The Chargers snapped their losing streak, defeating the Jaguars by the score of 39-29 on Sunday.
Here is our instant analysis from Los Angeles’ Week 7 victory:
Injury Report
Tight end Virgil Green hurt his ankle on his touchdown play. Green left the field and was eventually carted off. The status of his injury remains to be seen.
Play of the Game: Justin Herbert’s rushing touchdown
With the game tied up at 29-29, quarterback Justin Herbert scampered for a five-yard rushing touchdown. Herbert’s pump fake was a thing of beauty and he used every inch to extend his way into the end zone.
QB1 👊
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/9nNfn3oMGj
— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) October 25, 2020
Quick Takes
It wasn’t the most pretty for quarterback Justin Herbert towards the beginning of the game, as he struggled at connecting with wide open pass-catchers. But he found his groove after the half and put the team on his back. Herbert completed 27 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns while rushing nines times for 65 yards and a TD.
Herbert distributed the wealth to a variety of pass catchers, but he continued to favor wide receiver Keenan Allen, who finished the game with 125 yards on 10 receptions.
Missing tackle Bryan Bulaga and guard Trai Turner continued to be evident, as the majority of pressure came from the right side. The offensive line as a whole struggled to get push in the running game. Herbert was the leading rusher while the running backs only had 47 yards on 18 carries.
Taking advantage of an injured Jaguars offensive line was key, and the Chargers delivered. Sure, there were moments where they couldn’t get home in critical moments, but they managed to pressure quarterback Gardner Minshew a handful of times and sacked him five times.
Meanwhile, the interior defensive line continues to get hardly any push in the running game. The Chargers allowed 140 yards rushing, with the majority of Jacksonville’s success coming inside. Missed tackles occurred far too often, as well.
The Chargers allowed less than 200 yards passing, but there were too many instances of defenders getting beat for big plays in crucial moments, including the touchdown pass that cornerback Michael Davis gave up to wide receiver Chris Conley.
Even though the special teams unit came up clutch with a fumble on a kickoff late in the game, this area continues to be an issue. The Chargers Special Teams DVOA ranks 32nd in the NFL.
Up Next
The Chargers are on the road to take on the Broncos. The Week 7 matchup will be played on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2:05 p.m. PT.
