The Chargers started their preseason with a victory in the Battle for LA, beating the Rams 34-17.
It was our first look at the latest version of the Bolts, featuring a new offense helmed by Kellen Moore and a revamped defense with Derrick Ansley at the helm.
What stood out? Here are my takeaways:
Run game changes
The Chargers’ offensive line played bully ball all night, opening lanes for Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, and company, no matter the personnel groupings. The starting five of Foster Sarell, Zion Johnson, Will Clapp, Jamaree Salyer, and Austen Pleasants were particularly effective. Even after Johnson and Clapp subbed out for rookie Jordan McFadden and Zack Bailey, that group continued to dominate a Rams defense playing a decent chunk of its starters.
Kellen Moore’s offense also featured much more pulling action from the left guard spot on Saturday, whether it was Johnson or McFadden. That’s a good sign for the Chargers’ ability to run to the right, where Salyer and Trey Pipkins are already a formidable run-blocking tandem.
In the second half, the Chargers slowed down slightly in the third quarter but picked it back up when undrafted rookie Elijah Dotson got into the game. LA finished the game with 216 yards rushing on 29 carries, excluding two Max Duggan kneel-downs, good for 7.4 per carry.
With an athletic guard like Johnson moving with a full head of steam in that direction, LA should be able to pound the rock in ways that have been unavailable to them thus far in the Justin Herbert era.
Easton Stick's development
Nobody is clamoring for Stick to get regular-season action beyond garbage time. But the backup QB spot was a question mark entering this season – Stick hadn’t made much progress in his NFL career and Max Duggan is a seventh-round rookie who hadn’t made a strong impression in training camp.
So, it was encouraging that Stick’s performance on Saturday was arguably the best of his career. He stood under pressure, delivered several pinpoint passes, and extended plays without getting too frazzled. His development with new coaches Moore and Doug Nussmeier is evident in how he processed the game – that comes with the caveat that this is preseason.
Still, consider that the Rams played most of their defensive starters, and Stick’s performance begins to take on a bit more luster. That bodes well for the Chargers, who perhaps won’t feel compelled to keep Herbert in games where he breaks his ribs going forward.
EDGE depth
I don’t think any of the pass rushers on the Chargers had an outwardly lousy game on Saturday. Starters Tuli Tuipulotu and Chris Rumph II flashed plenty against the Rams’ offensive line. Tuipulotu had two pressures on the game’s opening drive, while Rumph routinely beat Rams tackle Logan Bruss to extend his stretch of preseason dominance.
Once those two called it a night, LA ran a stable of Ty Shelby, Carlo Kemp, Andrew Farmer, and Brevin Allen. Shelby and Farmer were the most impactful in run defense, showcasing nice pop in that area and redirecting runs back to the interior. Farmer also tracked down Stetson Bennett on a bootleg for his first NFL sack. Kemp had a few nice rushes that forced Bennett to make quick decisions under pressure. Allen had an excellent overall game, doing much of the dirty work in the trenches.
There are not enough spots for all of these players, of course. Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, Tuipulotu, and Rumph are locked in as the rostered pass rushers. One of the four backups would need to make their case undeniable to force LA into carrying a fifth. But at least two will likely sneak through to the practice squad. Considering that the Chargers had to turn to the likes of Derrek Tuszka for snaps last season, that depth could prove key.
Clean up the act
The Chargers finished the game with 11 penalties for 106 yards after being the fourth-least penalized team in football a season ago. Now, it’s preseason, and some sloppiness is to be expected. But LA had several back-breaking penalties bring back huge gains, a trend that feels painfully familiar from last season.
Perhaps the most obvious was a holding penalty on Jordan McFadden that negated a 71-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Spiller in the third quarter. McFadden picked up another holding penalty earlier in the game as well.
The Chargers also accrued two penalties on special teams, one on the opening kickoff and one on a punt return. A hold on Jamaree Salyer also put LA behind the sticks in plus territory on the first scoring drive, forcing the Chargers into a field goal attempt.
It’s worth watching for LA because the offense ran smoothly in the first half when unburdened by penalties. Hopefully, that trend doesn’t continue into the regular season.
Thin margins on defense
While the Chargers’ defense held the Rams to just 14 points on Saturday, it was clear that the depth at nearly every level of the defense except the pass rush is a point of at least mild concern.
On the defensive line, Chris Hinton and David Moa were disruptive for stretches, and they look to have the cleanest path to the final roster. Fan favorite Jerrod Clark was quiet, as was sixth-round pick Scott Matlock. The run defense was notably worse in the second half as the Rams started to get push with their backup offensive line.
Daiyan Henley had a nice, if not spectacular, debut at linebacker. He flashed a few times in pass coverage and impacted special teams, where he should have a significant role in the regular season. Nick Niemann and Amen Ogbongbemiga were somewhat anonymous but will likewise have more prominent roles on special teams. In short: LA is relying heavily on Kenneth Murray taking a step forward or Henley breaking through and the health of Murray, Henley, and Eric Kendricks.
In the back half, Deane Leonard was LA’s best defensive back on Saturday. Ja’Sir Taylor was up and down, and it looks like he’s ceded the starting nickel job to Asante Samuel Jr., who did not play on Saturday. The rest of the corners struggled, and it seems like Kemon Hall, who missed Saturday’s game, will have an easy path to CB6 if that’s a spot on the 53-man roster.
JT Woods looked improved in the run game, but his night was defined by a boneheaded unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the red zone that kept a Rams drive alive. Raheem Layne brought physicality and looks like he’ll be the third safety. Mark Webb Jr. didn’t have his best game, and AJ Finley didn’t have many opportunities on defense but did make an excellent play on special teams.
