Post by joemcrugby on Jan 3, 2022 5:57:19 GMT -7
Chargers face win-and-they’re-in scenario in finale: Takeaways from their 34-13 victory over Broncos
By Daniel Popper
…
Winning recipe for defense
The Chargers defense has struggled primarily in two areas all season: against the run and on third downs.
On Sunday against the Broncos, the Chargers were dominant in those two phases of the game, and it was the main reason they came out with a win.
The Broncos finished with 83 rushing yards on 27 carries for a 3.07-yards-per-carry average. It was the second-lowest average the Chargers have allowed in any game this season — just better than the 3.06 yards per carry the Chargers allowed to the Steelers in Week 11.
Defensive lineman Justin Jones was back after missing last week’s loss to the Texans while on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and his presence made a huge difference. Jones had two tackles for no gain on one series early in the second quarter. One came on a third-and-goal from the 2-yard line, when Jones penetrated from the interior and smothered rookie Javonte Williams in the backfield. Williams, who had 111 total yards in the teams’ first meeting in Week 12, finished with just 30 rushing yards on 14 carries. He also only caught one pass for 2 yards.
The Broncos running backs — Williams and former Charger Melvin Gordon — had only one run of more than 7 yards in the game. After what happened last week in Houston, this was an impressive response from the Chargers run defense.
“You can’t say enough about our front seven and our secondary and the way we attacked the run front today,” coach Brandon Staley said.
Joey Bosa, who also missed last week while on the COVID-19 list, had a tackle for loss. Derwin James also created a tackle for loss for Jerry Tillery after penetrating off the edge.
“I felt like we were playing on the other side of the line of scrimmage,” Staley said.
The Chargers entered Sunday with the worst third-down defense in football, allowing opposing offenses to convert more than 51 percent of the time through the first 15 games.
On Sunday, the Broncos converted just three of their 11 third downs, including 2 of 10 to start the game. Of those two conversions, one was a third-and-1 sneak from Broncos quarterback Drew Lock. The only third-down-conversion completion from Lock came on a third-and-7 in the third quarter when he hit Courtland Sutton.
The reason for the improvement is simple. The Chargers actually had their starting secondary. Asante Samuel Jr., Michael Davis, Chris Harris Jr., James, Nasir Adderley and Alohi Gilman — the Chargers’ starting dime secondary heading into the season — were all on the field together for just the third game this season. It was the first time since Week 1 that all six players were healthy and finished the game. They played together in Week 8 against the Patriots, but Davis (hamstring) and Samuel (concussion) left that game with injuries. They were all active in Week 5 against the Browns, but Harris was limited with a shoulder injury that had forced him to miss the previous three games.
This might sound like an oversimplification, but it really is not. The Chargers had their best defensive backs on the field at the same time, and it led to results.
“It felt great to play with our starting secondary for one of the few times this season,” Staley said. “Our secondary performed at a high level, with Derwin leading the way.”
It wasn’t perfect. Davis failed to make a play on the ball on a 44-yard completion to Sutton in the second quarter. Davis was in a good position on the play. The Chargers allowed a dump off to tight end Noah Fant in the flat to turn into a 40-yard gain late in the third quarter because of poor angles from several players, including Davis, Harris and linebacker Kyzir White. The Chargers also lost Gordon on a checkdown late in the first half. Gordon’s 24-yard reception moved the Broncos to midfield. After a slant completion to receiver Kendall Hinton, kicker Brandon McManus connected from 61 yards as time expired for Denver’s first points.
But the Chargers secondary showed up on money downs. Samuel, for instance, had a diving pass breakup on a third-and-6 in the first quarter.
The Chargers defense, collectively, came up with timely plays in crucial moments.
Tillery had a sack on a fourth-and-6 in the first quarter, winning with an interior swipe move that has become his favorite pass-rushing weapon. That followed up a third-down tackle for loss from Christian Covington.
The Broncos tried to run a variation of Philly Special on a fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line in the second quarter. The Chargers were in a Cover 0 look and did not have anyone on Lock, who leaked into the flat after handing to running back Mike Boone. Boone then flipped to Hinton on a reverse.
Adderley exploded through the line and hit Hinton as he tried to throw to Lock. Hinton completed the pass, but Adderley’s pressure gave the defense enough time to recover. Bosa prevented a touchdown by hitting Lock short of the goal line.
On a third-and-3 early in the third quarter, James came free on a blitz off the edge and forced a bad throw from Lock. On the ensuing fourth-and-3, Bosa won on an inside move and a retreating Lock misfired while looking for Fant. Harris broke the pass up.
With his full secondary playing, Staley was able to dive deeper into his playbook and vary his defensive groupings. James spent time in the slot and was used as a blitzer off the edge, with Harris moving to safety in certain packages. The Chargers were in dime in 5.6 percent of their defensive snaps, according to TruMedia. It was the most dime they have played since Week 12.
This is what the Chargers defense is supposed to look like.
“We were able to play the way that we started out this season playing,” Staley said.
The Chargers are getting healthy at the right time.
…
theathletic.com/3048016/2022/01/03/chargers-face-win-and-theyre-in-scenario-in-finale-takeaways-from-their-34-13-victory-over-broncos/
By Daniel Popper
…
Winning recipe for defense
The Chargers defense has struggled primarily in two areas all season: against the run and on third downs.
On Sunday against the Broncos, the Chargers were dominant in those two phases of the game, and it was the main reason they came out with a win.
The Broncos finished with 83 rushing yards on 27 carries for a 3.07-yards-per-carry average. It was the second-lowest average the Chargers have allowed in any game this season — just better than the 3.06 yards per carry the Chargers allowed to the Steelers in Week 11.
Defensive lineman Justin Jones was back after missing last week’s loss to the Texans while on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and his presence made a huge difference. Jones had two tackles for no gain on one series early in the second quarter. One came on a third-and-goal from the 2-yard line, when Jones penetrated from the interior and smothered rookie Javonte Williams in the backfield. Williams, who had 111 total yards in the teams’ first meeting in Week 12, finished with just 30 rushing yards on 14 carries. He also only caught one pass for 2 yards.
The Broncos running backs — Williams and former Charger Melvin Gordon — had only one run of more than 7 yards in the game. After what happened last week in Houston, this was an impressive response from the Chargers run defense.
“You can’t say enough about our front seven and our secondary and the way we attacked the run front today,” coach Brandon Staley said.
Joey Bosa, who also missed last week while on the COVID-19 list, had a tackle for loss. Derwin James also created a tackle for loss for Jerry Tillery after penetrating off the edge.
“I felt like we were playing on the other side of the line of scrimmage,” Staley said.
The Chargers entered Sunday with the worst third-down defense in football, allowing opposing offenses to convert more than 51 percent of the time through the first 15 games.
On Sunday, the Broncos converted just three of their 11 third downs, including 2 of 10 to start the game. Of those two conversions, one was a third-and-1 sneak from Broncos quarterback Drew Lock. The only third-down-conversion completion from Lock came on a third-and-7 in the third quarter when he hit Courtland Sutton.
The reason for the improvement is simple. The Chargers actually had their starting secondary. Asante Samuel Jr., Michael Davis, Chris Harris Jr., James, Nasir Adderley and Alohi Gilman — the Chargers’ starting dime secondary heading into the season — were all on the field together for just the third game this season. It was the first time since Week 1 that all six players were healthy and finished the game. They played together in Week 8 against the Patriots, but Davis (hamstring) and Samuel (concussion) left that game with injuries. They were all active in Week 5 against the Browns, but Harris was limited with a shoulder injury that had forced him to miss the previous three games.
This might sound like an oversimplification, but it really is not. The Chargers had their best defensive backs on the field at the same time, and it led to results.
“It felt great to play with our starting secondary for one of the few times this season,” Staley said. “Our secondary performed at a high level, with Derwin leading the way.”
It wasn’t perfect. Davis failed to make a play on the ball on a 44-yard completion to Sutton in the second quarter. Davis was in a good position on the play. The Chargers allowed a dump off to tight end Noah Fant in the flat to turn into a 40-yard gain late in the third quarter because of poor angles from several players, including Davis, Harris and linebacker Kyzir White. The Chargers also lost Gordon on a checkdown late in the first half. Gordon’s 24-yard reception moved the Broncos to midfield. After a slant completion to receiver Kendall Hinton, kicker Brandon McManus connected from 61 yards as time expired for Denver’s first points.
But the Chargers secondary showed up on money downs. Samuel, for instance, had a diving pass breakup on a third-and-6 in the first quarter.
The Chargers defense, collectively, came up with timely plays in crucial moments.
Tillery had a sack on a fourth-and-6 in the first quarter, winning with an interior swipe move that has become his favorite pass-rushing weapon. That followed up a third-down tackle for loss from Christian Covington.
The Broncos tried to run a variation of Philly Special on a fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line in the second quarter. The Chargers were in a Cover 0 look and did not have anyone on Lock, who leaked into the flat after handing to running back Mike Boone. Boone then flipped to Hinton on a reverse.
Adderley exploded through the line and hit Hinton as he tried to throw to Lock. Hinton completed the pass, but Adderley’s pressure gave the defense enough time to recover. Bosa prevented a touchdown by hitting Lock short of the goal line.
On a third-and-3 early in the third quarter, James came free on a blitz off the edge and forced a bad throw from Lock. On the ensuing fourth-and-3, Bosa won on an inside move and a retreating Lock misfired while looking for Fant. Harris broke the pass up.
With his full secondary playing, Staley was able to dive deeper into his playbook and vary his defensive groupings. James spent time in the slot and was used as a blitzer off the edge, with Harris moving to safety in certain packages. The Chargers were in dime in 5.6 percent of their defensive snaps, according to TruMedia. It was the most dime they have played since Week 12.
This is what the Chargers defense is supposed to look like.
“We were able to play the way that we started out this season playing,” Staley said.
The Chargers are getting healthy at the right time.
…
theathletic.com/3048016/2022/01/03/chargers-face-win-and-theyre-in-scenario-in-finale-takeaways-from-their-34-13-victory-over-broncos/
