Tag: Michael Badgley

Twitter reacts to Chargers’ Week 16 victory over Broncos

Despite the win, Chargers fans still believe that Anthony Lynn should be out of a job.

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=CrvUDPcO0V-1086763-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

The Chargers defeated the Broncos by the score of 19-16 on Sunday, marking their third consecutive victory.

Like any given Sunday for Los Angeles, it was another nail-biter that came down to the final moments of the game. With 41 seconds remaining, kicker Michael Badgley hit the game-winning field goal, tying his career-high with four fields goals.

While the outcome was promising, the product itself still was reminiscent to the majority of the contests this season in regards to the play-calling and game management, leaving fans concerned with the thought of Anthony Lynn coaching the team beyond this season.

To get an idea on how many are feeling, here’s how social media reacted to L.A.’s Week 16 win.

Watch: Relive every play from Chargers’ game-winning drive

Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert put together the first game-winning drive of his career.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has been victim of guiding his team, only to see a handful of late-game failures. But on Sunday, he was on the other side of the spectrum.

After sharing interceptions, cornerback Michael Davis picked off quarterback Matt Ryan to give Los Angeles the ball back with 30 seconds remaining in the game.

Without wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, both of whom had back injuries and offensive tackles Bryan Bulaga and Trai Turner, Herbert guided the team to the Falcons’ 25-yard line to set up kicker Michael Badgley for the game-winning field goal.

Herbert earned this game-winning drive with a dime of a throw to WR Tyron Johnson on a corner route, where he split two defenders with a perfectly placed ball.

It’s unfortunate that the win didn’t have any weight on the playoffs since the team is mathematically eliminated, but it was great to see Herbert put together the first game-winning drive of his young career.

Many more are bound to come.

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=mL871gUuem-1071071-7498&autoplay=on&V=2&format=json

Instant analysis of Chargers’ 20-17 victory over Falcons

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez recaps Los Angeles’ Week 14 victory over Atlanta.

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=V5WkNId6ds-1071066-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

The Chargers finally found a way to close one out, defeating the Falcons in the final seconds by the score of 20-17.

Here is my instant analysis from Los Angeles’ Week 14 victory:

Injury Report

Offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga left the game early on in the first quarter and did not return. The diagnostic was a concussion. Later on, guard Trai Turner left with what appeared to be a concussion, too.

Play of the Game: Michael Badgley’s game-winning field goal

After Justin Herbert drove the offense down the field, Badgley executed when it mattered the most to win the game.

Notable Number

25: Justin Herbert is the fourth rookie QB in history with 25 or more touchdown passes, joining Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield.

Quick Takes

Statistically, Justin Herbert put together a decent performance, completing 36 of his 44 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. However, the majority of Herbert’s production came from throws underneath until late as he averaged 5.5 yards per pass, showing the inability to open up the playbook. Nonetheless, it was Herbert’s first career game winning drive.

What more can you say about running back Austin Ekeler? There hasn’t been one bad outing from the former Western Colorado product this season. Ekeler put on a show today, both on the ground and through the air, combining for 146 yards from scrimmage. While Ekeler flourished, credit goes to the guys up front, who had a handful of key blocks.

Wide receiver Keenan Allen caught nearly everything thrown his way, as per usual, recording nine catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. But his teammate, WR Tyron Johnson stepped up today for Mike Williams after he left early in the game with an injury, posting six catches for 55 yards and a score.

After getting gashed on the ground in recent weeks, the Chargers turned things around this weekend, only allowing 70 yards on 20 carries. However, the pass defense was suspect outside of the three interceptions, particularly cornerbacks Casey Hayward, Chris Harris Jr. and free safety Nasir Adderley.

Hayward and Harris Jr. allowed wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage to combine for 13 receptions, 206 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Adderley dealt with tackling woes. As a result, he was benched in favor of Rayshawn Jenkins, who had an interception shortly after.

After Anthony Lynn took over the special teams department, they saw some positive results . Adderley returned a kick for 76 yards. The coverage unit looked sharp. Most notably, kicker Michael Badgley made all of his kicks, including the 43-yard game-winning field goal.

Up Next

The Chargers travel to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 5:20 p.m. PT.

Miracle of miracles: Chargers win a close game on last-second field goal

The Los Angeles Chargers got a late field goal and won a close game, finally

Talk about a shocker. In a game no one seemed to want, the Los Angeles Chargers got a last-second field goal from Michael Badgley to down the Atlanta Falcons, 20-17, on Sunday.

It wasn’t easy, though.

The Chargers blew a chance to set up the winning score when rookie Justin Herbert threw a pick.

However, the favor was returned when Matt Ryan threw an interception.

Herbert drove the Chargers into field-goal position and Michael Badgley, who has had a rough year, knocked through the game-winner as time expired.

 

This was a form of redemption for the Chargers’ field-goal unit, which suffered an embarrassment at the end of the first half. It actually belonged to Anthony Lynn, the offense, and all the Bolts as they mismanaged the clock.

Just another whiff in a season of special teams nightmares.

The Chargers had been 4-18 in one-score games.

 

Chargers’ Players of the Game in Week 11 vs. Jets

There were a few standout players in the Chargers’ victory over the Jets.

The Chargers took care of business against the Jets, picking up their third win by the score of 34-28.

There were a few players who contributed to the Week 11 victory. Let’s take a look at who’s deserving of this week’s awards.

Offensive Player of the Game: QB Justin Herbert

Going into the contest, there was a good opportunity for a bounce back game for Herbert, as he was set to face a depleted secondary. The rookie put the team on his back, finishing 37-of-49 passing for 366 yards and three touchdowns. He was composed, in control and had a few highlight reel throws. It won’t come as a surprise if and when we see Herbert win the Offensive Rookie of the Week.

Defensive Player of the Game: CB Tevaughn Campbell

This was a toss up between Campbell, linebacker Denzel Perryman and edge defender Joey Bosa. Perryman made a few energetic plays against the pass and run, showing that he should be retained after this season. Bosa was called for a few penalties, including a questionable roughing the passer call, but his presence was felt against the pass. Campbell, however, made two clutch plays that had a big impact, an interception returned for a touchdown and the game-ensuing pass deflection.

Special Teams Player of the Game: K Michael Badgley

The special teams woes continued today. But Badgley continued to overcome his blunders from earlier this season, finishing perfect on all six of his kicks, including a long of 44 yards. One of these days, it will be someone other than Badgley, hopefully.

Chargers’ Players of the Game in Week 10 vs. Dolphins

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez gives out individual awards for Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins.

[jwplayer n73ie9r3-ThvAeFxT]

The Chargers suffered defeat to the Dolphins on Sunday, 29-21.

While there wasn’t a lot of good to take away from the loss, there were still a few players that stood out in all three phases of the game.

Let’s take a look at who’s deserving of this week’s awards:

Offensive Player of the Game: RB Kalen Ballage

There was a consistent trend of this going to quarterback Justin Herbert on a weekly basis. However, Herbert experienced arguably the most underwhelming performance of the season. Instead, Ballage, who was signed to the active roster the day before the game, was among the few who made the most of every snap. Ballage ran hard every single time he got the football, amassing 68 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. He also proved to be valuable in the passing game, both as a pass catcher and a blocker, finishing with 34 yards on five catches.

Defensive Player of the Game: CB Michael Davis

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa didn’t light up the secondary by any means, but Davis was the one defensive player who made the most impactful plays in critical moments. Finishing with two passes defensed, Davis was sticky in coverage. Linebacker Denzel Perryman was also in consideration for this award for his efforts against the run, but he failed to reel in a tipped pass, which was forced by Davis for an interception.

Special Teams Player of the Game: K Michael Badgley

The special teams unit struggled mightily as a whole on Sunday. But Badgley was the lone bright spot, as he was perfect on all extra points. For someone who was unable to execute simple tasks like this just a couple of weeks ago, it’s good to see him turn things around.

Chargers not expected to try out kickers

Chargers kicker Michael Badgley’s seat is getting warm.

After bringing the Chargers stability at the kicker position, Michael Badgley was given the nickname “Money Badger.”

But this season, Badgley has failed to live up to the name.

After missing what would have been the game-winning on Monday night against the Saints in Week 5, Badgley followed that up with a missed extra point and 48-yard attempt on Sunday against the Jaguars.

While he did make two 35-yard field goals yesterday, his inconsistency is starting to become an issue. Badgley is 9-of-13 this season on field goals, which equals the number he missed the previous two years combined. Including extra points, he’s missed six kicks.

Despite the concerns with Badgley’s kicking, coach Anthony Lynn has complete confidence in him that he can get it together and does not plan on bringing in kickers for a tryout.

“Michael’s never been in a stretch like this that I can remember,” Lynn said. “He’s going to have to dig deep. He’s going to have to come out of it. But I have all the confidence in the world in Mike.”

Special teams hasn’t been a strong asset for Los Angeles, as the team ranks 32nd in special-teams DVOA this season. Badgley’s kicking factors into it as well as other areas like return coverage.

Instant analysis of Chargers’ 30-27 loss to Saints

Breakdown of the Los Angeles Chargers’ 30-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints.

The Chargers once again had their opponent right where they wanted them early on in the contest, but they ultimately let the contest slip away, allowing the Saints to claw their way back in. The result? Los Angeles lost to New Orleans, 30-27 in overtime.

Here is our instant analysis from the Monday night matchup:

Injury Report

Wide receiver Keenan Allen suffered a back injury early on in the contest. Allen was attended by the team’s trainers, but he was ruled out following the half. His status remains to be seen.

Edge defender Uchenna Nwosu went down in the fourth quarter. Nwosu was spotted in the medical tent and never returned to the field. His status is up in the air.

Cornerback Casey Hayward left in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury. Hayward was replaced by Brandon Facyson.

Play of the Game: Mike Williams’ phenomenal catch

Rookie quarterback Justin Herbert made some outstanding throws all night, but the most eyebrow-raising play came in the fourth quarter when he connected with Williams, where he went up over two defenders to reel in the pass.

Notable Number

4: Justin Herbert made history by becoming the first rookie to throw 4 touchdowns on Monday Night Football.

Quick Notes

What more can you expect from Herbert? The rookie went toe to toe with future Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees, finishing 20-of-34 passing for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Herbert did this all while being in the face of pressure all night.

Herbert did miss some throws, including a crucial one to a wide open K.J. Hill in overtime, but it will come with timing and experience. The positives still outweigh the negatives.

Speaking of being under duress, the Chargers offensive line had no answer for the Saints pass rush. Herbert was sacked three times and was pressured 14 times (37.8% pressure rate, the defense’s highest in a game this season), per Next Gen Stats.

The Chargers took the conservative route rather than being aggressive on early downs, especially late in the game, which speaks to the lack of trust they have in the offensive line in pass protection.

Justin Jackson led the backfield with 42 snaps as opposed to Joshua Kelley with 25. Jackson took advantage of his carries, turning the 15 of them into 71 yards (4.7 YPC). Meanwhile, Kelley had yet again another underwhelming performance, failing to go over 30 yards on the ground.

We knew it was a matter of time until Herbert started taking more deep shots to Mike Williams. After Allen went down, Williams became Herbert’s go-to target. Williams turned eight targets into five catches for 109 yards and two scores.

The defense did a nice job limiting Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray to less than 100 yards rushing. Kyzir White, Rayshawn Jenkins and Kenneth Murray did their jobs to close in on plays. Kudos also goes to Linval Joseph and Uchenna Nwosu, who played vital roles in the run game.

It was only a matter of time until Brees was going to start finding holes in the secondary. Blown coverages and being blatantly out beat were a theme in the second half. Emmanuel Sanders was his go-to target and they flat out flourished, combining for 122 yards on 12 catches.

While White led the team in tackles (15), he continues to be a liability in coverage.

Michael Badgley has to be on the hot seat. Badgley missed an extra point on the team’s first touchdown and the go-ahead 50-yard field goal.

Up Next

The Chargers were set to host the Jets next Sunday, but they will now enjoy their bye week after the schedule change. Los Angeles’ next game will be against the Jaguars on Oct. 25 at 1:25 p.m. PT.

4 most under-appreciated Chargers

Which Chargers players don’t get that much love?

I asked fans on our Facebook and Twitter pages who they believe are the most under-appreciated players on the Chargers. For the most part, the answers were mutual.

With that being said, here are the four most under-appreciated members of Los Angeles heading into the 2020 season:

WR Mike Williams

The first season of Williams’ professional career wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows as the former Clemson product was hampered by injuries. However, he quickly turned things around in his sophomore season, emerging as the player they were hoping to get. In 2018, Williams posted 10 touchdowns. In his third year in the league, he saw a decline in the touchdown category (2). But he still surpassed the 1,000-yard mark and had a league-high 20.4 yards per catch. The 25-year old had his fifth-year option picked up earlier this offseason, and he will be hoping to land a long-term commitment by doing what he does best by using his size, strength and coordination to make plays on the ball down the field look routine.

DE Melvin Ingram

For years now, Ingram has been a consistent anchor for the Chargers’ defensive line. He’s had a knack for pressuring the quarterback, drawing double-teams from opposing offensive linemen to allow other defensive linemen to get to the quarterback and serving as a stout run defender. Ingram failed to play a full season in 2019, but he still managed to tally 39 tackles, seven sacks, five passes defended and an interception in 13 games. Ingram’s presence is well-known for the work he does on and off the field, but it’s Bosa who gets the majority of the love. There’s a possibility that this could be Ingram’s final season with the Bolts as he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent after 2020. Ingram also has the largest salary cap hit on the roster ($16 million), which could lessen the chances of him re-signing.

CB Desmond King

The Chargers boast a strong secondary, but one player who doesn’t get as much recognition as he should is King. The former fifth-round pick from 2017 has proven himself as being one of the biggest draft steals for what he’s done since his rookie campaign. The former Iowa product has manned the slot position at a high level. For his hard work, he has been tabbed as Second-Team All-Pro (2018), snubbed from a couple of Pro Bowls and has the second-highest three-year Pro Football Focus grade on defense from the 2017 NFL Draft (90.7). His football IQ, vision, instincts and solid tackling ability are reasons why he has flourished. Heading into 2020, King likely won’t see the field as much at his natural position after the signing of Chris Harris Jr. But I expect the team to use him as an outside corner and dime linebacker.

K Michael Badgley

It wasn’t long ago when the Chargers’ games were determined by a field goal. In need of finding a consistent kicker after a carousel of them, Badgley was the guy they had been needing all along. In two seasons with the Bolts, the former Miami product has given the team no reason to look elsewhere. He has posted 28-of-32 on field goals with a long of 59 yards and is 46-of-47 on extra points. Along with being a good kicker, his character is well-liked among the players on the team.

How Chargers players fare in early 2020 fantasy football rankings

Two players of the Los Angeles Chargers are in the top-10 in early 2020 fantasy football draft rankings.

The Chargers head into the 2020 season with a new signal-caller. After Philip Rivers and the franchise mutually agreed to part ways earlier this offseason, Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert take over under center.

The running back position will have a slightly new look moving forward, too after Melvin Gordon agreed to a deal with the Broncos. Joining Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson is fourth-round pick Joshua Kelley.

Aside from those changes and couple of new additions along the offensive line, the rest of the offense stayed intact with the strong pass-catching group that consists of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Hunter Henry and draft selections Joe Reed and K.J. Hill.

As far as fantasy football goes, which everyone is looking forward to, Los Angeles will have quite a few options in drafts this year. ESPN’s fantasy football experts put together early PPR (points per reception) ranking of players at each position.

Here’s how the Chargers players stack up:

Quarterback

Tyrod Taylor, No. 26

Justin Herbert N/A

Running back

Austin Ekeler, No. 7

Joshua Kelley, No. 54

Justin Jackson, No. 55

Wide receiver

Keenan Allen, No. 15

Mike Williams, No. 46

K.J. Hill N/A

Joe Reed N/A

Tight end

Hunter Henry, No. 8

Kicker

Michael Badgley, No. 20

Defense/Special Teams

Chargers, No. 11