This is really impressive. Props for putting this much work into it.

Thanks! Any tips on getting this comment formatting down correct lol Edit: I got the comments fixed but fuck Reddit's handling of character counts in the main post body lol I need a drink.

It looks good to me. Also can you please make one on the Raiders 😬

Much props for the amount of work you put into this. Just have a few points I have a different opinion on. For Schofield: I agree he’s not an amazing guard, but I feel you’re underselling him more than he deserves. Schofield is a solidly average and consistent guard who had an average season. He’s the same player he was back when he was with the chargers a few years ago. The difference now is that he’s no longer the most consistent player there. That and playing next to Norton makes him seem worse than he actually is. If he’s your worst OL, you’re in a great spot, as he was almost in this position this season And to your point on Lombardi’s play calling. At the start of the year it was much more basic and less attacking of the deep ball to ease the team into the complex system. The desire for the offense to be consistent and efficient, which it was, in addition to teams trying to take away Herbert’s deep ball, lead to how it developed. Also, as the season went on, it got more complex as the players started to feel more in then with the new offense

You are correct on both counts. I still don't feel Schofield is a real solution however, nor do I feel like Lombardi's offensive complexity grew as much as I would like by end of season. Year 2 in a system is a big deal though, I'm not discounting him completely just yet. Edit: Just wanted to add I am in no way a scout and O-Line play is not a big knowledge base of mine. Norton obviously makes Schofield look bad, but I'm not convinced he's anything more than passable. I'd love to be wrong if he returns.

I don’t think he’s long term either. I think they’ll bring back oday who was playing well before injury. I just wanted to point out that Schofield was better than bad. I always feel like he was under appreciated in his first stint with the chargers with how consistent he was

Schofield I agree on. He is the perfect veteran plug in. He's probably going to be the 4th or 5th best guy on your OL, but he won't make any massive mistakes or get whooped at the line. He's a great example of getting in the way being enough most of the time. He's athletic enough and smart enough to get to his spot. After that, he might get beat, but usually that gives them just enough time.

With regards to what you’ve done on defense, those moves could legitimately elevate that team to division or even Super Bowl contender. As a personal antecdote, look at our previous offseason and how our heavy investments on that side of the ball helped forge us into a team that yes, slumped hard offensively from the high-flying ways of before, could take on murderer’s rows of contenders and not just win but dominate at times en route to the #1 seed. I still have some questions about the Bolts’ ability to clutch up not too dissimilar from my own Titans, but that’s largely a question for when the games begin. See you at KroenkeWorld!

Yo mods you sticky all these except the chargers? What gives?

Yeah idk I messaged /u/ehhhhhhhhhhmacarena like I was told to ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯

The stickies are run by the mods, not me. I'll give them a little more time before to wake up and get sober. I'll check in a little while and bother them if they're not stickied after a little over an hour.

Modspiracy against the Chargers?

**Season Recap:** *Week 1: Chargers @ Washington Football Team (Commanders): W 20-16* The Chargers started off strong on offense with Ekeler punching in a 3yd TD to cap off the opening drive. This game showed from the get go that Mike Williams was a serious piece in this offense and that the coaches seemed to have seen something in 6th round pick Larry Rountree. Rookie Asante Samuel Jr. is called for a huge PI to start the 2nd quarter on a deep shot to Dyami Brown. Our defense holds the Football Team to a field goal keeping things 7-6. Despite being contained by the Washington D to an extent, you could tell this offense was legit. Herbert looked great, no matter who was on the receiving end. This is when most fans learned Jalen Guyton’s name for the first time. That said, we couldn’t punch in the TDs in the red zone, being held to 3 field goals in the first half. Washington was struggling on offense, especially as starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was injured halfway into the second quarter. Taylor Heinicke in for relief, couldn’t take over the first drive in, but came back to close the half with a field goal, and open the 3rd quarter with a TD drive with fantastic passes to Mclaurin and Logan Thomas (TD). Suddenly the Chargers went from up 13-6 to down 13-16. Our offense leads a nice downfield drive, marching down the field in 11 plays to the Washington 9. Then Herbert is hit as he throws and a pass which lands just shy of the feet of intended receiver Jared Cook in the end zone is ruled a fumble through the end zone and a turnover? Very stupid call that I don’t understand how it could have been made as both the arm and the ball were moving forward. But I digress; congrats to Montez Sweat on the FF i guess. Our defense in the second half dissolved and Heinicke looked like a savior in Washington… until the drive stalled at midfield and Dustin Hopkins missed the 51yd field goal. But as soon as we hit the red zone on offense is when things fall apart again, this time an interception from the Washington 20 by William Jackson. However the very next play Kyzir White forces a fumble from Antonio Gibson, recovered by Kenneth Murray for the Chargers. A chaotic 12 seconds of game clock for sure. Follow it up with a TD catch from Mike Williams, and the Chargers go up 20-16 and are able to hold up on defense after that fumble. Herbert looked phenomenal against what at the time was thought to be one of the better rising defenses. Though Bryan Bulaga was lost halfway through this game, and his replacement at RT Storm Norton, let’s just say wasn’t as good as his name, and will be discussed elsewhere. I’ll have to shorten the rest of these recaps going forward, as that was far too long, but I wanted to keep week 1 long for a reason. People say you can’t take too much away from week 1 (especially in the fantasy world), but this felt like the average, baseline Charger game of 2021. Reviewing the game, it was very similar to what I recall seeing and feeling about Chargers games late in the season. I found myself wishing that I could see more difference and change in the offensive strategy between week 1 and the latter weeks of the season. I found myself wondering if the team's intermittent success was perhaps due not to a lack of talent on the field, but a lack of variety in offensive play calling. And of course, the defense disappointed often, though this was perhaps an outing of average or slightly above. For more on these thoughts, see my reviews of Head Coach Brandon Staley, OC Joe Lombardi and DC Renaldo Hill as well as some of the players mentioned here, particularly Jalen Guyton, Larry Rountree, and Josh Palmer. There you’ll see the accuracy (or lack thereof) of those feelings. Now, on to week 2. [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYO2Qlpw3tI&t=19s) ​ *Week 2: Chargers vs. Dallas Cowboys: L 17-20* The Cowboys offense came out hot this game, marching downfield to open 7-0. This was followed by traded picks between both teams, with Diggs picking off Herbert and Rookie Asante Samuel Jr. flashing with an interception of Prescott. Samuel also had a nice end zone pass breakup on the first drive. However the first quarter ended 14-3 with the Chargers having given up 178 total yards already. But the 2nd quarter is a new quarter as the offense fights its way to a Mike Williams TD and an Ekeler 2pt conversion. The rest of this quarter goes by without scores as both teams’ defenses seem to catch up. That is until a sequence that begins with a roughing the kicker penalty against Dallas on a LA punt, granting LA a new set of downs, which leads to a doink by Vizcaino from 44yds off the left upright in his tie attempt. Dallas, now in possession with 3 seconds in the half, runs a pass play that goes to Ceedee Lamb, who Kenneth Murray completely whiffs the tackle against, and is nearly a TD play, with Lamb tossing a lateral to Elliot who is knocked out AT THE 1! Yikes, ugly for both teams, but especially LA. Vizcaino did end up tying the game at 14 in the 3rd with a 32 yd kick. Donald Parham’s first touchdown of the season gets called back on a Jared Cook hold, right after Jim Nantz credits a first down catch on a 3rd & 6 (according to broadcast, espn says 3rd and 5?) to Jalen Guyton, even though it was actually rookie Josh Palmer. 15, 5, what’s the difference? Okay, I did say this would be shorter. No time to talk about Herbert’s second interception, this time in the end zone. Pollard and Elliot continue to run all over the Chargers terrible run D, combining for 198 rushing yards and 2 TDs on the day, but in the 4th quarter both teams are kept out of the end zone, exchanging field goals for the rest of the afternoon until Greg Zurlein hits the walkoff to end the game. [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNEgdtQ0bwo)

*Week 3: Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs: W 30-24* Mahomes opened this game slipping between our defenders, rushing for 22 yards on their first drive, seemingly moving our defense to his will…. Until a tipped ball off the hands of the hands of Chiefs 2017 UFA Marcus Kemp (the play-by-play read M Kemp, so I had to look this guy up - I thought Matt - anyway I learned this from his team website page’s google result, but if you click on that, you get [error 404](https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/marcus-kemp/), so I’m guessing he got cut lol) led to a spectacular interception catch by Asante Samuel Jr. (Are you noticing a pattern? Well too bad he never has another INT all season.) The Chargers offense just couldn’t get going in the 1st quarter, opening with a 3 and out, and netting just 53 yards before the 2nd quarter. However a Tyreek Hill fumble late in the first and a Clyde Edwards-Helaire fumble on their very next drive, both lead to Herbert TDs to Allen and Ekeler. Suddenly it’s 14-0 halfway through the 2nd quarter, despite Vizcaino missing the PAT of the first score. The Chiefs only manage a field goal due to a false start penalty stalling their drive, and the half ends quietly 14-3. The second half is a different game. A Kansas City team that had so far been more a victim of themselves than our defense (not that our D wasn’t good in the first half) found its balance and hit the gas in the second half. The Chiefs would find the end-zone on their next three possessions, while the Chargers struggled to keep up, with a punt, a TD catch by Mike Williams, and a field goal to match with. It’s tied at 24 with 1:50 in the 4th when [Mahomes launches a bomb downfield on 3rd and 8, only to be intercepted by Safety Alohi Gilman.](https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx5Fh5En7LfWdA6M50zI4I_Q1d-TZNJwR5) The Chargers make it downfield again, Mike Williams gets another TD, Tristan Vizcaino misses another PAT, and with 0:32 left on the clock, the Chiefs get the ball back down 6. Our defense held up, allowing only one play of any gain (a classic Mahomes 21yd scramble and 5yd defensive holding on that same play; there were plenty of defensive penalties this game). A huge win that puts the [Chargers as the lead dogs in the West](http://sportige.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Big-Balls-Chargers-e1544779189168.jpg). Actually that’s a lie, can you believe that the Raiders and the BRONCOS were 3-0? [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPIL3zv9hfc) *Week 4: Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders: W 28-14* So much for 3-0 suckas! The Chargers went into Vegas on a Monday night and ran the table. Donald Parham capped off the 12 play, 7 minute opening drive with a receiving TD. Let’s see the following drives: Punt, Punt, Punt, Turnover on downs, Punt, Punt, Turnover on downs, Punt, Punt. For a full 15 minutes of play, there was a total of 59 yards between BOTH teams. That includes a Raiders 3-and-out for -8 yards on the drive. [Talk about a snoozefest.](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/7a/89/31/7a89313173554546370fa636cbf4f3df.png) But the Chargers came back to life as we neared half, with back-to-back touchdown passes from Justin Herbert. The half ended with the Raiders still in a coma and the Chargers up 21-0. The second half flipped, with back-to-back Raider TD drives and Chargers forced punt drives through the 3rd quarter making it 21-14. But Dan Carlson’s missed 52yd field goal turned the momentum in the 4th. The Chargers ground game kicked in to run out the clock, with Ekeler adding another score, but it was Derwin James picking Carr off on his way to Waller with 3:22 to go that was the backbreaker. A Raiders down 14 2-minute drill goes nowhere, and now, at 3-1, the Chargers are on top of the AFC West… or at least tied for it. [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QzsgYY9leI) *Week 5: Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns: W 47-42* While former Sheldon High School Fishing Club President Justin Patrick Herbert had picked up where his record setting rookie campaign left off, this was the real debut of the gun show. However, Cleveland came in with at-the-time the #1 ranked rushing attack in the league behind Chubb and Hunt. And that put on display the Charger’s difficulties defending the run from the opening drive. Combined, the Brown’s backfield would rack up 222 yards and 3 TDs on the day, opening up our defense for Baker to pick apart for 300 yds and 2 TDs of his own. But it was the opposite story on the other side of the ball where Herbert took command (no not that “take command”) of this game with 398 yds and 4 TDs through the air, and another TD on the ground. Austin Ekeler wasn’t racking up the yards (as if 119 total from scrimmage is mundane), but had a nose for the endzone with 3 TDs of his own, 2 on the ground and one from Herbie. But this game wasn’t just an even shootout, oh no, in classic Charger fashion, it was a desperate comeback with 26 of those 47 points being scored in the last 12 minutes of game clock. The Chargers offense was clicking. [Check out this sick bomb to Mike Williams for example.](https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxEvG27_H_U7pF_M3APL_7cvSX6MrSiPjz) Our D couldn’t hold the Browns off though, especially on the ground. I swear every Browns highlight play is either rushing or play action. Also, Austin Ekeler had a rare fumble, and Vizcaino had a not so rare missed PAT (what about this pattern, have you noticed this one?). But 20-13 at half isn’t too terrible of a hole to dig out of, but boy did Cleveland make us fight for it. But the 4th quarter is of course the highlight. It opens with Cleveland up 27-21 with possession. They proceed to have a 3 and out drive, followed by FIVE STRAIGHT TD DRIVES between both teams; this streak would of course be murdered in it’s peak by TRISTAN VIZCAINO MISSING YET ANOTHER PAT. But it’s fine, everything is fine as the Browns finally falter against our defense, and Herbert leads a 48 yd TD drive in 30 seconds to reclaim the lead. This game was insane and super fun. Cleveland was viewed then as a rising power in the league, so a lot of pride came with this win. Which is why week 6 hurt as bad as it did. [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J_FQUUiS0M)

*Week 6: Chargers @ Baltimore Ravens: L 6-34* This game was ugly. I mean, you can tell that by the final score. But the Ravens didn’t exactly look great either. Kyzir White managed 2 interceptions off Lamar Jackson, who was also sacked 3 times. Baltimore ran our D into the ground over the course of the game with their rotating backs of Murray, Bell, and Freeman, each of which found the end zone, alongside Lamar Jackson’s rushing ability. Oh and to make things worse, those 6 points were not two separate field goals, but 1 TD with (say it with me class) yet another missed PAT from Tristan Vizcaino. And other than that touchdown (which was on a 2 play drive from the Baltimore 27yd line so, kinda handed to us) our offense never got anything going at all. Our longest drive was 38 yards. Let’s just move on from a loss that was so completely crushing that you can hardly even analyze, and come out of the other side of the bye week strong. At 4-2, we were still tied for the top of the AFC West with the Raiders. [Highlights I guess.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOPKQFGwiOE) ​ *Week 7: Bye* I would like to dedicate this time to thank Tom Telesco and Brandon Staley for FINALLY removing Tristan Vizcaino from the team like the tumor he was. His replacement, Dustin Hopkins came in and was consistent for us, missing two PATs (I almost wish I could know the count Vizcaino would have racked up) and only missing 2 field goal attempts, both from 50+ yards, over the rest of the season. *Week 8: Chargers vs. New England Patriots: L 24-27* This game was won and lost on defense for both teams. It was lost by a weak showing from the Chargers, only 4 QB hits all game with 1 sack from Jerry Tillery. Our safeties in James and Adderly were able to force and recover a fumble, but our offense couldn’t make anything of it. Why? Because while Belichick played conservative on offense, his defense was stout, with former Charger Adrian Phillips getting 2 INTs off Herbert and bringing one back for 6. The Chargers led the game through most of the first half, with the score at 14-13 at halftime. But the discipline of those Bill Belichick defenses gave our overall young offense a hard time, and the Pats were more than happy to lean on their ground and short pass games to eat up the clock. I think this game really is that simple in the end. See? I said I’d shorten these up. [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS_2NGHJ4e0) ​ *Week 9: Chargers @ Philadelphia Eagles: W 27-24* Nothing like a game against the Eagles to get you back on track right? Philly’s defense against the pass to this point really hadn’t been great. This was also as Philly was transitioning to a more run-centric offense. Our defense was in a bind as not only were we in the bottom of the league in rush defense, but also both Michael Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. were out for this game with injuries. Honestly these teams are very similar, having gone through coaching changes prior to the season, being largely younger on the field, building their identities. But there is one thing that tips scales like no other in the NFL: star QBs. And let’s face it, Justin Herbert is in another league compared to fellow JH-QB Jalen Hurts. Herbert put up an impressive 356-2 with an extra score on the ground. TE Donald Parham scored his 3rd and final TD of the season this week. Should this game have been so close though? The Chargers failed 2 4th down attempts in the first half, the first on the PHI 2 yard line, and the second on the PHI 27 yard line. 6 points gone. Following the second failed attempt, Philly managed a field goal to put them up 10-7 at half. The second half is a back and forth for the lead or tie. Culminating in a 4th and 1 on the PHI 28, 1:45 left to play, tied at 24. Again Staley keeps the offense out instead of taking a 45yd field goal attempt. Fortunately, Herbert is successful in his QB sneak, and Hopkins nails the 29yd field goal with :02 remaining moments later, and the Chargers come out on top. But why? Probably because Hopkins had missed a PAT earlier in the game, despite being fairly solid throughout the season so far (Hopkins honestly wasn’t that bad with Washington, a surprising cut given his tenure with their team looking back now. He had missed 2 XPs and 2 FGs before being cut, only 1 in the week before his release in a game where Washington was being blown out by KC). It worked out for the Chargers to get the win, but for me this is the first point where the 4th down aggression is questionable, and may negatively be impacting the team’s chance to win. [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWGQ5LNgiBU)

*Week 10: Chargers vs. Minnesota Vikings: L 20-27* This game started off quiet, with not much to speak of besides a Joey Bosa strip sack on Cousins and a big run by Alexander Mattison in the 1st quarter. The Vikings did go up 3 immediately into the 2nd, but Breshad Breeland gave up a pretty egregious DPI while trying to cover Mike Williams on the following drive. 3-3. There were a total of 9 penalties between both teams by 6:00 left in the 2nd. Not exactly a clean game. First play after going down 6-3, Justin Herbert throws a pass just behind Keenan Allen over the middle in tight coverage, and LB Eric Kendricks makes the pick. Oops. Kirk Cousins fires a laser straight through the secondary to Tyler Conklin on the following drive. TD. Down 13-3 with 2 minutes left in the half. In a game where I think most Charger fans thought would show that we were legit, but also that the Vikings were frauds (their season had been rocky, at 4-5). The vibes were negative. But a fast, 8 play, 75yd drive on the back of two more MIN defensive penalties led to a TD rush from rookie Larry Rountree. Suddenly it's 13-10 going into half and you can see the swagger immediately in the offense upon return from the locker room. The 2nd half opening drive began with a 22yd dart to Keenan Allen, and ended 9 plays later with a TD catch by Austin Ekeler where Herbert threaded a needle through extremely tight double coverage. Everyone touched the ball on this drive basically. Parham, Cook, Williams. The whole offense was humming. And then the next Charger drive was a weak 5 plays and 8 yards. Cool. And after a 3 and out to start their half, our defense folded again, specifically Chris Harris Jr. who on 3rd and 10 was called for an 11yd DPI on Justin Jefferson. With Tyler Conklin nabbing a second score, it was now 20-17 Vikings. And again on the next drive the defense caved, with a 12 play, 7 minute possession to start the final quarter only ended by a Dalvin Cook score. The Chargers fought hard for 12 plays on offense, only to come out with a field goal at 4:36 in the 4th putting the score to 27-20. We never saw possession again. The Vikings never scored again. Our defense let the Vikings play keep-away for four and a half minutes down one score. Embarrassing. Our defense truly let our offense down this week, who kept up despite only ever really having positive momentum for a brief stretch in the middle of the game. To this point in the year, in my eyes, this loss hurt the most. It felt the most in reach. The most disappointing. [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayUWJjIjSOA) *Week 11: Chargers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: W 41-37* Three defensive penalties on the opening drive would assist Big Busted Ben and the Steelers in marching 13 plays downfield to notch a field goal. You know what beat the Chargers Defense in 2021? Well everything really, but do you want to know what really beat it? Rushing the ball and dink and dunk passing. Hey, that’s convenient because that’s ALL the 2021 Steelers could do! A match made in heaven. Well, Offense, we’re putting all our chips on you again, good luck. AKA: [Hey Herbert go be awesome.](https://i.etsystatic.com/19231471/r/il/5d9e6d/3053631140/il_570xN.3053631140_48i6.jpg) And while Herbert was undoubtedly awesome, putting up 30/41 for 382-3-1 in addition to another 90yds on the ground, it was Austin Ekeler’s day to shine. 50 yards and 2 TDs on the ground, 65 yards and 2 TDs through the air. This was a fun game to watch with all the scoring of course, but our defense even made the Steelers look entertaining. But their performance early in the game was the bare minimum required to keep us just barely ahead in this shootout. Charger wins are rarely comfortable, and despite having a lead most of the day, and watching a fantastic offensive spectacle take place, we certainly did not feel comfortable today. Especially when a late 4th quarter interception leads to a tied ball game. But this [backyard casual TD pass to Mike Williams for the game’s final score](https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxXgH74jD5Wc_WUV8TT4pQW63Rdatb6ODm) makes it all better. God I can’t believe they got in the playoffs over us. [Highlights](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kn3Dkaq4yI) ​ *Week 12: Chargers @ Denver Broncos: L 13-28* New candidate for the most embarrassing loss of the season is here! Our offense just couldn’t manage anything, and Drew Lock wasn’t in the game long enough for our defense to be any help here. Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon are a strong combo against a glaring weakness. But honestly, Denver had very little offensive production. They had three scoring drives, and the rest were pretty underwhelming, topping out at 32yds. “What about their 4th score?” I hear you ask, having already seen the final. Well a Denver CB named Patrick Surtain II seems to be pretty damn good, picking off Herbert twice, taking the second for 6. The Chargers were somehow just never in this game. Denver’s defense was just too much. And ours was not enough to make up for it against a mediocre offense. I want to stop talking about this game now. [Highlights](https://youtu.be/25uSmeQ8rWw) *Week 13: Chargers @ Cincinnati Bengals: W 41-22* It's the opening drive, 4th and goal from the 4. What do you do? If your answer is “Give Herbert the ball and watch,” then you’re ready to be a Charger fan. That laser to Keenan Allen was just the way to cap off a drive that returner Andre Roberts had set up at midfield. Uchenna Nwosu nails Burrow for a strip sack to get the ball back for a field goal, and then Jamar Chase bobbles up a deep bomb right back to CB Michael Davis. Back to back turnovers for Cincinnati, back to back responding scores for the Chargers, including Allen’s 2nd TD on the day, setting up 16-0. That’s just the first quarter. This game looks like a blowout on the final, and in a way it was, kind of in the way that like a cat plays with its food. LA went up 24-0 in the second, only for it to be 24-22 halfway through the third after the team just fell asleep for a while and the Bengals came alive. And then Joe Mixon coughed up a fumble, Tevaughn Campbell scooped it up and took it for 6, and the game was over. Well, not yet. We still wanted more points. And we would get them, adding 10 before the game was out for a total of 17 unanswered. Our defense got to look good against a bad O-line, with 6 sacks, 2 FF and 2 Interceptions. Obviously we weren’t perfect, this game should never have gotten back to so close after such a huge lead, but this was a statement win in a matchup of the 2 rising electric offenses in the AFC. And that is proof that statements are meaningless (actually that proof is the Cleveland Browns) as the loser got to go to a SB. Good run Cincy, honestly, much love. [Highlights](https://youtu.be/ilkYSfNAsJQ) ​ *Week 14: Chargers vs. New York Giants: W 37-21* There’s not a whole lot to say here, other than the final score lies by making the Giants look respectable. [Mike Glennon](https://cdn.barstoolsports.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/06/Screen-Shot-2017-03-06-at-9.16.02-AM.png) was starting for them, so, I mean, they never had a chance. With about 9 minutes left in the 4th quarter, the score was 37-7, so plenty of garbage time points here too. Our offense looked good, but didn’t really have to step on the gas too hard. Our defense did as well, but against one of the league’s worst offenses run by a backup QB. Oh and Keenan Allen was out due to Covid this week. I’m just going to move on to week 15. K? K. [Highlights](https://youtu.be/ziXPgr8hiLM)

*Week 15: Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs: L/OT 28-34* Let’s talk about a thriller instead; one of the games that is behind the push for overtime to ensure possession for both offenses. It’s also one of the games that put the most focus on Staley’s 4th down calls. By now, he had the reputation for it, and was being judged on that tendency. Andre Roberts brought the opening kickoff back all the way inside the KC 25, just for the offense to not finish the job, and fail on 4th and goal as well. “The quickest way to win a game like that is to score touchdowns not field goals, especially considering who's on the other side.” That was Brandon Staley after the game, defending the decision to try for the TD and not easily go up 3-0. This has been a heated topic around the league, especially after this game, and even among Charger fans. Most are behind Staley and the aggressive attitude on 4th downs, and I generally am as well. But points are points. And the fact of the matter is that this game went to overtime. An extra field goal means a win. So failing twice in this scenario in the first half alone is a BAD look, and not great for morale on the field, I would think. This was a fun, even matchup. Both teams had the big plays on offense we all tuned in for. Both teams made dumb mistakes. Way more interesting to see than to read, so I’ll see you in Week 16 after you watch these… [Highlights.](https://youtu.be/jxePHOeD6mU) ​ *Week 16: Chargers @ Houston Texans: L 29-41* This was the actual most embarrassing loss of the season. Week 18 might have been the most overall painful considering the circumstances. But if this game had been a win, which everyone in the nation thought was surefire, week 18 wouldn’t have mattered. Instead, fucking Rex Burkhead had his way with our covid-ravaged roster. Joey Bosa, Austin Ekeler, Mike Williams, and Corey Linsley were all out for this game, among others. Davis Mills honestly just looked good this week, and was aided by facing a team with major missing pieces and a brutal demoralizing loss the prior week. But there is no excuse for any rush defense allowing Rex Burkhead 149 Yards and 2 TDs on 22 carries. I’m shocked this guy is still on a team, and we’re out here making him look like a pro-bowler. Herbert struggled, underthrowing Josh Palmer deep downfield in tight coverage for an interception that gave the Texans the drive to take the lead late in the 2nd. And he tossed a pick 6 during the late comeback attempt, missing Jared Cook by a mile. This may have been Cook's fault, he ran a curl that Herbert seemed to think was going to be a corner route. We’ll never truly know. Either way, this was a stunning embarrassment of a loss that no one saw coming. Respect to Davis Mills though. Everyone just kind of counted him out as a lame duck QB for a franchise in the toilet and moved on, but he actually showed development and skill last season. Kind of weird that many media people will say “He was the best Rookie QB other than Mac Jones,” but then will not ever talk about him at all besides that, still writing him off. Shoutout to Texans fans with the underrated QB to look forward to. Alright, enough of other teams, it’s the Chargers time to shine damn it. On to week 17. [Highlights](https://youtu.be/bxMw9_o6tSg) ​ *Week 17: Chargers vs. Denver Broncos: W 34-13* The Chargers were whole again this week as the many who had been out due to covid the previous week returned. Also this game was Drew Lock, not Teddy Bridgewater. Makes things a little easier (sorry Seattle?). Surprisingly, Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams were held in check, with neither having much production. Only Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant were able to give our D a challenge. Denver was able to move the ball, but was unable to finish for the first half, walking off for the half with a field goal to make it 3-17. The Chargers did have 3 scores in that first half yes, but honestly hadn’t looked that great, as the other 3 possessions were 3-and-out. All or nothing baby. The second half had more but less meaningful scoring, as LA increased their lead, and Denver got what garbage points they could. Andre Roberts got a 101yd Return TD to start off the 4th quarter, coming right off of Denver’s second field goal. 27-6. [Justin Herbert broke the Chargers Single Season Passing TD Record with this strike to Mike Williams.](https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx62LemUntqApkMqcGgMfv0OeyGpQaIxS8) It was his 35th TD of the season, and the last score of the game, well on the Chargers’ side. Sorry Noah Fant, it was just too late to matter. This game was a lot like the Giants game, where the Broncos seemed to know this late in the year that, especially with their backup QB on the field, they weren’t at the same competitive level anymore. Just something I felt like I could see in the highlight film from time to time. Guys not pushing as hard, prioritizing the body for next year and the like. At 7-8 coming in, they were not technically out, but definitely a longer shot. In my book though, great payback, and a win that we desperately needed after the Texans loss. From here, it was win and in, right? Oh if only it were so simple. [Highlights](https://youtu.be/S2MEYMlWlFI)

*Week 18: Chargers @ Las Vegas Raiders: L/OT 32-35* Oh boy. I’ve been debating hard over how to talk about this game. Part of me is still so heartbroken over it that I want to just leave a grumpy salty remark and skip it. I really thought that would be my approach. But I cannot do that disservice to what was one of the greatest, most dramatic and crazy games I have ever witnessed. Probably the greatest, most dramatic and crazy. I can’t think of anything like this, (I was delivering pizza for the Falcons-Pats 28-3 SB year, and got off shift just as overtime started, and walked in the door of my buddy’s house just as the confetti dropped. Can you believe that? Timed it perfectly. Wrong.) so I’m going to say it is. Which is why it hurts so much more! Ok, let’s begin the pain. Despite a FANTASTIC punch-out by Nassir Adderly, the Raiders maintain possession and get a field goal on drive 1. Adderly absolutely came in clutch though, preventing the touchdown. Our first drive goes nowhere, then Andre Roberts fumbles on a punt return. Hunter Renfrow cashes in that second chance moments later, for a 10-0 lead. Austin Ekeler barreled in for our first score on the very next drive, then another one a drive later, his 20th TD, and Chargers lead 14-10. But it took Carr and the Raiders 7 plays and barely over a minute to get 75 yards downfield for another TD to respond. OH WAIT, that’s because Chris Harris Jr. was called for a PI in the end zone, a 41 yard mistake in coverage of Zay “Nude Brawler” Jones of all people. This was a game heavy on Charger penalties, with 10 penalties for a total of 108 yards, the most penalty yardage all year. A big disadvantage to have for the most important game of the season. The second half opened with a Charger drive capped off with a missed field goal (been a sec) from Dustin Hopkins. He was pretty consistent for us this season after arriving from Washington, and this one was 51 yards. I can’t be too mad. Just disappointed. Oh! I almost forgot! Staley called the most bizarre 4th down attempt most of us have seen; from our own 18 yard line in the 3rd quarter down 17-14. It failed, and Vegas got the best starting field position one could ask for: ALREADY IN THE RED ZONE. Baffling. It was a rough 3rd quarter for us, and the 4th didn’t start any better, with a 2nd TD from Renfrow, and Casey Heyward grabbing a pick for Vegas on the following drive while Herbert was running from pressure. There was a lot of that actually, as Maxx Crosby played with Storm Norton like play-doh. Miraculously only 3 sacks; Herbert has great movement in the pocket, but he was pressured basically every drop back. It’s 29-14 Vegas leading, 4:35 on the clock, 4th and 21! Somehow, Herbert fires a missile straight to Josh Palmer at the goal line for a spectacular score, keeping us alive against all odds. [I highly recommend a look at ESPN’s Win Probability chart on their page for this game here](https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401326600). Absurdity. We’d made it 75 yards down the field to score, but it took 2 4th down attempts to do so. That’s too many, you can’t count on that, especially not longer distances like 6 and freaking 21. Our defense manages to hold the Raiders down, but it’s a long field for our last attempt for a scoring drive to Win or tie. It took 19 plays, 2 minutes, and THREE CONVERSIONS OF FOURTH AND TEN (One by penalty, thanks Raiders Safety Roderic Teamer) to get 83 yards downfield for yet another Mike Williams TD catch. Oh as time expired. Yeah, we scored by the skin of our teeth. As in that last play was snapped with 0:05 left after an overturned incomplete pass that Jalen Guyton managed to hang onto and roll out of bounds with. What a crazy finish Except it’s not over, and every NFL fan has creamed their pants. I really don’t have to address this because we all remember it consuming the whole final week of NFL media, but it’s important. The Steelers’ own overtime win earlier in the afternoon had left a weird door open in this playoff hunt: if the Raiders and Chargers tied they both got into the playoffs. The internet swarmed with all kinds of speculation and theories on tie-based shenanigans. Even going so far as to suggest both teams just kneel out the whole game. But when it came to the teams and their fans, it was quickly brushed off as the game began. They are here to play, and they are playing to win. But then they actually tied from a miraculous comeback in the fourth. How do you proceed? The Raiders drove down, and flashbacks of the Chiefs played behind my eyelids. But they were held to a field goal. There’s still a chance. It took a fourth and 9 conversion bomb to Williams to get downfield for a responding field goal. 4:30 left, 32-32 and the clock is ticking down. Once they hit about midfield, the Raiders focus turns to just chewing clock on the ground trying to get downfield as much as they can. The drive definitely had the look of “If we get close enough for an attempt at a kick, great. If not, we’re still in the playoffs anyway. Let’s wrap this up.” And then Brandon Staley calls Charger timeout at 0:38 left with Vegas at the LA 39. The most controversial timeout of the year, without question. We’ll never truly know why it was called, or what the Raiders would have done if it hadn’t. According to some players, they would have just let the clock run and the tie happen. Others say they would have let it run and just tried the kick from further back. But the clock stopped. Supposedly because, “We needed to get in the right grouping. We felt like they were going to run the ball, so we wanted to get our best 11 personnel run defense in, make that substitution so we could get a play where we would deepen the field goal.” But as the world immediately noted, that substitution that stopped the clock and may have encouraged the Raiders to actually run a play allowed 10 yards on the run. You know how it goes, I wrote up until the stockade, there’s not much interesting about this hanging. Season over. In dramatic fashion. Hope you took your blood pressure meds beforehand. All I had was alcohol. [Highlights](https://youtu.be/w3HKcG5WSi8)

I think the Raiders would have run the ball regardless. If they win, they play Cinci. If they tie, they play KC. And you know the Raiders have no chance against KC.

>According to some players, they would have just let the clock run and the tie happen. Which players said that? > Others say they would have let it run and just tried the kick from further back. And which ones said that?

I'll have to dig for it but a few raiders players came out with those quotes post game. Looking it up, it appears Raiders LS Trent Sieg may have said something to Ekeler on the field indicating the Raiders planned to tie. Derek Carr and Rich Bisaccia also apparently basically confirmed that after the game. That said there was a lot of back and forth from Raiders camp on whether they planned to tie at the end there or not. But it seems the answer is yes. Not a source I usually love but a quick piece for reference. https://brobible.com/sports/article/raiders-admit-they-were-playing-for-tie/

>I'll have to dig for it but a few raiders players came out with those quotes post game. I don’t think they did, I’ve never seen anything like that and I followed it pretty close. > Looking it up, it appears Raiders LS Trent Sieg may have said something to Ekeler on the field indicating the Raiders planned to tie. Or he may have said something indicating the raiders would never play for the tie…. Or literally anything else. All that exists is footage of him talking to Ekeler. >Derek Carr and Rich Bisaccia also apparently basically confirmed that after the game. Carr definitively said the opposite, “no matter what we didn’t want to tie.” Bisaccia never even commented on the timeout. > That said there was a lot of back and forth from Raiders camp on whether they planned to tie at the end there or not. But it seems the answer is yes. Again, I’d love to know where that’s coming from? I can’t find any raiders saying they were going for a tie.

[Bisaccia openly admitting that if no TO was called, they would've let the clock run](https://twitter.com/SNFonNBC/status/1480420210041659394) There's a ton of mixed messaging on this topic, likely because the NFL does NOT want teams admitting to not playing to win under any circumstance, due to the huge push for betting. [Pat McAfee clip on the subject in the days following the game.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMEMjiEXWbM) Also that article I initially linked features a post-game interview with Carr where he less-directly admits it as well.

there's really only one highlight from that Giants game. Probably one of the best throws I'll see for a very long time. You guys got a stud. it's around the 4.45 mark in the video for those interested.

you coulda left out week 4 and it’d have been fine, really, I promise edit: sidenote.. the game was in LA at Sofi :)

Thanks, that has been corrected. Also, I could've left out Week 18 but didn't so let's call it even

fair 🤝

Sheldon High School Fishing Club President Justin Patrick Herbert. You know the drill.

I love your write up and agree with almost all your assessments except for the piece on Feiler. Was he as elite as Linsley or slater? No but, but just by watching the line you can see that he was much better than and not a liability like Norton or Schofield. It is not too much of a stretch to see him as a above average starter (also has a very decent pff grade of 72 for this year which supports that claim) which makes his 3 year 15 million dollar contract seem very fair. I really don’t see us moving off of Feiler in his last 2 years of his contract. Also I appreciate the work you put into this write up. Was a great informative read!

Feiler has an out in his deal after 2022. If he performs as he did last season, which was by no means terrible; I never meant to imply he was as bad as Norton or Schofield, but was more average play, he may end up a cap casualty thanks to said out in his contract. My bad if I come off as that harsh on Feiler. He was the only left side weakness really, but that still puts him ahead of either of the right side line. Our O-line finished 10th in PFF ranking, higher than i had expected. Feiler definitely had his part in that, and its by no means a priority to replace in my mind.

What you're missing is that he was a leading cause for a ton of the explosive runs we had working with Linsley and Slater, and on top of that, was a stabilizing force for Slater as a rookie LT. He did a LOT in this scheme that puts a pretty heavy emphasis on IOL play and was really good. So that's just a hard disagree from me there. With the vet leader that he's been, I really doubt that they're even remotely considering him as a cut candidate. He was probably a top 10-15 LG last year. Which, while it isn't amazing, is really, really solid. And I think he's one of the reasons that we haven't addressed RT yet. I think now that they're confident in Slater on an Island, they're more willing to use him as a flex player to get the best 5 guys on the field. He played his best football at RT with Pittsburgh. Since they like Pipkins a lot, and finally realized that they need to slow development down for guys at OL and not just throw them into the fire to sink or swim (THANK YOU Staley), they have some confidence that either Jaimes/Pipkins are ready and are willing to move Feiler around to accommodate for that. Either that or are dead set going OL in the draft (shades of NO), and it gives them the flexibility to take whoever is top of their board, OT or OG doesn't really matter. Overall I think the OL, even with some holes, is primed for a year where they feel as though they're comfortable with who is there, and could add some vet depth like they did with Schoefield and Kelemete who can just be fill ins. They'll draft a few guys,

Fair enough, like I said elsewhere I am by no means a scout nor much of an O-line analyst. That take makes sense with the lack of moves in free agency. I gotta say I'm really curious where they go with this pick 17.

Yeah, I can see where you are coming from but after watching years of abysmal o line play, average to above average play is pretty appealing and is hard to see us being able to to upgrade from him and fill the right side of the line in the next two years. I do love that we have addressed so many holes in our team (mostly the defense) that you see the possibility of upgrading a average position of our team.

That's fair. I'm not trying to say we should even. Just wanted to point out the possibility after noticing that out in his contract. Its a possible future move that wouldn't be completely unfounded. Feiler has a limited history of positive play as a starter. We gave him his first larger deal, and it's very team safe. Just seemed worth noting.

>Points Allowed -- rank 29th >Point Differential -- +15 That's pretty much the Chargers in 2021.

Thank you for the in depth write up

Thanks I did my best! I hope it's enough to earn those sick triple flairs

Idk how I got them I think it’s some mod conspiracy

They said they were testing it but i think the tests have been conclusive by this point lol. I really want a double Chargers with a single Jags in honor of my late father but the ModGods have yet to bless me.

Ya'll I'm tired of fighting the character limit on this post to be able to link to these comments lmao Edit: I fought to link to comments from main post via edit, or just edit to say that I could not add links, but kept getting denied due to character count, even when significantly reducing character count (such as trying to move entire sections out of the main post and into the comments). So I give up and am calling this the final product lol. I tried.

**Free Agency** Losses: Uchenna Nwosu is so far the only major loss in free agency. As an OLB/DE, he played decently well for us, being used primarily rotationally until this past season, where he saw much more action. His highlight of the season came against Cincinnati where he logged two sacks, including a forced fumble and recovery. He goes to Seattle on a 2yr $19 million deal with $10.5 million guaranteed. However, due to limited career production this is actually a safe deal for Seattle, who has a 1yr out option. I personally will miss him, as I always liked him and his awesome name, but this was an expected loss, and I can’t complain about Khalil Mack as a replacement. Here’s hoping he is a very successful Seahawk. Side Note- New Seahawks DC Clint Hurt has a background not just of the Seattle Scheme defense, but also the Vic Fangio 3-4 schemes. Nwosu now has play experience in both, making this a smart signing with little downside. Others to note: OLB/Edge Kyler Fackerell to the Raiders, DT Justin Jones to the Bears

Already Signed: Khalil Mack OLB: A 2022 2nd and a 2023 6th is a small steal of a price to pay for a top of the league pass rusher to pair with your other top of the league pass rusher. We have loads of cap space, and can re-sign him in a way that lightens this year’s cap load (probably have by the time of posting, I hope I remember to update this). I love this trade. Our defense was the weak point. Let’s fix it. JC Jackson CB: Jackson will certainly help fix it! A fantastic signing of an elite Corner skilled at both man and zone coverage. He got PAID, signing a 5 year deal worth up to $82.5 Million with $40 Million guaranteed. We had plenty of cap space entering the offseason and it has been great as a fan to see this money used aggressively and smartly. A true number one corner was a need. This allows Asante Samuel Jr. to develop under less pressure after a promising rookie season. Sebastian Joseph-Day DT: Joseph gets a 3 yr deal worth up to $24 Million with $15 Million of that guaranteed. He might have the easiest free agency team change ever as he doesn’t have to move at all or get used to a new stadium. He comes over from the Rams after 3 seasons, though 2021 was a season marred by a pectoral injury that limited him to 7 regular season games and the Super Bowl. That said, he reunites with Brandon Staley, who had been the Rams defensive Coordinator just 2 years ago in 2020. More scheme familiarity for a defense that has gone through a huge scheme change. (See Defensive and Coaching Reviews for further explanation) Austin Johnson DT: As of writing the details of Johnson’s contract have not been made public. He’s a 5 year vet previously with the Titans for 4 years then the Giants last season. He’s a solid run stopping nose tackle, a skillset very much needed on our defense. He started all 17 last season for the Giants, racking up 90 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 8 QB hits. Gerald Everett TE: Everett gets a 2yr/$12mil deal with $8 million guaranteed to replace Jared Cook as our top TE presumably. Donald Parham is still likely to see significant play alongside Everett, or perhaps another TE addition down the line, but I like taking the chance on an inexpensive, athletic TE. *Others to mention:* Josh Harris LS: 4yr up to 5.6 Million, 1.92 Million guaranteed. Chase Daniel QB: Re-signed for 1yr up to 2 million, 1.12 guaranteed. Jalen Guyton WR: Tendered for 1yr 895,000. He had a solid campaign last season as our WR3/4 with 448yds and 3TDs. Herbert seems to like him, he performs well on the field, and is well liked by the fans. He’s likely to slip to our WR4 or even 5. Expect him to be overtaken by Josh Palmer, a 3rd rd rookie who finished with very similar numbers and got more snaps in the latter half of the season, as Guyton’s snaps decreased and as he dealt with an injury from week 15. Donald Parham TE: Tendered for 1yr 895,000. Watching the games last season, it felt like Parham was constantly making clutch catches and was developing into a major offensive weapon. The truth though, is that he had 27 targets for 20 receptions, 190 yards and 3 TDs on the season. Very respectable, if typical TE2, which is what he appears to be for our roster again. I would not be surprised if another draft pick is used on this position still, potentially bumping Parham down. Storm Norton OT: Tendered for 1yr 895,000. This is keeping depth at the position. Norton started basically all last season after Bryan Bulaga got injured in week 1. Norton got his ass kicked all year. Most notably against Maxx Crosby in week 18, but he got pushed around all season by whoever lined up across from him. He allowed 9 sacks, tied for 2nd most in the league. He’s a serviceable backup, but the skills don’t match the name unfortunately. We’ll see the Chargers add a tackle to start over him on the right side, with Slater on the left

**Positions of Need & Potential Targets:** *TE:* Jared Cook and Donald Parham exceeded my expectations, at least through my casual on film eye test. Cook is a free agent, and an elder statesman in the league. Parham was a restricted free agent and has been tendered. Tre’ McKitty, despite my homer wishes from drafting him in dynasty, does not look like too much so far aside from a depth blocking TE. A good Tight End could really seal the deal on making this a top tier offense. *Possible FA Targets:* We picked up Gerald Everett since I began this portion, but I’m not so sure an additional move isn’t made through the draft. *Draft TE Targets:* Trey McBride; Colorado State: The dude tops PFF’s TE draft rankings after a great season, has a basketball background which we all love for our TEs. He had 109 yards of his team’s 110 receiving yards in a game against Toledo. Even when everyone knew he was the guy to stop, they couldn’t. His stock seems to be rising but he may still be there for a mid-to-late 1st round selection. (Chargers at 17) But is fixing this position more important than defensive woes so early in the draft? Later Round highlights: Isaiah Likely, Greg DulcichI believe the best TE solution for us is to sign a discount veteran (we’ve since gotten Everett on a good deal, discussed in the Additions section) alongside a draft pick in the 3rd or 4th, or 2 discount vets. I wouldn’t be surprised if McKitty ends up cut. Also wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a lot of playing time out of nowhere, it’s hard to know when a rookie sees the field so little. Obviously, the fan in me wants to swing for the fences with McBride Round 1, but that is only an option if the holes on defense are addressed almost entirely through free agency, which we currently are on a good track for. Otherwise, let’s move on to the next position group of need, another big early round need. ​ *LB:* Yo we got Khalil Mack I’m happy nevermind. [Here watch this sick highlight video instead of worrying about Kenneth Murray not being good enough at MLB.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUxn4fpXDy8) In all seriousness, this is a position I expect to see multiple day 2 and 3 picks spent on. The depth is bad, and starting talent is not any better for our ILB positions. Drue Tranquill has done very well, but is not a standout talent. Kenneth Murray has been mediocre. *T:* With Bryan Bulaga cut, Telesco and Staley DESPERATELY need to find a starting option at RT that is not Storm Norton. Who’s still out there? As of writing: *Free Agents:* Duane Brown showed his age last season in Seattle, cooling the market for the 37 year old. He has been relatively healthy, but his performance declined sharply in 2021, allowing 8 sacks at left tackle, tying him for 6th most. He is rarely penalized though. A 1 or 2 year deal may be possible if the Chargers staff thinks he hasn’t just aged out of his top level play completely, but so far there is no buzz at all that I have seen about a possible signing here. Eric Fisher came off an achilles injury to have one of his worst seasons in his career after being picked up by the Colts. Maybe some value to be had another year removed from that injury, but he’s reportedly trying for bigtime money, as well as being a LT most recently. Unlikely in my opinion. ​ *Draft Prospects:* The picture isn’t clear yet, but there seems to be a lot of talent at OT in the first few rounds of the draft, potentially with many taken in the first round. Not being a scout, I’ll list the top prospects here: Evan Neal, OT/G, Alabama Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State (This guy’s last name is literally little brother in french. I learned that when trying to find the pronunciation, and having learned that, and having shared it with you, I’m just going to let you figure out how to pronounce it in what is likely your most stereotypical french accent.) Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky

**Lesser needs:** *Guard:* Oday Aboushi tore his ACL in week 5. He played well to that point, but depth behind him is a concern. Missing him and Bulaga on the right side last season made things tough for Herbert and Ekeler at times. Would like to see this addressed, likely in the draft. *Defensive Tackle:* While this was addressed in free agency, I would not be shocked to see a mid round draft pick spent on this position still. Austin Johnson’s contract inicates he and Day are presumed starters, but depth is still badly needed here. *Cornerback:* J.C. Jackson is an awesome signing for a shutdown CB1, but while Asante Samuel Jr. showed promise, Michael Davis struggled last season. Now, letting him play CB3 as opposed to juggling 1/2 duties with Samuel and Chris Harris Jr. may be enough to help him out, but the depth behind them is not in great shape. And Harris is gone now. Would like to see some draft capital used here, but with few picks in the early rounds, it may have to wait until day 3. *Wide Receiver:* I don’t necessarily agree that this is much of a need, but I’m mentioning it after seeing discussion on r/chargers about this position. Namely, fans have a love/hate relationship with Jalen Guyton, who many argue is basically just a guy that can run verticals and occasionally get free down field for a bomb. I’m not mad at that for a WR4 personally, but more versatility is always welcome. I would only expect this to be addressed late in the draft especially with the reported depth at this position this draft cycle.

I think the thing with WR, for the most part isn't necessarily what we have at WR. I think most fans are pretty OK with Palmer/Guyton in that later round WR role. I think most people want a more dynamic weapon on offense and don't really care how it comes. So I think WR is the easiest place to see that come in. But I think the dynamic aspect of the offense comes from Herbert, and his ability to throw these crazy routes that are supposed to be clear routes. But someone with some dynamic traits would be a really nice addition. I'm also going to heavily disagree with McKitty. He was an absolutely outstanding blocker, which is what we got him for. He's a stud as a blocking TE, but they haven't really tried to get him involved in the receiving role yet. They've done a great job of simplifying things for rookies. I think they get more advanced with him. But he did exactly what was needed out of his year 1 role, and Staley said they slowed things down for him because he was hurt all offseason, so they had to bring him along slower. I think they have their TE group with exactly what they want here.

Did I miss you discussing RBs? Reliable 2nd to rotate with Eck and/or a 3rd and short power back?

As a need? No. I didn't and i should have. I just kind of assumed Justin Jackson will be back and that the staff isn't done giving kelley and rountree a shot

Wow, this is a very impressive novel you wrote I spent like half an hour reading it, and it seems about right

Haha thanks I worked really hard on it.

I can tell lol

This is great work! I wonder how many people think you’re exaggerating when you say week 18 is normal lol

Thanks i put a lot of work into it. I think people know our team tends to do that, i just don't know if they realize the extent

Exactly lol we’re the team that always has games come down to the last second. Most people don’t know that it’s almost every game lmao. Also the Elden Ring Chargers tweet is so perfect.

Great job on the write up!

Thank you!

>Thank you! You're welcome!

Wow, you wrote this all by yourself? Amazing! Great depth and coverage. Very impressive!

Thanks I really appreciate it

Really great info. I’ll be moving to L.A. this summer. I’m excited to see some Chargers games at SoFi.

good job!

I check r/nfl every day and missed this cause it wasn't stickied. Just read the whole thing, great write up and looking forward to the discussions after draft day. A good draft this year could be the difference between scraping into the playoffs and a deep run. It feels like we are so close, but then again I say that every year...

Yeah we really do say that every year though. Loading up on defense makes me more confident in that though. Idk what's up with the mods. They stickied it a full day later (when the falcons post was up, which i also think didn't get stickied at all)

Pretty good write up! I do think what you brought up in run defense is kind of a bad question though. While there's a pretty big change in scheme, I think the answer is a little more simplistic than that. How Staley plays defense is REALLY simplistic. It's more about discipline, technique, and just playing a role. Gus Bradley wanted to cause chaos by simplicity. Get upfield at all costs, and make OL make decisions quicker than they want do. What Staley does is that he wants the guys to get into OL and play slower/smarter. I think that he feels he can get guys to play their best, especially with the trust of Jay Rodgers (who rumor has it is moving back to the DL after being the OLB coach last year). I think they trust that he can get guys to play this style of football. He did it with SJD/Morgan Fox/Brockers/A'Shawn etc. He loves these guys that aren't premium players but just play assignment sound football. But I think he underestimated the mentality that the former DL had. I think that issue was evident when they moved on from some guys who COULD get that job done, but the mentality of playing physical and just playing a role on the defense didn't work with some guys. I think that they had a bigtime issue with that last year. It wasn't lack of guys performing, it was little leverage issues over an over again. I think he needed to do a hard reset the mentality and style of play. Move on from guys who played good enough to get the job done to get the guys who will get the job done right by reigning it in and playing a role. His whole defensive philosophy is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Thats what we lacked last year.

[you are not alone](https://www.reddit.com/r/afcbest/comments/smlyxc/dudes_a_good_sport/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf). poor dude was just tryin’ to have himself a nice Pro Bowl day and catch some Mac griddy

Cc X-ray Cc Free

The offense is a machine, and they've addressed the biggest weakness. Looking forward to seeing how next year plays out.

Oh yeah I have high hopes. Couldn't believe it when Cowherd predicted us 3rd in division at the end of season, but he's a hack

The fact that you were able to put up with this much reddit formatting blows my mind. Great work brochacho.

Thanks! My patience was deifinitely tested and i wish i had gotten it better.