Future With Lynn?

[Boltjolt]

On top of that Aikman calling it out that we should have taken a timeout to preserve clock after stopping the Raiders, Lynn letting time just tick before realizing to call it probably from someone up in the booth. Just sick and tired of mis managed games.

Obviously Badgley's kicking mechanics are off and still hasnt been fixed. His plant foot is always in a direction it shouldnt be. This was pointed out before from someone. I expect Lynn to have no clue on this or anyone on our coaching staff.

yep, our kickers always falter under these guys. if they have a mechanics problem, we just cut them instead of fixing them.

Hec Brees had a pitching coach work with him early in his career.
Yes we won but again conservative playcalling, no killer instinct.
A win in spite.

[Critty]

Thats a result of playing for the Chargers with terrible owners.

This franchise in their NFL history has a meager 10 seasons of 10 or more wins.

Rivers has 4 of those.

This franchise has been a participant in the playoffs 13 times.

Rivers has 6 of those.

Good. Point.
So why would a coaching change make any difference. Lynn only been here 4 seasons and already had 1 of those 10.
At that rate. He would have 12 ten plus win seasons over their NFL history. So better than Chargers history.

Telesco?! 1 in 8 seasons. At that rate he would have 6 in NFL Chargers history.

AJ Smith had 4 of those 10. In his 10 seasons.
At that rate AJ would have 20 ten plus wins seasons.
2 with Marty and 2 with Norv.

Conclusion. Telesco.McCoy was the worst GM/HC combo in Chargers history. Worse than Bethard and Riley or Henning.....because they didn't have a great QB in his prime in a QB Driven league. While Telesco and McCoy did for 4 seasons and could not get to double digit regular season win.

Exactly how much say does Lynn have over the groceries.
Does Lynn scout for his own kicker and say I want that guy. Or does he say to Telesco get me competition for the kicker spot and then have to make due with whoever wins of prospects Telesco brought in. How does it work?

[eaterfan]

Good. Point.
So why would a coaching change make any difference. Lynn only been here 4 seasons and already had 1 of those 10.
At that rate. He would have 12 ten plus win seasons over their NFL history. So better than Chargers history.

Telesco?! 1 in 8 seasons. At that rate he would have 6 in NFL Chargers history.

AJ Smith had 4 of those 10. In his 10 seasons.
At that rate AJ would have 20 ten plus wins seasons.
2 with Marty and 2 with Norv.

Conclusion. Telesco.McCoy was the worst GM/HC combo in Chargers history. Worse than Bethard and Riley or Henning.....because they didn't have a great QB in his prime in a QB Driven league. While Telesco and McCoy did for 4 seasons and could not get to double digit regular season win.

Exactly how much say does Lynn have over the groceries.
Does Lynn scout for his own kicker and say I want that guy. Or does he say to Telesco get me competition for the kicker spot and then have to make due with whoever wins of prospects Telesco brought in. How does it work?

The problem is Lynn's strategy revolves around trying to win by a field goal and putting it on the bad kickers. Good coaches put the ball in their best player's hands when the game is on the line. Lynn doesn't. They threw the ball once in the 4th quarter when Herbert was destroying the Raiders. Maybe if they throw the ball more the Chargers are up 14 and don't have to attempt 50 yard field goals to win.

[jamrock]

Good. Point.
So why would a coaching change make any difference. Lynn only been here 4 seasons and already had 1 of those 10.
At that rate. He would have 12 ten plus win seasons over their NFL history. So better than Chargers history.

Telesco?! 1 in 8 seasons. At that rate he would have 6 in NFL Chargers history.

AJ Smith had 4 of those 10. In his 10 seasons.
At that rate AJ would have 20 ten plus wins seasons.
2 with Marty and 2 with Norv.

Conclusion. Telesco.McCoy was the worst GM/HC combo in Chargers history. Worse than Bethard and Riley or Henning.....because they didn't have a great QB in his prime in a QB Driven league. While Telesco and McCoy did for 4 seasons and could not get to double digit regular season win.

Exactly how much say does Lynn have over the groceries.
Does Lynn scout for his own kicker and say I want that guy. Or does he say to Telesco get me competition for the kicker spot and then have to make due with whoever wins of prospects Telesco brought in. How does it work?

Lynn’s son actually told them to bring in Badgely.

[Silversurfer]

yep, our kickers always falter under these guys. if they have a mechanics problem, we just cut them instead of fixing them.

Hec Brees had a pitching coach work with him early in his career.
Yes we won but again conservative playcalling, no killer instinct.
A win in spite.

Hope this off season they get a good S.T coach in the building. Field position and giving Herbert a clutch kicker would make the world of difference in these close games.

[Bolt4Knob]

Hope this off season they get a good S.T coach in the building. Field position and giving Herbert a clutch kicker would make the world of difference in these close games.

Yes. Because when it has been decided that Anthony Lynn will continue as coach (and my guess, as of today he will)- the Chargers will continue to be in close games. Go back to 2018 - how many of those games were very close margins. Even Popper wrote that Lynn plays games close - thats the way he coaches

In 2018 - they were on the good side
2019 and 2020 - not so much

So if you are going to play this style of football - you need excellent ST and that just doesn't mean a FG kicker, but a guy who consistently boots it into the end zone on kickoffs, good coverage teams, not getting punts blocked, etc.

Lynn said it all last night - paraphrasing - he still wants the running game to be a big part of the offense and balance is necessary

So yes, when Lynn does eventually come back - if I am Telesco I am focused on the right ST coach and adding player or two specifically for special teams. As next year will be like this year - meaning close games. But will it be more 2018 or more 2019/2020? As the way Lynn coaches - this will be the type of game being played. Even with Herbert - Lynn wants to run the damn ball.

[Nunc Coepi]

I'd like to believe the team ownership would make the few adjustments necessary for Herbert to have a successful career. But why would Dean and Co. do it? They didn't do it for Rivers between 2011 and 2019. All Rivers needed was a. half competent oline, and a kicker to make the Chargers a.very good team. It never happened.

[richpjr]

Popper: Is Anthony Lynn the best coach to maximize Justin Herbert’s talent?

The Chargers have a decision to make, one that will determine the trajectory of their organization for years and quite possibly decades.

It boils down to one question: Is Anthony Lynn the head coach who will get the absolute most out of Justin Herbert?

This seems like a rather simple proposition. Yes or no? If the answer is yes, then retain Lynn for 2021. If the answer is no, then move on and, in all likelihood, have your pick of any candidate.

But it is not that simple. There is so much to weigh and consider to come to the correct conclusion. And the Chargers brain trust, from owner Dean Spanos to president of football operations John Spanos to general manager Tom Telesco, must come to the correct conclusion. A wasted year could be the difference between Super Bowl triumph and an egregious squandered opportunity.

Herbert is a franchise quarterback. Full stop. No qualifiers are necessary. He proved that without a shred of doubt in Thursday night’s 30-27 overtime win over the Raiders in Las Vegas — a victory that snapped the Chargers’ nine-game AFC West losing streak.

Wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams were both non-factors because of injuries. It did not matter. Herbert, with his rocket arm and turf-eating strides, carved up the Raiders defense like a server at a Brazilian steakhouse. He finished 22 of 32 passing for 314 yards and two touchdowns. He tied the single-season rookie passing touchdown record (27) with two games still to play. He led a game-winning drive — his second in five days — in overtime to earn his first victory against an above-.500 team. He capped it with a sneak for a touchdown. He set it up with a remarkable 53-yard bomb to Jalen Guyton as pressure bore down.

“I’m really proud to be a Charger,” Herbert said.

Herbert won this game because of his unique and unavoidable talent. He won this game by making plays quarterbacks not named Patrick Mahomes simply cannot make.

But in considering Herbert’s performance, it is impossible to shake the feeling that he won this game in spite of the coaching staff.

And that brings us back to our fundamental question.

Two quarterbacks were drafted ahead of Herbert in April — Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. And, in the moment, this was not a huge surprise. Herbert had weaknesses. There were doubts about whether he could turn his immense athletic gifts and natural intelligence into NFL success.

As our draft expert Dane Brugler wrote of Herbert in his scouting guide: “Each of his game tapes contained NFL-level throws with examples of ‘wow’ plays, however, he has the tendency to leave you wanting more due to his inconsistent reads and decisions. While he is highly intelligent, that doesn’t always translate to on-field processing speed for him — at quarterback, being book smart is great, but you need quick-minded players and he isn’t always that (you would rather have a Jeopardy champion at quarterback than a 4.0 student). Overall, Herbert is a dynamic dual threat passer with an elite combination of size, athleticism and arm talent, but he must sharpen his decision-making and instincts, especially under duress, to live up to his immense potential as an NFL starter.”

And yet here we are. This is no knock on Dane, who is incredibly good at his job. That is what the tape showed. And that is why Herbert fell to sixth overall.

But Herbert has turned all of these perceived weaknesses into strengths. He is processing at a high level. He is making good reads. He has been one of the league’s best passers when under pressure this season. He has an innate feel in the pocket. He consistently avoids pressure and thrives in off-script situations. He is making quick decisions — both when throwing and escaping — and taking full advantage of his elite field vision.

How did that happen?

Herbert deserves credit, of course. To play this way after a stunted offseason is perhaps the most astonishing part of Herbert’s ascendence. But you cannot discount the coaching staff’s impact, from Lynn to offensive coordinator Shane Steichen to quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton. If we are going to criticize the staff for its collective shortcomings — and there are many — then we must also acknowledge their successes. And they succeeded in grooming Herbert to this point.

But to what degree is it coaching and to what degree is it Herbert himself?

As difficult as that is to quantify, the Chargers must uncover the answer to make the correct decision on their head-coaching future.

They must also attempt to predict the future. Even if coaching has been instrumental in Herbert’s performance thus far, is that coaching going to turn his tantalizing potential into wins? The Chargers have Herbert on his rookie deal for three more seasons before his cap hit skyrockets. This is their championship window. They cannot afford anything less than the very best for Herbert. That starts with the head coach.

Is Lynn that guy?

This game is a great place to start with that analysis.

It was clear from Herbert’s first completion Thursday — a fastball over the middle to tight end Hunter Henry on third-and-11 — that he was poised for a special performance. The Raiders had no answers for the Chargers’ passing attack, despite the injuries at receiver. This was an advantage the Chargers could have exploited all night long. They should have run away with a blowout victory. And yet Lynn and Steichen — who calls the plays — remained stubbornly committed to an inefficient running game.

They ran the ball on all five of their first-down plays on the opening drive of the game. They gained three yards on those plays, which forced Herbert to convert two third-and-longs to keep the possession alive. And his brilliance eventually got them in the end zone on another laser to Henry.

On the next possession, the Chargers ran a wide receiver bubble screen and a swing pass to Austin Ekeler on their two first downs. They eventually punted after a Guyton drop. Herbert did not attempt a pass that traveled beyond the line of scrimmage on a first down until 8:09 remained in the second quarter. That was a completion to Guyton for 12 yards. Herbert moved the Chargers inside the Raiders’ 10-yard line on that drive with a scramble-drill completion to Guyton on a third-and-5. Steichen then called two straight runs — one on first-and-goal from the 9-yard line and one on second-and-goal from the 8-yard line. Allen could not get separation on an out route on third down, and the Chargers were forced to settle for a field goal.

Why not put the ball in Herbert’s hands before third down?

The Chargers’ final drive of the first half featured more of the same. With 1:00 on the clock, Steichen called a screen on first down instead of dropping Herbert back. Ekeler was tackled for a loss. Again, Herbert overcame the puzzling play-calling. First, he hit fellow rookie K.J. Hill on a corner route on third-and-12 for a 25-yard gain. On the next play, he delivered a dime to Tyron Johnson for a 26-yard touchdown to take a 17-10 lead into halftime.

The longer this game dragged on, the more it felt like the Chargers were asking Herbert to pull out a win with one arm tied behind his back.

After a pass interference penalty on the opening play of the second half, the Chargers came out in a wildcat formation on first down with former practice squad running back Kalen Ballage fielding the snap. Ekeler took a handoff and was dropped for no gain. Herbert then read the blitz like a book on second down and found Hill on a hot-read slant for nine yards. On third-and-1, the Chargers predictably handed off to Ballage. The Raiders were ready. He lost four yards. Lynn then punted from the Raiders’ 42-yard line on fourth-and-5 — a very conservative decision considering how Herbert was dissecting the Las Vegas secondary.

Herbert engineered a touchdown drive on the next possession, capped by a 1-yard Ballage touchdown. The Chargers dropped Herbert back on 10 of their 14 snaps, including penalties, and benefitted from one of cornerback Trayvon Mullen’s three pass interference penalties in the game. Mullen could not keep up with Guyton or Johnson. That score put the Chargers ahead 24-17.

The Raiders then tied the game with a drive that took nearly 11 minutes off the clock and extended well into the fourth quarter. The Chargers ran eight plays over their next two possessions and only dropped back Herbert twice — though they did have some success on the ground on the first of those two drives. Michael Badgley missed field goals to end both series. One of them came on a fourth-and-2.

Herbert, the best player on the field Thursday night, attempted just one pass in the fourth quarter.

I ask again: Is that type of coaching and game management going to get the best out of Justin Herbert?

“I was fine with how the game was called,” Lynn said after the game. “You can’t be one dimensional in the National Football League. I don’t care how well you’re throwing the ball. You’re going to have to mix it. Defenses will catch up with you and shut you down. Turnovers and sacks and everything else happens. I thought we did a good job of mixing the run and the pass. I was fine with that.”

But when you have such a clear advantage, why not exploit it? Why not keep going to what works until the opposition proves they can stop it?

Is balance for the sake of balance and balance alone really worth anything?

“Sometimes you have that advantage passing the ball because you are able to run, and you open up things and you get guys in certain coverages,” Lynn said. “You run a play to set up another play. But you have to run the football. Like I said, nobody in this league is one dimensional.”

I have now been covering Lynn for two seasons, and that quote is the best, most concise and most revealing explanation of his football philosophy.

“You have to run the ball.”

Even when your quarterback is as hot as a solar flare and the opposing defense is holding onto receivers for dear life.

Even when your rushing attack is objectively bad.

The Chargers entered this game ranked 27th in rushing DVOA. They entered this game averaging the fifth-fewest yards per carry of any team in football. They averaged two yards per carry on 20 rushes through the first three quarters Thursday night.

And Herbert attempted one pass in the fourth quarter.

I ask again: Is this the coaching that will turn Herbert and the Chargers into Super Bowl champions?

The grass is always greener. The Chargers could replace Lynn with an offensive guru — perhaps the Bills’ Brian Daboll or the Titans’ Arthur Smith — and end up in a worse place. Quarterback development is fickle and exceedingly difficult. Nothing is guaranteed.

If they stick with the status quo, though, and find themselves outside the playoffs in 2021, that would have significant ramifications. Lynn would have to be let go in that scenario, and a new head coach in 2022 would only have two seasons of Herbert on a rookie deal instead of three. That is a much smaller window. Once Herbert signs his extension — or gets to his fifth-year option — the roster and salary cap calculus changes entirely.

It might seem like I am going down a rabbit hole, but these are the factors the Chargers must consider.

If they make the wrong decision, they will have no one to blame but themselves.

[Boltjolt]

It isn't that hard to get the most out of Herbert.
Get a better OL and don't handcuff him by being conservative when the run game isnt working very well and having no Killer instinct.

The answer is NO, Lynn isn't the guy to get the most out of Herbert but I also think he shouldn't be the entire focus.
This is a team game and Lynn needs to get the most out of the team. Not just Herbert.

[Critty]

I don't blame a NBA HC if player makes a bad pass or misses free throws or has a poor shooting night. I blame them if the team is not putting in a strong defensive effort. Or they have some strange matchups of small on big.

I don't blame MLB manager if players has a throwing error or strikes out or is in a hitting slump. I blame him if they call a fly ball pitcher out of bullpen, when they need a ground ball to turn 2.

I don't blame NFL HC for player errors. Missed kicks, missed blocks, drop passes. I blame if they routinely waste timeouts. Or run against 8 and 9 man boxes all the time.

[Velo]

I just want to make this observation about Lynn's coaching tenure. During his reign, Austin Ekeler has gone from small school UDFA to one of the best all-purpose weapons in the league and this season a pair of UDFA WRs are developing into potentially promising legit NFL talent.

[eaterfan]

I don't blame a NBA HC if player makes a bad pass or misses free throws or has a poor shooting night. I blame them if the team is not putting in a strong defensive effort. Or they have some strange matchups of small on big.

I don't blame MLB manager if players has a throwing error or strikes out or is in a hitting slump. I blame him if they call a fly ball pitcher out of bullpen, when they need a ground ball to turn 2.

I don't blame NFL HC for player errors. Missed kicks, missed blocks, drop passes. I blame if they routinely waste timeouts. Or run against 8 and 9 man boxes all the time.

But would you blame the NBA head coach if he is having Dwight Howard posses the ball late in a tight game when the other team has to foul and Howard misses the free throw? What if the coach is calling plays that have bad ball handlers bring the ball up court and they dribble it off their foot? How about if he is having a 30% free throw shooter shooting 8 3 pointers a game? Putting players in a position to succeed is a big part of coaching. It's not just if players succeed or fail.

Do you blame a manager if he bunts with runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs and the team scores one run instead of having a big inning because they sacrificed an out in a close game? Once again, game situation management matters just as much as execution.

Do you blame a HC for putting his bad kicker in a position where he's constantly kicking FGs outside his range because the coach won't go for it on short yardage? Do you blame a coach for needing a field goal because he kept running instead of throwing for a TD?