The Chargers didn’t just lose to the Rams on Sunday. They slipped to 0-7, and the whole operation looked stuck in place again in a 24-9 defeat at SoFi Stadium.
Justin Herbert set the tone early in the worst way. On a drive with great field position, he threw a brutal interception after being well protected, and that mistake led to a Rams field goal.
Later, he tossed another ugly pick that turned into a touchdown. Herbert, who has NBA height, keeps getting passes knocked down, and the offense is now mired in a stretch of 27 straight drives without a touchdown.
That kind of drought is hard to explain, and even harder to watch.
The ground game didn’t offer much relief. Omarion Hampton was drafted in the first round because, as the report card put it, “a Roman Empire expert in the front office liked his name.” The backfield has talent, but talent alone doesn’t change games.
At receiver, Ladd McConkey entered the day as the only wideout on the roster with a touchdown catch. He opened with a drop, then answered with a 30-yard run and catch before hauling in a 54-yard Hail Mary that lacked enough hail and Mary.
Quentin Johnston made his first catch seemingly since grade school and followed it with a 21-yarder. Tre Harris had a good catch, then another.
Oronde Gadsden also came alive.
Up front, the line was a little better with Joe Alt back from a neck injury and moving to left tackle while Rashawn Slater remained out. Still, “better” wasn’t nearly enough.
The defense had some bright spots, at least early. The Rams didn’t pick up a first down on their first five drives and didn’t score a touchdown until the end of the half.
Jamaree Caldwell got his name called, and Teair Tart had a sack wiped out by a dumb flag. But the Rams eventually broke through, and on Blake Corum’s touchdown, everybody from Inglewood to Glendale got blocked.
Khalil Mack, still rumored to be teetering on the trade block, can still get around. Tuli Tuipulotu can work outside and inside, and he picked up his third sack of the season. Rookie first-rounder Akheem Mesidor is going to be a force.
The secondary, though, took a hit. Derwin James has moved from the nurse’s office to the IR room with his bad hammy and may not be back.
Tarheeb Still, who has played well, grabbed an early interception before giving up a big catch. He couldn’t cover Puka Nacua with a drone.
Elijah Molden had his ankles broken by Corum.
Special teams was the one clean part of the day. Cameron Dicker the Kicker hit a 34-yard field goal to tie it at 3, then added makes from 46 and 41 yards. JK Scott punted well, coverage was solid, and there wasn’t much to gripe about with “teams.”
The coaching grade landed at the bottom, too. This is Jim Harbaugh’s team, and it looks like a lost soul.
Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel did dial up a trick play that worked, and the Chargers even ran the same flea flicker back-to-back, which teacher has never seen. The second one failed, and the team had to burn a timeout less than six minutes into the game.
Now comes Houston, and the next chance is graded no kinder. The Texans are not nearly as good as expected, especially on defense, but the Chargers still won’t beat them without touchdowns. They haven’t scored one in nine - NINE - quarters, which your humble professor calls impossible.
In Other News...
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Protection up front is a major part of the equation against a Rams front that can wreck a game plan, especially with Aaron Donald and Byron Young coming after the pocket. The Chargers are also trying to sort out an inconsistent running game while dealing with offensive line injuries, and even with Joe Alt trending toward availability, Rashawn Slater remains on injured reserve. How those moving parts hold up will go a long way toward deciding whether this feels like a post-bye reset or another familiar problem. [Read more 🡒]