The Chargers are back at home this Sunday to host the Raiders (1-0).
Their Week One matchup with the Cardinals unfortunately left us with more questions than answers in regards to what the Chargers are this year and who they’re going to become by the end of the season. Sunday’s game could be a pivotal one. A loss drops them to 0-2 before they face a seven-game slate against numerous reigning MVPs, Super Bowl champs, and other AFC powerhouses.
They simply cannot afford to go into it without some semblance
of breathing room in case everything starts to hit the fan. The Chargers don’t need to be world-beaters this weekend against the Raiders, but they do have to put a performance out there that at least shows they can execute at a baseline level while proving they can improve with each new week.
After that, I’m not sure what to expect after Week One’s harsh and surprising outcome.
But if that’s the case, I guess we just have to enjoy it and leave it up to that fickle thing called destiny.
That said, here are the three biggest storylines that I’ll be following when these two teams take the field on Sunday afternoon.
1.) How much progress can the Chargers offense make in one week?
What we saw from the Chargers offense against the Cardinals was nowhere near what expectations had us believing it would look like.
A dynamic run game. An explosive passing attack. Layup plays for Justin Herbert so he wasn’t shouldering the entire offensive load.
Outside of the very first drive of the game, we saw none of that. The second drive was promising until Omarion Hampton authored his own rendition of the butt fumble, but that was the only sign of a spark through the final three quarters of the game after the opening period.
Jim Harbaugh said he regretted not giving his starters more snaps during the preseason. Mike McDaniel lamented that the preseason expectations he created for himself based on what he saw in practice was completely disconnected from what the product ended up being on the field. The Herbert experience was a mixed bag but overall leaned towards the wrong side of the spectrum. That interception was inexcusable given the situation, period.
So, how does this unit essentially make a 180 turn into what we all hoped it would be? And how do they do it without their best and most-dynamic receiver in McConkey? I don’t exactly have the answers, but McDaniel absolutely has to.
I think Harbaugh was right, in a way, when he said he and McDaniel needed each other. The commitment to McDaniel as his OC means that Harbaugh’s long-term future with the Chargers hinge on his success as it’s tough to see him here much longer if he’s already failed two different coordinator hires. As for McDaniel, he needs to have success here or else he can kiss his future head coach prospects goodbye.
After all, who would want to hire him if he couldn’t make a Justin Herbert offense work?
Sunday could be a pivotal day for many in the Chargers organization.
2.) How will Kayode Awosika look without being in a “platoon”?
One of the worst decisions made by the Chargers coaching staff against the Cardinals was going through with this “platoon” idea in regards to the left guard spot. They really rotated Awosika and Trey Pipkins throughout the game and as we all expected, it did not work out.
Awosika was great when he was in the game. He made far less mistakes and overall was the much better blocker. Pipkins being in the game, whether a coincidence or not, led to two of the biggest blunders on the day by the Chargers offense.
During that fourth-and-three play near the goal line, it was Pipkins who allowed that instant pressure and sack on Herbert that not only took away plays, but also led to a surge in momentum for the Cardinals who turned it into three points just before halftime.
Later on, Pipkins was in the game during the three-and-out that ended in the blocked punt. The Cardinals scored two plays later.
It was night-and-day between Awosika and Pipkins. Awosika deserved to hold the starting job outright before the Cardinals game and I’m still shocked Harbaugh felt differently enough to make the call for a platoon.
3.) Can Chris O’Leary get his defense to come alive?
That was not the debut O’Leary had in mind as an NFL coordinator.
Not only was his unit seemingly unable to slow down the Cardinals this past Sunday, but even his best players failed to make much of an impact on the game. One of the worst areas for the Chargers, per Pro Football Focus, was their tackling grade as a team. PFF had the Chargers with a 54.4 team tackling grade, the lowest on that side of the ball.
What was even more worrisome are the names who authored some of the worst individual tackling grades on the team. Overall there were six different defenders who logged a tackling grade below 50.0 (60.0 is considered “average”). That group includes Derwin James (47.0), Tarheeb Still (37.9), Tuli Tuipulotu (28.1), and Khalil Mack (25.3).
Yes, you’re reading those names and numbers right.
Of the 99 players who have played at least 20 snaps on defense this year, Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack rank 89th and 95th, respectively, in individual tackling grade. Taking a step back, Mack enters Week Two ranked 45th among all EDGEs (min. 20 snaps on the year) while Tuli ranks much lower at 80th.
As for James, he is currently ranked 58th out of 85 qualifying safeties.
It’s just one game thus far, but this is certainly not the direction you need your best players trending out of the gate.
O’Leary needs to find his groove and get his players settled in fast to get them playing up to their own standard the rest of the way.
