It was a bad, bad day for the Chargers on Sunday.
The Bolts received a 48.3 overall game grade by Pro Football Focus which is currently their worst of the year. They also post a season-low grade in rushing
(47.6), total defense (43.8), and coverage (41.4).
Justin Herbert also finished with his lowest total for passing yards in his career with 81 while throwing no touchdowns and one interception. His streak of 15 consecutive games with a passing touchdown was also snapped as the third-longest active streak.
The grades are unsurprisingly not fun to look at, but we’re going to anyway. Prepare yourselves.
Offense
Best (min. 20 snaps)
OG Jamaree Salyer – 75.1
OT Trey Pipkins – 71.0
WR Keenan Allen – 70.9
RB Kimani Vidal – 65.1
WR Tre’ Harris – 61.8
Salyer was the team’s highest-graded player on offense, albeit with just 21 snaps. His pass block grade of 84.8 was the highest among the offensive linemen by over five grade points while his 67.7 in run blocking was also tops on the team.
Allen topped the Chargers with four catches for 53 yards, including a spectacular 30-yard grab.
Worst
OT Trevor Penning – 46.3
WR Quentin Johnston – 50.6
C Bradley Bozeman – 52.0
OG Mekhi Becton – 52.5
QB Justin Herbert – 53.0
The early returns on the deadline trade for Penning are here and they’re about as bad as you may have expected after watching Sunday’s game. Penning’s 36.1 in pass blocking was the worst among the offensive linemen and his five pressures allowed were tops on the team with the second closest player (Pipkins) allowing two.
Bozeman continues to be a mainstay in the bottom five as he posted a 40.7 in pass blocking, although he did allow zero pressures, per PFF. Becton graded at a 76.6 in pass blocking (second best on the team) but his 43.7 in run blocking was the worst mark for a Chargers lineman.
Herbert finds his way in the bottom five with the worst passing output of his career. He also threw a bad interception when he airmailed one over the head of an open Ladd McConkey on a play in which he actually had ample protection.
Defense
Best
CB Donte Jackson – 80.2
S Derwin James – 74.3
CB – Benjamin St-Juste – 70.0
EDGE Khalil Mack – 69.6
DT Teair Tart – 68.9
Jackson picked off Trevor Lawrence when the latter tried to force a throw to the far sideline. Jackson has now picked off three passes in a Chargers uniform and has been the most impactful cornerback this season for the Bolts.
Mack had two pressures which was tied for the team lead, but the Chargers overall failed to sack Trevor Lawrence even once.
Worst
LB Denzel Perryman – 27.9
LB Daiyan Henley – 30.3
EDGE Bud Dupree – 33.8
DT Justin Eboigbe – 42.4
DT Da’Shawn Hand – 42.6
Both Perryman and Henley were torched in coverage by the Jaguars. Perryman posted a 28.4 mark in that area while Henley wasn’t much better with a 34.7. Overall five different Chargers had a coverage grade below 40.0.
Dupree had a team-low run defense grade of 35.6 while his pass rush grade of 52.6 was third worst on the team.
Both Hand and Eboigbe struggled in run defense. Eboigbe’s 41.5 was worst among interior defenders while Hand was second worst at 46.4.
