The Pass Rush

[ChargersPowderBlue]

Last year the team was ranked top ten in total defense. In the playoff game against New England, the Patriots moved the ball on us at will. We strengthened some of the weaknesses displayed in that game. The linebacker core looks like a big improvement. They'll do their part to stop the opponent on rushing attempts.

When it came to third down defense, the Chargers were number 19 on opponent's conversion. Why is this? People will say how we didn't have Bosa for the first nine games. Well, the team is touted as being really talented. If that's the case, why is the team's third down defense middle of the pack? Must be that the depth isn't that great.

The first four games of the season the team had trouble with pass rushing. Even non-existent at times. It wasn't until the first Raiders game when Liuget returned from suspension did things start to improve. The defense got torched by teams like the Chiefs and Rams. James was used a lot as a pass rusher to compensate for the weakness the team had or their poor play. If it weren't for DJ, the pass rush would've suffered more. He won't be available for a good chunk of 2019.

You can send a DB or LB to blitz to help rush the passer. The good passing teams will make you pay for that. Can you do the job with just the guys up front? This is where the team will be challenged. Opponents game plan for your weakness. The Chargers have 3 good pass rushers in Bosa, Ingram, and the rookie Tillery. What about number 4? Is he good? Here's the kicker; opposing teams already know how good Tillery is. He's going to see double teams. Is the DT next to him a threat?

Mebane comes off the field when it's obviously a passing situation. He's mainly a run stopper. Justin Jones' scouting reports prior to coming to the NFL has it that he is limited as a pass rusher. The preseason games I've seen have shown the reports to be true. How long will you give it, to see how much he improves at pass rushing? Rochell is a good pass rusher. He gets used on the edge too. So he won't always be on the interior. Then you have Square. Who is light and slow. In a lot of the highlights I examined, I see that teams don't double team him. The opposing OL always double teams the other DT, and Square doesn't win his one-on-one's. There's also Mcgill. I don't think he's as good as he was with the Colts. He seems to be a journeyman.

Peace and Lanier are battling for the number 4 edge spot as of this moment. Is there a chance both could be kept on the roster? Bosa and Ingram could line up on the interior in certain situations. When that happens, Nwosu or the other edge rushers will take their place on the edge. Speed is vital for edge rushing. To get off of the OT quickly in order to get to the QB quicker, and running backs will slip through against the lack of speed. Rochell doesn't have the speed as a DE. Square can also play DE, but he's slow. After Landrum went down last year, there were no other edge rushers behind Ingram or Bosa who could beat the opponent's OL with speed.

The 2018 defense wasn't as good as the 2017 defense. That's just my opinion. 2019 has potential to be great, but needs the right players to compliment the other guys who are sure to make the roster. The team will have to assemble the best pieces they can on the D-line to mitigate the problems I mentioned. With James' absence, he won't be around to cover for some of the other guy's vulnerabilities. The coverage unit has to do what they can to compensate for missing DJ.

[RobH]

Broughton may supply the quickness and penetration we need to get into the QB's face on passing downs. He's young and raw, but if he's turned loose on pure passing downs alongside those other hunting dogs, he should do fine.

[Xenos]

The 2017 was worse at stopping the run than the 2018 version. Hopefully we have both the pass rush and run stopping defense this year.

[like54ninjas]

The 2017 was worse at stopping the run than the 2018 version. Hopefully we have both the pass rush and run stopping defense this year.

Here, here good sir!

[Caslon]

Defense: Someone on the defensive line please stand out this year. Someone on the linebacking core, please stand out this year.

Offence: Same, in other ways.

[chris9341]

Difference this year is our Dline issues were addressed in this draft.

[Topcat]

Last year the team was ranked top ten in total defense. In the playoff game against New England, the Patriots moved the ball on us at will. We strengthened some of the weaknesses displayed in that game. The linebacker core looks like a big improvement. They'll do their part to stop the opponent on rushing attempts.

When it came to third down defense, the Chargers were number 19 on opponent's conversion. Why is this? People will say how we didn't have Bosa for the first nine games. Well, the team is touted as being really talented. If that's the case, why is the team's third down defense middle of the pack? Must be that the depth isn't that great.

The first four games of the season the team had trouble with pass rushing. Even non-existent at times. It wasn't until the first Raiders game when Liuget returned from suspension did things start to improve. The defense got torched by teams like the Chiefs and Rams. James was used a lot as a pass rusher to compensate for the weakness the team had or their poor play. If it weren't for DJ, the pass rush would've suffered more. He won't be available for a good chunk of 2019.

You can send a DB or LB to blitz to help rush the passer. The good passing teams will make you pay for that. Can you do the job with just the guys up front? This is where the team will be challenged. Opponents game plan for your weakness. The Chargers have 3 good pass rushers in Bosa, Ingram, and the rookie Tillery. What about number 4? Is he good? Here's the kicker; opposing teams already know how good Tillery is. He's going to see double teams. Is the DT next to him a threat?

Mebane comes off the field when it's obviously a passing situation. He's mainly a run stopper. Justin Jones' scouting reports prior to coming to the NFL has it that he is limited as a pass rusher. The preseason games I've seen have shown the reports to be true. How long will you give it, to see how much he improves at pass rushing? Rochell is a good pass rusher. He gets used on the edge too. So he won't always be on the interior. Then you have Square. Who is light and slow. In a lot of the highlights I examined, I see that teams don't double team him. The opposing OL always double teams the other DT, and Square doesn't win his one-on-one's. There's also Mcgill. I don't think he's as good as he was with the Colts. He seems to be a journeyman.

Peace and Lanier are battling for the number 4 edge spot as of this moment. Is there a chance both could be kept on the roster? Bosa and Ingram could line up on the interior in certain situations. When that happens, Nwosu or the other edge rushers will take their place on the edge. Speed is vital for edge rushing. To get off of the OT quickly in order to get to the QB quicker, and running backs will slip through against the lack of speed. Rochell doesn't have the speed as a DE. Square can also play DE, but he's slow. After Landrum went down last year, there were no other edge rushers behind Ingram or Bosa who could beat the opponent's OL with speed.

The 2018 defense wasn't as good as the 2017 defense. That's just my opinion. 2019 has potential to be great, but needs the right players to compliment the other guys who are sure to make the roster. The team will have to assemble the best pieces they can on the D-line to mitigate the problems I mentioned. With James' absence, he won't be around to cover for some of the other guy's vulnerabilities. The coverage unit has to do what they can to compensate for missing DJ.

I'd really like to keep both Peace and Lanier...I think both of them have outplayed Afriyie, so cut him. That frees up one spot. Cut either Dzoobie or Brown, or both. That frees up two more spots for Lanier and Teamer...

[Steve]

Nwosu may stand out as a LB, but we rarely blitz, so either he or Egbule would be doing it as situational edge rushers. Interior DL will probably be among the lowest pass rush attempts in the league.

I would have prefered to keep Lanier as a hybrid edge and interior rusher, rather than Square. Square adds value because of his verstaility, but lacks the speed and quickness that a Lanier can add. I guess they figure Square ability vs the run make more sense, plus he is the other experienced DL behind Mebane, with Jones, Broughton and Tillery all being on the inexperienced side.

[Steve]

Broughton may supply the quickness and penetration we need to get into the QB's face on passing downs. He's young and raw, but if he's turned loose on pure passing downs alongside those other hunting dogs, he should do fine.

He may, but it is interesting to note he is learning the tilt technique which is a NT technique, not a 3 tech thing. I think they see him as a NT, not a pass rusher. Just saying.

[Steve]

The first four games of the season the team had trouble with pass rushing. Even non-existent at times. It wasn't until the first Raiders game when Liuget returned from suspension did things start to improve. The defense got torched by teams like the Chiefs and Rams. James was used a lot as a pass rusher to compensate for the weakness the team had or their poor play. If it weren't for DJ, the pass rush would've suffered more. He won't be available for a good chunk of 2019.

You can send a DB or LB to blitz to help rush the passer. The good passing teams will make you pay for that. Can you do the job with just the guys up front? This is where the team will be challenged. Opponents game plan for your weakness. The Chargers have 3 good pass rushers in Bosa, Ingram, and the rookie Tillery. What about number 4? Is he good? Here's the kicker; opposing teams already know how good Tillery is. He's going to see double teams. Is the DT next to him a threat?

Pass rush 101. There are 5 OL and 4 DL. Unless an offense leaves receivers in, they can only double team one DL. Tillery and Jones have been getting double-teamed a lot in the preseason, although that is mostly because that is just how blocking schemes work out if you aren't game-planning someone. At some point, if the DE are forcing the QB to step up, they will be using OL help against them, and the interior DL will get their moments. On the down side, offenses always get to pick where they are hurt from. They decide what plays are called, so they can do what they want. But if there are 3 great pass rushers in Bosa, Ingram and Tillery, they cannot double team them all.



We can send DB and LB on the blitz, but there are 2 factors against us doing much of that. 1). we drafted heavy on the DT spots, which if we wanted to blitz, we wouldn't have gone after guys who had a history as pass rushers. 2). Gus' D has always been among the defenses that blitz the least. He just doesn't believe in it. Between the two, I just don't see us doing it very often. DJ was only used as a pass rusher when Bosa was out and we had to generate pass rush using "unusual" personnel. His pass-rush attempts dropped dramatically later in the season, which is why most of his impact pass-rushing came early in the year. Even then, he was being lined up as a DE some of the time, so probably not something we would do much of again, since it takes good players off the field.

The important part of rushing the QB effectively is making the other team have to throw the ball downfield. So many teams dink and dunk the ball with short drops that don't allow the rushers to get near the QB. We need to put pressure in a more strategic sense. The offense needs to control the clock and score points, forcing the other teams offense to keep pace with us. If they have to make up points, they will be forced to throw downfield and the QB has to hold the ball and make plays, instead of throwing the ball away to live for another down. Then the DL will have a chance get after the QB.

As far as other help, we can just try and wear teams down. Pass rushers usually fade by the end of the game. Keeping subs in early in the game here and there will help keep the starters fresh. Most DL can play the run well enough, but usually, the starters are the best pass rushers. Letting guys like Rochelle take a lot of snaps early in the game, on early run downs, when they are likely to throw quick 3 step passes that Bosa won't have much impact on is not going to hurt the D that much early, and it gives them a chance to keep Bosa fresher on the plays that are the most important. Same with Nwosu, Peace, and Egbule for Ingram. Jones has gotten a lot leaner and quicker than last year, so we have a couple of 3 technique DT who can sub in and both play onlonger down and distances. Even Broughton, who seems to be getting groomed at NT, should be able to add some push. The OL have to stay on the field every down, our guys can wear them down.

[like54ninjas]

Nwosu may stand out as a LB, but we rarely blitz, so either he or Egbule would be doing it as situational edge rushers. Interior DL will probably be among the lowest pass rush attempts in the league.

I would have prefered to keep Lanier as a hybrid edge and interior rusher, rather than Square. Square adds value because of his verstaility, but lacks the speed and quickness that a Lanier can add. I guess they figure Square ability vs the run make more sense, plus he is the other experienced DL behind Mebane, with Jones, Broughton and Tillery all being on the inexperienced side.

It is strange to me that Cortez was so often playing NT. It just doesn't fit his skillset as well. He is explosive up field. He was getting driven off the ball to often with double teams. The reps he was at 3tech were night & day different. It will be interesting to see what the rotation looks like early.

[blueman]

Preseason the coaches try different things, doubt they use him like that all that much going forward.