2021 Official Chargers Season Discusssion

[Xenos]

Question: Did the Rams have an abundance of strong LBs and Staley really just loves Safeties, or was the Rams Safety group a stronger group than their LB group and that is why he played extra Safeties?

I don’t know, i hate the Rams, I’m not going to analyze them - i won’t even evaluate their hideous uni’s

It’s only important because our HC used to be in those ugly ass colors lol.

[like54ninjas]

I agree. I watched an interview of Staley and he talked about this. He is not going to replicate the Rams defense. Said Bosa and James are elite but they are different than Donald and Ramsey. He is going to design around them. Chargers have LBs who are really safeties - Tranquill and White. He will use them well.

TG

Putting talent in a position to make plays sounds so obvious.

[Ghost of Quacksaw]

It’s only important because our HC used to be in those ugly ass colors lol.

Uhm... those are the same colors the Chargers wear, unless they're in their Powder Blues.

[dmac_bolt]

Uhm... those are the same colors the Chargers wear, unless they're in their Powder Blues.

Uhmmm no - completely different color scheme! LAR wear Toxic Fairy Blue and Vitamin-Urine Yellow. Chargers are powder blue and GOLD

[dmac_bolt]

Chargers have a much better LB group who fit Staley’s scheme so would expect adjustments to his base defense from what he ran with the Rams.

Thank you, and others all seem to agree. Which makes all of the endless NFL expert articles about the roster doesn’t have enough top shelf Safeties to run his defense embarrassingly lazy and insipid analyses?

[TexanBeerlover]

Thank you, and others all seem to agree. Which makes all of the endless NFL expert articles about the roster doesn’t have enough top shelf Safeties to run his defense embarrassingly lazy and insipid analyses?

I’ve quickly come to conclusion that Daniel Popper, who covers the Chargers for the Athletic as a gift for Charger fan base. Think he is one of the best beat writers I’ve read, very informed, dedicated and passionate, just like fans here, about all things Chargers.

I just read this a few minutes ago, from his mailbag where he gives you more specifics. Hope this helps?

Safety depth is a concern, as I mentioned. But our question-asker brings up an important point. While with the Rams last season, Staley relied heavily on his safeties. That was more related to personnel than scheme or philosophy, though. The Rams did not have very good linebackers in 2020. Their safeties were more reliable. So Staley found a way to get his better players on the field.

The Chargers offer a different roster. Linebacker, in my opinion, is actually one of their stronger positions, between Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquill and Kyzir White. Staley is always going to mold his defense around his personnel. So I would expect him to use more two-LB sets with the Chargers than he did with the Rams. This will alleviate some of the concern with the safety depth. Not all of it, but some of it. There were times last year when Staley took off an inside linebacker when he brought on his nickel defense, swapping in a defensive back for that linebacker. I could see Staley more often swapping out a defensive lineman for that defensive back and keeping two linebackers — Tranquill and Murray — on the field in nickel. This setup would more closely resemble a 4-3 defense, with Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu filling more typical defensive end roles outside of two interior defensive linemen. - Popper

[wu-dai clan]

Depends on how well they tackle.
The responsibilities in Zone coverage are not too challenging.
Just do your job.
Blitz occasionally...err often.

[TexanBeerlover]

Staley moves Murray to edge, both sides.
Tranquill/White inside in coverage/run support.
Put best players on field, as available.
Become the blender.
Scramble Offenses.
:anchorjump:

[Bolt Dude]

Staley moves Murray to edge, both sides.
Tranquill/White inside in coverage/run support.
Put best players on field, as available.
Become the blender.
Scramble Offenses.
:anchorjump:

I don’t know if K9 will ever set up on the edge, but he’ll definitely blitz around the edge (or wherever there’s a nice gap) when Nwosu/Fackrell drops into coverage.

[equivocation]

Offense is about control. Defense is about disruption. Disruption comes from penetration or confusion.

[Xenos]

I’ve quickly come to conclusion that Daniel Popper, who covers the Chargers for the Athletic as a gift for Charger fan base. Think he is one of the best beat writers I’ve read, very informed, dedicated and passionate, just like fans here, about all things Chargers.

I just read this a few minutes ago, from his mailbag where he gives you more specifics. Hope this helps?

Safety depth is a concern, as I mentioned. But our question-asker brings up an important point. While with the Rams last season, Staley relied heavily on his safeties. That was more related to personnel than scheme or philosophy, though. The Rams did not have very good linebackers in 2020. Their safeties were more reliable. So Staley found a way to get his better players on the field.

The Chargers offer a different roster. Linebacker, in my opinion, is actually one of their stronger positions, between Kenneth Murray, Drue Tranquill and Kyzir White. Staley is always going to mold his defense around his personnel. So I would expect him to use more two-LB sets with the Chargers than he did with the Rams. This will alleviate some of the concern with the safety depth. Not all of it, but some of it. There were times last year when Staley took off an inside linebacker when he brought on his nickel defense, swapping in a defensive back for that linebacker. I could see Staley more often swapping out a defensive lineman for that defensive back and keeping two linebackers — Tranquill and Murray — on the field in nickel. This setup would more closely resemble a 4-3 defense, with Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu filling more typical defensive end roles outside of two interior defensive linemen. - Popper

Popper is good. I think his strongest features are all the fan interactions he provide ie. Q&A on The Athletic and YouTube after the draft. But he could be better. He makes his own fair share of mistakes and assumptions Additionally, having seen some of the other teams writers, his articles lack the draw that others do, especially the stories that are supposed to be more personal. I think Sam Fortier was the better writer (Popper’s predecessor) in that regards.

[TexanBeerlover]

Popper is good. I think his strongest features are all the fan interactions he provide ie. Q&A on The Athletic and YouTube after the draft. But he could be better. He makes his own fair share of mistakes and assumptions Additionally, having seen some of the other teams writers, his articles lack the draw that others do, especially the stories that are supposed to be more personal. I think Sam Fortier was the better writer (Popper’s predecessor) in that regards.

so what happened to Sam Fortier?