Even though the Chargers scored 22 points against the Texans, it somehow seemed like one of their worst outings of the year. Well, it sort’ve was before Quentin Johnston broke a short slant for a big 58-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and the backups somehow found the end zone on their first drive of the game once they replaced the starting group.
Defensively, this was not a good game for Chris O’Leary’s unit but how can you blame a group looking a bit deflated after balling out for seven weeks
just to see their offense make zero improvements two months into the year. I don’t blame them for flopping finally. It was bound to happen. The Texans receivers were also making crazy play after crazy play. Sometimes that happens!
But alas, 0-8 is still 0-8.
Let’s go ahead and check out the grades from Sunday.
Offense
Best
WR Derius Davis – 90.1
TE Charlie Kolar – 67.0
QB D.J. Uiagalelei – 65.2
OT Joe Alt – 63.8
RB Keaton Mitchell – 63.5
Davis posted his first elite game grade of his career on offense. He caught the second touchdown of the game from D.J. Uiagalelei, which was also the latter’s first career touchdown scored in the NFL. After the starting offense, including Justin Herbert, went 37 drives between touchdown drives, it took DJU and the backups just one! That’s pretty ugly!
Alt continues to be the team’s best offensive lineman. He allowed no sacks and two pressures.
Mitchell was an efficient player in his stats with some good chunk runs and a trio of passes caught which tied for the team lead on Sunday with Kolar.
Worst
FB Scott Matlock – 31.1
QB Justin Herbert – 46.3
RB Kimani Vidal – 48.0
C Jake Slaughter – 49.9
OT/G Alex Harkey – 51.6
Herbert threw his 11th interception of the season which also made it eight consecutive games with a pick thrown to begin this season. He did throw his sixth touchdown of the year, but even that was quite the lucky break when Johnston breaks one tackle on a five-yard slant and takes it 58 yards to the house.
Slaughter looked rough in this one in all phases. Specifically, there was a screen play to wideout Tre’ Harris who caught the pass in stride to then run behind Slaughter and Cole Strange out in front of him. Both linemen missed the first defender in pursuit and Harris was tackled before he could even get started.
Harkey was dealt a bad hand as he was forced to play right guard in place of the benched Strange who was initially replaced by Branson Taylor. Taylor was rolled up on after just nine plays and Harkey had to transition inside after spending most of this year at right tackle.
Defense
Best
LB Marlowe Wax – 91.3
DT Jamaree Caldwell – 79.3
EDGE Akkheem Mesidor – 77.7
DT Justin Eboigbe – 77.7
LB Daiyan Henley – 69.7
Wax made one of the best plays of the game for the defense when he made a diving pass deflection that ended up in the arms of Daiyan Henley.
Caldwell recorded the team’s best pass rush grade at 77.5. Mesidor had a top five grade in both run defense and pass rush.
With the aforementioned pick, Henley had one of his best games this year with every single one of his individual grades finishing at 60.0 or above.
Worst
CD Donte Jackson – 28.6
S Genesis Smith – 33.9
CB Tarheeb Still – 34.9
CB Rodney Shelley – 37.4
LB Troy Dye – 40.6
Jackson returned to the lineup for the first time since Week Four and he wound up being the worst-graded player on the Chargers against the Texans. His 29.0 coverage grade was his worst mark this year as he allowed four-of-six targets his way to be completed for 58 yards. He was also called for the penalty.
Smith posted a 19.0 tackling grade, by far his worst of the season. He had five previous tackling game grades above 75.0.
Still also posted his worst game of the season vs. the Texans. His 29.5 was by far his worst this year as he allowed seven completions on eight targets for 79 yards (also a season high) and a touchdown.
The cornerback room continued to look like chopped liver with Shelley also among the bottom five. That’s three cornerbacks in the red in a single week. However, Shelley did post great marks in tackling (79.3) and run defense (72.8).
