Pre-Season Digest - Los Angles Chargers

[Big Dog]

Preseason Digest: Los Angeles Chargers

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Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
Each week during the preseason, Digest will highlight a pair of teams with legit playoff aspirations and take a deep dive into their training camps. First up this week are the Los Angeles Chargers, the team that everyone claims no one is talking about.something Tobias Funke dreamed up. ESPN.com's Eric D. Williams

[Fleet]

Breakdown of Game 2.


Chargers 24, Seahawks 14

• Russell Wilson may have been missing Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett, but he was able to convert some long plays in this contest against a stellar Charger defense. He and Brandon Marshall drew a deep pass interference on the Chargers, and then Wilson hit someone named David Moore with a 52-yard bomb.
  
  Wilson had some tremendous highlights, but struggled against the Charger backups at times because his offensive line couldn't hold up. Wilson finished 13-of-21 for 193 yards. Some of the drives that couldn't develop versus the reserves showcased why the Seahawks will be erratic offensively this season. The blocking is poor, and the weapons are mostly gone.
  
  Here were Wilson's targets:
  
  Jaron Brown: 2
  Chris Carson: 1
  Mike Davis: 4
  Marcus Johnson: 4
  Brandon Marshall: 2
  David Moore: 2
  Keenan Reynolds: 1
  Caleb Scott: 2
  Damore'ea Stringfellow: 1
  Nick Vannett: 2 (1 end zone)
• Brandon Marshall saw two targets from Wilson. He didn't log a reception, but did manage to draw a deep pass interference. Sadly, the declining Marshall was Wilson's top receiver this evening, as both Baldwin and Lockett were missing. I imagine Seattle fans are wondering why the team didn't select Courtland Sutton or Christian Kirk in the 2018 NFL Draft, as Wilson has very little help beyond Baldwin.
  
  That said, maybe this David Moore fellow can step up. Moore, a seventh-round pick from the 2017 NFL Draft, hauled in a 52-yard bomb between two defenders. He then made an impressive reception over a cornerback. The 6-foot, 215-pounder reeled in two receptions for 71 yards.
• Chris Carson started for the Seahawks with Rashaad Penny sidelined. Carson made one grave mistake - he fumbled at the goal line - but he had a strong outing otherwise. He had a nice first run in which he hopped over a defender. He then appeared to score on a 23-yard touchdown with a broken tackle, but it was negated by an illegal block in the back. Carson later had a 12-yard run with numerous broken tackles. The fumble at the goal line soured the evening, but it's enough to make me more confident in Carson, whom I was already high on.
• Seventh-round rookie quarterback Alex McGough played for Seattle in the fourth quarter. McGough opened with some short tosses, but then converted on a deep back-shoulder completion, and he followed that up with a pretty fade touchdown. McGough finished 9-of-12 for 97 yards and a score. He looked good, as one of his misfires was a spike to stop the clock, while another was a failed Hail Mary at the end of regulation. McGough seems like a better quarterback than Austin Davis, so it wouldn't be surprising if he's promoted ahead of Davis at some point in the near future.
• Philip Rivers made his debut for the Chargers this preseason, and he didn't disappoint. Rivers misfired just once in two drives, going 6-of-7 for 62 yards. The primary highlight was when Rivers somehow avoided a sack - despite the fact that he has no mobility - and fired up a prayer to Tyrell Williams for a 21-yard connection. It's a small sample size, but there's every reason to believe that Rivers will have a big year.
  
  Here were Rivers' targets:
  
  Keenan Allen: 3
  Melvin Gordon: 2
  Virgil Green: 1
  Tyrell Williams: 1
• Mike Williams didn't see a target from Philip Rivers in the opening two drives, but he made a terrific catch from Geno Smith. Williams made a leaping grab for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was a great reception that showcased his potential. Rivers must be excited to work with such a great talent.
• Melvin Gordon had some decent runs, gaining 35 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. What's significant is that the Charger announcers noted that the team plans to involve Gordon more in the passing game this year. Gordon, as a result, was second in targets from Philip Rivers with two (behind Keenan Allen's three.) Gordon, who caught both of those balls for 18 yards, was already a first-round fantasy pick, but this has to make him even more appealing.
• Geno Smith had a nice showing, going 6-of-8 for 85 yards and a touchdown. He also scrambled twice for 14 rushing yards. Smith was a bust for the Jets, but appears to be one of the better backup quarterbacks in the NFL (which isn't really saying a lot.)
• NFL Preseason Announcers: One of the Charger announcers called Geno Smith "Geno Smits." I began wondering if Geno Smits was a long-lost relative of Rik Smits, then realized how stupid that was. It's been a long day.
• Read more at
• http://walterfootball.com/preseason2...R0DG7M6SFAu.99