Remember as a kid you would get dumped by a girl. You could sit and stew in the why's and what happened or you could go out and make yourself feel better with the first girl you could find. If she wasn't good looking that is okay for now. She is just a rebound girl. A person to get you back on track. A confidence builder or a slump buster. That is what the 49ers are to the Chargers this weekend. CJ Beathard you are the rebound girl.
Not a lot has been going right for the Chargers lately. But there are segments of their game that are going quite well. Fans are making excuses quicker than a drop ball by Travis Benjamin. "If only Bosa was playing". Bosa is a game changer but when you study this team deeply. What you find is Bosa makes a big impact but this team has one major problem beyond Bosa. They're not consistent. So the DR has called a prescription for what ails the Chargers... The San Fransico 49ers!!!
The Chargers are graded by PFF as the 31st ranked defensive line. This is where Bosa is missed. The Chargers have one threat in Melvin Ingram. Opposing defensive coordinators don't have to game plan for anyone else on the defensive line.
Isaac Rochelle is meant to be a rotational player. He showed in the preseason how he could excel in that role. Rochelle, Justin Jones, Darius Philon and Chris Landrum are being thrown into taking to many snaps for their potential. The Chargers pass rush is nonexistent. Melvin Ingram has 11 pressures and Derwin James has 6. After those two no one on the defense has more than four.
The lack of a pass rush leaves the secondary vulnerable. Teams see that in preparation during the week. The Rams and Chiefs put up astounding numbers against the Chargers defense. Two sacks, 73 points and 883 yards of total offense is what was left from those two games. The truth is the Chargers were not close in any of those games. The defense can't get off the field on 3rd downs as they are presently ranked 28th in 3rd down defense. All we see of Craig Hayward is the back of his jersey running after a WR downfield. He has given up a QB passer rating of 137.5 when targeted.
The secondary is getting no help from Joseph Addae. He is to slow and has little tackling skills. This leaves the middle of the field wide open for Qb's to drop back and wait for a play to develop. The Chargers are 29th in dropping balls from their wide receiving unit. After Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, the Chargers have little to no production from their receivers.
Luckily, Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon have picked up the slack from that failing unit. Special teams is again at the bottom the league in returns and coverage. The Chargers have a few guys overachieving but more underachieving. The results are exciting drives that appear to be heading somewhere only to die out before the end zone. The Chargers only played one half really well as a team and that was the first half in Buffalo.
Looking at the schemes and personnel on the field you could say the Chargers have been outcoached and outplayed for 10 of 12 quarters this season.
However, that being said the NFL gods are being grateful. Just as in 2017, when the team started out 0-4 then played a bunch of losing teams they were able to recover. Starting with the 49ers the Chargers have the easiest schedule in the NFL. Before the Bye they face the 49ers with a 1-5 QB last year making his first start this year, the Raiders who are winless, the Browns who appear to be a much tougher game than it appeared to be 3 weeks ago and the Titans in London.
At worst they should go into the bye at 4-3. Anything less and even hope for the wildcard may be diminishing. The 2nd half of the season has games against the Chiefs, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Seahawks and Broncos. Who knows what the Raiders will be by then.
The Chargers have Mike Williams excelling and Austin Ekeler playing superior. Derwin James is likely to be the Rookie of the Year barring an injury. Philip Rivers is producing better numbers even behind an offensive line that is struggling with Sam Tevi and Dan Feeney. Mike Pouncey seems to be the rock holding it all from falling apart.
The 49ers are just what the Chargers need. A team that they can begin to fix what has failed in the first 3 weeks of the season. Using Uchenna Nwosu, Austin Ekeler and Mike Williams more could be the ticket to rebounding.
Failing this weekend could be fatal when it comes down to the playoffs. 1-3 with a divisional game against the Raiders and a hyped up Browns team is not what the dr ordered. Simply put the 49ers are not a good football team. The game might be closer than we'd like but the Chargers have to much talent to lose to the 49ers.
As for Joey Bosa, he can't walk. He has removed his cast but is still wearing a walking boot and week 9 is the soonest not the latest for his return.
The game in San Francisco doesn't have to be pretty. Rebound girls seldom are. They just need to get the win and change the momentum that has been going against them. The 49ers are the perfect rebound team. Now it's all; up to the Chargers on Sunday.
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