Chargers slow Raiders with complete defensive performance

The Chargers’ defence had precocious expectations heading into the 2021 play due to the fact that they were led by prima players Joey Bosa and Derwin James and their caller caput coach, Brandon Staley, is considered a antiaircraft guru.

But determination were increasing pains successful the archetypal period of the play with respective inexperienced antiaircraft starters. The Chargers allowed big-chunk plays successful Week 1 against Washington and Dallas gained 198 rushing yards successful Week 2.

The Chargers were again losing the yardage conflict to Kansas City successful Week 3, but that was portion of the crippled plan. Staley’s defence allowed 437 full yards successful that roadworthy triumph against the Chiefs, but it seemed they were yet getting past the increasing pains.

The Chargers’ defence appeared comfy successful Staley’s strategy by forcing the Chiefs into 4 turnovers and limiting their explosive plays.

Then it each came unneurotic Monday nighttime erstwhile the Chargers unopen down the Las Vegas Raiders’ red-hot discourtesy during the 28-14 triumph astatine SoFi Stadium.

The Chargers didn’t run similar the worst rushing defence successful the NFL, a ranking they held heading into Week 4, and the Raiders didn’t play similar the No. 1 full offense, a ranking they mislaid aft their archetypal nonaccomplishment of the season. The Chargers and Raiders are present tied with the 3-1 Denver Broncos for archetypal spot successful the AFC West.

“We each don’t deliberation we were playing similar the 32nd tally defence successful the league,” Bosa said aft the triumph against the Raiders. “We’ve been doing immoderate large things and I deliberation we were conscionable truly carnal up beforehand and that benignant of paved the way.”

The Chargers held the Raiders to 213 full yards, including conscionable 48 connected the ground. Raiders backmost Derek Carr and his discourtesy had zero full yards successful the archetypal 4th and went into halftime with conscionable 51 yards and 1 archetypal down.

It was a implicit show for a Chargers’ defence that is allowing 18.5 points per game, the seventh-best people successful the NFL. The Chargers person held each squad they’ve faced to their lowest constituent full of the season. Washington had 16 points, the Cowboys had 20 and the Chiefs scored 24.

“I accidental that we’re a implicit team,” James said. “Like erstwhile the discourtesy feels that they request a lift, the defence lifts them. When the defence feels they request a lift, the discourtesy volition springiness america a touchdown. … We’re becoming a implicit team. It’s not 1 broadside of the shot conscionable dominating. We got a large backmost implicit there, large receivers, and past we got a large defence and past large peculiar teams.”

Chargers backmost Justin Herbert and wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams didn’t request to person standout statistical performances to bushed the Raiders.

Just being businesslike was bully capable with a implicit antiaircraft performance.

STALEY OK WITH BOSA’S COMMENTS

Bosa was deed with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike punishment successful the 4th fourth Monday for expressing vexation astatine a missed call. Bosa said helium was held by Raiders rookie violative tackle Alex Leatherwood and was letting the officials cognize astir it.

The Chargers’ prima defender didn’t clasp his emotions erstwhile asked astir it during the postgame property conference.

“I didn’t adjacent cognize they called the punishment connected maine due to the fact that I was fuming, but I mean, refs are blind,” Bosa said. “Simple. I’m sorry, but you’re blind. Like unfastened your eyes and bash your job. It’s truthful bad. It’s unbelievable.”

Staley said helium doesn’t request to speech to Bosa astir his comments due to the fact that he’s earned the close to explicit himself.

“This guy’s a premium subordinate successful the league,” Bosa said. “This isn’t uncommon for players similar that to speech astir officiating. It’s a large portion of the game. We privation to marque definite that helium does it respectfully. That’s conscionable a portion of pro sports, and that’s what we privation to marque definite is that we enactment connected the precocious broadside of things arsenic an operation.

“He took ownership that we can’t get a 15-yard penalty. That to maine is what is the takeaway. It’s not him being frustrated with the officiating due to the fact that helium has each close to beryllium frustrated astir what was going on. But we can’t bash that. What we can’t bash is however that vexation leads to thing that’s hurting our shot team.”

UPDATE ON MURRAY, JONES

Staley said helium expects to get antiaircraft tackle Justin Jones and linebacker Kenneth Murray backmost from injured reserve aft the bye week.

The 2 antiaircraft starters were placed connected injured reserve hours earlier the crippled against the Raiders, which volition number toward 1 of their required 3 games missed for being connected the short-term wounded list.

Jones and Murray volition miss the upcoming games against the Cleveland Browns (3-1) and Baltimore Ravens (3-1). They’re eligible to instrumentality pursuing the Week 7 bye erstwhile the Chargers big the New England Patriots (1-3) connected Oct. 31.

Staley said Jones had a setback with his calf injury. He hasn’t played since the play opener against Washington. Murray injured his ankle successful signifier past week.