Halfway Point Review

[chris9341]

I know no one will agree with me on this but in this draft I think the Chargers need to think about drafting a RB in the first round. Eckler is a great third down back but imo he has actually hurt the Chargers run game because he can't consistently gain 5 plus yards. Sure he might have a couple of decent games here and there but he's not a focal point of the offense. Now wouldn't it be nice to be able just pound the ball down the other teams throat especially if your QB's game is off. This team is relying way to much on Herbert to win us games and when he fails fans question him. There's nothing wrong with having a little help. But then there's also our Run defense that needs to be addressed also. So what I'm hoping for is we sign someone in free agency maybe on or two players draft a running back with our first pick then go Cb second round lb'er 3rd round.

[Steve]

I know no one will agree with me on this but in this draft I think the Chargers need to think about drafting a RB in the first round. Eckler is a great third down back but imo he has actually hurt the Chargers run game because he can't consistently gain 5 plus yards. Sure he might have a couple of decent games here and there but he's not a focal point of the offense. Now wouldn't it be nice to be able just pound the ball down the other teams throat especially if your QB's game is off. This team is relying way to much on Herbert to win us games and when he fails fans question him. There's nothing wrong with having a little help. But then there's also our Run defense that needs to be addressed also. So what I'm hoping for is we sign someone in free agency maybe on or two players draft a running back with our first pick then go Cb second round lb'er 3rd round.

No RB can consistently get 5 yards per carry. It just doesn't happen in the NFL. If a RB averages 5.0 per carry, it means they have broken a lot of long runs.

As far as a consistent running game goes, the guys who developed the zone running game (Alex Gibbs and Barry Alverez) wanted a median gain of between 3 and 4 yards.

And the scenario you describe, you need a powerful or athletic OL, not necessarily a great RB. Inconsistency in an offense, run or pass, almost always means there is a problem with the blocking. Plus, regardless of the issues on O, an OL addresses improvement in both running and passing game, not one or the other, like a RB usually means.

I personally think that the RB position is fine. I agree that Ekeler is better suited as a change of pace and receiver, but I think Kelley and Roundtree are fine if they are behind a halfway decent OL. There are plenty of examples of pretty average RB getting good results behind a good to great OL. Not many examples of even good to great RB excelling behind weak OL.

As far as run D, the DL and LB need to play better, but it is going to take multiple players, if you want to replace the weak links. Run D is about filling ALL the gaps, ALL the time. The problem is not our run D having a single weak point. The players we have to do an OK job half the time or more on any given play. But that means half the guys on any given play are making a mistake and doing something wrong. That gives an opposing RB a lot of options.

As much as getting a top-notch ________ (fill in your position of choice here), if that is all we are going to count on, then the results will be pretty much the same next season. A big part of the fix is going to have to be the players we have now playing better. They simply need to do their job on EVERY run play. That is what wins in run D, and there is no shortcut around it.

As far as getting a new RB, I just don't think there is a point to using a high draft pick or sign a priority FA to a big contract. Bring in UDFA in bulk, and scour the waiver wires. There are players like Ekeler and Phillip Lindsay available every season. Late round picks are not a bad place either. It's not like Jackson lacks talent, he is just not durable. That is why you don't want to invest a lot of capital into a single-player because RB take a lot of pounding, both before and after a team signs them. So bring them in bulk and fix the OL.

[foreigner]

Half point review? this team is fine with the talent level it has... Tom Telesco has to improve his game tho.... thats my review.

[Formula 21]

Losses, 3 out of the last 4 games. You could even say they were non-competitive losses. That says it all. This team needs to step it up.

Players or coaching? I put a lot of it on coaching. Teams have discovered our weak spots and continue to attack them. And we do not respond.

[foreigner]

Losses, 3 out of the last 4 games. You could even say they were non-competitive losses. That says it all. This team needs to step it up.

Players or coaching? I put a lot of it on coaching. Teams have discovered our weak spots and continue to attack them. And we do not respond.

Easy to do when you have Jerry Tillery, Kenneth Murray and Storm Norton (Oh and Bulaga waiting to be activated) in your roster....

[Boltgang74]

I believe we have the wrong coordinators and a lack of quality depth.Hell we have a lack of quality on starters too.New coordinators and new GM next year(fingers crossed).

[chargeroo]

I believe we have the wrong coordinators and a lack of quality depth.Hell we have a lack of quality on starters too.New coordinators and new GM next year(fingers crossed).

Over the years I can't even count how many coordinators we've had but it wouldn't be too hard to count how many times changing a coordinator caused an improvement. I'm inclined to think it's better to keep everyone in place and let the players get used to the system.

[Boltgang74]

That just tells me somebody continues to pick the wrong coordinators.

[chargeroo]

That just tells me somebody continues to pick the wrong coordinators.

I was hoping you would see that the problem is the players. Give these same coordinators the right players and you'll like the results much better.

There isn't a team in the NFL that doesn't have a few players that are somewhat less than what the staff would like. In our case, I think you'll agree that a better player at just 2/3 positions would change everything. Put a stud RT, DT, and Edge on this team and we'd be one of the best teams in the entire NFL. Even with the coordinators you don't like.

[Boltgang74]

Lions didnt like the complex stylins of Lombo much either,just sayin.I do agree our lack of talent is more than most want to admit.TT needs to go too.

[Critty]

Staley admitted that they are as good as their record indicates. And that both players and coach have to improve. But IMO, it's mainly the players and roster, which is Telesco and Spanos who need to do the most improvement.
The philosophy of draft well and resign your own isn't happening at a high level at all. Example:
2017 draft. Chargers picked 7 players. They are all on NFL rosters in 2021, but only 1 player Mike Williams is still on Chargers. These would be your 4th year seniors from that draft class. And I suspect Williams won't be resigned and Josh Palmer was drafted to replace him. And when that happens there will be zero players on roster from 2017 draft, yet all still in the NFL but on other teams. And Telesco values picks to much to trade for proven talent, but will use them to trade up for a player that he later won't resign?!! You never going to find a head coach good enough to overcome a roster with holes and who's draft classes at times result in no long term answers. You have to build a championship level roster first and then if the coach doesn't get it done, replace that coach.

[Boltgang74]

Staley admitted that they are as good as their record indicates. And that both players and coach have to improve. But IMO, it's mainly the players and roster, which is Telesco and Spanos who need to do the most improvement.
The philosophy of draft well and resign your own isn't happening at a high level at all. Example:
2017 draft. Chargers picked 7 players. They are all on NFL rosters in 2021, but only 1 player Mike Williams is still on Chargers. These would be your 4th year seniors from that draft class. And I suspect Williams won't be resigned and Josh Palmer was drafted to replace him. And when that happens there will be zero players on roster from 2017 draft, yet all still in the NFL but on other teams. And Telesco values picks to much to trade for proven talent, but will use them to trade up for a player that he later won't resign?!! You never going to find a head coach good enough to overcome a roster with holes and who's draft classes at times result in no long term answers. You have to build a championship level roster first and then if the coach doesn't get it done, replace that coach.

Perfectly stated.