Tag: Los Angeles Chargers news

Chargers travel to Colorado to prepare for Mexico City battle with Chiefs

After having the weekend off, the Chargers are hitting the road to prepare for next Monday’s matchup against the Chiefs in Mexico City.

After having the weekend off, the Chargers are hitting the road to prepare for next Monday’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in Mexico City.

The Bolts are traveling to Colorado Springs, Colorado, for a week of practice ahead of the division battle, yet another must-win game in order to stay alive in the playoff race.

The team will have four practices at Air Force Academy in order to acclimate to Mexico City’s altitude. They will be at 6,000 feet above sea level for a few days before being tasked with playing at about 7,200 feet above sea level.

The Chargers don’t do anything like this to get ready for the Denver Broncos, whom they play annually a mile above sea level. But this will be a good trip for L.A. to get away, spend more time together and regroup after a slew of games that got away from them throughout the course of the season.

Sitting at 4-6, Los Angeles will need to be at their best in the final stretch of the season in order to make the playoffs. Realistically, they can’t lose a single game. If they are able to win out, the team would likely capture the AFC West title for the first time since 2009.

It all starts next week against the Chiefs, who have dropped the last four of their six games. Despite the struggles, the Chiefs are still a loaded team on both sides of the ball led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Monday night’s kickoff against Kansas City is slated for 5:15 p.m. PT and will be televised on ESPN.

[lawrence-related id=30451,30438,30433,30424]

Ex-Chargers LB Donnie Edwards named NFL Salute to Service nominee

Former Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards has been selected to be the team’s 2019 NFL Salute to Service nominee.

Former Chargers linebacker Donnie Edwards has been selected to be the team’s 2019 NFL Salute to Service nominee, the league announced.

The award, presented annually by USAA and the NFL, honors a league member who demonstrates commitment to honoring and supporting the military community across the country and overseas.

Edwards spent five seasons with the Chargers from 2002-2006. He was twice voted as an All-Pro linebacker and was one of only eight players in the history of the NFL to record 20 interceptions and 20 sacks over a career.

Edwards has founded the Best Defense Foundation that takes World War II veterans and Vietnam Veterans back to their battlefields and memorials so they can pay homage to their fallen brothers who never got a chance to live a full life.

Edwards brought sixteen World War II veterans back to the shores of northern France to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Past nominees from the franchise include defensive tackle Sean Lissemore and Alex Spanos. Finalists will be announced in January, and the recipient will be recognized at NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on Feb. 1, 2019 in Miami, FL, the night before Super Bowl LIV.

[lawrence-related id=30438,30433,30424,30408]

Chargers OT Trey Pipkins shows flashes in debut vs. Raiders

Chargers offensive tackle Trey Pipkins made his debut the Raiders and while he did struggle at times, he did show some flashes.

On April 26, Trey Pipkins was pulled over on a highway as he was on his way to dinner when he received the phone call of his dreams. The former Sioux Falls product was about to be drafted by the Chargers in the third-round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Many people, including Pipkins, were shocked to hear his name called that early. The small-school standout didn’t have much tape available to see what he had to offer, but Los Angeles knew exactly what they were getting when they selected him.

Though he was inexperienced against top competition, they saw potential in him. To the team, Pipkins boasted the NFL frame, traits, and movement skills that could translate into solid player at this level.

Stamped as a developmental player and one not likely to play in Year 1, Pipkins was forced into his professional regular season debut in an unexpected manner when left tackle Russell Okung went down with a groin injury against the Raiders

Like any rookie, there came growing pains in the first game played. The pass protection was the worst that it’s been this season, allowing 5 sacks and while the majority of the pressure came from right tackle Trent Scott’s side, the Raiders exploited Pipkins’ inexperience at times.

A lot of Pipkins’ woes were resulted in not being able to handle speed off the edge. From the opposite angle, you shouldn’t see his jersey number so clearly if his block is effective. He attempts to get depth, but it’s not enough and defensive end Clelin Ferrell dips and turns the corner with a full steam ahead.

But Pipkins had a handful of positive reps, as well. He was effective to help produce gaps for running back Melvin Gordon on a few occasions.

Here, Pipkins mirrors well to stay in front of his defenders, using adequate footwork and hands.

Ferrell attempts to beat him with an arm over, but Pipkins gets underneath him and blows him off the line of scrimmage.

Pipkins takes Ferrell inside and he quickly recognizes the stunt to allow quarterback Philip Rivers time to throw the touchdown pass.

Here, Pipkins stymies defensive end Maxx Crosby and the defensive tackle.

The bottomline is while Pipkins is not necessarily someone that’s ready to take full-time starting job at the moment, he has made the strides to get adapted to the NFL speed and he has gotten stronger since coming onboard.

Okung is likely to resume his starting duties against the Chiefs next Monday night and moving forward for the rest of the season, but Pipkins showed promise of a player that could be called upon if needed and one that may be a starter down the road.

[lawrence-related id=30433,30424,30408,30397]

4 reasons why Chargers will still make playoffs

It may seem out of reach, but the Chargers could still make the playoffs. Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez explains why.

It hasn’t been the season the Chargers were hoping for, but there is still hope that they can play in January.

Here’s four reasons why they could still make the playoffs.

The standings

Despite being 4-6, when looking around the rest of the conference the Chargers are still well within the mix. The team is only two games back from the Chiefs, who are 6-4 after losing the last four of six. Meanwhile, the Steelers have the second and last Wild Card spot at a 5-4 record.

Getting playmakers back

A plethora of players had season-ending injuries, including center Mike Pouncey and guard Forrest Lamp. But there are a couple difference-makers that’ll be back after the bye, safeties Derwin James and Adrian Phillips.

The Chargers defense is already one of the best in the league, allowing only 19.4 points per game. But the team has still struggled in close situations where they’ve been notorious to give up critical yards and points.

Having James and Phillips back will be huge because there presence brings the players that are capable of defending the run, manning up on position players and locking up the middle of the field, which is an area that they’ve struggled to defend.

As for the other side of the ball, having offensive tackle Russell Okung back has made all the difference in the world. When he got hurt in the Thursday night game, the pass protection collapsed, but Okung should be ready to go for Monday night against the Chiefs.

After an uninspiring few weeks, running back Melvin Gordon is starting to come into his own, while tight end Hunter Henry continues to be consistent at reeling in passes thrown his way on a weekly basis.

Benefitting from the bye

The upcoming Monday night game against Kansas City will mark the 11th straight game played. There’s no denying that playing that many consecutive contests is not an easy task.

For the Chargers, it’s one that’s much-needed. Players have been banged up throughout the course of it, including key members like Okung, Sam Tevi, and defensive tackle Justin Jones. The bye week will allow Phillips and James to caught up to being in football shape, as well.

Most importantly, the bye week will allow coaches and players to regroup with the game-planning for the last five games of the season. There have been a handful of blunders and things that need to be polished on both sides of the ball, so it’ll be beneficial to use that time to do so.

The Chargers have done this before

Being in a situation like this isn’t a new episode for the Chargers. In 2017, they overcame being 0-4 and finishing with a 9-7 record. In 2018, the team was 2-2 before ending with a 12-4 record. Along the way, they beat some of the league’s best in the most hostile environments.

In both seasons, Los Angeles found themselves dealing with injuries to key players, offensive inconsistencies, kicking woes among others. But they still managed to dig themselves out of the hole.

The Bolts are a frustrating team for fans to watch because they are notorious for playing up and down to their opponent, winning games they aren’t expected to and losing games that should be a gimme for them.

This season has been a whirlwind with a serious of unfortunate events, but they’re capable of making a run because things are clicking under new offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, the defense will get a boost with James and Phillips, and the bye week will do them wonders.

It won’t be easy having to play the Chiefs twice, the Vikings and the Raiders once more. But they have shown they can do it in the past, they have all the weapons to do it and the coach to guide them to the postseason.

[lawrence-related id=30424,30408,30397,30389]