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Be sure to keep an eye on these six storylines as the Chargers square off with the 49ers on Friday night.
The Chargers face off against the 49ers on Friday night before head coach Brandon Staley and company begin their trimming of the roster to 53 players next week.
Here are six storylines to watch for during Los Angeles’ final preseason matchup against San Francisco:
After they dominated the Rams last week, the Chargers just couldn’t keep up with the Saints this time out. Still, it wasn’t all bad.
The Chargers did get a chance to play some preseason football despite some initial fears about the weather. After they dominated the Rams last week, the team just couldn’t keep up quite the same pace this time out. Still, it wasn’t all bad.
Let’s start with a stud of the game first:
After good reports out of camp for JT Woods’ performance in joint practices, I was excited to see if he could back that progress up in a preseason game. He did. Woods had good quality coverage that resulted in a few pass breakups and was generally a good tackler.
JT Woods, much better tackler this preseason so far. pic.twitter.com/cELLacY8tE
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) August 20, 2023
Woods did miss one tackle on the big play to Lynn Bowden, but he kept his composure and kept playing with good intensity.
Easton Stick landed in my studs category last week after his effort against the Rams. This outing was not as favorable for the Chargers’ backup. Stick went 21/41 with two interceptions and a sub-50 passer rating.
There were some good moments for him. His two-minute drive toward the end of the first half did show off some legitimate improvisation and creativity. But the moments of occasional improvisational brilliance were outweighed by the decision-making. Stick became a little overly reliant on using his legs to bail him out of plays and just made some perplexing throws. Why was a two-yard pass thrown to Stone Smartt on 3rd and 9?
The scanning of the field through his reads was poor and it felt like he was still sailing the ball wide even when he did make a good read.
It felt like Henley was active from the get-go in this one. He ended up leading the team in tackles with nine and had an explosive sack where he shot the gap to clean up with Carlo Kemp. Henley also blew up some runs in the backfield.
Daiyan Henley with a Derwin-like rush out there, combines for sack with Carlo Kemp. pic.twitter.com/D4HhGj5laV
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) August 21, 2023
While Eric Kendricks and Kenneth Murray will be the starting duo, today was the first time that Henley’s overall athleticism won me over on the field. He has to get some defensive playing time early. The speed and motor he has could be used in an almost Drue Tranquill gadget-like way in spots during the season.
Elijah Dotson honestly started the game off pretty well. There weren’t any huge runs early, but it felt like he was running downhill and physical with some confidence. But the production tapered off during the game. Dotson finished the game averaging just 3.5 yards per carry.
More important than the rushing production was the situational football from the Northern Colorado product. Two bad drops from Dotson on the last drive of the game would almost immediately lead to Easton Stick throwing his final interception.
Tonight’s effort from Quentin Johnston was exactly what fans wanted to see in Week 1. Johnston had three catches for 37 yards with no drops. In terms of a skill that was demonstrated in this game, the route running was what really stuck out.
Quentin Johnston vs Bail tech. Vertical press before using a rocker step at the top of his stem to create separation as he breaks on the in-cut!
He has everything you can’t teach but can learn the things he doesn’t excel at. #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/r5SdC0kNEE
— Full-Time Dame 💰 (@DP_NFL) August 21, 2023
Overall, it felt like the game slowed down a lot for Johnston after he caught that touchdown against the Rams last week. The route-running fluidity and body control were a few strides better tonight.
Both of them deserve a dishonorable mention tonight. Part of why Stick had so much trouble early on in the game was the nonstop pressure he was getting. The interior offensive line shares its role in the blame as well, but Pleasants was especially bad tonight. He was slow off of the line and got beat in the backfield.
And from Sarell, it’s more of the same as last week. This game may have been *slightly* better for him from a pressure standpoint, but it’s of no matter. They’ve both thoroughly proven that neither of them can be trusted to be the swing tackle.
A 41-year-old free agent tackle Jason Peters doesn’t seem that bad now actually.
Here’s our recap from the Chargers’ 22-17 loss to the Saints.
The Chargers fell to the Saints in the second of three preseason games on Sunday.
Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ 22-17 loss to New Orleans:
The Chargers should feel good with Easton Stick as their backup quarterback.
The Chargers saw something in Easton Stick to be the primary backup to Justin Herbert, leading to them re-signing him this spring. This past Saturday, in the victory over the Rams, it was all on display.
Stick got the start under center while Herbert and most of the starters were sidelined and pieced together the best performance of his career.
While known for his athletic ability, Stick’s accurate arm is what stood out in his showing. He made a handful of beautiful throws, including his lone touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston right before halftime.
Before that scoring play, Stick put together a masterful two-minute drill. He guided the offense 75 yards down the field on ten plays to give the Bolts’ their first touchdown of the game.
Along the way, Stick looked composed in the pocket, even in the face of pressure, and delivered darts. He kept the drive alive with a third-down scramble in the red zone.
“I thought his two-minute drive was phenomenal,” Kellen Moore said. “Picking and choosing when to use his legs, made good decisions with the ball, aggressive when he needs to be and then take some completions. I just loved the way he operated the whole thing.”
Stick finished 14-of-21 passing for 109 yards and a touchdown while adding two rushes for 12 yards.
After being the No. 3 quarterback on the roster the past few seasons, Stick has shown this summer that he is more than capable of being reliable in a backup role.
Despite the win over the Rams, there are still some things that Chargers players can improve on.
The Chargers kicked off the preseason with a 34-17 victory over the Rams. Despite the win, there are still some things that players can improve on, as their time to make impressions on the coaching staff is dwindling.
Here are the things I observed from Saturday that Los Angeles needs to improve.
Here are some of the best pictures from the Chargers’ win over the Rams.
The Chargers took care of business in their preseason opener, defeating the Rams by the score of 34-17.
To relive some of the action, here are the top photos taken at SoFi Stadium on Saturday.
While most starters won’t play in the preseason, there are still Chargers players to watch on Saturday against the Rams.
We’re just two days out from the Chargers’ 2023 preseason debut against the Rams at SoFi.
While several high-profile starters won’t play considering how Brandon Staley normally operates in the preseason, there are still plenty of storylines and players to follow on Saturday.
Here’s a look at all 27 newcomers on the Chargers’ roster right now heading into training camp.
The Chargers return most of their key players from last season as they look to make a deeper run after suffering defeat to the Jaguars in the Wild Card round.
However, they still made some acquisitions via free agency, the draft, and the undrafted free agency pool to create a stronger core.
As it stands, Los Angeles currently has 89 players under contract. And teams are allowed to carry up to 90 players during the offseason.
Here’s a look at all 27 newcomers on the Chargers’ roster right now heading into training camp.
It was a magical 2022 season for the TCU Horned Frogs but can they build upon that in 2023?
It was a magical 2022 season for the TCU Horned Frogs.
Legendary coach Gary Patterson steps down, and in comes Sonny Dykes. TCU goes 12-0 in the regular season, becoming the first Big 12 team since the 2016 Oklahoma Sooners to go 9-0 in conference play.
The Horned Frogs then went on to win the conference’s first College Football Playoff game, beating blue-blood Michigan in the process.
This year they are replacing a lot of talent. They rank 118th in returning production per ESPN (ESPN+).
The offense that finished 27th a year ago is only returning 33% of its production, which ranks next to last in the country.
They have to replace Heisman finalist Max Duggan, their top two running backs Kendre Miller and Emari Demercado, and their top three receivers Quentin Johnston, Taye Barber, and Derius Davis. Additionally, former four-star wide receiver transferred to SMU.
In comes Chandler Morris, who won the starting job last year before being injured in the first game of the season.
Morris brings dual-threat potential and was really thought of as the better passer between him and Duggan. Can he replicate the work Magic Max did a year ago?
At running back, the Horned Frogs add Alabama Crimson Tide transfer Trey Sanders. Sanders only carried the ball 116 times for 528 yards and four touchdowns over three seasons with the Tide. A product of IMG Academy, Sanders was once the No. 1 running back in the 247Sports composite, the No. 6 player overall, and a five-star prospect in the nation. The talent is there to be a dynamic player for the Horned Frogs.
At wide receiver they bring in Oklahoma State Cowboys transfer John Paul Richardson and Alabama transfer Jojo Earle. Richardson caught 49 balls for 503 yards and four touchdowns for the Cowboys in 2022 and moves into a better passing attack than what he had with Oklahoma State. Last year with Alabama, Earle had 12 receptions for 155 yards and two scores.
The Horned Frogs will be replacing offensive coordinator Garrett Riley with Kendal Briles. A different system, but still expected to put up big numbers offensively.
Defensively they return 71% of their production from a season ago. On a defense that ranked 95th last year. Like the Oklahoma Sooners, they’re hoping their experience will help them grow as a defense.
The Horned Frogs return five of their top six players in tackles last season, including starting linebackers Johnny Hodges and Jamoi Hodge. They return three of their top five in sacks. However, they lost Dylan Horton and Dee Winters, who combined for 18 sacks a year ago.
It will be interesting to see how the Horned Frogs retool from a year ago. Dykes said he felt their skilled position players are better this year than last year. That could just be coach speak. It’s hard to lose a player like Quentin Johnston and be better. He was a dynamic player that could make plays at ever level of the passing game.
The thing that will be difficult to replicate is the success they had in close games. They went 4-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less, including wins over Michigan, Baylor, Texas, and Kansas.
Only time will tell. Ultimately, this could be a weird game for Oklahoma. Coming off what should be a hard-fought battle in Provo, Utah. Now, you come home on a short week and play at 11:00 am CT on Black Friday.
Still, I like the Sooners until I see how TCU responds from last season.
Score Prediction: 41-30 Oklahoma
Predicted Record: 10-2
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Which Chargers acquisitions are poised to make the biggest impact in 2023?
The Chargers stayed fairly quiet this offseason, signing just three external free agents and holding on to each of their seven original draft picks.
Of those 10, which ones are poised to have the biggest impact on the 2023 squad?
