Nick Canepa’s latest report card didn’t leave much room for optimism after the Chargers’ second straight baffling loss, a 27-14 defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
Justin Herbert and the offense took the hardest hit. Canepa gave the quarterbacks an F, pointing to Herbert looking frustrated as he struggled to find open receivers, took three sacks, and lost the ball three times while throwing two interceptions. The breakdown left him with a simple, harsh takeaway: there are moments when Herbert “simply appears lost and ready to go home to Madison Beer.”
The running backs got a C-, with the ground game showing some life after last week’s “recess.” Omerion Hampton was praised for running hard and with passion, though a costly fumble undercut the effort. Keaton Mitchell was noted as a very fast changeup option.
At receiver, the Chargers were hit with another F. Ladd McConkey played only sparingly because of sore ribs, and the group had trouble creating separation.
Rookie Brenen Thompson dropped a perfect throw on the first drive before later making a strong third-down grab. David Njoku bobbled a perfect pass that was intercepted and then left on a cart with a knee injury, while Quentin Johnston added one of his familiar drops.
Charlie Kohler contributed as a blocker and pass catcher before getting hurt, Tre Haris delivered a big catch and run, and Oronde Gadsden hauled in the go-ahead touchdown at the time. Johnson, Canepa wrote, “basically Blustarskied.”
The offensive line had its own mess. Joe Alt was flagged for jumping twice in a row, then again, and later held in the end zone. Kayode Awosika was penalized for holding on a play that wiped out a first down, and Rashawn Slater was also called for holding.
Defensively, the line earned a D. Dalvin Tomlinson picked up a half-sack, sharing it with rookie edge Akheem Mesidor, and Teair Tart stopped Ashton Jeanty for a tackle for loss.
The linebackers were graded C-, with Del’Shawn Phillips drawing praise for an overall strong outing and a key goal-line stop on a wildcat call. Kahil Mack added the first sack, and Troy Dye chipped in with a few plays.
The secondary, though, was hit with an F. Backup safety Genesis Smith was beaten on a long touchdown throw, while Derwin James dealt with a hand injury before returning.
Cam Hart had an early interception after a receiver slipped in front of him, but later got beaten badly near the end of the half and was then flagged for a hands-to-the-face penalty. Canepa closed that section by asking, “Who is Rodney Shelley?”
Special teams received a B- after Cameron Dicker The Kicker doinked a 58-yard field goal attempt to start the game.
Canepa saved his sharpest criticism for the coaching, which got an F-. He questioned the decision to have a 6-foot-6, 250-pound quarterback in shotgun on fourth-and-inches, and took a swipe at Mike McDaniel’s play-calling while calling him a genius.
He also said he doesn’t know who the new defensive coordinator is - “OK, young Chris O’Leary” - but doesn’t think he looks ready for the job. Jim Harbaugh, he wrote, is staring down a season longer than a Russian novel, with an offense that “stinks” and a defense that gives up too many plays.
After two home losses as a 9 1/2-point favorite in both, the Chargers now head into next week against real competition.
That next test comes at Buffalo, where the Bills scored 36 on Thursday against Houston, a team Canepa described as supposedly having the best defense in The League. It will be the Chargers’ second game in their new digs, tucked into a mini bye before, as Canepa put it, “Bye bye.”
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Chargers Already Have A Worrying Akheem Mesidor Problem
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Instead, after Week 1, Mesidor has not given the Chargers the impact they were hoping for. His slow start has added to the pressure on a unit that needs more consistent edge production, and the coming stretch now carries a little extra weight as the Chargers look for a stronger response and a better all-around defensive push. [Read more 🡒]
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Raiders Bring A New Problem Into Chargers Week
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For the Chargers, it changes the shape of the matchup in a way that matters. Head coach Klint Kubiak already labeled Bowers doubtful, with the final call waiting on a pregame workout, and if he is out, Las Vegas loses one of its most dynamic weapons before a division game that already carries plenty of weight. Beyond the personnel shuffle, it also puts more pressure on how the Raiders structure their passing game and protection plan, which is exactly the sort of wrinkle that can alter a familiar rivalry. [Read more 🡒]