While the Chargers finished with a top-10 defense in 2019, they struggled to stop opposing offenses on third-down situations and in the red zone on crucial possession downs, ranking 29th and 30th in the league, respectively.
A big reason why Los Angeles was unable to get off the field in those situations was because of the lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and conservative coverage.
L.A. finished 26th in quarterback pressures with 125. The number doesn’t come as a surprise as the unit blitzed only 75 times, which ranked last in the league.
However, it’s inexcusable when the Chargers have arguably the best pass-rushing duo with defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram.
Gus Bradley’s scheme from previous seasons, a Cover 3 system that involves a lot of zone coverage, forced them to play conservative and did not allow many opportunities to attack downhill.
To ensure they have more success on third downs moving forward, Bradley is going to incorporate more split safeties and tighter coverage, which could lead to more takeaways.
This offseason, the Chargers brought in more personnel to help, signing cornerback Chris Harris Jr. to add to the room that consists of Casey Hayward, Michael Davis and Desmond King. They also signed defensive tackle Linval Joseph and drafted linebacker Kenneth Murray.
Having safety Derwin James for a full 16-game slate will also be beneficial. James made a major impact on third-down situations in his rookie season. Unfortunately, he was limited to a few games in 2019 due to a foot injury.
The team is hopeful that defensive tackle Jerry Tillery takes a step forward after an underwhelming rookie campaign. Drafted for his ability to get after the quarterback, Tillery is working hard this offseason to improve his game.
The bottom line is that more pressure and different coverage alignments will hopefully be the solution to improving Los Angeles’ third-down defense in 2020.
