Chargers’ Anthony Lynn sticks to plan, will sit starters versus Seattle Seahawks
Gilbert Manzano
August 23, 2019
COSTA MESA — Chargers coach Anthony Lynn has had a preseason plan for months. He just won’t say what it is, but has offered clues to his not-so-secret strategy.
Lynn said in June he studied teams’ strategies of not playing most starters in the preseason.
“I looked at the Rams,” Lynn said on June 3. “I looked at the Colts. I looked at the Texans. A lot of teams did it last year. I did my research. The results speak for themselves. I think all of those teams were in the playoffs at the end of the season. I think they were playing their best football at the end of the season. I think we’re going to do some things differently this year.”
So far, Lynn has followed that model with his veteran starters sitting for the first two preseason games. That likely will be the case for the Week 3 preseason game, when most starters around the league tend to play.
The Chargers will face the Seattle Seahawks at 7 p.m. Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park. The exhibition game will be locally televised on ABC-7 and nationally televised on NFL Network.
Lynn doesn’t mind tweaking the plan for veteran players who request to play in a preseason game. Quarterback Philip Rivers isn’t one of those players.
“He has not (asked to play) so the plan will stay the plan,” Lynn said on Thursday. “You haven’t seen (Rivers) play yet. I doubt you’ll see him on Saturday.”
So who will play Saturday night?
“The guys that have been playing all along, those guys are going to play, and they may play a little bit longer this game because it’s the third game,” Lynn said. “The guys that I’ve sat out, those guys are going to sit out.”
From that response, expect Rivers to be joined on the sidelines by wide receiver Keenan Allen, center Mike Pouncey, linebacker Thomas Davis, defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and pass rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.
But the Chargers’ top cornerback, Casey Hayward, will be dressed to play. He requested to play against the Seahawks.
“Casey’s going to play a couple snaps,” Lynn said. “That’s what he felt like he needed, so that’s what I want to give him.”
Starting-caliber players fighting for jobs, coming off injury or with less than four years of experience aren’t part of the rest plan. Wide receiver Mike Williams, cornerback Desmond King, tight end Hunter Henry, linebacker Denzel Perryman and safety Derwin James (before his foot injury) have all played in the preseason.
Lynn’s strategy is not about preventing injuries. It’s about keeping players fresh for the stretch run and possibly a playoff run. He noticed a tired team at the end of last season, which ended with a flat performance in New England for the divisional round of the postseason.
But there is risk involved with Lynn’s preseason plan. James won’t be around for the first half of the season, and it’s appearing likely that running back Melvin Gordon and left tackle Russell Okung won’t be available for the start of the regular season. James was placed on injured reserve, Gordon is holding out for a better contract and Okung’s return is unknown after he suffered a pulmonary embolism in June.
Rivers might be going under center with many new faces on the offensive line for the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Bosa and Ingram might be rushing the passer with a rearranged secondary behind them.
Perhaps Lynn feels comfortable with the moving parts because the team got acquainted during training camp, which included four joint scrimmages, two with the Rams and two with the New Orleans Saints.
“I like the camp that we had though,” Lynn said. “I thought the guys worked hard. I think we are a better football team now than when we showed up July 24th. We are just doing our best to keep guys healthy and trying to get to Week 1 with the right team.”
www.ocregister.com/chargers-anthony-lynn-sticks-to-plan-will-sit-starters-versus-seattle-seahawks