Wk1: Rashawn Slater vs Chase Young - Schedule Released

[equivocation]

It just does seem fair to be able to put your hands on the throat of an offensive lineman and bend him backwards like that. Washington did it to Slater play after play

TG

Should have been penalties but it's easy to get away with.

My favorite was to get my palms under the chest pads and then push the chest pads up into the throat. A lot of OL don't tighten down their straps at lower levels.

Slater showed a lot of grit. Especially vs Sweat IMO. That guy is long and nasty.

[madcaplaughs]

He's like the Anti-Tevi

[FoutsFan]

Slater makes it look so easy, you start to wonder why do others struggle so much? Then you remember it really is not eazy.

[NoMoreChillies]

Slater makes it look so easy, you start to wonder why do others struggle so much? Then you remember it really is not eazy.

The great ones always make it look easy

[DragonIce]

Mods Help!

The duality of two active Rashawn Slater threads on this forum...is messing w/my head. Is it to suggest:
-Domination on the first level and the second?
-Run, PassPro Dual Brutality?
-Double the Value?


I can't track all this Multi-Tier Slater greatness!

:mybrainhurts:

[Xenos]

Popper’s analysis of Slater’s first game. Spoiler alert: it was amazing! Also love how longer arm Sweat got owned by Slater.
https://theathletic.com/2831030/2021...ckle-in-debut/

The Chargers have a franchise left tackle.

That is what the tape from Sunday’s win over Washington showed me.

In his regular-season debut, Rashawn Slaterwas absolutely spectacular. It was the best individual performance from an offensive lineman I have seen since I started covering the team in 2019. He did not allow a single pressure despite facing off against one of the best edge-rushing duos in the league Chase Young and Montez Sweat. He was a force in the run game when the Chargers rushed behind him.

The Chargers have been waiting a long time for an offensive lineman of this caliber. Slater is everything he was advertised to be — and more. It is only one game, he is a rookie, and there might be bumps in the road as this season progresses. But one thing is abundantly clear: Slater is a special, special player.

Let’s dive into the film.

Slater came out in this game ready to play. There was no rust, even though he opted out of the 2020 college season and only played 20 snaps in the preseason. He looked like a legitimate NFL player from the very first snap. And Slater was a major factor in the Chargers’ perfectly executed opening touchdown drive. Slater was moving people — primarily Young — in the running game.

On the third play of the drive, Austin Ekelerbroke off an 11-yard run. Slater dominated Young on this rep and moved him out of the play. That opened up the hole, and Stephen Anderson helped create a path for Ekeler with a timely block on safety Kamren Curl.












Later in the drive, Slater was matched up with Young again on a run play. Again, he dominated, opening up a massive hole on the left side for Larry Rountree.






Rountree opted not to take this initial lane and ended up bouncing it further outside, following Anderson, who was aligned at fullback. He might have scored a touchdown if he took this first hole. He only had the safety to beat.




Slater nonetheless held his block on Young long enough for Rountree to find a different hole and surge ahead for a 12-yard gain.




Ekeler then capped the drive off with a 3-yard touchdown run. You guessed it, he was running behind Slater again.






The Chargers coaching staff felt comfortable leaving Slater on an island against both Young and Sweat. Slater won every rep.

Here was one example late in the first quarter, when Slater stood up Young on-on-one.










After this series, Washington moved Young to the other side of the formation. He did not rush against Slater again until the final drive of the game. It is unclear if this was planned, or if Slater dictated this change because of his play. Sweat, whose arms are almost two inches longer than Young’s, moved to Slater’s side after the first quarter and stayed there until late in the fourth quarter.

It did not matter.

Sweat was trying to use his 35.75-inch arms to get separation against Slater. At least five times, he appeared to commit an illegal hands to the face penalty. The refs did not call any of those apparent penalties. Sweat did not win any of the rushes.

Here is one of those rushes early in the second quarter, which resulted in a 16-yard completion to Keenan Allen.










Slater sustained this level of play throughout the game, including when Young came back over to his side on the final drive for the third-and-16 completion for Allen.

Slater won again.










The other thing that really jumped out to me from Slater’s performance was how well he worked with left guard Matt Feiler, who I thought played a solid game.

Slater and Feiler faced two stunts in this game that they picked up seamlessly.

One of those came in the fourth quarter on a third-down completion to Allen. Sweat twisted inside while defensive tackle Daron Payneshifted outside. Feiler and Slater were prepared, and Justin Herbert was untouched.









This was a tremendous debut from Slater. He is the real deal.

[Heatmiser]

I still am struggling with how Sweat kept putting his hands on Slater's throat and chin. In the Popper shots, you can see the Ref staring at it. I always thought that was a penalty. I didn''t count like Popper did, but Sweat did it A LOT.

TG

[chargeroo]

It was a great start to Slater, for sure. But look at the pocket in those photos, it was a great job by the entire OL. We finally have a top-notch OL again.

[Heatmiser]

It was a great start to Slater, for sure. But look at the pocket in those photos, it was a great job by the entire OL. We finally have a top-notch OL again.

Yes, even Norton in those snaps is holding his own. Not dominating, not picture perfect but holding his own even when he is iso'd on Sweat

TG

[equivocation]

Rule 12

ARTICLE 7. ILLEGAL USE OF HANDS BY DEFENSE


It is a foul if a defensive player thrusts his hands or arms forward above the frame of an opponent to forcibly contact him on the neck, face, or head.

Note: Contact in close-line play is not a foul, unless it is direct and forcible, or prolonged.

https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2021-nfl-rulebook/

[RTPbolt]

That sure looked like enforceable penalties. I hope Staley submits those the the refs for review. Clean that crap up.

[perryao]

I still am struggling with how Sweat kept putting his hands on Slater's throat and chin. In the Popper shots, you can see the Ref staring at it. I always thought that was a penalty. I didn''t count like Popper did, but Sweat did it A LOT.

TG

One thing when looking at those pix, Herbert, if the WR's are covered has lots of room to rumble up the middle on a lot of those plays. haha.