Chargers’ Brandon Staley takes blame for struggles against run

3 years ago 324

COSTA MESA — The Chargers did extended evaluations for each 3 phases of their squad during the bye week and person addressed immoderate of the concerns by signing players and tinkering with schemes.

They added kicker Dustin Hopkins and return specializer Andre Roberts to perchance amended their issues connected peculiar teams. On offense, the Chargers program to incorporated much surface and play-action calls and are aiming for ratio connected aboriginal downs.

As for the defense, it was evident that the Chargers needed to amended their rushing defense, but they haven’t made immoderate extracurricular moves yet to hole the season-long issue.

Perhaps that could alteration earlier Tuesday’s NFL commercialized deadline, but Chargers manager Brandon Staley hasn’t mentioned the anticipation of keeping their options unfastened arsenic helium had said they would regarding the kicker situation.

For Staley, the champion mode to hole the league’s worst rushing defence is by improving his teaching methods. He has taken the blasted for the country of interest and seems focused connected fixing it with the players connected his existent roster.

“Our beforehand mechanics and method astatine the archetypal level request to improve,” Staley said astir a portion that’s allowing a league-worst 162.5 rushing yards per game. “It needs to amended with maine – I request to bash a amended occupation coaching. Our players volition play amended if we specify things better. At that archetypal level, that volition assistance a lot. Behind it, we had immoderate replacement issues into the bound from a run-support standpoint that wounded us. Really, it was conscionable uneven astatine times (in) the archetypal six games.”

Staley said the pugnacious six-game docket to commencement the play against 3 apical rushing teams – the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys – played a portion successful wherefore they’re ranked astatine the bottommost for rushing defense. But the docket doesn’t get easier Sunday with the Chargers hosting the New England Patriots, who diagnostic a moving backmost committee of Damien Harris, Brandon Bolden, Rhamondre Stevenson and J.J. Taylor.

“We played 3 premium moving teams that exposed immoderate of those pugnacious moments for america due to the fact that of however prolific their runners and their moving attacks are,” Staley said. “You tin look astatine maine for wherefore it didn’t spell good enough.

“We person made immoderate bully corrections implicit the past week oregon so. I’m excited to get going with our guys due to the fact that I cognize we person what it takes, and we’re excited to vie against a truly bully moving team. New England has ever been capable to tally the football.”

The Chargers could get a boost with the rushing defence if antiaircraft tackle Justin Jones is capable to play Sunday. Jones, who hasn’t played since Week 1, is connected injured reserve with a calf injury, but helium returned to signifier this week. Staley said he’s optimistic astir him playing against the Patriots.

“Our full defense, not conscionable the tally defensively,” Staley said astir the assistance Jones could provide. “He’s a truly bully rusher, too. He’s a prime player. He plays the crippled the mode that we privation to play it.”

Whether oregon not Jones returns Sunday, the Chargers request improved play from their front-seven players, including antiaircraft tackle Jerry Tillery. There has been plentifulness of absorption connected Tillery’s inconsistent performances this play due to the fact that of his presumption arsenic the team’s first-round draught prime successful 2019.

Staley said Tillery needs to amended his rushing defense, but helium continues to person precocious hopes for his future.

“In the walk rush, he’s been a factor, which is simply a spot of his,” Staley said. “In the tally game, helium needs to improve, similar each of america do. Where that starts is with me. We’ve had immoderate truly bully conversations connected our full defence with being much exact, much defined. That volition assistance everybody out, particularly Jerry. But I emotion his attack and I similar coaching him a lot. He’s up for it, and I deliberation you’re going to spot a batch of bully shot from him this 2nd agelong of the season.”

Staley said he’s been pleased with Christian Covington’s play this play portion filling successful for the injured Jones. If Jones returns this week, Staley mightiness request to determine betwixt Tillery and Covington for the 3rd starting interior antiaircraft lineman adjacent to Linval Joseph and Jones.

But contempt the looming decision, Staley plans connected playing some Covington and Tillery. He’s acceptable connected making it enactment with his existent players, but it starts with coaching, according to Staley.