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We've just released Episode 91 of the Thunder Down Under Chargers Podcast.
Our synopsis for Episode 91 is below:
The Chargers’ Defense came to play on Sunday, keeping the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes at bay while collecting 2 early turnovers. But Greg Roman’s Offense could only amass 224 Total Yards and 12 First Downs at SoFi Stadium; resulting in a 17-10 home defeat. Join us today as we explore the ins and outs of the team’s second consecutive loss while asking "Should Fans Be Worried"? Don't miss it!
You can also listen on Spotify below (or download on audio wherever you like to listen to podcasts):
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Hope you enjoy the episode! Thanks so much for listening 
Alister (@TDU_Alister)
Posting the Coach's Film clips from the Chiefs game that I thought were important or interesting:
Clip #1: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841218734238949416
Clip #2: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841221301043937677
Clip #3: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841223028153467369
Clip #4: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841226255867527683
Clip #5: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841227678969708853
Clip #6: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841229998059065610
Clip #7: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841231666947256671
Clip #8: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841236072480850228
Clip #9: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841239080719257975
Clip #10: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841243729660670219
Clip #11: https://twitter.com/TDU_Chargers/status/1841245871347753320
@alisterlloyd If Derwin hit Mahomes like Herbert was hit in Clip 3, he would be fined/suspended.
@kevdiego Yeah the bigger QBs tend to get less sympathy from the Zebras don't they! 😶 I'm sure Ben Roethlisberger has some gripes too
And to stimulate discussion, here were the 8 data points we discussed on the show today. What do you think, Stormcloud? Should fans be worried about any of the following?
1. Gus Edwards' Performance? (14 snaps on the weekend). 38 carries, 113 yds (3.0 ypc) on the season.
2. Harbaugh’s Attention to Detail on Game Management? Harbaugh challenged a third-and-11 completion from Mahomes to receiver Justin Watson. The challenge failed. Harbaugh lost his first timeout of the second half. Subsequently failed to challenge the spot on Palmer's completion but did burn a timeout before the 4th down attempt.
3. The lack of TE receiving options in the Offense: 15 catches to TEs in 4 games. Dissly leading the room with 85 yds.
4. Justin Herbert's performance/utilisation:
- PFF Grades of 57.5, 54.8, 58.8, 56.6
- Passing Yardage Totals (31st in NFL): 140, 130, 105, 169
- 59/91, 578 yds, 5 TDs, INT (64.8%) (32nd in Pass Attempts)
5. Lack of any contested catch element in passing game? 3 of 8 contested catch targets across the entire team through 4 weeks.
6. QJ. Good start to the season but targeted 5 times for 1 catch (9 yds). Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie won that battle (particularly on deep patterns or fighting off press).
7. Jesse Minter being destined to be a HC somewhere else in 2025. Chargers Defense through 4 weeks:
- #1 Points Allowed
- #7 in Total Yards Allowed
- #5 Most Turnovers
- #5 Overall Defense per PFF
- #2 in EPA/Play (-0.189)
8. Any of these PFF Rankings through 4 weeks:
- Offense – T-27th
- Passing – 24th
- Run Grade – 31st
- Pass Blocking – 27th
- Run Blocking – 16th
- Defense – 5th
- Run Defense – 10th
- Tackling – T-20th
- Pass Rush – T-17th
- Coverage – 6th
- Special Teams – 16th
Alister: Another entertaining show. Here are my answers to your questions above:
1. It is too early to tell especially given the far below average interior O line play where Edward’s is expected to do most of his damage.
2. No. He made a mistake in not challenging the spot but why have replay assist when they have an entire timeout to get it right and don’t.
3. Yes this is a real weakness on the team especially in light of the WR talent the team has at the moment. No solution expected until next year.
4. No. He is a proven commodity and there are many reasons for why his numbers are low. I am confident these numbers will go up dramatically as the season progresses. Reminder to all, he has barely practiced the last two weeks and is basically going into these games cold and still is mostly throwing darts.
5. I think the lack of separation QJ and Palmer are getting is more concerning but in light of the time Herbert has had the last 6 quarters the real problem is OL play.
6. Yes he is improving but still has serious limitations to his game as you mention.
7. Yes but can we push worrying about until after the season is over. Not much we can do about it but hope he continues his strong performance and the O gets its act together so they can make the playoffs.
8. Running blocking and pass blocking since the injury to Slater. Need to find a passable right guard. If Alt returns and Slater does not, I would go from left to right: Alt, Johnson, Bozeman, Salyer, Pipkins against the Broncos. If neither Slater nor Alt return then Salyer, Johnson, Bozeman, Pipkins, Sarrell (and help Sarrell a lot) unless one of the other guards besides Mustipher is actually decent just not sure about any of them but Mustipher should never see the field again.
@gbgh Thanks mate. Great answers. I think I agree with all of them actually, although Herbert's utilisation by Roman will start to concern me if the pass attempts remain this low after he gets healthy. For now, I think some contextual factors explain the team being 32nd in pass attempts which, otherwise, for me would be unacceptable.
On Minter, it would be a shame if he left since this year was always likely to be a year of establishing the culture, with next year being the first in which we could start to reasonably expect deep playoff involvement as fans. My hope is that Minter takes a leaf out of the Ben Johnson playbook: decides there's no rush to become a HC beacuse he's still young and values being part of what Harbaugh is building for a while longer. And were he to leave, unlike with previous staffs, I would trust this staff to get the next hire right whether promoting internally or going external.
I read that Alt was practising at Left Tackle in his return to practice yday with the OL comprised exactly how you suggested, so I think you might get your wish!
My under the radar take from watching the coach's film is that Mustipher was really bad against the Chiefs, but Zion was almost worse. We need to see something from Zion to justify exercising that fifth year option. Even if he's an emerging run blocker and that suits Harbaugh's vision, those unblocked pressures are gonna kill the QB.
@alisterlloyd I hear you on Zion although my own view of him is he played pretty well when Linsley was the center helping him. Without a high quality center he seems to struggle more in pass pro.
I would also say the tandem of Slater and him in run blocking has been good to very good but he does seem to fall apart if either or both of his sidekicks are subpar or struggling in their own right.
For me priority number 1 for the IOL is center, then RG then we can worry about Johnson and the LG spot.
Haven't watched the podcast yet....I'll come back to these questions once I do.
Here's a few from an article today, may be some overlap. I didn't have time to determine.
@buck-melanoma Not much overlap actually! Many of those are 'bigger picture' ones. Herbert's health (and the health of key players) is obviously a critical one. I don't actually think some of the data points I proposed are a problem (eg, QJ, who's played well to start the season). And I believe we'll hit a win streak pretty soon. The team is exceeding my expectations right now, especially playing the Chiefs that close despite injuries.
Apparently, Aussie constables and Interpol are searching for Jack in response to his wanting to “buff” Jesse Minter.
I don't understand why they don't have McConkey (and QJ for that matter) running more of those little underneath crossers. At least one of those guys should be running one of those routes on almost every play. Especially in downs where they're likely to blitz.
@blue-beers Look, for my sins, I waste my time watching each Offensive snap on All-22. And I've come away less concerned about Greg Roman's passing concepts than I thought I'd be. I actually think many of the concepts are pretty clever, utilise motion, and McConkey/QJ are generally being used well. There are other issues around protection/blitz pick-up and calling the fewest number of pass attempts in the League that are more problematic. I think there is also a talent issue.
But when we do call a pass, I've kinda liked what Roman has done with it. Just my two cents!
Not sure where to post this, so choosing this as the top thread on the board.
I like Alt and think he will be a long term great player. But I can't stop thinking about what the Chargers reportedly passed up to draft him.
Supposedly, they could have traded down for MIN's two 1st round picks (11 and 23). Early in the offseason, I hoped the Chargers would do that and draft TE Bowers at 1.11 and IOL JPJ at 1.23. Had they done that, everything else about the rest of the draft could have been the same. It presumably would have meant starting Pipkins at RT and JPJ at RG.
As the draft approached, I recognized the possible reality that the Chargers were intent on drafting an OT. So I was still hoping for the same trade down, drafting the best OT remaining on their board at 1.11 and JPJ at 1.23. In this scenario, JPJ could have supplanted Bozeman at center with Pipkins at RG and rookie OT at RT. Or possibly Bozeman at center, JPJ at RG, and Pipkins at RT until the rookie was ready.
They also could have drafted WR Nabers at 1.5 and JPJ in the 2nd. I would not have been in favor of this, but I know it was widely expected, and it seemingly would have turned out great.
As of right now, all of those scenarios would seem to have been better than drafting Alt, as good as he has been. With good drafting, it seems like it would generally always be true that a team picking at 1.11 and 1.23 would be able to get better total value than a team picking at 1.5, at least when the draft is deep at positions of need, as was the case this year.
I will always root for Alt, and I think he will be great. So it's not about that.
Thoughts?
@tau837 If they passed up 11 & 23 for Alt, I think that was a poor choice.
I cannot recall where I read this now, but I have in my mind that the trade Hortiz turned down involved the Giants (maybe the Giants Hard Knocks showed their GM on the phone with Hortiz?). But I can't be sure.
@alisterlloyd I would feel a lot better about it if I knew that deal was not on the table, since I'm not aware of any other deal close to as compelling. I thought I read that it was a possibility somewhere, but I certainly don't know that to be a fact.
6. QJ. Good start to the season but targeted 5 times for 1 catch (9 yds). Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie won that battle (particularly on deep patterns or fighting off press).
I have not watched the game again yet, but in real time, I noticed on 2 of QJ's targets on slants from the left side, he failed to beat the CB and get across his face. One was almost a pick 6, and neither was a catch. Both looked like assignment failures for him, though good defense had plenty to do with it.
@tau837 I will also add to this, that the one catch QJ did have, he did a wonderful job of running that deeper slant. He pushed up the field even shaping to outside release before very quickly crossing the face of the corner and catching it cleanly in stride. I was impressed with that route and execution, so it's definitely not all bad.
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