Tag: Tuli Tuipulotu

Trojans in the NFL brought their A-games in Week 11

Tuli Tuipulotu and Amon-Ra St. Brown were the best of the best for USC in the NFL this past weekend. Trojans are showing out on the pro football stage.

On Saturday, the current USC team took care of business against Nebraska, holding on for a 28-20 victory. On Sunday, numerous former USC players showed out for their respective NFL teams. Let’s take a look at some of the top performances by Trojans in the NFL from Week 11.

Amon-Ra St. Brown

The Detroit Lions’ superstar wide receiver caught 11 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns in his team’s 52-6 blowout of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Talk about a monster day.

Tuli Tuipulotu

In a primetime showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals, the Los Angeles Chargers’ young defensive lineman was more than ready for the moment. Tuli Tuipulotu had 1.5 sacks of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in a 34-27 LA win.

Sam Darnold

After a few rough weeks, Darnold bounced back on Sunday. The Minnesota Vikings quarterback completed 20 of his 32 pass attempts for 246 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-13 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Jordan Addison

On the receiving end of one of Darnold’s TDs was Jordan Addison. The second year wideout caught three passes for 61 yards and a score in Minnesota’s win.

Drake London

It was a rough afternoon for the Atlanta Falcons, who suffered a 38-6 blowout loss to the Broncos in Denver. But London still had a solid day, catching three passes for 61 yards.

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Game Balls: 5 standouts in Chargers’ Week 11 primetime victory

Once again, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was dominant in the team’s fourth consecutive victory.

The Chargers won their fourth straight game with a narrow victory in primetime on Sunday Night Football. The Bolts may not have won this game in the past, but it’s starting to feel like a new era with Jim Harbaugh.

Without further ado, here are the standouts from the Chargers’ impressive victory in Week 11.

QB Justin Herbert

Herbert was slinging the rock early on before cooling off in the second half. He finished the contest with 297 passing yards and two touchdowns. Perhaps most importantly, he was able to continuously escape the pocket and pick up first downs with his legs. Herbert finished with five carries and a season-high 65 rushing yards on the night.

WR Ladd McConkey

The rookie wideout racked up a career-high 123 receiving yards and tied his best mark of six catches. As Herbert continues to play better, so does McConkey. He’s become the clear No. 1 in an offense that desperately needed it earlier in the season. Without him, the Chargers would not have won this contest.

OT Joe Alt

This rookie class continues to perform, led by Alt and McConkey. Alt was phenomenal all night, and Herbert was sacked twice against the Bengals’ front. The rookie offensive tackle may be a candidate to make the AFC’s Pro Bowl squad.

EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu

With Khalil Mack out of the lineup, Tuipulotu continued his recent excellence. Against a vulnerable Bengals offensive line, he racked up 1.5 sacks, five total tackles, and four quarterback hits. All seven of his sacks on the season have now come in the last four weeks. Tuipulotu is tied for 11th in the NFL in bringing down the quarterback.

EDGE Joey Bosa

This was a vintage performance from Bosa and a reminder of how good he is when healthy. While he didn’t officially register a sack, he was after Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow all night long. Bosa finished with eight pressures and three quarterback hits on the evening. This Chargers pass rush has been exceptional recently, and that was on full display again on Sunday.

Chargers acknowledge Jesse Minter might not be in Los Angeles for long

Jesse Minter has transformed the Chargers’ defense into being one of the best units in the NFL in 2024.

The Chargers have undergone a complete identity change in 2024. It starts with head coach Jim Harbaugh, who has always been known to have physical football teams.

Los Angeles has prioritized winning in the trenches, which was evident when they selected Joe Alt fifth overall over an elite wide receiver talent. Beyond Harbaugh, though, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has also played a large role in the team’s identity change.

The defense has looked much better in 2024 under Minter, who is in his first year in the NFL. Harbaugh acknowledged Minter may not be with the team for long.

“We’re probably gonna have to just enjoy Jesse Minter while we have him because I have a feeling he’s gonna be a head coach next year. We’re gonna be competing against him,” Harbaugh said on The Pat McAfee Show.

If things continue as they are, Minter will undoubtedly be a prime coaching candidate this upcoming offseason. A few obvious spots around the league will have an opening, and the young DC will likely get a few interviews, at minimum.

In 2024, the Chargers are the league’s lowest-scoring defense. In fact, they have allowed 28 fewer points than the next-best defense, the Steelers. Minter’s unit ranks in the top 10 in both run defense (9th) and pass defense (9th).

“He’s just intuitive. He knows offensive football almost as well as defensive football. He knows how an offense is going to try to attack. There’s some playcallers that just have ‘it’ too, he has it,” Harbaugh said of Minter.

Suddenly, the Chargers seem to have one of the best coaching staffs in the league. That’s not something we could have said in past seasons, and it has completely transformed this team.

Game Balls: 5 standouts from Chargers’ win over Titans

It was another dominant team effort from the Chargers in Week 10, which included seven sacks from the defense.

Folks, the Los Angeles Chargers are hot. The team has now won three straight and four of their last five after their victory over the Titans in Week 10.

Jim Harbaugh has been persistent about the fact that it’s been a total team effort, and that couldn’t be more true. Here are five players who were key to the team’s 27-17 victory over the lowly Titans this past Sunday.

WR Derius Davis

Davis provided an impact all over the field on Sunday. After the Titans cut to 13-10 early in the third quarter, Davis had a 56-yard kick return into Titans territory. It set the offense up with prime field position, and they were able to capitalize with a touchdown to take a 10-point lead. Davis added a 16-yard catch and seven-yard run to a busy, effective day for him.

OG Zion Johnson

The Chargers have improved their offensive line play in 2024, and Johnson has been a big reason for that. The offense finished with 145 rushing yards, and quarterback Justin Herbert wasn’t sacked once. In a season that has provided many bright spots, Johnson’s progression has been crucial to the offensive line’s success.

RB Gus Edwards

For awhile, it seemed that Edwards had lost his backup job to Kimani Vidal. He missed over a month due to injury and was largely ineffective when he was active this season. Vidal wasn’t effective in the team’s last few games, which led to him being a healthy inactive against the Titans. On Sunday, Edwards was the team’s most efficient ball carrier. He finished with 55 rushing yards on ten carries, over two yards per carry better than starter J.K. Dobbins.

LB Daiyan Henley

Henley was all over the field on Sunday. He had his ups and downs in 2024 but was solid against the Titans. Henley finished the day with 10 total tackles and his first sack of the season. The Chargers’ defense continues to be much improved this season, and the linebacker play has been a big reason for that.

EDGE Bud Dupree

The Chargers’ backup edge rushers have stepped up in a huge way recently. This week, Dupree broke out with two sacks and a forced fumble. The defense finished the day with seven sacks, which included two more from Tuli Tuipolotu. The defensive front continues to wreak havoc, and Dupree was the most significant contributor.

Chargers’ unofficial depth chart heading into Week 1 vs. Raiders

Here is a look at the Los Angeles Chargers’ current unofficial depth chart.

The Chargers reconstructed their coaching staff and roster this offseason. Now, it’s time to take the field.

With five days until the Bolts’ first game of the 2024 regular season, here is a look at the team’s unofficial depth chart going into Week 1.

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Starter: Justin Herbert

Backups: Easton Stick and Taylor Heinicke

Running back

Starter: J.K. Dobbins OR Gus Edwards

Backups: Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins

Fullback

Starter: Scott Matlock

Backups: None

Wide receiver

Starters: Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark OR Quentin Johnston

Backups: Derius Davis, Ladd McConkey, Simi Fehoko and Brenden Rice

Tight end

Starter: Hayden Hurst OR Will Dissly

Backups: Stone Smartt

Offensive tackles

Starters: Rashawn Slater (LT) and Joe Alt (RT)

Backups: Foster Sarell (LT and RT)

Interior offensive linemen

Starters: Zion Johnson (LG), Bradley Bozeman (C) and Trey Pipkins III (RG)

Backups: Jordan McFadden (LG), Brenden Jaimes (C) and Jamaree Salyer (RG)

DEFENSE

Interior defensive linemen

Starters: Morgan Fox, Poona Ford and Otito Ogbonnia

Backups: Scott Matlock, Teair Tart and Justin Eboigbe

Edge rusher

Starters: Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack

Backups: Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu

Inside linebacker

Starters: Denzel Perryman and Daiyan Henley

Backups: Troy Dye and Junior Colson

Cornerback

Starters: Asante Samuel, Jr. and Kristian Fulton

Backups: Ja’Sir Taylor, Deane Leonard, Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart

Safety

Starters: Derwin James, Jr. and Alohi Gilman

Backups: AJ Finley and Elijah Molden

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker

Cameron Dicker

Punter

JK Scott

Long snapper

Josh Harris

Kick returner

Starter: Derius Davis

Backups: Ladd McConkey

Punt returner

Starter: Derius Davis

Backups: Ladd McConkey

How Chargers rookies fared in preseason debut

Evaluating Los Angeles Chargers rookies after first week of 2024 NFL preseason.

The preseason is meant to evaluate players, and for a handful of them, this past week marked their first time playing in an NFL game. This included the Chargers’ draft picks in their loss to the Seahawks on Saturday.

Los Angeles was headlined by first-round pick offensive tackle Joe Alt, who had a solid performance. Alt played 21 snaps and only allowed one quarterback pressure. He showed good finesse in pass protection and power and movement skills in the run game to clear some lanes.

“It felt great,” Alt said, per the team’s official website. “It’s always good to get your first live play under your belt with the group you have the most experience with. It was good to be out there will all of them.”

Wide receiver Ladd McConkey and linebacker Junior Colson did not play as they’ve been working through some injuries.

Defensive tackle Justin Eboigbe played 30 snaps. Eboigbe didn’t have much of an impact, logging just one assisted tackle. The rookie out of Alabama has flashed at training camp, however, especially against the run.

Cornerback Tarheeb Still, who has been a summer standout, continued to make his case for the starting nickel spot. Still posted two pass breakups. But along with his cover skills, he flashed as a blitzer.

CB Cam Hart did not play.

Running back Kimani Vidal was in uniform for warmups, but was not suited up for the game.

Wide receiver Brenden Rice played the second-most snaps. He was targeted three times but failed to record a reception. A large part of that was due to inefficient quarterback play. There were many instances of Rice running great routes and being open. He had an aDOT (average depth of target) of 15.3.

WR Cornelius Johnson was on the field for just eight snaps.

Projecting the Chargers’ edge rusher depth chart in 2024

Taking a crack at projecting what the Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher room will look like entering the 2024 season.

Over the next few weeks ahead of training camp, I will continue to break down the depth chart for each Chargers position.

Quarterback

Running back

Wide receiver

Tight end

Offensive line

Next, I project what the edge rusher room will look like heading into the 2024 season.

Khalil Mack

After considering retiring following the Chargers’ playoff collapse to the Jaguars, Mack had one of the best years of his career in his 10th NFL season. He set a career-high in sacks for a season with 17 and became the 43rd player in NFL history to hit the 100-sack mark. Mack was integral in getting after the quarterback and defending the run. For his efforts, he was named to his eighth Pro Bowl. Mack and Joey Bosa should benefit from new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Joey Bosa

Bosa has missed 20 games in the last two seasons with various soft tissue and lower body injuries. Entering Year 9, the Chargers are hopeful he can stay healthy and replicate his 2021 season when he had double-digit sacks and started in all 16 games. If all goes as planned, Bosa and Khalil Mack should be one of the top edge rusher tandems, something they’ve hoped for since Mack was signed two years ago.

Tuli Tuipulotu

The second-round pick of last year’s draft, Tuipulotu quickly made a name for himself upon entering the league. His snaps quickly crept up as the weeks went on, and he eventually became a full-time starter when Bosa suffered his season-ending foot injury. Tuipulotu was a mainstay in opposing team’s backfields on a weekly basis. His 88.4 Pro Football Focus run-defense grade led all rookies and trailed only Mack, Maxx Crosby, and DeMarcus Lawrence among qualified edge defenders. He also finished second behind Texans’ Will Anderson with 51 pressures.

Bud Dupree

The Chargers signed Dupree in May. Across nine seasons, he has 305 tackles, 53 sacks, 70 tackles for loss, 90 QB hits and 12 forced fumbles. The 31-year-old Dupree will be a rotational rusher in different packages with Mack, Bosa and Tuipulotu.

What is the biggest strength for the Chargers heading into the 2024 season?

ESPN’s Mike Clay listed the biggest strength for each team heading into the new season.

The Chargers retooled their roster this offseason, adding players to various positions. But among them, what is arguably the most superior one?

In a recent article by ESPN’s Mike Clay, he wrote that the edge rusher group is the Bolts’ biggest strength heading into the 2024 season.

Edge rusher. Joey Bosa should be the headliner here, but injuries have been an issue, as he’s been limited to 14 games over the past two seasons. Of course, he was a superstar during his first six seasons (58 sacks) and was effective in nine games in 2023 (6.5 sacks). Opposite Bosa is Khalil Mack, who is now 33 years old but still playing elite ball, having recorded 17.0 sacks last season (fourth-most in the league). Second-year man Tuli Tuipulotu and veteran newcomer Bud Dupree add solid depth.

One of the best moves of the offseason was retaining Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, who both took pay cuts to come back.

Bosa has missed 20 games in the last two seasons with various soft tissue and lower body injuries. The Chargers are hopeful he can stay healthy and replicate his 2021 season when he had double-digit sacks and started in all 16 games.

Mack is coming off a season in which he set a career-high in sacks with 17 and became the 43rd player in NFL history to reach 100 sacks.

Quarterbacks not only have to feat Bosa and Mack but also second-year Tuli Tuipulotu, who had an outstanding rookie season. He finished second in quarterback pressures (51), only behind the Texans’ Will Anderson, while also providing a high level of play against the run.

But the positional room doesn’t stop there, as the Chargers added veteran Bud Dupree in May. Across nine seasons, Dupree has 305 tackles, 53 sacks, 70 tackles for loss, 90 QB hits and 12 forced fumbles.

Under new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, Mack and Bosa’s contributions and those of Tuipulotu and Dupree will go a long way toward forming a dominant defense.

Joey Bosa on returning to Chargers with pay cut: ‘It was a pretty easy decision’

Joey Bosa would like to finish his career with the Chargers.

Joey Bosa had his first media availability session of mandatory minicamp since returning to the Chargers on a reworked contract this offseason. When asked about that process and returning, Bosa had this to say:

You know, I want to win. I want to be on this team. I want another shot with the guys in this room, especially [OLB] Khalil [Mack]. Yeah, that’s what it was and winning football games is more important to me right now than making some extra money. I think we have a great opportunity here. Who knows, maybe I’ll have a great year this year and things change down the road. I think if a guy like Khalil is coming off a year with 17 sacks and can take that cut, it shows the kind of guy that he is and the kind of culture we have brewing here. That’s who I want to be with. It was a pretty easy decision.

Bosa added that the addition of Jim Harbaugh was a factor in his mind, noting that he could be the “final piece” the team needs to get over the top. But his history with the organization in “wanting to be there for the moment” was an important piece as well. Later on in the media availability, he went on to say that he would ideally want to finish his career with the Bolts.

Bosa was asked if it felt different in the building throughout this offseason and had this to say:

Yeah, you know it’s not like these last eight years I’ve come in and thought we were going to lose or have a bad year [laughter]. I felt like every year when I tell you things are feeling good and I feel optimistic, it wasn’t a lie. But yeah, I think things are definitely, like I said, trending in the right direction. Everybody is on the details. I’m sure it’s a word that you’ve heard a million times. I think it just feels like Coach [Harbaugh] is leading the team the way it should be led. It has a feel of being back in college with [former Ohio State Head] Coach Urban Meyer. The message is sent from the top and it doesn’t get mixed up as it’s moving down the ladder. It’s, ‘Boom, this is how we’re doing things,’ and everybody is following that. I think it’s impressive, the details that everybody has been on, the effort and just the competitiveness that has been going on over the last few weeks. It’s been great.

Bosa mentioned his fight to stay healthy and on the field several times throughout the presser. Right now, he says his hamstring and foot are “good.” In perhaps slightly new information, Bosa ended up having offseason surgery on his finger.

He mentioned that his foot sprain against the Packers got worse when he tried to return to practice afterward, resulting in reaggravation and, ultimately, Bosa being shut down for the rest of the season. Asked about Giff Smith, he noted that he wanted to return within those last few weeks for him. It just never made sense with the nature of the injury and the direction of the season.

Chargers’ Tuli Tuipulotu speaks on what he’s worked on in offseason

Tuli Tuipulotu is focusing on his pass rush this offseason.

Not many 21-year-olds come into the NFL and play of the caliber that edge defender Tuli Tuipulotu did in his rookie season.

Tuipulotu, the former second-round pick, finished with the second-most quarterback pressures among rookies (51) and an 88.4 run defense grade that only trailed greats Maxx Crosby, DeMarcus Lawrence and Khalil Mack.

Despite such a fantastic first year, Tuipulotu felt he left some to be desired and has been working hard to hone in on his craft.

“I would just say my get off and my pass rush,” Tuipulotu said about what he worked on. “I think a lot of people thought I had a good impact in the pass rush game, but I felt like I left so much stuff on the field. I had a lot of opportunities to make more plays and didn’t take advantage of it.

“So going into the offseason, I needed to work on my get off, getting to the point and my pass rush hand moves,” Tuipulotu added. “All that stuff.”

Tuipulotu rejoins his fellow teammates Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, who were brought back. He expressed his excitement when he found out that they were returning. Tuipulotu will have another veteran in the positional room with Bud Dupree.

With all of the hard work that Tuipulotu has been putting in, there is only one thing on his mind as he heads into his sophomore season.

“We just want to win,” Tuipulotu said.