Despite an uneven performance from an offense that mustered just 86 yards in the second half, the Chargers (5-3) had no trouble picking up a second consecutive win Sunday, defeating the Cleveland Browns, 27-10.
What we learned from the game:
Defense still striving for perfection
Before the game, defensive coaches gave their players a simple challenge. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston was close to 100 career passes intercepted, coaches said.
“Let’s be the team that gets him there,” linebacker Daiyan Henley said of the message.
The Chargers came one interception short of getting Winston to the century mark, settling for three picks Sunday. Chargers defensive backs Elijah Molden, Alohi Gilman and Tarheeb Still each intercepted Winston in the second half with Still getting unofficial credit from coach Jim Harbaugh for “one-and-a-half” interceptions as the rookie deflected a pass to Molden in the third quarter.
But the Chargers could have gotten five interceptions, Henley said. The second-year middle linebacker got his fingertips on a pass in the first quarter and safety Derwin James Jr. dropped a would-be pick that hit him in the hands.
“Being next to perfection isn’t what we’re trying to do,” said Henley, who led the team with 13 tackles. “We’re trying to get to that. We’re trying to be there. So the three was great, let’s go get five next time.”
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The defensive front also broke through for six sacks, with two-and-a-half from Tuli Tuipulotu and two from Morgan Fox.
“Everybody hit on every cylinder,” outside linebacker Khalil Mack said. “It’s great to see, man. Total team defense. Domination today.”
The Chargers improved their turnover margin to plus-nine on the season. A ball-hawking defense is a signature of defensive coordinator Jesse Minter’s scheme he adopted while with the Baltimore Ravens as the secondary coach. En route to the national championship last season, Michigan led the nation in turnover margin at plus-19.
Run defense rises to the occasion
Although the Chargers kept the New Orleans Saints out of the end zone last week, the 117 yards allowed on the ground “left a bad taste in our mouth,” Mack said.
Last week’s result turned Cleveland running back Nick Chubb into the defensive front’s top priority, especially after the Chargers struggled to tackle a similarly physical running back in Arizona’s James Conner.
The Chargers responded by holding Chubb to just 39 yards rushing in 15 carries, and the Browns rushed for 79 yards, the third time this season the Chargers held an opponent to fewer than 100 yards rushing.
“We knew the challenge was going to be to stop 24 this week,” Mack said, “and another challenge we answered.”
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The Chargers are allowing 107.9 yards rushing per game, which ranks eighth in the NFL. Free agent signees Poona Ford and Denzel Perryman have been key additions to turning around a run defense that ranked 17th on the ground last season, allowing 113.2 yards rushing per game.
Henley’s emergence in his second season is also a significant boost as the former third-round pick. who made 16 tackles in 15 games last season. now leads the Chargers with 64 total tackles.
Safety Derwin James Jr. spent a significant amount of the game lined up in the slot Sunday to assist in run support and cover tight end David Njoku, who was held to 29 yards on five catches.
Depth in the secondary — where Molden has solidified the safety position while rookie cornerbacks Still and Cam Hart have stepped up outside — has allowed James to flex his versatility in every facet of the defense.
“When you got a lot of depth and a lot of players, not just depending on one man, I feel like that’s what makes you a greater defense,” James said. “You can uphold through injuries, through everything, because you’re so deep, you got a lot of guys to go in.”
Receivers almost return to full health
Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis announced their returns in big ways. Johnston, who missed the previous two games with an ankle injury, finished with a career-high 118 yards on four catches with one touchdown. Davis, Johnston’s former college teammate at Texas Christian who was out with a hamstring injury, sparked the special teams with a 53-yard punt return that set up the Chargers’ first touchdown drive.
The Chargers were struggling to break through in the return game this season, averaging just 10.4 yards per punt return and 23.7 on kick returns. Last year, Davis led the NFL with 16 yards per punt returned and earned a spot on the NFL players’ All-Pro team.
“Anytime he’s on the field and he’s able to get the ball, something good is going to happen,” Herbert said. “So we’ve definitely missed him. … He just opens up a whole new threat on punt return.”
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The Chargers’ receiving room is still not at full strength as veteran D.J. Chark Jr. was inactive despite being added to the active roster Saturday from injured reserve. The receiver was questionable with a groin injury, but had until Tuesday to be added to the active roster or be put on season-ending injured reserve after initially suffering a hip injury during the preseason.
With Chark’s full return imminent, the receivers know they still have plenty to show.
“I feel like we’re showing spurts,” Johnston said. “We’re showing most of the game, we just gotta come together and put a full complete game together.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
