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Originally posted by Velo
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Bennett probably smiled after that play and said, "finally, I get to play some REAL football, just like in Down Under, mate!" -
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Popper’s day 14 observations. A lot on Joe Lombardi and ST.
COSTA MESA, Calif. — The Chargers held their 14th practice of training camp Monday afternoon at Jack R. Hammett Sports Complex. It was their first afternoon practice of camp. All other practices so far had started at 9 a.m. Monday’s practice started at 2 p.m. Tuesday’s will, as well. The Chargers are then off Wednesday before two 9 a.m. joint practices with the 49ers on Thursday and Friday.
Here are my observations.
Walking with Joe Lombardi
The Chargers’ facility, the Hoag Performance Center, sits 1.5 miles from Hammett in Costa Mesa. The players arrive at the training camp field on buses. The coaches make the short drive over in their cars, usually carpooling. All the coaches except one, that is.
Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi walks. It is a routine he picked up from his days with the Saints, who had joint practices with the Chargers from 2017-19. The Saints would stay at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa, about three miles from Hammett. And he would run to the practices to get an extra workout in.
Lombardi has been walking to and from Hammett since training camp opened in late July. And last week, he picked up a familiar companion: coach Brandon Staley.
Staley will typically drive to practice. On most days he is one of the last Chargers employees at Hammett because he has to stay late for various media obligations. Last week, Staley started leaving his car at Hammett and walking back to Hoag with Lombardi. Cody Cejda, Staley’s assistant, drives the car back. The two coaches, meanwhile, exit the practice field walking side by side and take a right onto Fairview Rd. They stroll on the sidewalk anonymously along with students in backpacks leaving nearby Costa Mesa High School.
“It just gives us a chance to get in an extra workout,” Staley told The Athletic after Monday’s practice. “I think this is a great part of the year to get in your best shape. So I normally work out in the morning, and then it’s just a way to get a second one in, and then on the way, kind of unwind. Sometimes it’s talking football and sometimes it’s not. Most of the time it is. But it’s just a great chance to connect in a setting that’s not in the office, not on the field, and just decompressing. You’d be surprised at the balance that creates. … Just trying to take advantage of the time. I’m still trying to get into my routine, so when you stay this far after, sometimes it’s nice to not rush back too quickly and then be right back in it.”
Staley and Lombardi’s relationship goes back almost two decades. Lombardi was the offensive coordinator at Division II Mercyhurst in 2005 when Staley was a quarterback there, playing on the same team as his twin brother, Jason. In 2009, while an assistant at Division III St. Thomas, Staley embedded in the Saints quarterbacks room for a week with Lombardi and Drew Brees. There, Staley’s appreciation for Sean Payton’s offensive system started to form, an appreciation that only grew as he reached the NFL ranks as a defensive assistant under Vic Fangio in Chicago and Denver.
Staley and Lombardi are reunited 12 years later. Lombardi has a Super Bowl ring now and is bringing Payton’s system to Los Angeles. Lombardi’s success in New Orleans and mastery of this offensive scheme are the main reasons why he earned this job on Staley’s staff.
“He’s such a great resource for me,” Staley said of Lombardi. “He’s just seen a lot, and going through things (as a head coach) for the first time, he’s just that checks and balances. He knows me really well. I think it’s one thing to be with guys that have a lot of experience but maybe they don’t know you. And I think the fact that he knows me so well, I think is such a big asset for me. It’s been great for me.”
Gunner competition heats up
One of the offseason priorities for general manager Tom Telesco was improving the Chargers’ league-worst special teams. He went out in free agency and signed cornerback Ryan Smith, who was a standout gunner for the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers in 2020.
Smith, though, has missed almost all of training camp with a core-muscle injury. And now there is some fear that Smith will not be ready for the start of the regular season. With Smith out, there are now two gunner spots open on the punt unit.
And that was a focus in Monday’s practice during special teams drills. The punt coverage gave up returns of 46 yards and 15 yards in Saturday’s preseason game. On the 46-yarder, gunner Kemon Hall fell over while running down the left sideline.
Hall and cornerback Tevaughn Campbell were the first-team gunners Saturday. But several players are working at that position, including cornerback Brandon Facyson, safety Nasir Adderley and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.
On Monday, coordinator Derius Swinton spent most of the second special teams period running his players through a punt coverage drill. He was mimicking a punt by throwing the ball to a returner. As Swinton was readying to throw, the interior coverage players were jogging around in a circle on his right and left, three on each side. When Swinton released the throw, the six players circling sprinted down to cover, and the two gunners, one along each sideline, ran down their wide lanes.
Early on, Swinton was unsatisfied with the execution from the gunners. So he told the interior coverage players to stop. He then unleashed rapid-fire throws to the returners and sent the gunner pairings off in quick succession, demanding better. After close to 10 throws, Swinton resumed the drill as scheduled.
“That’s what happened out there at practice today,” Staley said of the increased significance of the gunner battle. “Ryan is a guy that would be a huge asset in that role, and when things like this happen, then it creates a lot more competition. And what we’re expecting is that someone can come in and play like Ryan Smith, and so that’s why we’re on top of that group right now and trying to demand a lot from them because it’s an important position on the punt team. So we’ve got several qualified candidates, and we’re going to try and figure it out here in the next couple weeks.”
News and notes
• Rookie OT Rashawn Slater missed his first practice of training camp. Staley said Slater felt “a little something” in his lower back at the team’s morning workout, and he decided to hold his starting left tackle out of practice. “Nothing to be concerned about,” Staley added. “Just more precautionary than anything.” Slater is expected to return for the Chargers’ joint practice with the 49ers on Thursday. Storm Norton was at left tackle with the first team.
• WR Mike Williams missed his second consecutive practice with a hip flexor injury. Staley said Williams will not practice this week, meaning he will miss the two joint practices with San Francisco. “Hoping to get him back soon,” Staley said. “He’s progressing.”
• RB Justin Jackson, who suffered a groin injury in Saturday’s preseason win over the Rams, did not practice. He is not expected to practice this week. “We’re shooting for him to be back in the preseason, but we’ll just wait and see on that,” Staley said.
• Other Chargers who did not practice: OT Trey Pipkins, DL Cortez Broughton, LS Cole Mazza and edge rusher Chris Rumph. Mazza, who sustained a shoulder injury Saturday, had his right arm in a sling. The Chargers signed long snapper Matt Overton as insurance Monday. “Had to sign one,” Staley said. “Wanted to feel good going into this week about having two guys, just in case something happened.” There is no timetable for Mazza’s return.
• QB Justin Herbert completed all six of his passes in seven-on-seven drills. He also delivered a few pinpoint throws in 11-on-11. On the first, Herbert avoided pressure and fired an off-balance throw to WR Jalen Guyton on a deep crossing route. On the second, the Chargers offense was set up on the plus-35-yard line, and Herbert again found Guyton, this time fitting a missile into a minuscule window on an out route with CB Michael Davis in tight coverage. Later in that same series, Herbert connected with Donald Parham for a touchdown on a third-and-goal from the 5-yard line. This was another very accurate throw into a small window. Chris Harris Jr. provided tight coverage on this play. “On defense, your margin for error is so much smaller against a caliber quarterback of Justin Herbert,” Staley said. “You have to be so much more precise, and I think that’s really bringing out the best in our defense, especially from a coverage systems standpoint. Because he can hit any throw that’s tightly contested, but if you’re not tightly contested, those are layups for him.”
• Herbert’s day ended with an interception in the two-minute drill. The situation: end of half, 1 minute, 10 seconds on the clock, offense trailing by 10 points, one timeout. Herbert drove his unit down the field, connecting with WR Keenan Allen, TE Jared Cook, WR Josh Palmer and WR Jason Moore. Facing a third down with the clock ticking under 10 seconds, Herbert attempted a back-shoulder throw to Moore. Davis jumped the route and secured the interception. This was noteworthy because Davis was beat on an identical route by Williams in the intrasquad scrimmage at SoFi Stadium earlier this month. Defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill, defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley and assistant special teams coach Tommy Donatell had been coaching Davis up on how to defend this specific route.
• Backup QB Chase Daniel capped his two-minute drill with a touchdown pass to WR K.J. Hill, who beat Hall down the seam.
• Daniel hit WR Tyron Johnson for two long gains, one on a wheel route in seven-on-seven and one on a back shoulder throw in 11-on-11.
• TE Hunter Kampmoyer caught two balls in team drills.
• DL Jerry Tillery had his second sack of training camp. S Derwin James forced the initial pressure and Tillery cleaned it up.Comment
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Just reviewing Bellamy's bio, he looks like he's getting a tryout for the practice squad. Tall, thin, lacking strength, might develop as a reserve pass rusher or space defender.Originally posted by Bolt-O View PostNow, if you excuse me, I have some Charger memories to suppress.
The Wasted Decade is done.
Build Back Better.Comment
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who needs Hard Knocks if each team is going to produce this type of weekly videoOriginally posted by MagicMamba88 View Post
STaley is pretty impressive the more I read about how he prepares the team, practice schedule, mimicking the schedule during the season
this guy has a plan!Comment
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Nice hype video!! I am all in this year!! ..but truth be told, I have been all in for quite some time now. I am really feeling that this year will be much different though. This is where hype meets end-results finally..Originally posted by MagicMamba88 View PostComment
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Down the field? That bodes well for Guyton and Johnson( and Williams?)
Speed kills, baby! Let it fly!Comment
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