Costa Mesa, Calif.: Justin Herbert has mostly picked up where he left off last season when he was the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
But there are some areas of concern as the Los Angeles Chargers prepare to face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Even with a new coaching staff in place, Herbert and the offense continue to struggle in the red zone. The Chargers lead the league with 10 possessions inside the 20-yard line, but only three touchdowns with four field goals.
After throwing only one interception in the red zone last season, Herbert has already been picked up twice and fumbled once when the Chargers were on the verge of scoring.
Los Angeles did not score on eight of their 56 chances in the red zone last season, but only two were due for turnovers.
We need to find perfection, we need to drive the ball more. Herbert said that we need to do all these things to improve our game. Whether it is looking for a check-down or stopping the ball from being smart or throwing it. This is what we have to do in the red zone.
It’s hard to see because the ball was moving well. We were going into the red zone, and we shot ourselves in the foot.
Even though Keenan Allen fell on a pass that was picked up by Dallas Damonte Cazi in the end zone, Herbert said he should have moved on to his next progression as that pass would be tight between the two defenders.
Another concern may be the number of pass attempts Herbert is making. He is the only QB to have dropped passes 40 or more times in both games. When the quarterback reaches the 40-attempt limit, it usually doesn’t bode well for the teams.
The Herberts 94 drop-backs are third in the league, but coach Brandon Staley isn’t worried about the numbers just yet, saying the higher percentages are quick passes or run-pass options.
I think there are too many different types of passes, so I’m not as concerned with volume. We have a lot of trust in this man. Staley said, “I will have no one to hold the ball in my hands.”
But Staley also agreed that the offense needed to be more effective at driving the ball into the red zone to better balance things. The Chargers have 14 carries inside the red zone, tied for third but average 1.43 yards per carry, the fifth worst in the league.
The ongoing game may get more priority this week as Los Angeles faces the Kansas City defense that allowed 404 yards on the ground against Cleveland and Baltimore.
It is a big game for both teams as each is 1-1 while Denver and Las Vegas are 2-0. The Herberts first made their NFL debut against Kansas City, and it is 1–1 against them. The Week 17 win came last season when the premiers were making their debut after taking home ground and the top seed of the AFC.
“I don’t think there’s any pressure that’s one way to look at it,” Herbert said of the matchup. I think this is our opportunity to show that and let everyone know that we can be better. Our first two games, I don’t think are an accurate representation of our offense. I think we can be better, and I know people believe the same, so do the coaches. It is up to us to do so.
Notes: Defensive end Joy Bossa (feet/ankle), safety Darwin James (toe), defensive end Justin Jones (calf) and cornerback Chris Harris Jr (shoulder) did not practice on Wednesday. … James and Bossa look fine as it was mostly a veteran’s day of rest. Jones missed last week’s game, but could return to the lineup this week. … Austin Eckler, guard Matt Feeler and linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. were listed with ankle injuries in the practice report, but all participated in drills.
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