Skip to player
Skip to main content
Skip to footer
Search
Connect
Watch fullscreen
Like
Comments
Bookmark
Share
Add to Playlist
Report
Evaluating the Chargers' Season: Success or Disappointment?
SportsGrid
Follow
1/12/2025
Category
đŸ¥‡
Sports
Transcript
Display full video transcript
00:00
Was this season a success for LA?
00:04
It's a valid question,
00:05
because you walked into the game as a field goal favorite,
00:08
you're an 11-win football team,
00:11
and you were spotted an early lead.
00:13
That probably should have been more, but it wasn't.
00:16
You pick your head up now, Leecey.
00:19
And for me, Justin Herbert has a playoff bugaboo
00:25
that he's gonna have to try and get over.
00:27
He's been there twice.
00:29
Game number one, he's on the wrong side
00:31
of the biggest comeback in NFL post-season history,
00:34
and game number two, he manages to throw more interceptions
00:38
in a playoff loss than he threw the entire regular season.
00:40
Yeah. Not great?
00:41
Four interceptions yesterday really put his team
00:44
in terms of a disadvantage, to your point.
00:46
They start with the lead 6-0.
00:48
They looked like they were dominating,
00:50
running the football with Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins,
00:53
and then all of a sudden, the wheels fell off, right?
00:55
Houston started to dominate the trenches
00:58
from a defense and offensive line perspective.
01:00
We saw big plays in the late second quarter by C.J. Stroud.
01:04
He throws for 282 yards.
01:06
Once they got the lead about 10-6,
01:09
they just took over from a defensive perspective,
01:12
and the front seven led by Will Anderson.
01:14
You hold L.A. to 2.8 yards per carry,
01:17
three of 11 in terms of third down conversions,
01:20
forced four interceptions.
01:21
That's a very difficult recipe to overcome,
01:24
and that's why they got blown out
01:25
in terms of that matchup for Houston.
01:27
They got back to their offensive identity.
01:29
We saw Nico Collins, seven receptions,
01:31
a buck 22 on a touchdown, mixing over 100 yards.
01:34
They play like that from a defensive perspective, Donnie.
01:37
They're gonna be a very difficult,
01:39
I don't put a lot, Herbert played terrible.
01:41
I'm not gonna bash Herbert and say,
01:43
is his playoff career like Lamar or Dak
01:48
up until this point where he hasn't lived up
01:50
to expectations, only two games,
01:52
but again, this team, I believe,
01:54
over-exceeded expectations in year one with Jim Harbaugh.
01:58
They weeded the players that don't fit in,
02:00
they got the players that do fit in,
02:02
and now year number two, I think sky's the limit
02:04
for this team.
02:05
I actually like the season,
02:06
the way it played out for the Chargers,
02:07
because Harbaugh came in, instilled that foundation
02:09
as we like to talk about, here's how we're gonna play.
02:11
You know, tried to challenge for the division,
02:13
but it's gonna be tough, obviously,
02:14
in that tough AFC West they have,
02:16
but getting to the playoff, they lost.
02:18
You know what, I actually like that for them.
02:19
I said, that's crazy.
02:20
Why would you like it in the actual losing,
02:21
and that's an embarrassment the way they did it?
02:23
No, but here's what happens.
02:25
They understand they have the foundation
02:26
of a good football team.
02:27
All of those warts completely showed up
02:28
in that playoff game.
02:29
You have one wide receiver, basically.
02:31
Look at the actual statistics
02:32
on who the quarterback Justin Hurt was throwing to.
02:34
He had one player, nobody else could show up.
02:36
You now know that your first round bus
02:38
that has shown up multiple times over the past two years
02:40
did not even have catches, to have 150 yards,
02:43
then go back to having no catches.
02:44
He's gone, he's completely done.
02:45
He's cheap there, might be able to keep him around
02:47
to see what he can get, but at the same time,
02:49
you know you need multiple wide receivers
02:50
next year in free agency.
02:51
That you cut this year, rightfully so, you did that.
02:53
You also need a tight end that can actually
02:55
get down the field and sort of help you out.
02:57
You need another running back,
02:58
because J.K. Dobbins is forever gonna stay injured
03:00
when you need him in the biggest moments here.
03:01
So from my money, I liked what I saw,
03:03
because hardball can't say, you know what?
03:06
We won two playoff games.
03:07
I love this football team.
03:09
No, you saw exactly what this football team is,
03:12
and the flaws it has.
03:13
Go out and make the improvements in the offseason,
03:14
because next year, I'm looking forward
03:15
to see what the Chargers bring to the table.
03:17
I think you're correct that there is a lot of room
03:19
for improvement.
03:20
I think the expectations are they're gonna have
03:22
a big offseason.
03:23
They're gonna push that Chiefs number a little bit.
03:26
Maybe depends on how well Kansas City does
03:27
within the postseason this year.
03:29
Talking about top four, five odds to win a conference
03:31
next year from L.A.
03:34
But again, now Herbert has a hurdle.
03:38
We talk about these things, and it's real,
03:40
because yesterday, he looked broken.
03:43
It looked like it was getting to him.
03:45
He's like, man, I'd like for this to be over.
03:47
I'd like to go home.
03:49
I'm not having a good time.
03:50
No, he wasn't.
03:51
The offensive line broke down, though.
03:53
When you can't run the football consistently,
03:55
and you're in third and eight,
03:57
and now you're down double digits,
03:58
and Will Anderson and that front seven
04:00
are pinning their ears back
04:01
because they know it's pass only,
04:03
he got battered, right?
04:05
And he got exploited.
04:06
The team got exploited in regards
04:08
to that type of situation.
04:09
Just a bad matchup for Hearson,
04:11
and I credit D'Amico Ryans and that defense.
04:13
We talk about how they stepped up
04:15
against better quarterbacks this year,
04:16
and they proved themselves coming back at home.
04:19
But think about the defense for a second.
04:21
They were the worst under Brandon Staley, right?
04:24
And again, the first playoff loss, Kev,
04:26
he puts up 30 points.
04:27
It's not like a Lamar Jackson
04:29
where he threw 136 yards.
04:32
They scored 13 points and lost the ball game by 17 points.
04:35
It was part Justin Herbert in the second half
04:37
and part on Brandon Staley.
04:39
But think about the evolution of defense
04:41
under Jim Harbaugh.
04:42
At one point this season,
04:43
they're the number one ranked scoring defense
04:46
with the same basically team
04:48
that they had under Brandon Staley,
04:51
and they elevated.
04:52
So that's why I think there's room for optimism.
04:54
But to your point, they get back to the playoffs next year.
04:57
Justin Herbert has to answer the bell.
Recommended
1:57
|
Up next
Upcoming NFL Showdown: Chargers vs. Texans Preview
SportsGrid
1/10/2025
1:23
Chargers vs. Texans Game Preview: Insights & Betting Tips
SportsGrid
1/9/2025
2:00
Breaking Down Chargers vs Texans: LA's Winning Strategy
SportsGrid
1/8/2025
2:29
Chargers vs. Chiefs AFC West Showdown: Who Will Prevail?
SportsGrid
12/5/2024
6:35
Texans vs. Chargers: Playoff Game Insights & Predictions
SportsGrid
1/11/2025
5:09
Texans vs. Chargers Game Analysis and Betting Insights
SportsGrid
1/11/2025
2:50
Chargers vs. Texans Wild Card Game Prediction & Insights
SportsGrid
1/6/2025
4:23
Chargers Face Texans Amid Tensions in Los Angeles Area
SportsGrid
1/10/2025
2:25
Texans Face the Chargers in Key Saturday Playoff Game
SportsGrid
1/7/2025
2:22
Chargers vs. Texans Wild Card Weekend Preview & Best Bets
SportsGrid
1/11/2025
4:14
Super Wild Card Weekend: Chargers vs. Texans Analysis
SportsGrid
1/8/2025
2:58
Chiefs vs. Texans Betting Preview: Who Will Cover?
SportsGrid
1/18/2025
0:57
Chargers vs. Broncos Game Preview: Who Will Triumph?
SportsGrid
12/17/2024
2:15
Chiefs vs. Texans Playoff Showdown: Analysis & Prediction
SportsGrid
1/17/2025
3:00
Houston Texans Shine as Underdogs in Playoff Victory
SportsGrid
1/13/2025
1:57
LA Chargers Clinch Spot: A Playoff Analysis & Expectations
SportsGrid
12/29/2024
2:00
Top Picks and Predictions for Saturday’s Divisional Games
SportsGrid
1/18/2025
1:34
Analyzing the Chargers' Potential in AFC Postseason Race
SportsGrid
11/18/2024
4:40
Chargers vs. Raiders Game Analysis: Predictions & Odds
SportsGrid
9/5/2024
1:53
Ravens vs. Chargers: Intense AFC Clash on Monday Night
SportsGrid
11/25/2024
4:20
Chiefs vs. Chargers Game Analysis: Betting Insights & Predictions
SportsGrid
9/29/2024
2:36
Texans vs. Jets Thursday Night Showdown: Who Comes Out on Top?
SportsGrid
10/31/2024
2:29
The Chiefs Secure A Narrow 19-17 Victory Over The Chargers
SportsGrid
12/9/2024
0:55
Ravens Favored by 5.5 Points in Houston: Game Analysis
SportsGrid
12/24/2024
1:39
NFL Betting Insights: Texans vs. Chiefs Division Analysis
SportsGrid
1/18/2025