LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
2020 Record - 7-9-0
Head Coach - Brandon Staley
Key Additions - Jared Cook (TE), Chase Daniel (QB), Oday Aboushi (OL), Kyler Fackrell (LB), Corey Linsley (OL), Matt Feiler (OL), Ryan Smith (DB)
OFFENSE - Second year quarterback Justin Herbert will start once again after a big rookie season in which he passed for 4,336 yards with 31 touchdowns (a new NFL record for rookies) and just ten interceptions. Chase Daniel and Easton Stick will be the backups.
Running backs Austin Ekeler (530 rushing yards with a 4.6 ypc average and one touchdown and also 54 receptions for 403 yards and two TD), Josh Kelley (354 yards and two TD) and Justin Jackson make the running game go for the Chargers. The wide receivers are led by Keenan Allen, who had 100 receptions last season for 992 yards and eight touchdowns. Mike Williams (48, 756, five TD), Jalen Guyton (28, 511, three TD), Tyron Johnson and rookie Joshua Palmer (Tennessee) are also in the mix. The tight end is Jared Cook, who had 37 receptions for 504 yards and seven touchdowns with the New Orleans Saints a year ago. He will be replacing Hunter Henry, who left in free agency.
DEFENSE - The Chargers defense has end Joey Bosa (team high 7 1/2 QB sacks last season) up front along with Uchenna Nwosu (4 1/2 sacks), Linval Joseph and Jerry Tillery. Justin Jones and edge rusher/linebacker Kyler Fackrell provide depth. The linebackers include Drue Tranquill, Kenneth Murray, Emeke Egbule and Kyzir White.
In the secondary will be cornerbacks Chris Harris, Jr., Michael Davis (three interceptions) and rookie Asante Samuel, Jr. (Florida State) along with safeties Derwin James and Nasir Adderley. Alohi Gilman and rookie Mark Webb (Georgia) will vie for playing time as well. The Chargers gave up 26.6 points per game a year ago while finishing tenth overall in total defense, allowing 343 yards per game. The run defense gave up 120 YPG and the pass defense was ninth in the NFL, allowing 223 yards per game while picking off twelve passes. The Chargers had 27 quarterback sacks and saw a plus-three in the turnover category.
2021 SEASON OUTLOOK - A new Head Coach comes along this season as Brandon Staley takes over and he is one of the younger coaches in the NFL. The Chargers finished strong last season and whether that can carry over to this season remains to be seen. It will depend a lot on how much Herbert continues to develop at quarterback with a new system and coaching staff. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 and showed good poise.
The 'Bolts lost seven one-score games last season and also won five of them, so the little things and attention to detail will go a long way as to whether they can improve enough to get back to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. The defense has to be better, especially against the run. The Chargers were 18th in the league in that area. An improved pass rush is also a must because Bosa cannot do it all by himself and this season he won't have "book end" pass rusher Melvin Ingram (free agent) around to help. The pass defense was solid a year ago and should be even better if safety (Derwin) James can stay healthy. He has missed much of the last two seasons with various injuries.
The offense is solid and will only get better as Herbert and the passing game improve with more experience. The Chargers passing game averaged 271 yards per game last year (6th in NFL) and scored an average of 24 points per game. The running game averaged 111 YPG and overall the offense finished ninth in the NFL, averaging 382 yards per game. If the Chargers can make the improvements necessary to win those close games, they could make the playoffs. A 9-8 record is realistic and that could be enough to get them into the post-season, but they have a rugged schedule in the first half of the 2021 season and that will determine how far they progress this year.
2021 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - at Washington
Week 2 - vs. Dallas
Week 3 - at Kansas City
Week 4 - vs. Las Vegas
Week 5 - vs. Cleveland
Week 6 - at Baltimore
Week 7 - BYE
Week 8 - vs. New England
Week 9 - at Philadelphia
Week 10 - vs. Minnesota
Week 11 - vs. Pittsburgh
Week 12 - at Denver
Week 13 - at Cincinnati
Week 14 - vs. N.Y. Giants
Week 15 - vs. Kansas City
Week 16 - at Houston
Week 17 - vs. Denver
Week 18 - at Las Vegas
No comments:
Post a Comment