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The Chargers are the right kind of volatile
What started out looking like it would be a smooth ride to an easy victory for the Los Angeles Chargers turned into a wild journey in a 34-27 win over the Bengals. And yet, it ended in the perfect fashion to show these aren’t the same old Los Angeles Chargers.
This version of the franchise is a true contender.
In years past, this game would result in a loss. For one reason or another, the volatility that hung over the franchise like a curse would sink them to a defeat that seemed impossible based on how the game began. Not the 2024 Chargers.
The Chargers defense pulled the right levers late in the game. Timely pressures, tight coverages and critical stops kept the dam from breaking as the Bengals offense tried to mount the final assault late in the fourth quarter. This was the rare time this season the Chargers have played a high-end quarterback. The name of the game wasn’t blanking Joe Burrow for the entire game, and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter called the game in that fashion in the closing moments.
No team was more passive on defense over the last few seasons than Los Angeles and their approach to the Bengals showed why Minter has reversed course. The Chargers hit Burrow a whopping 13 times, most among quarterbacks in Week 11, despite blitzing on just 14% of his dropbacks.
The volatility was even better expressed on offense. Everything was clicking in the first half, and it fell to pieces for most of the second half. However, the approach never changed. The Chargers never stopped attacking down the field.
During the offseason, the fantasy community missed on the hidden gems in the Chargers offense because they were obsessed over the loss of passing volume with the coaching staff change. That volume under previous coaches was mostly empty calories brought on by pace for pace’s sake and underneath passes in the pursuit of faux efficiency. In this Chargers offense, Justin Herbert has been…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/week-11-caredont-care-these-arent-your-same-old-chargers-054426983.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-11-18 05:44:26
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