eight.

Dud: Pass rush

Jacoby Brissett’s known weakness is pressure. The veteran isn’t a particularly mobile quarterback, so pressure forces him to speed up his decision-making and forces him into mistakes. But Los Angeles simply couldn’t generate anything in that area all game. Khalil Mack was shut out by left tackle Jedrick Wills, while Chris Rumph struggled to get close to Brissett all game. Per ESPN, only three Chargers logged a QB hit: Sebastian Joseph-Day, Austin Johnson, and Jerry Tillery. Tillery’s hit resulted in him and Rumph being unable to finish a sack, leading to a Brissett scramble for a first down.

Stud: Joshua Kelley

Kelley’s 4.9 yards per carry average understates how effective he was in this game after finally getting the complement of reps Chargers fans had been begging for him to get. On ten carries and two receptions, Kelley produced 82 yards from scrimmage, combining with Ekeler to produce the best performance from the running backs all season. If there was any question about who RB2 should be behind Ekeler, there isn’t now. Keep getting Kelley the ball, and let the two of them get to work.

Dud: Run defense

Listen, it’s always going to be a tough week when you’re matched up with Nick Chubb and the Browns’ offensive line. But for as much as the Chargers invested into the defensive line this offseason, you cannot give up 7.9 yards a carry to Chubb and 213 yards total. Los Angeles still has a big-play problem in the run game, evident from the jump as they gave up a 40+ yard touchdown run for the third consecutive week. The run defense did come up big in a few moments, holding Chubb to zero or negative yardage a few times in the red zone and coming up with a huge fourth down stop of Kareem Hunt in the third quarter. But overall, the unit needs to improve if this team is going to compete.

Stud: Mike Williams

Sometimes, you just have to let your star players do what they’re good at. What is Mike Williams good at? Winning at the catch point. Williams made life difficult for Cleveland’s corners all game, bringing in 10 receptions for 134 yards on 13 targets. One of those incomplete targets was a failed toe-tap attempt in the end zone. Williams won nearly every one of those ten receptions by simply being bigger and more physical than his defender, essentially playing basketball on grass and coming down with rebounds. Getting Williams into a rhythm like LA did today has proven to be a key factor in moving the ball for the Chargers as Keenan Allen works his way back from his hamstring injury.

Dud: Derwin James

James wasn’t bad in this game by any means, but he’s held to a higher standard than most players because of his superstar status. Today was not his best performance: he got bailed out by a Nick Chubb drop after playing too aggressively on a flat coverage that Chubb leaked upfield and had to fight tooth and nail with David Njoku for large stretches of the game. James seemed to be on the wrong end of plays a bit more often than is typical for the All-Pro but did lead the team in tackles with 14. Typically, a safety leading the team in tackles is a bad sign.

Stud: Responding ability

The Chargers have not had to play from behind very often this season. Typically, the script has been jumping out to an early lead and then hanging on for dear life. But down 14-0 in the first quarter, LA was forced to respond, and they did so. Ekeler’s 71-yard carry in the first quarter got the Chargers on the board and made it clear to them that they would be able to run the ball. They followed that up with two unanswered touchdowns to take a 17-14 lead. A touchdown to open the second half was followed by Christian Covington’s big fourth down stop that led to a Chargers field goal. The questionable decision to go for it on fourth and two late in the game put the defense in a disadvantageous position, but the Bolts’ defense clamped down and forced Cade York into a 54-yarder that he could not convert. It was complementary football all around: when the defense faltered, the offense responded, and vice versa.

Dud: Joshua Palmer

Something about Palmer’s timing with Herbert still seems off five weeks into the season, even after all of the offseason stories lauding the chemistry between the two. Palmer converted only half of his six targets into receptions today, finishing with three catches for 24 yards. Nobody outside of Williams was particularly effective today because of how physically the Browns’ secondary was playing in coverage, but Palmer’s struggles extended beyond the rest. The second-year player dropped two passes and bobbled a couple more, making for an all-around performance to forget.

Chargers elevate 2 from practice squad ahead of matchup with Browns

The Chargers made a couple of roster moves ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Browns.

The Chargers made a couple of roster moves ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Browns.

Los Angeles promoted wide receiver Michael Bandy and kicker Taylor Bertolet from the practice squad.

With Keenan Allen out for the fourth-consecutive week due to a hamstring issue and Joshua Palmer questionable (ankle), Bandy adds depth at the position.

In the Week 4 victory over the Texans, Bandy had two catches for 49 yards.

Dustin Hopkins is battling a quad injury and is questionable for tomorrow’s game. Bertolet being elevated likely indicates that Hopkins will be inactive on Sunday.

Bertolet was signed to the practice squad earlier this week.

Chargers injury report vs. Browns: Dustin Hopkins dealing with quad injury

The Chargers had three limited participants on Wednesday.

The Chargers began their preparation on Wednesday for the Week 5 matchup with the Browns.

Keenan Allen has missed the last three games with a hamstring issue, and early on, the chances of returning to live-game action are slim as he was held out of practice. Allen is day-to-day, per Brandon Staley.

Another notable on the injury list was Dustin Hopkins. Hopkins is dealing with a quad issue with his kicking leg. He was limited at practice. It will not be surprising if another kicker is brought in the coming days.

Further, Joshua Palmer (ankle) and Kyle Van Noy (back) were limited participants. Palmer injured his ankle in the first half of the Week 4 victory over the Browns.

4 offensive keys to a Chargers victory over Texans in Week 4

Here is what the Chargers must do on the offensive side of the ball to beat the Texans.

With Keenan Allen out for the third straight week, the Chargers may be utilizing the same short game-focused offense we’ve seen from Joe Lombardi, especially as Justin Herbert recovers from his rib injury.

Here are four keys on the offensive side of the ball against the Texans.

Get the run game going

Please, please, please get Austin Ekeler more involved on Sunday. Houston is giving up the most rushing yards per game of anyone through three games, allowing an average of 202.3 yards per contest. The defensive line has consistently been pushed off the line and safety Jonathan Owens leads the team in tackles. But the Chargers are also last in the league in rushing yards per game at just 59. Part of that has been getting away from it too early, part of it has been ineffectiveness, and part of it has, in my opinion, been about personnel. Isaiah Spiller is reportedly fully healthy, and if you want to inject some juice into the rushing attack, the rookie is the obvious choice. But Brandon Staley has said that Spiller needs to earn his spot on the gameday roster over Joshua Kelley and Sony Michel, citing special teams as their main area of concern. Speaking of Kelley, he’s looked like the best pure runner this season but was relegated to garbage time only against Jacksonville. Sunday’s matchup with Houston should give Los Angeles plenty of opportunity to get their rotation hammered out.

Exploit the size advantage

Mike Williams is one of the best jump ball receivers in the entire league, as evidenced by the toe-tap touchdowns he’s put together against the Chiefs and Jaguars. Against Houston, Williams should have a favorable matchup against rookie corner Derek Stingley, who has struggled with bigger receivers in his young career so far. Courtland Sutton, in particular, seemed to garner a target on every play he was matched up with Stingley, converting his eleven targets into seven receptions for 122 yards. Stingley has improved every week so far, but this early in his career, he’s still exploitable. Put Williams on him one-on-one and trust your guy to come down with it.

Make things easy for Jamaree Salyer

Salyer will make his first career start on Sunday, filling in for Rashawn Slater at left tackle. Before this week, Salyer hadn’t played left tackle since being drafted by the Chargers in April, which could make this week one full of growing pains if L.A. cannot provide him some help. Matt Feiler has struggled to start this year, but I think you have to have faith in him to hedge to his left to keep Salyer afloat. Keeping an extra tight end in to block in-line to the outside of the rookie is also a viable option: Richard Rodgers was signed to the active roster this week as a fourth tight end and profiles primarily as a blocking option at this stage in his career.

Limit the big play

Usually, this is a defensive key, but Houston’s defense has been pretty awful outside of a few big plays. We talked about how they’re the worst run defense in the league already, but the Texans have also created five turnovers and ten sacks, tied for fourth in the league in both respects. Part of that certainly has to do with aggressiveness: edge rusher Jonathan Greenard said this week that “we preach a lot of knocking the ball out when sometimes you just have to get the man down.” This is a porous defense that will give up yards and points if you stay mistake-free. Hold onto the ball, protect Justin Herbert, and it shouldn’t take too much else to keep the chains moving.

WR DeAndre Carter making noise at Chargers training camp

DeAndre Carter is showing that he is more than just a return specialist.

When the Chargers elected not to retain returner, Andre Roberts, it seemed to indicate that they wanted more production at receiver from their next option. However, through a week of training camp, DeAndre Carter has shown he can be that guy.

On Wednesday, Guyton had two touchdown grabs during red zone work in seven-on-sevens.

Signed to a one-year, $1.1 million contract this offseason, Los Angeles is Carter’s ninth NFL team in eight seasons. Last year in Washington, he showed the ability to add value in the return game while adding a play or two as a receiver. In Costa Mesa, CA, Carter has shined.

“I’ve been impressed with the way he is in terms of being a professional, the way he approaches the game, the way he steps on the field and means business,” special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken said on Carter.

Carter provides a speed threat down the field, a role that has been earmarked for Jalen Guyton in years past. Guyton had a strong OTA, but since training camp started, there’s been less noise about him and more about Carter and Joshua Palmer, who seems to have a stranglehold on the third wide receiver.

The 29-year-old also gives the Bolts more room to get creative with their offensive playcalling. He’s a dangerous runner on end-arounds and reverses and could be the perfect threat to spring free if Keenan Allen ever attempts his third career pass.

With preseason set to kick off next Saturday, we’ll get a better idea of where the depth chart stands. But for now, it looks like Carter is poised to play a more prominent role than expected.

Ranking Chargers position groups from worst to best ahead of training camp

A look at the Chargers’ position groups ranked from worst to best heading into training camp.

With training camp set to start on Wednesday, it’s finally beginning to feel like football season is near.

The Chargers’ preseason roster is all but set, with improvements up and down the depth chart at several key positions. But which position groups could use some more help? Which are rock-solid for this year and beyond?

Let’s rank them, from worst to best.