Bolts From The Blue
The Chargers overcame a very, very rough start to their game against the Texans to fall just short in a rematch of their playoff game from January.
After allowing 14 points in the first six minutes, the Chargers defense hung on to allow just six points through the remaining ~34 minutes. Unfortunately their own 16 points over that span felt short, especially given Cameron Dicker’s four points left off the board (missed FG, XP) which would have made it a tie game in those final few minutes.
But alas, the Bolts have to move on and prepare for the postseason. A win over the Broncos would help with their playoff seeding, but a win in the wild card round is much more prevalent for the team’s mental state than sweeping the Broncos and AFC West.
With that said, let’s go ahead and check out the highest and lowest graded players on the Chargers from their loss to the Texans.
Best (min. 20 snaps)
WR Quentin Johnston – 76.1
OG Zion Johnson – 69.4
OT Austin Deculus – 69.1
QB Justin Herbert – 69.0
RB Omarion Hampton – 62.7
Johnston followed up his big game against the Cowboys with another one where he recorded 98 receiving yards on five receptions.
Johnston and Deculus stood out on a day where it was a horrendous draw to play offensive line. Zion posted a 65.2 in run blocking and a 72.5 in pass blocking, making him the only qualifying linemen to finish with both grades above 60.0. Deculus entered the game after Bobby Hart was benched and managed to finish with the team’s best run blocking grade at 83.4.
Hampton’s 48.9 in pass blocking was the only culprit to sink his grade as he finished with marks above 60.0 in every other category.
Worst
OG Mekhi Becton – 36.3
OT Bobby Hart – 37.3
OT Trey Pipkins – 47.1
WR Keenan Allen – 50.2
WR Ladd McConkey – 52.5
Hart finished with a team-low 31.1 in pass blocking while Becton owned the lowest run blocking grade at 31.7. Pipkins wasn’t much better than Hart in pass protection as he finished with a 38.0 in that area.
Allen’s grade was hit hard by his big drop that ended an early Chargers drive. Herbert put it right on the money but the vet could not secure it in the way we all have come to take for granted. McConkey was quiet for most of the night after posting a huge game against this team in January’s playoff loss. He had just one catch for 31 yards.
Best
EDGE Khalil Mack – 90.9
S Elijah Molden – 87.5
DT Jamaree Caldwell – 77.7
EDGE Odafe Oweh – 67.1
CB Cam Hart – 65.9
Mack may have only recorded two sacks on quarterback CJ Stroud, but his impact was felt in every phase throughout Sunday’s loss. He had grades above 73.0 in tackling, run defense, and coverage.
Molden hadn’t recorded a single impact play...
