Good morning and afternoon, StormCloud!
The Chargers have another opportunity to put the “Chargering” moniker to bed as they prepare to face the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans, like the Chargers, are in the first year of a coaching and cultural change. They let the focal point of their offense, and arguably their entire team, depart in free agency to sign with the Baltimore Ravens. Although Tony Pollard has done an admirable job replacing Derrick Henry as the team’s lead back, Henry and former head coach Mike Vrabel set a punishing power football tone that Tennessee has pivoted from since Brian Callahan’s hire.
Callahan attempted to recreate the magic of Cincinnati’s aerial attack by signing Calvin Ridley in free agency and hoping he and DeAndre Hopkins could create a prolific tandem to help aid Will Levis’ development. That hope dissipated before the trade deadline, and Hopkins was shipped to the Chiefs for a conditional 4th round pick.
While the Chargers shift from a finesse team to a defensive-led, old-school mentality, the Titans are taking the opposite approach. A Mike Vrabel team would have challenged this unit in physicality, similar to how the Steelers almost seemed to take it personally that Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers were attempted to beat them at their own game, and brought their very best when facing the Bolts in Week 3. However, this Titans team is in transition and gives the Chargers and excellent opportunity to continue stacking wins before facing a four-week gauntlet of playoff-caliber teams.
Here is the latest injury report from both teams. L’Jarius Sneed will be “OUT” for the Titans, with Dillon Radnuz and Julius Chestnut listed as questionable. The Chargers don’t have any players officially declared “OUT” as of yet, but it’s important to note that Kristian Fulton, Khalil Mack, and Trey Pipkins all missed practice on Friday.
Be sure to bring your thoughts and comments to the discussion below, StormCloud!
Game balls from Sunday. Impressed how Dupree showed up and didn’t make the bone headed plays we’ve seen too many of.
And Darius shows….again….that speed kills. I have zero issues maintaining a roster spot for him.
https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2024/11/12/chargers-titans-winners-derius-davis-zion-johnson-bud-dupree/
@buck-melanoma
I was impressed with Salyer. Based on my eye test he lifted the IOL play beyond what Pipkins has been able to do so far. I don’t know where Pipkins will be this week on the injury report, but the OL is going to be critical the next few weeks. The best way to stop Burrow, Jackson, Cousins, Mahomes, and Mayfield? Keep the ball out of their hands. Pound that rock!
@smith
https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2024/11/13/chargers-week-11-wednesday-injury-report/
So Pipkins still nursing the ankle….Salyer again on Sunday?
Good to get Fulton back. Hope Mack is able to go and the rest are just dings.
@buck-melanoma
Great news about Fulton. They’re going to need him the next few weeks. Would be nice if Leonard can go against Burrow and Jackson.
Mack typically gets Wednesdays off, so I’m not too worried about him… yet.
Be interested to see what they do with Pipkins/Salyer. If Pipkins is at 85%, is he better than Salyer at 100%? Or is Salyer simply better overall? I don’t know how Hardwick/Roman/Harbaugh will see it.
The critical player over the next few weeks, IMO, will be Bozeman. If that dude can somehow manage to play above average in the coming weeks, I like the team’s chances. If he’s below average, it’s going to be dicey.
I agree. Salyer looked good and Sarrell looked decent too. I rewatched the offensive snaps in the Titans game. I think in addition to the improved right guard play Tucker Fiske (TE-#42) looked fantastic blocking and Matlock continues to improve. They may have found the combination they’ve been looking for to run the ball including a healthy Gus to complement J.K. Really liked what I saw from the run game against a good interior D line last weekend. Super encouraged by how the offense continues to improve week to week.
I’m pretty much assuming that’s why Jim/Greg were giving Foster a chance to steal the spot last week, but Salyer really stepped it up and put those focus errors behind him.
It does make me wonder if another week inactive could spell trouble for Trey when he returns. I don’t think he’s lost his spot yet… but if Salyer has another performance that seems to lift the tide across the whole OL, we might be looking at two former starters hitting the bench after being outperformed by their depth pieces.
I don’t know enough about Harbaugh to know how he feels about this situation. I know many coaches hate for players to lose their starting spot due to injury (think about Tyrod Taylor and Lynn’s refusal to admit Justin had won the job). When ASJ and Pipkins come back, we might want to brace ourselves for the coaching staff to give them a one or two week opportunity to make a case for keeping their spot, before officially getting passed up for the young bloods that have stepped up to the plate.
As for Salyer, I don’t remember those issues you cite, but if he gets another shot this week and plays well again I think he starts until he falters-maybe with some Sarrell mixed in from time to time. The O line just looked so much better — again, against a very good front. A balanced attack going into the meat of the schedule and then into the playoffs will make this team very tough to beat.
What we saw Sunday is what I was hoping we would see from this offense. It is starting to find an identity to complement the defense.
Yeah – there were multiple instances where Salyer was coming off the ball going the wrong direction, just had a weird/off game, but definitely looks to have been corrected.
Pipkins was in with the starting O this week, so it should be interesting…
My interpretation of the remark Harbaugh made was that Asante has the type of shoulder injury where he’ll have to decide if the best course of action is to have surgery now, or try play through it and delay surgery until the end of the year. Given his FA status, that’s a decision he would likely make with family involvement.
Could be off the mark, but that’s how I received the message.
@alisterlloyd
That would be my guess also. I think the biggest reason Asante won’t be back, he does not quite fit Harbaugh’s secondary with his weak run support even though he’s an excellent cover corner.
You could well be right about ASJ. I would not be surprised if he is making a business decision in part because he does not fit in the Charger’s go forward plans. Why risk injury when you will get a big contract elsewhere after this year. His market value would drop if he came back and did not start. You saw this behavior with Adams magically healed and playing after he was traded to the Jets.
Given ASJ’s family pedigree, I find these sons of former pro players are much more focused on the $ than winning games. Again could be wrong but would not surprise me. I put Bosa in the same category. He is not the same warrior that Mack is for example.
Herbert scrambles to the right to avoid pressure to find Hurst wide open for an easy would-be catch for a TD. We all jump to our feet in our section at the game seeing the would-be TD, but he drops it. I believe it was the only time Herbert targeted Hurst, and it could be that Herbert has lost his trust on the guy. It was an awful failed play by him. Dissly dropped a perfectly thrown ball from Herbert for a TD. Justin couldn’t have placed the ball any better and away from the defender.
I do sound negative after a win, but man, our TE’s continue to prove it’s a big weak link. Only Herbert can make a player like Dissly to look like Jason Witten, but in ankle weights of course. I think Phillip Rivers can beat Dissly in a foot race. This team really needs a weapon at the TE position.
On a different note: In my first game back at SoFi this season yesterday, it was a very pleasant surprise to see more Bolts fans at the game than usual, and it was loud. The fans attendance seemed to have grown quite a lot from last year. You wouldn’t expect such a turnout at a game against a lesser opponent but it wasn’t the case on Sunday. I’m interested to know if anyone here also made the same observation at the game Sunday.
TE and center should be absolute priorities in the next draft. Also another pass rusher or 2…..Mack can’t last forever and Bosa is a part-timer.
@lfg_boltz
That’s awesome, man. I’m surprised to see the attendance was at 68,796, just short of a sold-out game at 70,000, the SoFi’s seating capacity for a football game. It was packed with Bolts fans but it didn’t feel like it, the beauty of SoFi stadium. It doesn’t make it feels like you’re on top of each other at near or full capacity games.
I can confidently say that about 90% of it was Bolts fans as there were hardly any Titan fans in attendance like you saw it. I didn’t even see a single Titans fan in our section. We sat next to a family of six from the east coast, big time Michigan fans who just became Chargers fans following Jim Harbaugh over to the Chargers, their first NFL team to root for. They were all in Chargers color, in #10 , #3 & #52 jerseys. It was awesome to meet new fans like them. But I kicked myself for failing to invite them to check out StormCloud. I’ve wondered how many new fans like these are the product of Jim Harbaugh’s hire. If this team makes the playoffs this year, it would be crazy next year and it would be difficult to get home game tickets.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5913904/2024/11/10/chargers-jim-harbaugh-edmund-fitzgerald-win/
The pass pro was much better too.
The biggest weakness on the team, IOL play, looked totally different than in games past. Some of that was scheme but most of it was just more physical attacking line play. It looked better than when Pipkins has been in. Not completely sure what to make of it. Time will tell if it is actually fixed or a mirage but what I saw out of the run game and the IOL play makes me think, if it continues, this is more than just a “make the playoffs” team.
Hayden Hurst will play better too IMO. He needs some rust knocked off and the drop was tough to start the game but the way Harbaugh coaches to encourage and motivate will in my estimation have him playing better.
Love the vibe from the team right now. both sides of the ball and special teams played well for most of that game. Bodes well for the tough part of the schedule coming up. Bengals watch out.
Could Salyer over Pipkins be the difference? Gus certainly looked like a different guy.
Have a good remainder of your Sunday, guys. Always tastes better with a win. 😁💪🏾
Alright alright alright….good game, fellas. 6-3, second place AFCW. Big big game next week.
Bengals
Ravens
@Falcons
@Chiefs
Bucs
That will be a test.
Murderer’s row.
KC escaped today.
The one game I root for the Broncos…
I never root for the Broncos. I just hope for mutual destruction.
Too funny and too true.
Two things are true:
1. The Chiefs look more beatable than they have in the past few years;
2. The Chiefs are 9-0.
Fuck. More garbage points.
I really hate these garbage time TD’s.
6-3 with a roster in transition. I know it’s been a soft schedule so far, but I’ll take it. This defense looks for real and the offense is hopefully finding their groove. A great first half of the season.
That Cardinals game is an ass-chafer. The difference between 7-2 and 6-3 is significant. But no use living in the past. Win three of the next five, and this team is for real.
Grab a turnover now. No more garbage scores.
Let Heinecke take any next drive. There’s no reason to have Herbert in there to hand off.
Agree but I don’t think that’s the Harbaugh mindset.
I don’t mind Herbert if it’s victory formation.
I’d have him getting a massage. 😆
I guess we’re done scoring.
Good solid win after a shaky 1Q. Like that Herb is running the ball. Gives us another dimension of offense. Next week will be a real team to play against though.
Who’s next week? Niners?
Ahhhh….defense gotta bring their “A" game. I hope Fulton is back.
Have we scored 30+ yet this year? Don’t think so….time to fix that.
Heinicke time, I hope.
Henley drops an OT. Dude ain’t scared.
Have yourself a drive Bud Dupree!
Dupree on a tear. Guy can play, just needs to cut out the bone headed plays.
Radio also said Phil got his first HS playoff win as a coach on Friday.
Beautiful
Love to hear it!
Roman has made some changes. Nice to see this second half.
It appears that maybe he IS capable of learning that this offense runs best through Herbert.
95 yard drive.
That was a drive that Jim Harbaugh dreams about at night. The perfect real life execution of his football vision. Good fucking stuff
Yep. That was it.
Now THAT’S how you finish!!! This is the imposing offense I’ve been looking for.
Yeah especially because this isn’t a bad defense at all!
Haskins. Man, he picks his spots.
Radio just said K9 has a grand total of zero passes defended this year. Sounds right.
He has at least one mugging now….lol
I will never ever understand the contract the Titans gave Murray.
Haskins!!
Keep that clock rolling….
PI K9!!
Herbert running over “K9.” Love it.
Damn this version of Herbert looks so good. Just stay healthy please. So beautiful to see, so easy to root for
Y’all seeing this? Herbie using those wheels!
Herbert is fired up fellas!!
There’s McConkey!!!
That’s a good Ladd.
Ok, that one’s not on Davis. 😂
lol
Now convince Tau. 😆😆
Derwin woke up from his first half nap, then Bosa gets in on the action. Heck yes.
Sack by Bosa? We have someone on the roster named Bosa?
Whoda thunk it….
The issue is he’s always hurt. Nearly as bad as Verrett.
I have no issues with Bosa but he’s paid a ton of money for not much availability.
I can’t really explain it but to me it feels like Tulip is kinda half assing it. He seems to play with a bit less tenacity than usual
I will let myself out now…
Hahahahaha
lol
Get a 3 and out and let’s grind this W out
MURRAY WAS COVERING QJ?!
What happened there?!
That couldn’t have possibly been by design. That’s more than a mismatch.
I don’t think that play was designed to go to QJ. It’s so cool to see Herbert progressing through his reads when he gets enough time
Lovely route by QJ. Liked how he juked in front of the DB to hinder that DB in his coverage.
QJ!!!!!!
QJ!!!
I’m so fucking happy for QJ. Unbelievably happy for the guy
Yeah, haven’t heard or read any bad stories about that guy. Seems like he works hard for it and is an all around good dude. Love to see it!
Same here man. He’s a lunch pail guy in my book.
Nice to see a guy that had been labeled a “bust” absolutely busting loose.