Play Calling

[Boltjolt]

Fine work into this, Chili.

The Chargers offense ranks #2 in explosive plays and #4 in 3rd down efficiency.

But my issue is the defensive play-calling. Or it's lack of success on the field.

The Chargers rank 31st in 3rd down efficiency on defense. Is it: 1) the play read-and-recognition, 2) the inability to beat blocks, or 3) poor tackling, or is it the talent Telesco and John Spanos has been supplying to the club outside the first round, and we simply don't have the talent to run Staley's scheme?

Thank you. Been saying this for weeks now. Defense is the bigger problem and Denver had the ball (TOP) way longer than we did. But OL depth sure is a huge problem. Kelemete was shit. The right side isnt good. Plucking someone off a PS cant be any worse than Kelemete was.


I do think in video 3 of NMC outstanding video work for us, that Herbert could of got that pass off to Cook.

Yes he would of got hit afterwards but he could of got it off. Got to remember that Herbert for how good he has been is still developing and he is far from a finished product. Which is good news for us. He isnt what FlyFisher said he is but at times his processing on that play anyways, could of been a bit faster.
Though we dont know what his first read was on that play either. Perhps he wasnt comfortable hanging tough with the pass protection he was getting either.

As i been saying, in time this offense will get better and in the meantime we need OL upgrades which will also come in time as in the next offseason since we arent getting Bulaga or Aboushi back this year.

[FoutsFan]

Wow it looks like we were a couple of plays away from changing the outcome of that game. I agree with NMC on spreading out the D on the 3rd and 2. Give JH a run/pass option. Same on 4th down.

If Ekeler does not tip drill that pass for a pick 6 we were for sure in the game. Goes back to dropped passes and even worse passes tipped for easy ints. Also as pointed out our backups really suck, I mean they could suck start a Harley.

Then there is the defense, or lack there of.

[Boltjolt]

Also want to point out to the few posters on Gameday threads that keep saying our WRs aren't getting open,....well there you see it. They are but the pass rush is closing in,.... in zone coverage.

Against Pittsburgh they played a lot of man coverage and when they do that and you see open field in front of you, Herbert will run and the defenders don't see you running right away as they are following the Receivers.

[ghost]

Also want to point out to the few posters on Gameday threads that keep saying our WRs aren't getting open,....well there you see it. They are but the pass rush is closing in,.... in zone coverage.

Against Pittsburgh they played a lot of man coverage and when they do that and you see open field in front of you, Herbert will run and the defenders don't see you running right away as they are following the Receivers.

Chargers are 0-5 against playoff defenses: Dallas, Baltimore, New England, Minnesota, & Denver. Get Stephen Alexander and Donald Parham involved in the passing attack early as no team has the talent to cover the Chargers' 5th option. Then switch to the short passing game as a change-up, once you have a lead. I love our 13 personnel package.

We have a few average performers in the front seven next to Bosa, and the defensive backfield needs more talent, but we are playing meaningful football games in December. That is tangible progress in Staley's Year One.

[Topcat]

Chargers are 0-5 against playoff defenses: Dallas, Baltimore, New England, Minnesota, & Denver. Get Stephen Alexander and Donald Parham involved in the passing attack early as no team has the talent to cover the Chargers' 5th option. Then switch to the short passing game as a change-up, once you have a lead. I love our 13 personnel package.

We have a few average performers in the front seven next to Bosa, and the defensive backfield needs more talent, but we are playing meaningful football games in December. That is tangible progress in Staley's Year One.

All Herbie has to to is lob the rock up nice and easy to Parham in the flats and it's usually an easy 5-8 yds...why not? U can't teach 6-8...

[21&500]

All Herbie has to to is lob the rock up nice and easy to Parham in the flats and it's usually an easy 5-8 yds...why not? U can't teach 6-8...

More than just his size is his sneaky elusiveness as a ball carrier too.
hope we re sign him

[like54ninjas]

More than just his size is his sneaky elusiveness as a ball carrier too.
hope we re sign him

We control his rights for 2 more seasons.
I think he deserves a new contract.
3YR/$10.5M

[richpjr]

Thank you. Been saying this for weeks now. Defense is the bigger problem and Denver had the ball (TOP) way longer than we did. But OL depth sure is a huge problem. Kelemete was shit. The right side isnt good. Plucking someone off a PS cant be any worse than Kelemete was.


I do think in video 3 of NMC outstanding video work for us, that Herbert could of got that pass off to Cook.

Yes he would of got hit afterwards but he could of got it off. Got to remember that Herbert for how good he has been is still developing and he is far from a finished product. Which is good news for us. He isnt what FlyFisher said he is but at times his processing on that play anyways, could of been a bit faster.
Though we dont know what his first read was on that play either. Perhps he wasnt comfortable hanging tough with the pass protection he was getting either.

As i been saying, in time this offense will get better and in the meantime we need OL upgrades which will also come in time as in the next offseason since we arent getting Bulaga or Aboushi back this year.

I agree with most of this, but will point out that the Chargers (30:23) had more TOP than the Broncos (29:37) did in that game. The Broncos only ran 3 plays in the entire 3rd quarter - the D should have been well rested, making the 4th quarter choke job that much worse.

[Caslon]

If they could find a way to execute just 1 more drive per game for a TD, they would be the #1 scoring offense.

Coulda shoulda woulda.

:rimshot:

[Riverwalk]

Feiler will improve the offense immensely.

[Guest]

So ok we all have some criticism about play calling. Some folks want more deep bombs. Others want better run game. Some want Lombardi fired, but i say just pump the brakes a bit. Here is some proof that Lombardi is calling deep routes and our guys are getting open, Herbert does not have enough time to find them.


Deep1:
Guyton open deep in the middle. Roundtree fails to block the blitzing CB which spooks Herbert

Deep2:
Guyton and Mdub both open. Herbert once again gets spooked by Norton + Slater losing their blocks

Deep3:
Cook open middle. Guyton coming open late. Herbet once again has to avoid pass rush from his right.

Deep4:
Guyton is easy TD. Norton received help from Kelley and blocks well enough. Kelemete whiffs and results in sack

Deep5:
Mdub streaking away from his defender on corner route. Kelemete does not engage the LB allowing him to stunt around Slater for the sack

Formation playcalling
This is a legit complaint for Lombardi. Chargers are backed up deep and have 3rd and 2. I am not against run plays from shotgun (not fav really but they work). Here is just the wrong formation for this position. Chargers have stacked shotgun which keeps DEN LB's inside. Norton fails to block OLB and goes way inside to block #47 leaving 2x LB's free to persue the ball. Our receivers in motion Palmer + Anderson look like they expected pass and did awful blocking leaving DEN #55 #56 #30 all free.

This is how it should be run. DEN has driven downfield in primarily heavy run formations with 1 play action pass. Once close enough they spread out Chargers def and then shotgun run in the open middle.

First, the most important thing that the plays demonstrate is that Guyton gets wide open on deep routes, which we already knew from last year.

After that, I would ask why we were able to make the deep throws last year and have not made them this year. What is the designed progression of reads for Herbert? I see Herbert look everywhere else on many plays before looking toward Guyton. I see questionable blocking schemes too.

I see many receivers on some deep routes, which makes sense if the first read is underneath, but makes less sense of there is a concern about having enough time to throw deep.

At the end of the day, we had a worse OL last year and completed long passes and we have a better OL this year and are not completing those passes. So there is no way I am buying that our OL is not talented enough to block for deep passes.

Also, there is no way that the same thing happening to Stafford in Detroit with short air yards passes is a coincidence. The sample size with Detroit and us is large enough for some conclusions to be drawn.

We can see the differences between what Payton called with Brees in his prime and what we have seen from Lombardi in terms of the lack of deep passes. We have heard Lombardi talking illogically about preferring lots of short passes to one long pass. I see a play calling bias on Lombardi's part.

[NoMoreChillies]

cant even succeed with video evidence.

its over boys