November 7, 2025 • 36 mins
On this episode of Chargers Weekly, Bolts radio play-by-play announcer Matt “Money” Smith & host Chris Hayre recap the latest news involving LA and the entire NFL. The hosts are joined by former Chargers safety Jahleel Addae as they break down key performances from the Week 9 victory over the Tennessee Titans, discuss the impact that outside linebackers Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh could have in pressuring quarterback Aaron Rodgers, preview the potential matchup between safety Derwin James Jr. and wide receiver DK Metcalf, and highlight the importance of quarterback Justin Herbert being mobile in the pocket in the Week 10 primetime matchup vs the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Late fifteen to ten Touchdown Chargers.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What's some guys Welcome into a week ten edition of
Chargers Weekly. We are presented by Splittero as always, joined
by the Voice of the Chargers, Matt Money Smith, Jalielade
in the building today and gentlemen, Chargers Speed. The Titans
twenty seven to twenty came at a heavy cost, though, Money.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Yeah, with the what the academically elites would call a
pyrhic victory, Right, you get the win, but you sustain
a serious loss. Look, the Chargers were four and zero
with Joe Alt on the field, two and three without them,
So I think that tells you everything. You know, you
can go through all the stats and pressure rates and
touchdowns thrown and all that, it just comes down to
(00:48):
four and zero versus two and three. That's how good
of a left tackle that Joe Walt.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Happens to be.
Speaker 5 (00:54):
Yeah, Money, when you look at it, and you talked
about being four zero, but I just looked at how
it felt right and how it looked on TV and
we're watching them, how the offensive line communicated, how Herbert
was being protected when he came back. You've seen the
big change right in the positive way. For the offensive
line in a positive way for the offense, and Herbert
stood more more confident, right, he trusted his blind side
(01:16):
and he was able to go through his progressions and
to lose somebody like him obviously with Ray charn Slater.
Speaker 6 (01:20):
Going out at the beginning of the year and then
you have him.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
That's like a A that's a double blow, right, But
I mean it's the NFL, and it's one hundred percent
injury rate, and you got to figure out how to
continue to build the guys who are behind him, obviously
making that trade acquisition that the front office did this week,
they're they're they're searching, and they're trying to find a way.
Speaker 6 (01:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
You know, the difference between Week four and now is
week four, we knew Ault.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Was coming back.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
He's not coming back now, and you have a whole
second half of the season to try to navigate and
figure out that right combination that offensive line. You mentioned
it at the Buzzer. Georgiez Gets Trevor Penning, former first
round pick, was actually picked a couple of picks after Zion,
Yeah in that twenty Yeah, after him that twenty twenty
two draft, and Maddy, I guess short term versus Pittsburgh
(02:04):
versus long term.
Speaker 7 (02:05):
I think maybe over the next.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Couple of weeks we'll kind of figure out what that
combination is gonna look like.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, I would be floored if you see Forever Penning
this week. It's just offensive lines. Too hard to get
a guy on Tuesday and expect him to go out there. Now,
maybe you know, could there be a package where he's
a sixth offensive lineman. Yeah, But then I think about
that and it's like, Okay, that's probably like a critical down.
You know, if you're doing that, it's a short yardage situation.
You don't want a guy that's not maybe comfortable with
cadence or what exactly his assignment is. And next thing,
(02:31):
you know, it's not third and one, it's third and six.
And so I think for Trevor it's probably you know,
getting him settled in, get a full week.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Of practice, ye bye week and two exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
So, and I think even just going into Jacksonville, I
think the good thing about Penning is, you know, he's
played all four positions. You know, you can play left tackle,
right tackle. He did not play right guard. Actually he's
played left guard. So he's played three of the five positions,
and I think when you talk about the Chargers, they've
needed it everywhere. You know, mcad Beckton's only played fifty
two percent of the snaps. We only you know, got
to four games from Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater this season.
(03:04):
So it's, you know, unfortunately been the position of attrition.
And I commend Joe because we talked about it last week, like,
don't get your hopes up about this team being able
to acquire a starting caliber offensive line. It just doesn't happen.
It just wrecks your team too much, pulling a guy
out that's been playing all year long and is a
(03:25):
good offensive lineman to send him somewhere else in the
middle of the season. You know, if you're whatever, you're
evaluating running backs, quarterbacks, no matter what your season's looking like,
You're always trying to figure out what the future is
for your team, and pulling offensive lineman off a team
is just it's too hard to do.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, you know, the cap space also is a factor.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Yeah, three million does all they had? You didn't have
that much.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, So you know, if we dive into the game
just a little bit, guys, I mean, it was kind
of ugly I mean, if we're just being honest, you
have a pick six at the beginning of the game,
you have a punt return for a touchdown, and you
kind of left a team that had no business being
in the game kind of hanging around.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Yeah, but I look at it like, no wins are easy,
and you're not gonna apologize for winning in this league, right.
And you know, obviously the interception the beginning of the game.
We've seen Herbert almost have that against the Vikings the
week prior.
Speaker 6 (04:14):
To Isaiah Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
But it's like my son plays seven on seven and
we play Hi at quarterback at first to get his
feet going, to get him locked into the game, because
if you play manywhere else, he's looking at the butterflies,
he's looking at the other game. And I just feel
like with Herbert, when he starts to use his feet
early on, I feel like he settles into the game
a lot more, right, And then you've seen him use
his feet, and then once he uses his feet, defenses
have to respect the Russian lanes and then he can
(04:35):
able to sit back there a little bit more, and
then he just gets into his groove, right. So I
think like him being able to use his feet earlier. Often,
maybe start calling some quarterback designs just to get him
acclimated to the game. And I remember when I played, like,
if I don't get a hit within like the first
ten plays, I don't feel like I'm locked in. Yeah,
I want to hit something right, So for him, just
to get him going, because once he gets going, it's
(04:56):
it looks like nothing else that's going around the league.
Speaker 6 (04:58):
He's a baller.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Yeah, I mean me, it just was it was just
a bad play, that's all it was, you know. And
I look at at Justin Herbert's season, and he's been sensational,
you know, especially considering the circumstances, the fact that he's
got he's been pressured, you know, thirty more times, I
think is the number then the next highest quarterback.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
So which was cam Ward? I think exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So like when you're dealing with that and you have
the almost pick six against the Vikings, this almost picks six.
But you know, like PFF does this thing which is turned.
You know, there's a lot like they take inky. They're
very polarizing when you talk about PFF grades or whatever
statistical category. But the one thing that I think they
do very well is turnover worthy plays. And so because
not all interceptions are on the quarterback, not all interceptions
(05:40):
are equal. And when you go through his seven, you
know four of them are tips and like one bonked
off a helmet, and you know a lot of times
that can be your pass protection that just breaks down
and in that moment, that defender gets deep enough to
get that hand on the ball. And so to me,
even with that, I just I sort of look at
it as just a I think Coach Harbaugh or might
have been Coach Roman, one of them in their roster,
(06:00):
I thought put it best. It's like when that happens,
Herbert gets locked in a hurry, and I think you
saw that, oh the rest of the game. I mean, look,
it was a bad one. I mean, Cody Barton is
not that kind of player that's going to be, you know,
breaking on a ball and getting that jump, you know,
to jump in front of somebody. It was just thrown
right to him. Herbert didn't see him, and you know
from there he was fine. Now you mentioned the punt return.
(06:22):
That's a conversation we can have, and that's that's something
that I think is a little bit more concerning because
there's more data there that tells us, Okay, this is
this is kind of an issue that's that's been lingering
now for nine games that we got to kind of
figure out.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah, I mean, I go back to the to the
game against the Colts and just that that big kickoff
return that was allowed at the beginning of the second half.
After you score it get a little bit of momentum
and you know, a play like that, it just it
can't happen against a bad team. Can't happen against a
good team because a good team, well, we'll take advantage
of that. And I just I go back to what
the Steelers did last week. Six turnovers, but they only
(06:55):
won by a touchdown. So, like it just it shows you,
like kind of how critical those errors can be. But
also do you have the horses offensively to kind of
sustain that you do against the Titans.
Speaker 7 (07:04):
I don't know if you do against the Steelers.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
Yeah. The Steelers are a different beasts.
Speaker 5 (07:07):
You see the way they're playing ball, and it's led
by Mike Tomin who's a coach who's respected and he's
continued to put out a good product no matter what
year it is, Right, He's been doing this for so
long and when you look at them, I'm just looking
talking about We're talking about it before the podcast. We
were talking about that front with TJ Watt, right and
the Cam Hayward right. These are guys who are going
to presure the quarterback. We talked about pressure and Justin
(07:27):
and these guys who can get to the quarterback with
four right, they don't need to send that extra So
that's gonna be something big, especially with them knowing the
injuries that the charges are facing on the offensive side
and moving guys around, and there's going to be different
communication and it's like you have to know what he's
thinking in the midst of the snap, in the midst
of the crowd, right, So it's going to be very
interesting to see how the offensive line handles this front
(07:48):
that the Steelers have.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Yeah, I think just kind of going back to before
we get to the Steelers and just the special teams,
you know, and Jah gets traded, you know, and he's
your starting gun or and I don't know if that's
just because Dean Leonard's coming back or sort of what
went into that decision, but whatever it is, it's it's
a unit that has had Again, like the offensive line
just incredible turnover, you know, through injury, through departures. I
(08:11):
don't think there's anyone that would question the job that
Ryan Ficken and Chris Gold do. I mean, they're great
at what they do. But I think just this year,
you know the fact that Tooley's out there for ten
to fifteen snaps a game now and he's third in
the league in pressures like that sort of speaks to
how critical it is on that unit. I think, you know,
the dynamic kickoff has certainly led to a lot of
(08:33):
teams having issues and trying to figure this out because
you just see the different combinations. Some teams are playing
almost all defensive backs and running backs. Other teams got
multiple you know, you've see Tully and a boy beer
out there on every one of these kickoffs, and so
I don't think anyone's quite settled into a what's the
right way to play this? And now on top of that,
you've got for as great as he's been, just these
(08:56):
weird moments for Cam Dicker booting the ball out of bounds,
you know, late in half and given the Titans an
opportunity to get a field goal out of it. You know,
just kind of for shanking one and golf terms. You
know that bounces off the leg of a boy bee
against the bit like just weird things are happening on
special teams. You know, the DK return for a touchdown,
(09:19):
you know, look flat out, just JK booted that ball.
Man it out, He outkicked his coverage and they couldn't recover.
But that doesn't really change the fact that this is
a team that is twenty ninth I think thirty their
lasting either punt or kick, and their twenty ninth I
think in the other So that just kind of speaks
to particularly coverage units is something that and coach said it.
(09:41):
You know, it's something that's going to get a lot
of attention, a lot of focus this week and.
Speaker 6 (09:44):
Special teams is more of a want to.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
And then when you talked about JK o't kicking his coverage,
a lot of times they coach harps on something called landmarks.
Everybody on that team, on the punt team has landmarks, right.
Is it two yards outside the numbers? Is it two
yards inside the hash? And then you're converging on the
ball once you get to the to the returner within
a certain amount of yards, right, And when you look
at that we were talking about the All twenty two
film that you were watching before the podcast, and when
(10:07):
you look at that specific play, those guys were out
of their landmark, right. So it was more so just
not being disciplined. I know Ryan Ficking from coaching with him.
You know what he's done for this organization. He's really
you mentioned it, he's really good at his job. But
at the end of the day, players got to make
stuff come to life, right, And when you look at
that film, guys were out of their lanes.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
Guys were on their landmarks.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
So it's just a lot of want to I know
that they do, but it's about being more detailed to
your assignment and I think that will fix a lot
of things.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
The thing is, guys, we're entering week ten. The personnel
is not going to change. You mentioned John Taylor get
shipped to New York. We know Ryan Ficken's a heck
of a coach. We've seen it the last several years.
So what can change, Like do you tinker with the
guys that you currently have, like jillil as a player,
Like how can you get better at special teams midway
through the year with no other personnel changes?
Speaker 5 (10:54):
I think it starts with the coaches first and just
looking at like self, scout, right, what have we done
and what has hurt us? And if I was going
against the Chargers, how would we attack them? And then
if I can see how we would attack them, then
I can formulate a game plan on saying hey.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
Let's try to fix this.
Speaker 5 (11:10):
Let's try to fix that, because, like I said, special
teams is really just a want two coaches going to
design a pick. Coach is gonna tell you to get
your landmarks. But if it's a one on one with
you win a return, you got to make the tackle right.
If you have to stay your lane, you gotta stay
in your lane. If you got to funnel the ball,
you got a funnel the ball. If you're if you're
setting the edge on kickoff return and you're the number
two guy running on the field with the safety behind you,
you got to make sure you set the edge to
(11:31):
force everything back to the other ten. So I think
it's a collective, a collective thing that needs to be
done with the coaches scouting their self, players scouting theirselfs
and just saying, listen, guys, enough is enough, and we
got to get out there and change things.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Yeah, you know, look, Marlo wax Is, you know, one
of the leaders in special tams tackles in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
Right now.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I think it's much like Georgie's is done all season long.
I do think there could be personnel, you know, sort
of moves because you think about Nahim Miller Hines right
on the team, off the team, on the team, off
the team, like I'm watching Andrey Lambert Smith and nothing
against him, He's never done it before. But you know,
you got to know when you're a yard deep in
the end zone, you take the knee, man, that's the
thirty five, and instead you're bringing it out and you're
(12:08):
stopped at the twenty two. Now you got a net
loss of twelve to start that drive. I think it's
just sort of you know what, and it just doesn't
I'm just I'm talking about the other side of it.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Now.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
It doesn't feel like Darius Davis is quite back. You know,
there's something that's not quite right there. You know, we
know what Darius Davis looks like when he's right, man,
he's explosive, and that dude looks like he gets fired
out of a cannon. It just has not quite looked
like that since he's returned, So I think it's probably
still some personnel situations, like do we have the right
two guys back there, because I got to talk about
(12:39):
Miller Hines and it's like, man, you remember what it
looked like against Miami, and guy helped him win the
game with that forty yard returning.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
He's a professional, it helped.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
I mean, you're talking about a guy with two one
hundred plus yard kickoff returns for touchdowns. So I do
think there could be just because of how Joe operates,
you know, how he's always churning that back end and
we've seen almost every single week, Hey, this person's off
the practice squad, this person's on, this person's elevated, this
person's drop like, there's a lot of that. So I
(13:07):
do think that there could still be some movement there.
And look, in the case of Jaw moving, maybe it's
they just really liked what they saw from Nico Reid
out there for those you know, fifteen or so snaps
that he had, and it's like, well, it's hard for
us to keep this guy up because of where our
depth is needed. If we get you know, however, we
put this fifty three with your five inactives together, is
(13:29):
this a better combination? I don't know what the idea was,
but I do think Jaw's one of the better gunners
in the league, so I'm guessing that there's some of
that in there.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yeah, it felt like maybe a numbers game from a
dB perspective, with Dean Leonard coming back too, and you
know we should mention Hassan Haskins is he's on IR Yeah. Well,
and that's another four core guy, right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
I mean you got I would I think you would
say like Jaw, Hassan, Marlo Wax, Caleb Murphy, like those
were kind of your special team standouts this year, and
that's a turnover from Simmy and Nick Neeman and like
a lot of guys, you know, and then Delshaun Phillips
was injured all of training camp, you know, so like
there's just so much that goes into it. And I think,
(14:06):
like offensive line, you talked about it like you've got assignments, man,
you got to keep those assignments right, and it's not easy,
you know, when you don't have enough time on task
because there's constant churn with those units.
Speaker 7 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
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(14:42):
splittero dot com slash chargers. So if we shift to defense,
listen the response from Indianapolis to Minnesota.
Speaker 6 (14:51):
We saw it.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
It was a four day period.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Those guys were not happy with how the Colts game
shook out. You have a mini buy and then you
play the Tennessee.
Speaker 7 (14:59):
Titans, and those guys took care of business.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
They all had six points and if it wasn't for
that pick six in the uh in the punter turn
for a touchdown made have been a blowout.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
I think they were just fed up. And there's two
plays that I want to point out. It was block
it was blocked destruction. They called it right, and it
was Durren James on the perimeter on the screen, lifted
them up, dumped them, made the tackle and then there
was DP in the A in the A gap right
on the lead block destructs, the fullback makes a play,
and that's just was the identity of the defense that game,
just playing physical all eleven to the ball, and it
(15:29):
was more so like, hey, listen, we kept talking about it,
We've we've had to chew on it for ten days,
and now we're gonna go out there and do it.
Those two plays basically embodied what the defensive mindset and
the way they played that game. The whole the whole
four quarters looked.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Like, Yeah, I think it was an extension of what
we saw against Minnesota. I think there were still some
runs out there that you were a little worried about.
The edges kind of got a little little weak. But
I think in terms of pass rush, my goodness, you
know that always really come on. You know, what a
great exchange by by Joe Ortiz to get a Dafe
in here. Because when you see if you can get
(16:04):
that team off schedule and you get some third and
longs and they roll out there with Tart, I mean,
it's kind of a pick your tackle.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
It's either Tart or cold. Well.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I think with DeShawn Han's window being open, it could
end up being him. But it's Twu Lee at the
tackle and then Khalil and Oway at the edges.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Man.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
That's as we used to call it, you know, when
it was Morgan, Fox, two Lee, Bosen, Khalil, mact and
NASCAR package, you know, And that's kind of that was
really effective in this game, and I think that's just
going to continue to build is Khalil gets closer and
closer back to one hundred percent, as Alway gets more
comfortable with the guys he's playing with. We know, Tuley
is just you know, the greatest hockey assist defensive lineman
(16:42):
out there. Man, He's going to either occupy two guys
or he's going to get pick up your guy and
somehow someone else is going to get a sack. But
that's kind of where it all starts, I think, right
with how how Jesse Minner likes to play where he does.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
He doesn't blitz a.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Lot, you know, and so it's going to be four
guys and if you're getting that kind of pressure with
the amount of players you have back covering and trying
to create a foggy picture, that's how you create turnovers.
I do think there were some big plays that they
could have allowed that that cam Ward missed. You know,
you think about that long third and whatever it was
right through the ball in the dirt because he just
couldn't reset his feet. It was an awkward looking through.
(17:17):
I think there's still some of that out there, and
that's not gonna happen with Aaron Rodgers and that Steelers
offensive line is really humming right now. Fatanu is what
we thought he was coming out of Washington. You know,
when the Chargers took Alton, he was in the conversation
as a top ten pick and ended up sliding a
little bit because of the injury. But Robert Jones was
playing okay. I mean Fraser, we knew he was going
to be a great center from jump and man in
(17:38):
his second years, he's exceptional. So it's gonna be a
lot harder to get home. I think Rogers only taking
fifteen sacks this year, so it's gonna be a lot
harder to get home with four, which means a little
bit more pressure on that secondary and that back end.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
You know, kudos to Joe for making that trade. We
love the Lowhie here and you know, I low He
had a nice game Thursday night against the Dolphins. But
I think it was a win win when you when
you bring in a guy like a Dafe and he's
motivated four sacks in four weeks from a safety perspective
with a low he out, and we know Tony was
down last Sunday seeing r J Mickens.
Speaker 7 (18:12):
What did you see from the safety position this past Sunday?
Speaker 5 (18:15):
I talked about it, talked about Durwin, Obviously he's playing
closer to the line, but you talk about ARJ Mickens,
and then you talk about Molden. You've seen that play
that Molden made on that goal line stand right, almost
like Troy Pola molowis jump, yeah, selling, selling out, don't
putting his body on the line. You love to see
that from him during him and Duran played exceptionally well
physical and then r J is just a young guy
out there. You've seen him communicating well, he was in position,
(18:36):
didn't have too many splashes, but he didn't give up
anything really big, right, And you'd like to see that
from a young guy as a coach because a lot
of times when you get a young guy out there
and when those bullets are flying, you really don't know
what you're gonna get right, and that was essentially his
first start, right. Obviously he filled in, but I was
essentially his first start. I think he played really well.
I think he communicated with the other two guys well.
(18:57):
Obviously DJ did what DJ does, and Molden came up
and he played big as well.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Yeah, look, I think especially against a veteran quarterback like
Aaron Rodgers, you know, getting Tony back out there would
be a big boost. You know, we're recording this, we
don't know what the status was Thursday morning, but you know,
for him being back limited on Wednesday, you hope that,
you know, maybe we get to full by Friday and
he's back out there. I think Tony's just such a
(19:22):
savvy you know, always makes a play and it's just
kind of one of those things like you said, you
know RJ mackons a young guy, but and I think
you hit it on the hedge. You'liel like there were
no no issues you know where you're like ooh, you know,
out of position here and it led to a big
play and that's a key. So in terms of safeties
and secondary I thought again, same thing with Nico Reid.
(19:44):
You know, there's he's made one tackle and it was
just kind of like was sort of back, you know,
backed into that one to get into the box score.
But again you saw him have to play a little
bit of press in the slot and I thought he
played well. And so it's kind of what you're looking for,
right just just kind of keep it right in the
middle there. You know, we don't need it to be
up here, but we just can't have it down here,
(20:05):
can you? Can you keep it right here? And I
think both players, mickens and and Nico did a pretty
good job of that against the Titans.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Certainly we'll be tested Sunday with Metcalf and just all
the webs that have the tight ends that they have.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Yeah, they don't really you know, they still don't have
that second receiver. They're trying to figure out, you know,
who it is. And and obviously, look, I think it's
gonna be fun watching cam harten DK. You know, two
very physical players that play with a chip, that like
to get like, like to get after it. It's gonna
be fun to watch. At the same time, I'm anxious
to see if you know, they move DK iron, if
we get any derwin versus DK reps, that'd be a
(20:37):
lot of fun. So to me, like there's an opportunity
where Jesse can just commit two resources to DK and
I think you're totally comfortable, you know with making you know,
we're just having one on ones the rest of the
way out there, especially if Durwin's going to be, you know,
kind of dealing with Pat Fryermouth or something. And they
have not been able to run the ball very well.
You know, Caleb Johnson, a lot of people thought, wow,
(21:00):
perfect fit, you know Caleb on the Steelers, and he's
not really doing a whole lot. So I do think
there's some opportunities for Jesse Miner and for this defense
to you know, to find a ball, to find a
ball or two, you know, or to make life really
hard for for Aaron Rodgers. Like I said, the one
kind of the big bright spot of this offense has
been that offensive line and how well they've been playing
(21:21):
and just kind of keeping Aaron Rodgers upright, But it
feels like Aaron's you know, I mean, look, they just
signed Marcus Velt does Stan Scandon, right, So, like I
think that kind of tells you they're they're looking.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Yeah, before we really dive into this, this Pittsburgh game Sunday,
and I just one last thing I would ask you, guys,
just from from a running game perspective, for the Chargers
octually waiting for Mariin Hampton to hopefully get back maybe
after the bye. Jared Patterson was the one who had
subduced nine for forty four KENINEI twelve for thirty. I
guess your thoughts on the running game these next couple
of weeks against two pretty good defenses before we get
(21:51):
to the buy.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
I think it's similar to what we talked about with
the young guys on the defensive side, with RJ and
Nico Reid and those guys just coming in and fill in,
and obviously we're not expecting them to carry the load, right,
but you got to give them something. You got to
give the offense a balanced attack, right so that they
don't just stay back, You make them, force force them
to stack the boxer that Herbert can air it out.
They're not going to save the day, right, but they've
(22:14):
been playing really, really valuable football with the Mario and
Hampton out and Nause out and from outside looking in,
I've been very impressed with the two young guys and
what they brought to the table, and I think they
can need to continue to do that because it's so
vital that they have a balance attack going into this
Pittsburgh game, because, like you said, that defense, that defense
is humming right now.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
To me, I think it's a lot of it is
on Greg Roman, you know, and I think we've seen
some really good things with the way he's trying to
scheme it up. But I do think it's trying to
figure out, you know, where where are we most effective,
especially when you're playing against edges that you know, they
have the reputation of high Smith and t. J.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
Watt. They're known as pass rushers. They sacked the heck
out of the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
They're it was pretty good against the run, and so
I think what we saw against Miami, against Minnesota, a
little bit against Tennessee is you know, I think attacking
the has kind of been where this this team has
been able to make a little bit of hay. But
when you mentioned Patterson, yeah, he ended up doing a
lot of damage between the tackles. Not Jeffrey Simmons isn't
out there and that makes a big difference. But to me,
(23:11):
that's sort of where I think coach Roman, especially with
the injury to Alt, with everything that they're dealing with.
You know, I hate to say it, but just pressure's
on him. Man, you've got to scheme this up. And look,
I never thought i'd say it, but Justin Herbert leads
quarterbacks in rushing yards. It's crazy to the end. Now, Look,
Lamar has been hurt, and I'm sure it'd be him
(23:33):
if he were healthy, but the fact that Justin Fields
runs the heck out. Justin Herbert leads the league in
rushing for quarterbacks with over three hundred yards on the ground.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
And I do think that that.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Look, that's part of the rushing attack, that's part of
the run of being and I think we're just going
to see a lot more of that, especially against these
edge you know, these edges that want to pin their
ears back and come get you, and you've just got
to get them to have that moment of pause.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
And I say this too.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
I always think it's another way to protect Justine's running
like instead instead of just sitting back there, I mean
his ability to run the football.
Speaker 7 (24:08):
We saw it.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
I remember a couple of Sunday night footballs ago. That
was one of the reasons they won that game against
the Pittsburgh Steelers, was he has some huge runs in
that game, and I just I feel like that needs
to be part of the game plan moving forward. And
I think it's also a reminder that last year with
that ankle, he couldn't do any of this stuff that
he's able to do now.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
I talked about it early in the pod, and people
might think I'm crazy when I say, well, they need
to start maybe start the game up with some design
runs to get him in his flow.
Speaker 6 (24:31):
And we talked about it.
Speaker 5 (24:32):
He's very good at running the ball and when things
break down, when receivers can't separate, and you see him
take off for that first down and teams are in
max zone and then he's scrambling or they're in man
and their backs are turned to him and he scrambling
for twenty twenty five yards. That gives an offense life, right,
That gives an offense momentum. And I think just a
test and to your point of him being the leading
rusher at the quarterback position, and these are not really
(24:53):
design runs. It's not like Baltimore has design runs for
Lamar right, justin Fields has design runs like they're doing RPOs.
They're pulling the ball, they're reading the tackle, and they're
not doing that with Justin. Justin's like, hey, the play's
broken down, let me make a play with my feet.
And that is just bringing life to the team as
a whole. And I think, listen, if he continues to
do that, they're gonna always have a shot.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
It is a wild stat though.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
Man.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
I think he's rushing and he's dropping his shoulder on
people for the first down, like, yeah, the sideline, he's
on the ground given the first down point like everyone's flexing,
and he's not a small cat like DB's. Are not
just willing to just come up and hit Justin Herbert like, oh,
it's a quarterback running. Yeah, I get a t off.
He's six' six to something like he's dropping the shoulder
(25:34):
AND i mean obviously charging. NATION i know you don't
like to see, that but his body can endure. That
he's built like that and you don't want to see
him do that fifteen times a, game but sprinkling it
in there like five to seven times a, game it
keeps the defense hoes AND i think it's a, really
really good formula for the success of the.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
Offense no.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Doubt AND i also wanted to just shout that the
balanced attack, OFFENSIVELY A rendez led led the team five
for sixty. Eight then he had lad four for fifty,
six quitting four for fifty, three gets in the end.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Zone to j it's on the.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Scoreboard and then and then keenan two for forty. One
And keen is going to break That Antonio gates record On,
sunday no.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Doubt, yeah most.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
RECEPTIONS i, think just going back To, herbert the one
thing THAT i would kind of acknowledge, is you, KNOW
i think it's it's a reminder for those that, are,
oh playoff, wins this dude wants to. Win he's just
gonna he is willing to do whatever it takes to
win football, games, because like you, Said, julio they're not designed.
Runs it's just a guy who's like there's the. Grass
(26:27):
i'm probably gonna take a. Shot BUT i can go
get eight, YARDS i can go get twelve. Yards i'm
about to rip this thing off AND i could step
out of bounds and it will be a fifteen yard.
Game but, No i'm must stay in bounds for an
extra fifteen and it's going to be a thirty yard
run And i'm going to take a. Shot AND i
think that's where for people and just talking with folks
and fans this week and how down they are about
(26:48):
all being. Out it's, like you, know the one thing
to remember is there's one player that can't be. Gone
as long as that one player is out, there you've
got a chance to win every single one of these.
Games he's just that. SPECIAL i, mean think about the offensive,
line and this guy is second in the league in,
passing he's third in, touchdowns he's first in, rushing like
(27:08):
and you haven't Had Rashaun slater all, year and you've
Had Joe alt for four Games like, That that's what
we're talking. About and let, alone The chargers are six and,
three And, herbert's you, know in the, conversation is the
best quarterback in football in twenty twenty.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Five, yeah all, right let's take a quick break and
then get our final thoughts on These Pittsburgh steelers head
To San francisco and experience The Super bowl with On,
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(27:44):
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(28:05):
secure your ticket package. Today so before The chargers have their,
BUY i think two critical games in THE. Afc if
we're just looking at the playoff picture and you know wildcard,
implications you have The Steelers sunday than The jags Next.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Sunday but.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Money this was a team that had lost two straight
before going into playing The colts In pittsburgh for six,
turnovers yet only win by a.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Touchdown, YEAH i think you hit.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
It you, know when you look at how that game played,
out it's seventeen to seven and you got to shut
and they had already had five, turnovers and then The
colts commit their, sixth like seventeen to, seven and the
turnover battle is five to, one and so THAT i
think speaks to their searching for that second refer for
(28:49):
those weapons For Aaron. Rodgers and that's why mvs got.
SIGNED i think it's a defense that on the back
end has given UP i mean three, interceptions three, fumbles
And daniel still through for what three hundred thirty, Yards
so like They Joe, blackout you, know three hundred and fifty,
yards Like Jordan love three hundred and fifty, Yards like
they've been able to get after. It SO i do
(29:12):
think there's those opportunities out. There even, though As i've
got to pulled up these last four, games that defensive
line has got a total of in the last four
games ninety six pressures in twelve. Sacks so it's kind
of it's just, Weird LIKE i don't know what when
you're trying to get the numbers to make, SENSE i
don't know what it. Is you, KNOW i think the
(29:32):
secondary has certainly. Struggled they Move Jalen ramsey to free.
Safety play there one hundred percent of the snaps against The.
Colts maybe that's part of. It but whatever the case,
is just if you look at how this season's laid,
out you know they're giving up, yards they're given up,
points and there's points out there that are.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Available so if.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
You combine The chargers against The, Vikings titans defense the
last two weeks with what we've seen from This steelers
defense the last five, weeks, like, YEAH i can see this,
thing you, know being right in the balance and The
chargers having an opportunity to take advantage of.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
It. Yeah, NO i agree with, You, Money and we
talked about The steelers and the way they like to play,
ball and it's a physical aspect of, them but that's
not the two thousand and Eight, steelers. Right, obviously they
have a front that you have to, respect AND i
think the game is going to be one in the.
Trenches you talked about the. Secondary our receivers have all
the talent in the world to get open against your,
secondary but we'll justin have enough. TIME i think the
(30:24):
game will be one in the trenches on the both
sides of The chargers offensive, Line chargers defensive. Line how
much time can they Give herbert and how much how
much can they get After Aaron. Rodgers obviously he's not
the most mobile guy in THE. Nfl he's really he's playing.
Well he's playing well at his. Age BUT i feel
like if you can get pressure on him And money
you talked about, it then win in the turnover. Margin,
chris you talked about, it then win in the turnover
(30:45):
margin and still scraping their teeth to get a, victory
like they can get got and it's it's there for
the taking for the.
Speaker 6 (30:50):
Charger but they have to play a good game on
all three.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Phases you said the, money it's like a weird defense
to try to break. Down they've allowed more passing yards than.
Anybody they're third in sex this year with twenty, seven
their second in turnover, differential and NOW i, know yes
Or sunday had a lot to do with, that but
plus nine the charges are minus. Four SO i DO
i go back to the last two weeks and like
(31:13):
give it up a pick six in a near pick.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
Six it's just.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
Playing a clean football. Game and then like you, know.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
We say it every week and it's it's easier said than.
Done but being able to protect justin with this new offensive,
line AND i think that they have the weapons on
the outside to.
Speaker 7 (31:28):
Score and you're going to have to.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
SCORE i think they've scored twenty one points in every
game this year but Won, pittsburgh but they've allowed over
thirty and a half their. Game SO i see this
being like in a high twenties typed.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Game, yeah you, know, look it's it's PROBABLY i know
that coach probably doesn't want to do, it at least
the formation stats tell us he. Doesn't BUT i think
you're probably talking about keeping six guys in for the
rest of the, season you, know and just trying to
figure out where is it best to. Plant you, Know
Tucker fisk is, it you, know the right tackles of
the left, Tackle which side do you.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Want Scott Matt locke?
Speaker 3 (31:59):
On you, know if you're playing if you're playing twenty,
two Because gasden's out there With fisk And Matt lock's out,
there but you, know then you've only have two guys
in the. Route like it's it's. Hard at the same,
TIME i think the one benefit that The chargers have
Is lad mccackiy's a man. Beater he can you want
to play press, man he's going to eat. UP i
think we're starting to see that From Trey. Harris you,
know he's he's got that physicality to him or he's
(32:21):
willing to fight with. You so and we Know keenan
could do. It he's going to shake it the line of.
Scrimmage so they have they have the players to do.
IT i think the one thing you just got to
be careful of is and we saw from The. Titans,
man The, titans they were crowding the line of scrimmage
from the jump like they were Not they were not
worried about plays going over their. Head they thought they
could get home against that offensive line before they could
(32:42):
get those you, know deep rots to. Develop and SO
i think you're going to see that times ten from The.
Steelers and you Know Greg rolan was going to have
to figure out a, way and he's been really good
about that, script you, know to open the. Games we've
seen The chargers be very effective from the. Jump SO i,
think get that script, right get a couple of deep shots,
working and try to get that defense to back up
a little bit so your offense can.
Speaker 5 (33:02):
Breathe, YEAH i agree with you that first the Script
money's talking about as the first fifteen plays of the,
game and those.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Are work throughout the whole.
Speaker 5 (33:09):
Week everyone in the building knows what they're, running the
janitors know what they're, running the people in the cafeteria
know what they're. Running, Right so you have a great.
Point they're gonna Pressure, herbert, Right so that script is
look let's let's get some, runs let's get some. Screens
let's slow let's slow down that, pressure, right and then
we can ease into getting into our game, plan which
they're gonna have a really good game. Plan but first,
(33:29):
on first, off early and often they got to make
The steller say, whoa, whoa, whoa let's pump some. Break
let's pump our breaks, here because they're giving us so,
many so many different things that we got to.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Defend, yeah the last point before we get out of.
Speaker 7 (33:40):
Here just the player Of Aaron rodgers this.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
YEAR i don't know if it's been surprising to you
guys or, not But, uddy you mentioned he hadn't been
sacked a. Lot what do you what have you seen
from number eight?
Speaker 4 (33:49):
This he's playing? Well, YEAH i think he's playing. WELL
i think.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
It's it's probably kind of WHAT i. Expected you, know The.
Jets we've seen what The jets are the last twenty.
Years you, know it's just kind of, like for whatever,
reason it just doesn't matter who goes.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
There it's it's.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
Been that kind of a mess and it's kind of
hard to figure out because they've had talent and for whatever,
reason you, know they're either dominant defensively and the offense
can't get.
Speaker 4 (34:12):
Going AND i think.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
Unfortunately for whatever, Reason rogers just kind of succumbed to.
That and you, know we had a decent statistical year last,
year SO i don't think it was too out of
the realm of possibility to, envision, Like, okay he's got
a dominant, defense take care of the, ball which he.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
Does he hates.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Throwing, Interceptions he'll just throw the ball away or he'll take.
Sacks AND i still think he's gettable. THOUGH i still
think that because that lack of athleticism is there now
in his game and he used to be so good
moving and throwing the on the, move and because that's not,
there and because they're trying to find that extra weapon
that you can still kind of get after, IT i
(34:50):
believe That Jesse miner can can kind of make some
things happen out.
Speaker 6 (34:52):
THERE i, mean what else is left to say after?
Speaker 5 (34:56):
Money just, No But i'm right there with you money,
Obviously Aaron rodgers playing really good. Ball he and the
biggest thing with, them like everywhere That Aaron rodgers has
went since he left The pittsburgh which is The, jets
he was able to bring in his own cast to, guys,
right he had influence on who they're bringing it in
the wide receiver position and The stellers this, year we're, like, no, no, no, no,
(35:17):
no we're not doing. That we want you as our.
Quarterback we're gonna bring IN Dj, Metcalf John. Smith we're
gonna bring in guys that we feel fit our system
and that you'll be successful. With AND i think that's
one of the biggest. Reasons OBVIOUSLY dk is having a
good year and them bringing in the weapons that fit
their system has really really Benefitted. Aaron he's seen everything,
right there's pre, snap post. Snap he's gonna know what
coverage you're. In it's just you got to be able to.
(35:37):
Execute you got to tackle, well eliminate the big, plays
and when you can get after, him you get after him.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Fast, yeah he And Arthur smith have worked well. Together
and just another big, one, guys an opportunity to go
to seven and three Before jacksonville and to buy and
just kind of stay above water in THAT Afc west
race because it's gonna be it's gonna come down the
last few. Weeks you got The broncos playing The chiefs
in a couple of. Weeks they're gonna play The raiders
before we take this On thursday, night but be fun
(36:04):
On sunday.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Night, guys no, doubt looking forward to it. Primetime, justine
it's always. Good, justin it's right that.
Speaker 6 (36:10):
Point let's end on. That for money And.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Jalil I'm. Chris this has Been chargers with
Late fifteen to ten Touchdown Chargers.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
What's some guys Welcome into a week ten edition of
Chargers Weekly. We are presented by Splittero as always, joined
by the Voice of the Chargers, Matt Money Smith, Jalielade
in the building today and gentlemen, Chargers Speed. The Titans
twenty seven to twenty came at a heavy cost, though, Money.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Yeah, with the what the academically elites would call a
pyrhic victory, Right, you get the win, but you sustain
a serious loss. Look, the Chargers were four and zero
with Joe Alt on the field, two and three without them,
So I think that tells you everything. You know, you
can go through all the stats and pressure rates and
touchdowns thrown and all that, it just comes down to
(00:48):
four and zero versus two and three. That's how good
of a left tackle that Joe Walt.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Happens to be.
Speaker 5 (00:54):
Yeah, Money, when you look at it, and you talked
about being four zero, but I just looked at how
it felt right and how it looked on TV and
we're watching them, how the offensive line communicated, how Herbert
was being protected when he came back. You've seen the
big change right in the positive way. For the offensive
line in a positive way for the offense, and Herbert
stood more more confident, right, he trusted his blind side
(01:16):
and he was able to go through his progressions and
to lose somebody like him obviously with Ray charn Slater.
Speaker 6 (01:20):
Going out at the beginning of the year and then
you have him.
Speaker 5 (01:22):
That's like a A that's a double blow, right, But
I mean it's the NFL, and it's one hundred percent
injury rate, and you got to figure out how to
continue to build the guys who are behind him, obviously
making that trade acquisition that the front office did this week,
they're they're they're searching, and they're trying to find a way.
Speaker 6 (01:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
You know, the difference between Week four and now is
week four, we knew Ault.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Was coming back.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
He's not coming back now, and you have a whole
second half of the season to try to navigate and
figure out that right combination that offensive line. You mentioned
it at the Buzzer. Georgiez Gets Trevor Penning, former first
round pick, was actually picked a couple of picks after Zion,
Yeah in that twenty Yeah, after him that twenty twenty
two draft, and Maddy, I guess short term versus Pittsburgh
(02:04):
versus long term.
Speaker 7 (02:05):
I think maybe over the next.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Couple of weeks we'll kind of figure out what that
combination is gonna look like.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, I would be floored if you see Forever Penning
this week. It's just offensive lines. Too hard to get
a guy on Tuesday and expect him to go out there. Now,
maybe you know, could there be a package where he's
a sixth offensive lineman. Yeah, But then I think about
that and it's like, Okay, that's probably like a critical down.
You know, if you're doing that, it's a short yardage situation.
You don't want a guy that's not maybe comfortable with
cadence or what exactly his assignment is. And next thing,
(02:31):
you know, it's not third and one, it's third and six.
And so I think for Trevor it's probably you know,
getting him settled in, get a full week.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Of practice, ye bye week and two exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
So, and I think even just going into Jacksonville, I
think the good thing about Penning is, you know, he's
played all four positions. You know, you can play left tackle,
right tackle. He did not play right guard. Actually he's
played left guard. So he's played three of the five positions,
and I think when you talk about the Chargers, they've
needed it everywhere. You know, mcad Beckton's only played fifty
two percent of the snaps. We only you know, got
to four games from Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater this season.
(03:04):
So it's, you know, unfortunately been the position of attrition.
And I commend Joe because we talked about it last week, like,
don't get your hopes up about this team being able
to acquire a starting caliber offensive line. It just doesn't happen.
It just wrecks your team too much, pulling a guy
out that's been playing all year long and is a
(03:25):
good offensive lineman to send him somewhere else in the
middle of the season. You know, if you're whatever, you're
evaluating running backs, quarterbacks, no matter what your season's looking like,
You're always trying to figure out what the future is
for your team, and pulling offensive lineman off a team
is just it's too hard to do.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Yeah, you know, the cap space also is a factor.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Yeah, three million does all they had? You didn't have
that much.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, So you know, if we dive into the game
just a little bit, guys, I mean, it was kind
of ugly I mean, if we're just being honest, you
have a pick six at the beginning of the game,
you have a punt return for a touchdown, and you
kind of left a team that had no business being
in the game kind of hanging around.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Yeah, but I look at it like, no wins are easy,
and you're not gonna apologize for winning in this league, right.
And you know, obviously the interception the beginning of the game.
We've seen Herbert almost have that against the Vikings the
week prior.
Speaker 6 (04:14):
To Isaiah Rodgers.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
But it's like my son plays seven on seven and
we play Hi at quarterback at first to get his
feet going, to get him locked into the game, because
if you play manywhere else, he's looking at the butterflies,
he's looking at the other game. And I just feel
like with Herbert, when he starts to use his feet
early on, I feel like he settles into the game
a lot more, right, And then you've seen him use
his feet, and then once he uses his feet, defenses
have to respect the Russian lanes and then he can
(04:35):
able to sit back there a little bit more, and
then he just gets into his groove, right. So I
think like him being able to use his feet earlier. Often,
maybe start calling some quarterback designs just to get him
acclimated to the game. And I remember when I played, like,
if I don't get a hit within like the first
ten plays, I don't feel like I'm locked in. Yeah,
I want to hit something right, So for him, just
to get him going, because once he gets going, it's
(04:56):
it looks like nothing else that's going around the league.
Speaker 6 (04:58):
He's a baller.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Yeah, I mean me, it just was it was just
a bad play, that's all it was, you know. And
I look at at Justin Herbert's season, and he's been sensational,
you know, especially considering the circumstances, the fact that he's
got he's been pressured, you know, thirty more times, I
think is the number then the next highest quarterback.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
So which was cam Ward? I think exactly.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
So like when you're dealing with that and you have
the almost pick six against the Vikings, this almost picks six.
But you know, like PFF does this thing which is turned.
You know, there's a lot like they take inky. They're
very polarizing when you talk about PFF grades or whatever
statistical category. But the one thing that I think they
do very well is turnover worthy plays. And so because
not all interceptions are on the quarterback, not all interceptions
(05:40):
are equal. And when you go through his seven, you
know four of them are tips and like one bonked
off a helmet, and you know a lot of times
that can be your pass protection that just breaks down
and in that moment, that defender gets deep enough to
get that hand on the ball. And so to me,
even with that, I just I sort of look at
it as just a I think Coach Harbaugh or might
have been Coach Roman, one of them in their roster,
(06:00):
I thought put it best. It's like when that happens,
Herbert gets locked in a hurry, and I think you
saw that, oh the rest of the game. I mean, look,
it was a bad one. I mean, Cody Barton is
not that kind of player that's going to be, you know,
breaking on a ball and getting that jump, you know,
to jump in front of somebody. It was just thrown
right to him. Herbert didn't see him, and you know
from there he was fine. Now you mentioned the punt return.
(06:22):
That's a conversation we can have, and that's that's something
that I think is a little bit more concerning because
there's more data there that tells us, Okay, this is
this is kind of an issue that's that's been lingering
now for nine games that we got to kind of
figure out.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Yeah, I mean, I go back to the to the
game against the Colts and just that that big kickoff
return that was allowed at the beginning of the second half.
After you score it get a little bit of momentum
and you know, a play like that, it just it
can't happen against a bad team. Can't happen against a
good team because a good team, well, we'll take advantage
of that. And I just I go back to what
the Steelers did last week. Six turnovers, but they only
(06:55):
won by a touchdown. So, like it just it shows you,
like kind of how critical those errors can be. But
also do you have the horses offensively to kind of
sustain that you do against the Titans.
Speaker 7 (07:04):
I don't know if you do against the Steelers.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
Yeah. The Steelers are a different beasts.
Speaker 5 (07:07):
You see the way they're playing ball, and it's led
by Mike Tomin who's a coach who's respected and he's
continued to put out a good product no matter what
year it is, Right, He's been doing this for so
long and when you look at them, I'm just looking
talking about We're talking about it before the podcast. We
were talking about that front with TJ Watt, right and
the Cam Hayward right. These are guys who are going
to presure the quarterback. We talked about pressure and Justin
(07:27):
and these guys who can get to the quarterback with
four right, they don't need to send that extra So
that's gonna be something big, especially with them knowing the
injuries that the charges are facing on the offensive side
and moving guys around, and there's going to be different
communication and it's like you have to know what he's
thinking in the midst of the snap, in the midst
of the crowd, right, So it's going to be very
interesting to see how the offensive line handles this front
(07:48):
that the Steelers have.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Yeah, I think just kind of going back to before
we get to the Steelers and just the special teams,
you know, and Jah gets traded, you know, and he's
your starting gun or and I don't know if that's
just because Dean Leonard's coming back or sort of what
went into that decision, but whatever it is, it's it's
a unit that has had Again, like the offensive line
just incredible turnover, you know, through injury, through departures. I
(08:11):
don't think there's anyone that would question the job that
Ryan Ficken and Chris Gold do. I mean, they're great
at what they do. But I think just this year,
you know the fact that Tooley's out there for ten
to fifteen snaps a game now and he's third in
the league in pressures like that sort of speaks to
how critical it is on that unit. I think, you know,
the dynamic kickoff has certainly led to a lot of
(08:33):
teams having issues and trying to figure this out because
you just see the different combinations. Some teams are playing
almost all defensive backs and running backs. Other teams got
multiple you know, you've see Tully and a boy beer
out there on every one of these kickoffs, and so
I don't think anyone's quite settled into a what's the
right way to play this? And now on top of that,
you've got for as great as he's been, just these
(08:56):
weird moments for Cam Dicker booting the ball out of bounds,
you know, late in half and given the Titans an
opportunity to get a field goal out of it. You know,
just kind of for shanking one and golf terms. You
know that bounces off the leg of a boy bee
against the bit like just weird things are happening on
special teams. You know, the DK return for a touchdown,
(09:19):
you know, look flat out, just JK booted that ball.
Man it out, He outkicked his coverage and they couldn't recover.
But that doesn't really change the fact that this is
a team that is twenty ninth I think thirty their
lasting either punt or kick, and their twenty ninth I
think in the other So that just kind of speaks
to particularly coverage units is something that and coach said it.
(09:41):
You know, it's something that's going to get a lot
of attention, a lot of focus this week and.
Speaker 6 (09:44):
Special teams is more of a want to.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
And then when you talked about JK o't kicking his coverage,
a lot of times they coach harps on something called landmarks.
Everybody on that team, on the punt team has landmarks, right.
Is it two yards outside the numbers? Is it two
yards inside the hash? And then you're converging on the
ball once you get to the to the returner within
a certain amount of yards, right, And when you look
at that we were talking about the All twenty two
film that you were watching before the podcast, and when
(10:07):
you look at that specific play, those guys were out
of their landmark, right. So it was more so just
not being disciplined. I know Ryan Ficking from coaching with him.
You know what he's done for this organization. He's really
you mentioned it, he's really good at his job. But
at the end of the day, players got to make
stuff come to life, right, And when you look at
that film, guys were out of their lanes.
Speaker 6 (10:24):
Guys were on their landmarks.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
So it's just a lot of want to I know
that they do, but it's about being more detailed to
your assignment and I think that will fix a lot
of things.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
The thing is, guys, we're entering week ten. The personnel
is not going to change. You mentioned John Taylor get
shipped to New York. We know Ryan Ficken's a heck
of a coach. We've seen it the last several years.
So what can change, Like do you tinker with the
guys that you currently have, like jillil as a player,
Like how can you get better at special teams midway
through the year with no other personnel changes?
Speaker 5 (10:54):
I think it starts with the coaches first and just
looking at like self, scout, right, what have we done
and what has hurt us? And if I was going
against the Chargers, how would we attack them? And then
if I can see how we would attack them, then
I can formulate a game plan on saying hey.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
Let's try to fix this.
Speaker 5 (11:10):
Let's try to fix that, because, like I said, special
teams is really just a want two coaches going to
design a pick. Coach is gonna tell you to get
your landmarks. But if it's a one on one with
you win a return, you got to make the tackle right.
If you have to stay your lane, you gotta stay
in your lane. If you got to funnel the ball,
you got a funnel the ball. If you're if you're
setting the edge on kickoff return and you're the number
two guy running on the field with the safety behind you,
you got to make sure you set the edge to
(11:31):
force everything back to the other ten. So I think
it's a collective, a collective thing that needs to be
done with the coaches scouting their self, players scouting theirselfs
and just saying, listen, guys, enough is enough, and we
got to get out there and change things.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Yeah, you know, look, Marlo wax Is, you know, one
of the leaders in special tams tackles in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (11:47):
Right now.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
I think it's much like Georgie's is done all season long.
I do think there could be personnel, you know, sort
of moves because you think about Nahim Miller Hines right
on the team, off the team, on the team, off
the team, like I'm watching Andrey Lambert Smith and nothing
against him, He's never done it before. But you know,
you got to know when you're a yard deep in
the end zone, you take the knee, man, that's the
thirty five, and instead you're bringing it out and you're
(12:08):
stopped at the twenty two. Now you got a net
loss of twelve to start that drive. I think it's
just sort of you know what, and it just doesn't
I'm just I'm talking about the other side of it.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Now.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
It doesn't feel like Darius Davis is quite back. You know,
there's something that's not quite right there. You know, we
know what Darius Davis looks like when he's right, man,
he's explosive, and that dude looks like he gets fired
out of a cannon. It just has not quite looked
like that since he's returned, So I think it's probably
still some personnel situations, like do we have the right
two guys back there, because I got to talk about
(12:39):
Miller Hines and it's like, man, you remember what it
looked like against Miami, and guy helped him win the
game with that forty yard returning.
Speaker 4 (12:44):
He's a professional, it helped.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
I mean, you're talking about a guy with two one
hundred plus yard kickoff returns for touchdowns. So I do
think there could be just because of how Joe operates,
you know, how he's always churning that back end and
we've seen almost every single week, Hey, this person's off
the practice squad, this person's on, this person's elevated, this
person's drop like, there's a lot of that. So I
(13:07):
do think that there could still be some movement there.
And look, in the case of Jaw moving, maybe it's
they just really liked what they saw from Nico Reid
out there for those you know, fifteen or so snaps
that he had, and it's like, well, it's hard for
us to keep this guy up because of where our
depth is needed. If we get you know, however, we
put this fifty three with your five inactives together, is
(13:29):
this a better combination? I don't know what the idea was,
but I do think Jaw's one of the better gunners
in the league, so I'm guessing that there's some of
that in there.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yeah, it felt like maybe a numbers game from a
dB perspective, with Dean Leonard coming back too, and you
know we should mention Hassan Haskins is he's on IR Yeah. Well,
and that's another four core guy, right, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
I mean you got I would I think you would
say like Jaw, Hassan, Marlo Wax, Caleb Murphy, like those
were kind of your special team standouts this year, and
that's a turnover from Simmy and Nick Neeman and like
a lot of guys, you know, and then Delshaun Phillips
was injured all of training camp, you know, so like
there's just so much that goes into it. And I think,
(14:06):
like offensive line, you talked about it like you've got assignments, man,
you got to keep those assignments right, and it's not easy,
you know, when you don't have enough time on task
because there's constant churn with those units.
Speaker 7 (14:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
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(14:42):
splittero dot com slash chargers. So if we shift to defense,
listen the response from Indianapolis to Minnesota.
Speaker 6 (14:51):
We saw it.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
It was a four day period.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
Those guys were not happy with how the Colts game
shook out. You have a mini buy and then you
play the Tennessee.
Speaker 7 (14:59):
Titans, and those guys took care of business.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
They all had six points and if it wasn't for
that pick six in the uh in the punter turn
for a touchdown made have been a blowout.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
I think they were just fed up. And there's two
plays that I want to point out. It was block
it was blocked destruction. They called it right, and it
was Durren James on the perimeter on the screen, lifted
them up, dumped them, made the tackle and then there
was DP in the A in the A gap right
on the lead block destructs, the fullback makes a play,
and that's just was the identity of the defense that game,
just playing physical all eleven to the ball, and it
(15:29):
was more so like, hey, listen, we kept talking about it,
We've we've had to chew on it for ten days,
and now we're gonna go out there and do it.
Those two plays basically embodied what the defensive mindset and
the way they played that game. The whole the whole
four quarters looked.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Like, Yeah, I think it was an extension of what
we saw against Minnesota. I think there were still some
runs out there that you were a little worried about.
The edges kind of got a little little weak. But
I think in terms of pass rush, my goodness, you
know that always really come on. You know, what a
great exchange by by Joe Ortiz to get a Dafe
in here. Because when you see if you can get
(16:04):
that team off schedule and you get some third and
longs and they roll out there with Tart, I mean,
it's kind of a pick your tackle.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
It's either Tart or cold. Well.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I think with DeShawn Han's window being open, it could
end up being him. But it's Twu Lee at the
tackle and then Khalil and Oway at the edges.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Man.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
That's as we used to call it, you know, when
it was Morgan, Fox, two Lee, Bosen, Khalil, mact and
NASCAR package, you know, And that's kind of that was
really effective in this game, and I think that's just
going to continue to build is Khalil gets closer and
closer back to one hundred percent, as Alway gets more
comfortable with the guys he's playing with. We know, Tuley
is just you know, the greatest hockey assist defensive lineman
(16:42):
out there. Man, He's going to either occupy two guys
or he's going to get pick up your guy and
somehow someone else is going to get a sack. But
that's kind of where it all starts, I think, right
with how how Jesse Minner likes to play where he does.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
He doesn't blitz a.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Lot, you know, and so it's going to be four
guys and if you're getting that kind of pressure with
the amount of players you have back covering and trying
to create a foggy picture, that's how you create turnovers.
I do think there were some big plays that they
could have allowed that that cam Ward missed. You know,
you think about that long third and whatever it was
right through the ball in the dirt because he just
couldn't reset his feet. It was an awkward looking through.
(17:17):
I think there's still some of that out there, and
that's not gonna happen with Aaron Rodgers and that Steelers
offensive line is really humming right now. Fatanu is what
we thought he was coming out of Washington. You know,
when the Chargers took Alton, he was in the conversation
as a top ten pick and ended up sliding a
little bit because of the injury. But Robert Jones was
playing okay. I mean Fraser, we knew he was going
to be a great center from jump and man in
(17:38):
his second years, he's exceptional. So it's gonna be a
lot harder to get home. I think Rogers only taking
fifteen sacks this year, so it's gonna be a lot
harder to get home with four, which means a little
bit more pressure on that secondary and that back end.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
You know, kudos to Joe for making that trade. We
love the Lowhie here and you know, I low He
had a nice game Thursday night against the Dolphins. But
I think it was a win win when you when
you bring in a guy like a Dafe and he's
motivated four sacks in four weeks from a safety perspective
with a low he out, and we know Tony was
down last Sunday seeing r J Mickens.
Speaker 7 (18:12):
What did you see from the safety position this past Sunday?
Speaker 5 (18:15):
I talked about it, talked about Durwin, Obviously he's playing
closer to the line, but you talk about ARJ Mickens,
and then you talk about Molden. You've seen that play
that Molden made on that goal line stand right, almost
like Troy Pola molowis jump, yeah, selling, selling out, don't
putting his body on the line. You love to see
that from him during him and Duran played exceptionally well
physical and then r J is just a young guy
out there. You've seen him communicating well, he was in position,
(18:36):
didn't have too many splashes, but he didn't give up
anything really big, right, And you'd like to see that
from a young guy as a coach because a lot
of times when you get a young guy out there
and when those bullets are flying, you really don't know
what you're gonna get right, and that was essentially his
first start, right. Obviously he filled in, but I was
essentially his first start. I think he played really well.
I think he communicated with the other two guys well.
(18:57):
Obviously DJ did what DJ does, and Molden came up
and he played big as well.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Yeah, look, I think especially against a veteran quarterback like
Aaron Rodgers, you know, getting Tony back out there would
be a big boost. You know, we're recording this, we
don't know what the status was Thursday morning, but you know,
for him being back limited on Wednesday, you hope that,
you know, maybe we get to full by Friday and
he's back out there. I think Tony's just such a
(19:22):
savvy you know, always makes a play and it's just
kind of one of those things like you said, you
know RJ mackons a young guy, but and I think
you hit it on the hedge. You'liel like there were
no no issues you know where you're like ooh, you know,
out of position here and it led to a big
play and that's a key. So in terms of safeties
and secondary I thought again, same thing with Nico Reid.
(19:44):
You know, there's he's made one tackle and it was
just kind of like was sort of back, you know,
backed into that one to get into the box score.
But again you saw him have to play a little
bit of press in the slot and I thought he
played well. And so it's kind of what you're looking for,
right just just kind of keep it right in the
middle there. You know, we don't need it to be
up here, but we just can't have it down here,
(20:05):
can you? Can you keep it right here? And I
think both players, mickens and and Nico did a pretty
good job of that against the Titans.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Certainly we'll be tested Sunday with Metcalf and just all
the webs that have the tight ends that they have.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Yeah, they don't really you know, they still don't have
that second receiver. They're trying to figure out, you know,
who it is. And and obviously, look, I think it's
gonna be fun watching cam harten DK. You know, two
very physical players that play with a chip, that like
to get like, like to get after it. It's gonna
be fun to watch. At the same time, I'm anxious
to see if you know, they move DK iron, if
we get any derwin versus DK reps, that'd be a
(20:37):
lot of fun. So to me, like there's an opportunity
where Jesse can just commit two resources to DK and
I think you're totally comfortable, you know with making you know,
we're just having one on ones the rest of the
way out there, especially if Durwin's going to be, you know,
kind of dealing with Pat Fryermouth or something. And they
have not been able to run the ball very well.
You know, Caleb Johnson, a lot of people thought, wow,
(21:00):
perfect fit, you know Caleb on the Steelers, and he's
not really doing a whole lot. So I do think
there's some opportunities for Jesse Miner and for this defense
to you know, to find a ball, to find a
ball or two, you know, or to make life really
hard for for Aaron Rodgers. Like I said, the one
kind of the big bright spot of this offense has
been that offensive line and how well they've been playing
(21:21):
and just kind of keeping Aaron Rodgers upright, But it
feels like Aaron's you know, I mean, look, they just
signed Marcus Velt does Stan Scandon, right, So, like I
think that kind of tells you they're they're looking.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Yeah, before we really dive into this, this Pittsburgh game Sunday,
and I just one last thing I would ask you, guys,
just from from a running game perspective, for the Chargers
octually waiting for Mariin Hampton to hopefully get back maybe
after the bye. Jared Patterson was the one who had
subduced nine for forty four KENINEI twelve for thirty. I
guess your thoughts on the running game these next couple
of weeks against two pretty good defenses before we get
(21:51):
to the buy.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
I think it's similar to what we talked about with
the young guys on the defensive side, with RJ and
Nico Reid and those guys just coming in and fill in,
and obviously we're not expecting them to carry the load, right,
but you got to give them something. You got to
give the offense a balanced attack, right so that they
don't just stay back, You make them, force force them
to stack the boxer that Herbert can air it out.
They're not going to save the day, right, but they've
(22:14):
been playing really, really valuable football with the Mario and
Hampton out and Nause out and from outside looking in,
I've been very impressed with the two young guys and
what they brought to the table, and I think they
can need to continue to do that because it's so
vital that they have a balance attack going into this
Pittsburgh game, because, like you said, that defense, that defense
is humming right now.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
To me, I think it's a lot of it is
on Greg Roman, you know, and I think we've seen
some really good things with the way he's trying to
scheme it up. But I do think it's trying to
figure out, you know, where where are we most effective,
especially when you're playing against edges that you know, they
have the reputation of high Smith and t. J.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
Watt. They're known as pass rushers. They sacked the heck
out of the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
They're it was pretty good against the run, and so
I think what we saw against Miami, against Minnesota, a
little bit against Tennessee is you know, I think attacking
the has kind of been where this this team has
been able to make a little bit of hay. But
when you mentioned Patterson, yeah, he ended up doing a
lot of damage between the tackles. Not Jeffrey Simmons isn't
out there and that makes a big difference. But to me,
(23:11):
that's sort of where I think coach Roman, especially with
the injury to Alt, with everything that they're dealing with.
You know, I hate to say it, but just pressure's
on him. Man, you've got to scheme this up. And look,
I never thought i'd say it, but Justin Herbert leads
quarterbacks in rushing yards. It's crazy to the end. Now, Look,
Lamar has been hurt, and I'm sure it'd be him
(23:33):
if he were healthy, but the fact that Justin Fields
runs the heck out. Justin Herbert leads the league in
rushing for quarterbacks with over three hundred yards on the ground.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
And I do think that that.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
Look, that's part of the rushing attack, that's part of
the run of being and I think we're just going
to see a lot more of that, especially against these
edge you know, these edges that want to pin their
ears back and come get you, and you've just got
to get them to have that moment of pause.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
And I say this too.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
I always think it's another way to protect Justine's running
like instead instead of just sitting back there, I mean
his ability to run the football.
Speaker 7 (24:08):
We saw it.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
I remember a couple of Sunday night footballs ago. That
was one of the reasons they won that game against
the Pittsburgh Steelers, was he has some huge runs in
that game, and I just I feel like that needs
to be part of the game plan moving forward. And
I think it's also a reminder that last year with
that ankle, he couldn't do any of this stuff that
he's able to do now.
Speaker 6 (24:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
I talked about it early in the pod, and people
might think I'm crazy when I say, well, they need
to start maybe start the game up with some design
runs to get him in his flow.
Speaker 6 (24:31):
And we talked about it.
Speaker 5 (24:32):
He's very good at running the ball and when things
break down, when receivers can't separate, and you see him
take off for that first down and teams are in
max zone and then he's scrambling or they're in man
and their backs are turned to him and he scrambling
for twenty twenty five yards. That gives an offense life, right,
That gives an offense momentum. And I think just a
test and to your point of him being the leading
rusher at the quarterback position, and these are not really
(24:53):
design runs. It's not like Baltimore has design runs for
Lamar right, justin Fields has design runs like they're doing RPOs.
They're pulling the ball, they're reading the tackle, and they're
not doing that with Justin. Justin's like, hey, the play's
broken down, let me make a play with my feet.
And that is just bringing life to the team as
a whole. And I think, listen, if he continues to
do that, they're gonna always have a shot.
Speaker 7 (25:12):
It is a wild stat though.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
Man.
Speaker 5 (25:14):
I think he's rushing and he's dropping his shoulder on
people for the first down, like, yeah, the sideline, he's
on the ground given the first down point like everyone's flexing,
and he's not a small cat like DB's. Are not
just willing to just come up and hit Justin Herbert like, oh,
it's a quarterback running. Yeah, I get a t off.
He's six' six to something like he's dropping the shoulder
(25:34):
AND i mean obviously charging. NATION i know you don't
like to see, that but his body can endure. That
he's built like that and you don't want to see
him do that fifteen times a, game but sprinkling it
in there like five to seven times a, game it
keeps the defense hoes AND i think it's a, really
really good formula for the success of the.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
Offense no.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
Doubt AND i also wanted to just shout that the
balanced attack, OFFENSIVELY A rendez led led the team five
for sixty. Eight then he had lad four for fifty,
six quitting four for fifty, three gets in the end.
Speaker 6 (25:59):
Zone to j it's on the.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Scoreboard and then and then keenan two for forty. One
And keen is going to break That Antonio gates record On,
sunday no.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
Doubt, yeah most.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
RECEPTIONS i, think just going back To, herbert the one
thing THAT i would kind of acknowledge, is you, KNOW
i think it's it's a reminder for those that, are,
oh playoff, wins this dude wants to. Win he's just
gonna he is willing to do whatever it takes to
win football, games, because like you, Said, julio they're not designed.
Runs it's just a guy who's like there's the. Grass
(26:27):
i'm probably gonna take a. Shot BUT i can go
get eight, YARDS i can go get twelve. Yards i'm
about to rip this thing off AND i could step
out of bounds and it will be a fifteen yard.
Game but, No i'm must stay in bounds for an
extra fifteen and it's going to be a thirty yard
run And i'm going to take a. Shot AND i
think that's where for people and just talking with folks
and fans this week and how down they are about
(26:48):
all being. Out it's, like you, know the one thing
to remember is there's one player that can't be. Gone
as long as that one player is out, there you've
got a chance to win every single one of these.
Games he's just that. SPECIAL i, mean think about the offensive,
line and this guy is second in the league in,
passing he's third in, touchdowns he's first in, rushing like
(27:08):
and you haven't Had Rashaun slater all, year and you've
Had Joe alt for four Games like, That that's what
we're talking. About and let, alone The chargers are six and,
three And, herbert's you, know in the, conversation is the
best quarterback in football in twenty twenty.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
Five, yeah all, right let's take a quick break and
then get our final thoughts on These Pittsburgh steelers head
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(27:44):
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(28:05):
secure your ticket package. Today so before The chargers have their,
BUY i think two critical games in THE. Afc if
we're just looking at the playoff picture and you know wildcard,
implications you have The Steelers sunday than The jags Next.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Sunday but.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Money this was a team that had lost two straight
before going into playing The colts In pittsburgh for six,
turnovers yet only win by a.
Speaker 4 (28:27):
Touchdown, YEAH i think you hit.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
It you, know when you look at how that game played,
out it's seventeen to seven and you got to shut
and they had already had five, turnovers and then The
colts commit their, sixth like seventeen to, seven and the
turnover battle is five to, one and so THAT i
think speaks to their searching for that second refer for
(28:49):
those weapons For Aaron. Rodgers and that's why mvs got.
SIGNED i think it's a defense that on the back
end has given UP i mean three, interceptions three, fumbles
And daniel still through for what three hundred thirty, Yards
so like They Joe, blackout you, know three hundred and fifty,
yards Like Jordan love three hundred and fifty, Yards like
they've been able to get after. It SO i do
(29:12):
think there's those opportunities out. There even, though As i've
got to pulled up these last four, games that defensive
line has got a total of in the last four
games ninety six pressures in twelve. Sacks so it's kind
of it's just, Weird LIKE i don't know what when
you're trying to get the numbers to make, SENSE i
don't know what it. Is you, KNOW i think the
(29:32):
secondary has certainly. Struggled they Move Jalen ramsey to free.
Safety play there one hundred percent of the snaps against The.
Colts maybe that's part of. It but whatever the case,
is just if you look at how this season's laid,
out you know they're giving up, yards they're given up,
points and there's points out there that are.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
Available so if.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
You combine The chargers against The, Vikings titans defense the
last two weeks with what we've seen from This steelers
defense the last five, weeks, like, YEAH i can see this,
thing you, know being right in the balance and The
chargers having an opportunity to take advantage of.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
It. Yeah, NO i agree with, You, Money and we
talked about The steelers and the way they like to play,
ball and it's a physical aspect of, them but that's
not the two thousand and Eight, steelers. Right, obviously they
have a front that you have to, respect AND i
think the game is going to be one in the.
Trenches you talked about the. Secondary our receivers have all
the talent in the world to get open against your,
secondary but we'll justin have enough. TIME i think the
(30:24):
game will be one in the trenches on the both
sides of The chargers offensive, Line chargers defensive. Line how
much time can they Give herbert and how much how
much can they get After Aaron. Rodgers obviously he's not
the most mobile guy in THE. Nfl he's really he's playing.
Well he's playing well at his. Age BUT i feel
like if you can get pressure on him And money
you talked about, it then win in the turnover. Margin,
chris you talked about, it then win in the turnover
(30:45):
margin and still scraping their teeth to get a, victory
like they can get got and it's it's there for
the taking for the.
Speaker 6 (30:50):
Charger but they have to play a good game on
all three.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Phases you said the, money it's like a weird defense
to try to break. Down they've allowed more passing yards than.
Anybody they're third in sex this year with twenty, seven
their second in turnover, differential and NOW i, know yes
Or sunday had a lot to do with, that but
plus nine the charges are minus. Four SO i DO
i go back to the last two weeks and like
(31:13):
give it up a pick six in a near pick.
Speaker 6 (31:15):
Six it's just.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
Playing a clean football. Game and then like you, know.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
We say it every week and it's it's easier said than.
Done but being able to protect justin with this new offensive,
line AND i think that they have the weapons on
the outside to.
Speaker 7 (31:28):
Score and you're going to have to.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
SCORE i think they've scored twenty one points in every
game this year but Won, pittsburgh but they've allowed over
thirty and a half their. Game SO i see this
being like in a high twenties typed.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Game, yeah you, know, look it's it's PROBABLY i know
that coach probably doesn't want to do, it at least
the formation stats tell us he. Doesn't BUT i think
you're probably talking about keeping six guys in for the
rest of the, season you, know and just trying to
figure out where is it best to. Plant you, Know
Tucker fisk is, it you, know the right tackles of
the left, Tackle which side do you.
Speaker 4 (31:58):
Want Scott Matt locke?
Speaker 3 (31:59):
On you, know if you're playing if you're playing twenty,
two Because gasden's out there With fisk And Matt lock's out,
there but you, know then you've only have two guys
in the. Route like it's it's. Hard at the same,
TIME i think the one benefit that The chargers have
Is lad mccackiy's a man. Beater he can you want
to play press, man he's going to eat. UP i
think we're starting to see that From Trey. Harris you,
know he's he's got that physicality to him or he's
(32:21):
willing to fight with. You so and we Know keenan
could do. It he's going to shake it the line of.
Scrimmage so they have they have the players to do.
IT i think the one thing you just got to
be careful of is and we saw from The. Titans,
man The, titans they were crowding the line of scrimmage
from the jump like they were Not they were not
worried about plays going over their. Head they thought they
could get home against that offensive line before they could
(32:42):
get those you, know deep rots to. Develop and SO
i think you're going to see that times ten from The.
Steelers and you Know Greg rolan was going to have
to figure out a, way and he's been really good
about that, script you, know to open the. Games we've
seen The chargers be very effective from the. Jump SO i,
think get that script, right get a couple of deep shots,
working and try to get that defense to back up
a little bit so your offense can.
Speaker 5 (33:02):
Breathe, YEAH i agree with you that first the Script
money's talking about as the first fifteen plays of the,
game and those.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Are work throughout the whole.
Speaker 5 (33:09):
Week everyone in the building knows what they're, running the
janitors know what they're, running the people in the cafeteria
know what they're. Running, Right so you have a great.
Point they're gonna Pressure, herbert, Right so that script is
look let's let's get some, runs let's get some. Screens
let's slow let's slow down that, pressure, right and then
we can ease into getting into our game, plan which
they're gonna have a really good game. Plan but first,
(33:29):
on first, off early and often they got to make
The steller say, whoa, whoa, whoa let's pump some. Break
let's pump our breaks, here because they're giving us so,
many so many different things that we got to.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
Defend, yeah the last point before we get out of.
Speaker 7 (33:40):
Here just the player Of Aaron rodgers this.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
YEAR i don't know if it's been surprising to you
guys or, not But, uddy you mentioned he hadn't been
sacked a. Lot what do you what have you seen
from number eight?
Speaker 4 (33:49):
This he's playing? Well, YEAH i think he's playing. WELL
i think.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
It's it's probably kind of WHAT i. Expected you, know The.
Jets we've seen what The jets are the last twenty.
Years you, know it's just kind of, like for whatever,
reason it just doesn't matter who goes.
Speaker 4 (34:03):
There it's it's.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
Been that kind of a mess and it's kind of
hard to figure out because they've had talent and for whatever,
reason you, know they're either dominant defensively and the offense
can't get.
Speaker 4 (34:12):
Going AND i think.
Speaker 3 (34:14):
Unfortunately for whatever, Reason rogers just kind of succumbed to.
That and you, know we had a decent statistical year last,
year SO i don't think it was too out of
the realm of possibility to, envision, Like, okay he's got
a dominant, defense take care of the, ball which he.
Speaker 4 (34:29):
Does he hates.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
Throwing, Interceptions he'll just throw the ball away or he'll take.
Sacks AND i still think he's gettable. THOUGH i still
think that because that lack of athleticism is there now
in his game and he used to be so good
moving and throwing the on the, move and because that's not,
there and because they're trying to find that extra weapon
that you can still kind of get after, IT i
(34:50):
believe That Jesse miner can can kind of make some
things happen out.
Speaker 6 (34:52):
THERE i, mean what else is left to say after?
Speaker 5 (34:56):
Money just, No But i'm right there with you money,
Obviously Aaron rodgers playing really good. Ball he and the
biggest thing with, them like everywhere That Aaron rodgers has
went since he left The pittsburgh which is The, jets
he was able to bring in his own cast to, guys,
right he had influence on who they're bringing it in
the wide receiver position and The stellers this, year we're, like, no, no, no, no,
(35:17):
no we're not doing. That we want you as our.
Quarterback we're gonna bring IN Dj, Metcalf John. Smith we're
gonna bring in guys that we feel fit our system
and that you'll be successful. With AND i think that's
one of the biggest. Reasons OBVIOUSLY dk is having a
good year and them bringing in the weapons that fit
their system has really really Benefitted. Aaron he's seen everything,
right there's pre, snap post. Snap he's gonna know what
coverage you're. In it's just you got to be able to.
(35:37):
Execute you got to tackle, well eliminate the big, plays
and when you can get after, him you get after him.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Fast, yeah he And Arthur smith have worked well. Together
and just another big, one, guys an opportunity to go
to seven and three Before jacksonville and to buy and
just kind of stay above water in THAT Afc west
race because it's gonna be it's gonna come down the
last few. Weeks you got The broncos playing The chiefs
in a couple of. Weeks they're gonna play The raiders
before we take this On thursday, night but be fun
(36:04):
On sunday.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
Night, guys no, doubt looking forward to it. Primetime, justine
it's always. Good, justin it's right that.
Speaker 6 (36:10):
Point let's end on. That for money And.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Jalil I'm. Chris this has Been chargers with
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