Game Overview ::
By hilow >>
- Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins was ruled out with the knee injury he suffered in last week’s loss to the Ravens.
- Chargers TE Will Dissly did enough in his practice progression (DNP, limited, full) to avoid an injury designation this week.
- The Falcons had a vast injury report this week but all seems to be copacetic heading into the weekend.
- The Falcons once-comfortable lead in the division has evaporated in two short weeks, now just one game in hand over the Buccaneers and two games over the Saints (with tie-breakers on both teams).
How los angeles Will Try To Win ::
The Chargers have been a team that has set the tempo with their defense while attempting to sustain drives on offense through a dynamic run game and short area passing attack. They haven’t really attempted downfield passing at great frequency until forced to (like at the end of halves or when trailing) or when they get just outside the red zone, an area where Quentin Johnston has truly flourished this season. The problem with that setup is they are now without one of the primary pieces that made that game plan so effective in J.K. Dobbins, replacing him with straight-ahead plodder Gus Edwards, rookie Kimani Vidal, and journeyman Hassan Haskins. That is likeliest to lead to more disruption on offense and fewer sustained drives than it is to lead to a sweeping change made from their play calling tendencies.
I don’t think it should be understated what the impact of losing this team’s primary rusher means to the Chargers moving forward. In my opinion, it makes their offense much more one-dimensional, an offense that strives to keep opponents off balance due to the threat of both Dobbins’ legs and Herbert’s elite arm. You lose the legs and the arm becomes less effective because teams don’t need as many bodies in the box or down near the line of scrimmage. Gus Edwards has forced a grand total of three missed tackles on 54 carries this season, Kimani Vidal has been inactive for seven of 11 games, and Hassan Haskins is career special teamer.
The Los Angeles aerial attack has evolved into a loose four-man scene, with rookie Ladd McConkey leading the way out of the slot. Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston are the “starting” perimeter receivers while Will Dissly has taken a stranglehold on the tight end repetitions in the absence of Hayden Hurst. Johnston has a clearly defined role that elevates just outside of the red zone while Palmer is more of a downfield/field stretcher option unlikely to see targets amass. That effectively leaves this offense as “McConkey or bust,” and it has been profitable to side with the bust side of that equation through the field’s infatuation with a rookie slot receiver. The matchup does align with McConkey’s skillset, but this is still a receiver who has not seen double-digit looks yet in his career and has only gone over 100 yards twice through 11 games.
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