Chargers Vs Lions Pre Game Discussion - Bolts 2 Point Favorites

[like54ninjas]

Question about Kyzir and the run defense:

https://theathletic.com/1197141/2019/09/09/live-qa-with-chargers-writer-daniel-popper-on-tuesday-from-noon-to-1-p-m-pt-2/

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Exactly.

[Boltnut]

Lions' OL isn't as good as Colt's. I expect our defense to have a better day against them. Though I also expect the Lion's D to do better against us than the Colts. Though that 4th quarter collapse by the Lions makes me think otherwise sometimes.

I hope you're right, Xenos, I hope you're right...

[Xenos]

Question about Kyzir and the run defense:

https://theathletic.com/1197141/2019/09/09/live-qa-with-chargers-writer-daniel-popper-on-tuesday-from-noon-to-1-p-m-pt-2/

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[Xenos]

This was regarding the Colt's game but I figure I post it here also:

https://theathletic.com/1208129/2019/09/13/chargers-run-game-will-be-tested-a-hunter-henry-update-coordinators-on-mess-ups-and-tacos/

Addressing some comments

There were two comments from subscribers in the Monday Rewind that I thought raised good points.

The first came from Tanner D., who wrote: "We need an explanation of the play where Tyrod Taylor was at wide receiver, still scratching my head about that one."

The second was from Shane M., who asked: "Any comment on the stupid 3rd and long play near midfield where we camped 15 yards deep and almost allowed the first down?"

I brought both of these questions up to the coordinators during their weekly press conferences on Thursday.

Let's start with Tanner's.

Here is the play we're discussing.




As you can see, Taylor starts the play at quarterback in shotgun, with Philip Rivers split out wide to the left. They both go in motion and switch spots. But after the snap, the protection breaks down, and Rivers is forced to throw the ball away, at the feet of Taylor near the right sideline.

I asked offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt what was supposed to happen on that play.

"That's a good question," he said. "I could tell you, but then I would be giving away probably the secrets of what we were thinking about. I would just have to say that Philip missed him because he was throwing it to him. He just missed him. Tyrod was going to break five tackles and score, then we were all going to be going crazy. That didn't happen because Philip didn't make a good throw."

He was joking. So I asked a follow-up about the general philosophical strategy of having both Rivers and Taylor on the field simultaneously.

"I think that, as a coach, when you're looking at an opponent and you look at all the snaps, you're comfortable with, 'OK, I understand what they're doing or what they're attacking or what their plan is,'" Whisenhunt said. "Then, all of a sudden, you put an extra quarterback in there and you go, 'Crap. Okay, now I have to prepare for that,' or, 'What about if he does this?' So it's one of those things where we have some things that he can do. He's versatile, and if it forces a defense to have to prepare for some other things just in case, then maybe that helps us in another area."

Whisenhunt went on to say that "there was a chance" the play worked, but "we didn't finish a block." Taylor was actually the check-down on that play.

The coaches' film shows that Rivers was initially looking downfield to Mike Williams, who was running a corner route near the left sideline. Keenan Allen was also wide open in the middle of the field. You can get a sense of it from this screen grab.



"You have to be committed to doing it because you can have big gains from them," Whisenhunt said of gadget plays.

So that was the thought process there.
Now let's take a look at the play Shane was referencing.



This was actually an enormous play in the game. The Colts were down eight points late in the fourth quarter and were driving to try to tie the game. They faced a third-and-22, and the Chargers gave up a 19-yard pass to T.Y. Hilton. Indianapolis converted the ensuing fourth down and later scored a touchdown.

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said this was a miscommunication on what personnel package the Chargers were in, and that resulted in the coverage breakdown. These are the kind of mistakes you can expect when there are so many new pieces. I would expect significant improvement in this area moving forward as those new pieces, like Thomas Davis, get more comfortable.

One note: Keep comments like these coming. I want you guys to feel like you're a big part of my coverage. Often times, you'll notice something I don't. If I see a comment that brings up something interesting, I will ask coaches and players about those topics to get clarity. So shout out to Tanner and Shane.

[Xenos]

As far as the Lions go. We should beat them. But I worry about our run defense. And hopefully Hockenson doesn't abuse our LB's.

Lions IDL won't be a cakewalk like the Colts... hopefully we can get some push against Snacks and A'Shawn. I'm sure Pat Meyers magic can defeat that "Neanderthal" defense... Damn, they're strong up the middle... loved Jarrad Davis. Loved Frank Ragnow. I'll be watching both tomorrow...

Lions will spread the field with WR's and Hock... then strike the middle of our DL with the run. If our "modern-day defense" can't get off the field and our offense becomes 1-dimensional, pass-happy... could be a long day. Pray for PR's health.

Lions' OL isn't as good as Colt's. I expect our defense to have a better day against them. Though I also expect the Lion's D to do better against us than the Colts. Though that 4th quarter collapse by the Lions makes me think otherwise sometimes.

[Xenos]

Daniel Popper offers some player's opinions on the Lions:
https://theathletic.com/1208129/2019...ups-and-tacos/

The Chargers rushed for 125 yards on 17 carries in their overtime win over the Colts last Sunday, and that running-game success was perhaps the most encouraging development for Anthony Lynn's squad in Week 1.

Star running back Melvin Gordon is holding out. The offensive line has a new starter at left tackle in Trent Scott. Yet the Chargers were still able to average six yards per carry, the fifth-highest mark in the NFL during the opening weekend. And they did it against an Indianapolis defense that allowed the sixth-fewest yards per carry (3.92) of any unit in the league in 2018.

Can Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson sustain that production? That's the biggest question facing the Chargers as they head to Detroit for a Week 2 matchup with the Lions.

The competition certainly won't get any easier. Lions defensive tackle Damon "Snacks" Harrison is a major reason why.

Detroit had the worst run defense in the league through the first seven games last season, surrendering an average of 5.32 yards per carry. The Lions' front office addressed the deficiency by trading a fifth-round pick to the Giants for Harrison, a 6-foot-3, 350-pound run-defense specialist. And head coach Matt Patricia's unit improved markedly. The Lions allowed just 3.76 yards per carry over the final 10 games of the season, the fifth-best average in the NFL over that span.

Harrison finished last season with 81 tackles, the most of any defensive lineman.

"He's one of the best run-stuffers in this league, period," Lynn said this week.

What makes Harrison so good? According to Chargers center Mike Pouncey, Snacks has mastered the two-gap technique. He will line up over the center and be responsible for both A gaps -- the two holes between the center and the left guard and the center and the right guard.

"He plays that two-gap technique really well, and it gives backs misreads. So he'll play his hat out here," Pouncey said, stepping to his left, "and then make the back cut back and then shed blocks. So he does a really good job at it."

Pouncey is particularly familiar with Harrison from his time with the Dolphins, when he would face Harrison's Jets twice a season.

"I think he's a hell of a football player," Pouncey said.

"He knows how he can persuade a runner to think, 'Oh, I got to go this way,'" fullback Derek Watt said. "But he'll shed right back and make that play. He makes you think that there's a hole there, but he'll close that pretty quick. Two-gapping is his speciality, but just kind of being stout in general."

"He's kind of doing what the running backs are trying to do, trying to get you to go this way and then go that way," Watt added. "Setting up the set-up man."

The Lions bolstered their defensive line by signing former Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers to a five-year, $90 million contract this offseason. Starting middle linebacker Jarrad Davis, a first-round pick in 2017 who sat out last week with an ankle injury, could also make his season debut against the Chargers.

"That front seven on defense is pretty salty," Lynn said.

A'Shawn Robinson, drafted by the Lions in the second round in 2016 out of Alabama, plays alongside Harrison on the interior. He's 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds.

"They kind of box everything in on their defense to try and force the ball back to those guys," Pouncey said of Harrison and Robinson. "It'll be a test for all of us."

[Boltnut]

As far as the Lions go. We should beat them. But I worry about our run defense. And hopefully Hockenson doesn't abuse our LB's.

Lions IDL won't be a cakewalk like the Colts... hopefully we can get some push against Snacks and A'Shawn. I'm sure Pat Meyers magic can defeat that "Neanderthal" defense... Damn, they're strong up the middle... loved Jarrad Davis. Loved Frank Ragnow. I'll be watching both tomorrow...

Lions will spread the field with WR's and Hock... then strike the middle of our DL with the run. If our "modern-day defense" can't get off the field and our offense becomes 1-dimensional, pass-happy... could be a long day. Pray for PR's health.

[Velo]

RE the game in Detroit tomorrow, I have a feeling our secret weapon is going to be Baby Shockey, with 2-3 receptions and his first NFL score.

[Boltnut]

Colts offense will dominate an undisciplined Jags defense (that will probably have half its players ejected five minutes into the game). The Colts defense will destroy Watson, who is behind the worst OL in the NFL, and the Colts offense will shred the Texans weak secondary. It'll be an interesting matchup between the Titans and Colts. Luckily, Brisset won't throw three interceptions in the fourth quarter like Mayfield did.

See I can play this game too

The Colts "passing game" will have no chance against Jags secondary. Indy's best chance is to run the ball. But 1-dimensional offenses can be stopped. Indy can pray that rookie Minshew turns the ball over... but reality is, Jags above average OL will dominate that below average DL of Indy's. Fournette should feast.

The Texans traded for Tunsil. Once he's acclimated, the pass protection will improve for the Texans. Nuke vs Piere Desir... ouch! Unless the Colts can clone Hooker, the rest of the Colts secondary blows hard (see what I did there?) Colts IDL is almost as bad as their secondary. Colts have good (but aging) pass rushers, a very good LB in Leonard, and good deep range coverage (Hooker). But if your CB's can't cover short/mid areas, then your pass rush is nullified. If your IDL can't keep fatties off your LB's... you're in trouble. Colts defense has too many glaring holes. Decent scheming/reads should easily defeat the Colts D.

Titans... see Jags. Run the ball down Colts throats. Take advantage of below-average CB's with shorter routes.

Brissett will be challenged by some good defenses this year. We'll see how he does. He'll be going against some good pass rushes and some good secondaries. He's unproven and teams will stack the box and make Brissett beat them. Color me skeptical... AJ Bouye, Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, Josh Allen, Jurell Casey, Cameron Wake, Logan Ryan, Kevin Byard, Malcolm Butler, JJ Watt, Whitney Mercilus, Joseph/Roby/Gipson/Reid... good luck young man...

[dmac_bolt]

I know. I guess I took a joke post more seriously because I see TT learning from his mistakes. Hence no trading up the last 4 drafts. Wish he could find a way to trade down more though.

Agree it looks like he learned he gets less from trading up than he hoped. Today's roster is a lot better than it was when he got here and i agree he's learned and getting better. No GM is perfect, we notice his errors but not the equivalent #misses on every other team. All other teams didn't get a lot better than LAC, after all. He's been catching up, so by definition he must be doing better than average.

If he starts hitting on stud linemen we'll really be in business - we have 3 young significant draft picks (Rd 3+) that could be good or whiffs, and some late round/UDFAs. Need to hit on some from each category. But if it takes 4 years for a guy to be able to start, thats not going to cut it as thats when they start to cost real money (or lose them).

[Xenos]

Ok, but so what. It was just a joke, albeit with a hint of truth behind it. AJ did it with BIP (Mathews) then scrub years, TT did it with MG then scrub years. Please don't start counting exact #years between LT, RM and MG. Its just a joke

I know. I guess I took a joke post more seriously because I see TT learning from his mistakes. Hence no trading up the last 4 drafts. Wish he could find a way to trade down more though.

[dmac_bolt]

2010 was AJ's move.

Ok, but so what. It was just a joke, albeit with a hint of truth behind it. AJ did it with BIP (Mathews) then scrub years, TT did it with MG then scrub years. Please don't start counting exact #years between LT, RM and MG. Its just a joke