2022 Official Chargers Season Discussion

[CanadianBoltFan]

He is leaving holes on the roster that need to be filled with older veterans who are more likely to break down. JT Woods - is that his name - nowhere ready to play in the NFL. Drafted McKitty over a guy like Meinerz who is starting for the Broncos I believe.

I get every team/GM makes bad picks. But historically, Telesco in Round 3 and Round 4 - he might as well let the fans pick he has been so bad. Especially if you include he has traded away three 4ths and 1 third. And to date - none of the players he has traded up for got a second contract with the Chargers.

Telesco has been good in the first round and hit the odd late pick but the meat of the draft, 2-4 he has not been good.

[Bolt4Knob]

Looks like Jeremiah Attauocho will be signed -- pending a physical

Replaces Rumph . Fackrell or this guy -- ehh, not bad.

(I am just waiting for some team to trade a 4th or 5th for Jerry Hughes)

[Formula 21]

Wobbly Los Angeles Chargers Reach Bye With No Identity, Other Than Being A Team In Search Of One


Jay Paris
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I Cover The Chargers And Rams
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Oct 26, 2022,02:28pm EDT

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Listen to article7 minutes Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley often doesn't like what he sees when eyeing the ... [+]COPYRIGHT 2022 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The Los Angeles Chargers say “hello” to their bye week, set for their push for the playoffs.

Or are they really poised to make this season special? Is this actually an outfit with the look of someone primed to play in mid-January?

The Chargers (4-3) were locked and loaded when the season was christened, fortified with play makers on both sides of the football.

One needed a deep breath to rattle off the impressive weapons L.A. had at its disposal: quarterback Justin Herbert, outside linebackers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, running back Austin Ekeler, safety Derwin James and cornerback J.C. Jackson.

That sounds more like a Pro Bowl squad than an NFL one, which meant the hopes were high that the Chargers would make hay this year.

It was especially critical for L.A. to shine as the time continues to dwindle on Herbert’s value with him being on his rookie contract.


But instead of steamrolling rivals the Chargers have looked, and played, like a run-of-mill team. You are what your record says you are — thank you, coach Bill Parcells - but some could argue that’s not the case with the Chargers.

The Bolts are one game over .500, but a deeper dive shows they might be fortunate to be there.

Consider that their four triumphs have been at the expense of the Las Vegas Raiders, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. That’s hardly a conquest of murder’s row, with their combined record being 7-14-1.

While the Chargers have yet to notch a signature win to prove they belong among the elite teams, they’ve also played down to lesser opponents. How else to explain face-plants, at home, against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Seattle Seahawks?

“We’re a work-in-progress,’’ coach Brandon Staley said. “I think we haven’t played our best football, for sure.’

The reasons?

Injuries can’t be discounted but playing that card is know as the first exit on the highway of excuses in the NFL. When players get hurt and an organization doesn’t have solid depth, that’s on Chargers general manager Tom Telesco and the personnel department.

The Chargers’ list of those ailing is startling. Bosa, Allen, Jackson, Pro Bowl linemen Corey Linsley and Rayshawn Slater are missing, or out, for the year.

Even Herbert is biting the bullet when he takes snaps, his torn rib cartilage compromising his play. He enters the bye failing to throw for 300 yards in his last three games.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has 12 touchdown passes against four interceptions ... [+]COPYRIGHT 2022 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

“I think he is experiencing a lot of tough stuff that happens in the NFL,’’ Staley said. “I know there is no one that cares more than he does.’’

Just like no one cares about the Herbert’s, or any of the other Chargers’ health shortcomings.

“It’s the NFL,’’ Staley said. “You have to figure it out.’’

That’s Staley’s job, and to date, he hasn’t stood out.

The Chargers are seven games into the season and they can’t rush the ball consistently, have trouble protecting Herbert, have challenges in stopping the run and can’t get to rival quarterbacks often enough to aid a struggling secondary.

Staley likely isn’t on a hot seat but much more was expected from the Chargers’ brass, which envisioned being the second straight L.A. team to reach the Super Bowl.

Maybe the data-driven Staley, who is 13-10 in one-plus seasons, is in over his head.

Maybe Staley is a work-in-progress as well, and he should be afforded a longer leash to gain the experience to go toe-to-toe with the NFL’s brightest minds.

Maybe the Chargers are paying the price for going cheap. They’ve long gone the inexpensive route in hiring rookie NFL head coaches, which makes the rumors of now-retired coach Sean Payton landing in L.A. a pipe dream.

The Chargers, since 1992, have hired nine head coaches to start a season and only two, Marty Schottenhemier and Norv Turner, had NFL head-coaching experience.

Schottenheimer pointed them to a 14-2 record in 2006. He got canned and then Turner guided the Chargers to the 2007 AFC Championship Game.

Otherwise it’s been a parade of men trying to earn their NFL stripes: Bobby Ross, Kevin Gilbride, Mike Riley, Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn and now Staley.

While Ross, the only coach to take the Chargers to the Super Bowl, was in his first stint as an NFL head coach he gained his head-coaching chops in the college ranks at The Citadel, Maryland and Georgia Tech, where he won a share of the national championship.

No one is calling for Staley’s facility key. But the Chargers were ready to unlock the door to the postseason, and seven games in, they look like they need a fresh locksmith.

Still, there’s time for the Chargers to right their ship. It’s Staley’s task — regardless of the boatload of injuries - to make it happen.

“We have to keep it moving,’’ Staley said, and hopefully that beeping sound of his charges in reverse will cease. “Our guys are seeing that it may not be pretty when you are figuring it out.’’

There’s no such thing as an ugly NFL win and the Chargers are all-in for those. But they aren’t passing the eye-test of a team with visions of being in the postseason.

During the Chargers’ current hiatus they need to find their footing. Otherwise, they will continue to run in place as the sand in the hour glass of Herbert’s inexpensive rookie contract continues to diminish.

[cmplxgal]

https://www.chargers.com/news/zion-johnson-chargers-right-guard-conversation-with

Rookie On the Right: A Conversation with Zion Johnson

"One of the things we try to stress with each other is just communication. If we’re on the same page, then we’re gonna be a lot better and more cohesive as an offensive line."

By Hayley Elwood Oct 26, 2022

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Throughout the 2022 season, we'll be checking in with Chargers players:

Next up, is Zion Johnson.

After the Bolts selected him No. 17 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Johnson plugged in as the team's starting right guard and hasn't looked back.

Here's more from No. 77 on what the transition to the NFL has been like, communication on the offensive line, working the right side with Trey Pipkins III, and more.

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You're a few weeks into your first season in the NFL. How's it been going for you?

Johnson: We've gotten to experience the highs, lows, wins, and losses. And my goal has always been to learn from every experience, try to get better as fast as I can, and try to help the team win.

What is the transition like from the draft, to the offseason program, to training camp, to games?

For those of us who don't play, how much of it is the physical transition or the mental switch?

Johnson: I'd say it's a lot of mental. It's a very fast transition; you're at the draft and next thing you know, you're here for the offseason program. You have to learn the plays, get integrated with the team and learn to work with a new set of teammates.

Then, you get into camp and it's live. The bullets are flying and you're going up against other teams in joint practices, preseason, and next thing you know, you're in the regular season.

The biggest transition is definitely mental, having to adapt and be ready at a moment's notice. But you have a lot of support and people around you to help make that transition more seamless.

When you talk about learning and soaking up as much as you can, who on this team or maybe the line have been great resources for you?

Johnson: It's hard to pick because they all have. Playing next to Trey, he's done a lot to make me feel more comfortable and help me learn to become a better player and help us jell. Corey [Linsley] is the same way; he's played a lot of football and has a lot of knowledge. He's a guy that you can really bounce things off of that can help you.

The same thing goes for [Matt] Feiler, he plays the same position as a guard, so even more in specifics in terms of techniques and little things you can do to tweak your game, I can go to him for things like that. Then Rashawn [Slater] and even Jamaree [Salyer], a rookie, those guys do a lot to really help.

Anything surprise you about playing in the NFL?

Johnson: I would say the process. It's not like college where every week is pretty much the same; you play on Saturdays, for the most part, you have different game times, but your routine is really the same.

In the NFL, you could play on a Thursday and have a short week. You could play on a Monday and have a long week. There's a lot of variation in how your process can change and how you adapt and the good teams do that really well.

And you've gotten a taste of that already and had games on all those days so far this season.

Johnson: Oh yeah! Absolutely.

What're you building with Trey on that right side?

Johnson: One of the things we try to stress with each other is just communication. If we're on the same page, then we're gonna be a lot better and more cohesive as an offensive line.

So really, just communicating, working our combination blocks together, building that trust in each other. When you have that trust with the guy next to you, it just makes things a lot more easy for you.

There's obviously been some attrition on this offensive line throughout the season already and even in games.

What has that been like in terms of having to adapt and react, sometimes on the fly?

Johnson: I think it's kind of a "next man up" mentality. That quality of communication that we're trying to have doesn't just extend to the players [who start], but [it extends] to everyone on the offensive line. It doesn't matter if we have someone who usually doesn't play or someone who's been a vet for a very long time like Corey, we try to keep that same level of communication so we can play our best level of ball.

Do you guys do o-line dinners?

Johnson: We do!

Are they fun?

Johnson: Yeah, they are. You know, offensive linemen like to eat so that's something that we bond together doing.

What's been your favorite meal you've had so far?

Johnson: We went to a steakhouse in New Orleans. That was one of the dinners we did and it went really well and the quarterbacks came, too. We just were able to talk and eat some good food.

Do you rotate on who picks the place? Have you picked one yet?

Johnson: We rotate, but no, not yet. It's coming.

Lastly, what are some of your goals the rest of the season?

Johnson: I mean, we just want to win. That's the end all be all. When you look at the win column and see how many of those you have, that's how you decide if you had a good season or not.

For me, just be putting my best foot forward in helping the team get those wins so we can reach our goals.

[richpjr]

Jay Paris isn't reading this forum if he thinks people aren't calling for Staley to be fired yet!

[CanadianBoltFan]

This quoted from article in SI.

Not rocket science.....

The Chargers have one of the top deep ball passers in the NFL with Justin Herbert, but they don't currently have a pass-catcher on the roster who routinely reaches the deep part of the field. Therefore, the offense isn't able to use one of Herbert's best traits.

Clearly, they need a lift at wide receiver based on the lack of availability from their top performers at the position. If they do, in fact, opt to make a move, adding a player who brings a speed element, it would offer something they don't currently have – a vertical option to take the top of the defense and tap into Herbert's deep-ball throwing ability.

[Formula 21]

This quoted from article in SI.

Not rocket science.....

The Chargers have one of the top deep ball passers in the NFL with Justin Herbert, but they don't currently have a pass-catcher on the roster who routinely reaches the deep part of the field. Therefore, the offense isn't able to use one of Herbert's best traits.

Clearly, they need a lift at wide receiver based on the lack of availability from their top performers at the position. If they do, in fact, opt to make a move, adding a player who brings a speed element, it would offer something they don't currently have – a vertical option to take the top of the defense and tap into Herbert's deep-ball throwing ability.

SI must read this forum.

[BoltUp InLA]

Staley's obsession with James is also suspect.
I love James as much as any other Charger fans, but it's obviously not working.
feels like James is being pushed into a bigger role than he's capable of. Not a knock on him, it's more a reflection on Staley.

Nice point! I never thought about that. James is asked to be like the QB of the defense. That might not be his strongest trait.

[Formula 21]

The football monster has just killed and eaten our hopes and dreams. Again.

[jamrock]

Nice point! I never thought about that. James is asked to be like the QB of the defense. That might not be his strongest trait.

They gave defensive play calling duties to Drue so James ain’t the QB anymore. He isn’t making a big impact. That’s my gripe

[BoltUp InLA]

I really hope Staley and company can make it into next season. It does not benefit the Chargers to be too quick for change, unless they are getting a very established top-notch coach like Mr. Sean Payton.

Even the best QBs have their struggles, (see Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers) so I’m really hoping there isn’t too much change too soon around Herbert, since he is still a young QB that needs continued growth.

My opinion is that Staley will eventually become a solid head coach, but he might be in too much of a coveted coaching job to survive. Here is to Staley and the rest of his coaching staff.. Put the naysayers to rest by drastically improving this team moving forward!!!

[chargeroo]

This forum is full of posts about needing a speedy WR but think about this - the one WR we have that catches deep passes is Miike Williams and he ran a 4.59 in the 40. That tells me there's more to getting deep than just speed. I get that we see very fast WR's making an impact - guys that run the 40 in under 4.35 that simply blow off the DB's. I agree it would be nice to have one of them but look around the league and you see there aren't a lot of them. Most of the WR's I see suggested as people we should trade for are not that (under 4.35) fast.