CRUCIAL: Key FIXES Needed for Chargers During Bye Week to SAVE Playoff Hopes

CRUCIAL: Key FIXES Needed for Chargers During Bye Week to SAVE Playoff Hopes

The Chargers season is not over yet, but there are several things that have to get fixed during the bye-week or they can kiss their playoff chances goodbye. You are Locked on Chargers, your daily podcast on the Los Angeles Chargers, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. What is up and welcome into the Locked On Chargers podcast. I’m your host, Daniel Wade, joined as always by my co-host, David Drogmire, and we’ve been covering the Chargers now for 10 seasons, but this is our eighth year as the host of the Lockdown Chargers podcast, bringing you your team every day as part of the number one sports podcast network. But thank you to the everydayers out there for making us your first listen. To make sure that you never miss the show, go subscribe or follow for free on the Locked On Chargers YouTube channel and listen wherever you get your podcast from. David, what do we got today? Daniel, this is a weekby- week league, so there’s not always a lot of time to be able to make changes and corrections, but the by-week offers that opportunity. And thankfully, the Chargers have a late one. So, there’s several things that they need to get fixed in order for that put for them to put themselves in position to go out there and make a case to make the playoffs. Of course, that means finding the best five offensive linemen, getting a better game plan against the run, and maybe injecting some experience and, you know, some playmaking ability at that return spot on special teams. Yeah, I think in every facet, every, you know, side of the ball, the Chargers need help and need things to be fixed during this bye-week. But today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. And the by-week David brings some opportunities that the rest of the season does not afford just from a time standpoint. And although the Chargers won’t be practicing this week, there are still a lot of things this coaching staff has to get figured out if they want to make the playoffs or if they just want to look like a team that deserves to make the playoffs and can beat the teams they’re going to need to be to make the playoffs. And I think this is a week of reflection. Now you have 11 games of tape to go off of. You’ve seen what happens in the bad losses. You’ve seen what you know happens that goes right during the big wins. But whether or not they can make the playoffs will depend on how well they can make adjustments and hide the flaws of th this roster. And the adjustments and the corrections have to happen now. Yeah, absolutely. there there really isn’t much time during the regular season to be able to cor correct those mistakes because you have to put game plans together specifically to defeat defeat the opponent in the by-week. you’re afforded that opportunity to be able to take all the information that you’re gathered, be able to understand and identify the issues uh that you have both on offense, defense, and special teams and be able to actually attack those problems and be able to put a a game plan together to be able to correct them as much as you can and go out there and try to win football games by correcting those mistakes. Yeah. And it does start with the offensive line. And to me, the kind of impetus to do this show was to talk about this specific problem for the Chargers, which is just finding the right combination of guys for their offensive line. I know at this point there’s only so much better the offensive line can get with the guys that they’re missing with Rashan Slater and Joe all done for the season, obviously, but like you still need to be able to use this time because you have tape on all these guys now. you have seen all these guys play in these games that you have on the roster. And the other part of it is you have the rest of this unit basically as healthy as they could possibly be. I mean, Bobby Hart should be fully good after the by-week. He was really the only missing piece there. Another week to get Trevor Penning acclimated after his rough outing. But this is just my thing. Like the Chargers have started three starting left tackles in their last three games. I think that they might need to be a fourth. Like Jim Harbaugh said, Jamari Sawier could be an option going forward for the charge at left tackle. Obviously some deficiencies in the running game, but like if he’s the best pass protector, he should probably be out there even at the expense of the running game, which even with the bad protectors that you have out there in the passing game, still isn’t getting really fixed anyway. So I think to me, if it was my decision, I would have the best five pass protecting linemen out there at all times pretty much no matter what they do in the running game. But like what you’ve been doing and in bypassing that has led you to have the the bottom or to be bottom three in in pass block win rate and run block win rate. Nobody specializing in anything. I mean you at least get the guys out there to protect Justin Herbert. So as much as I think this could only be an incremental kind of upgrade to what they have going right now, like you have to figure out which of these five guys are the guys you want to roll with. Hammer that in and just roll with it. Yeah, co completely agree with you that they need to focus on what these guys do the absolute best, what they bring to the table the the best. And I think for me on the offensive line, it’s Jamari Sawer playing left tackle for the Chargers. I feel like he just has the, you know, the best best pass protection. He’s displayed the best pass protection doing it so far and in a very limited sample size, but I just think that that’s probably what it is. And Bobby Hart on the right side. Hopefully he gets back. When he was in there, he he was playing pretty much lights out. I mean, four only four pressures allowed in 140 plus pass blocking snaps. Like he he was playing very good football and and hopefully you just get better health from Mai Beckton. He doesn’t have to leave every single football game. But I just feel like, you know, you want to put your best pass protecting offensive lineman out there and then, you know, you have to figure out that running game as well. But getting your quarterback hit less has to be priority number one. I mean, especially in a season like the one that they’re in right now where it’s just like you’ve kind of seen where your deficiencies are and you know what this kind of team is and how they’re going to play against some of the better game better teams in the league. Like at at a certain point in this season like it has to just become oh my god let’s get Justin Herbert through this as healthy as healthy as we possibly can. I think that’s exactly where it starts. But I do think the other thing for this offense and for Greg Roman specifically is just like reconfiguring this offense around what you have because at this point like even if you can find the best five guys, it’s not going to be a lights out unit more than likely. But the what you can’t have is going into last game where you’re like decide, okay, we’re not going to really help our tackles that much at all after we helped them a ton against the Steelers and got a win in that game. This time we’re just going to leave guys out on an island. Like you can’t be surprised when the group that you have that has struggled all year struggles in these games and the game plan is built, you know, for fivestep drops and trying to hit deep passes down the field. Like it’s just not the way it works. You know what you have with these guys. You know their deficiencies. You can look at every single game that you’ve played this year. You need to have a better option in the passing game. You need to have better options in the running game for what you have right now. You can’t be going into these games surprised when Justin Herbert’s running for his life. What you need to do is find an offense or find a a scheme that is going to help keep him upright and give you the best chance to win offensively with the cards that you’re being dealt. Yeah, your tackles are not Tom Hanks and Wilson on an island, okay? The these are not guys that you can leave as castaways and and expect them to be able to provide good protection. Your best is when you’re out there providing those tight ends to help getting in those max protection sets, getting the ball out of Justin Herbert’s hands quickly, getting the ball to his his playmakers very quick so you can protect him. And also it means having better run running rushing schemes as well and and do what works. Stop, you know, running it up the middle because I mean, you look at the stats, they are running at for 3.5 1.7 up the middle. That’s not good enough on the outsides. 6.2 yards off the left left edge for Kmani Videl. 5.9 yards when you’re running behind Mai Beckton and almost five yards when you’re running behind the right tackle on the right end. That’s where you’re finding the most success running the football. That’s what you should be doing. Exploiting more of that. Stop trying to run your head up against the wall in the middle where you’re not getting enough push. At least on the outsides, you’re able to use your wide receivers and your tight ends to help with the run blocking game, the guys that are a little more athletic to be able to get these guys outside, spring them, and get positive momentum and movement in the running game. Yeah. And I think like one thing that’s popped up for me is like maybe more Will Dley, man. Like maybe we get Will Dley back in this lineup to help protect this offensive line and the tackles that you’re going to be trottting out there the rest of the year. I was surprised to see him kind of phased out of the lineup. I like what Tucker Fisk has been able to do, but there’s no reason you can’t have Tucker Fisk, Will Dissley, and Aronda Gaston as your three tight ends that are up on game days. Like, I know that Tyler Con play some special teams. If you can’t get somebody to replace the protection he’s given you on special teams, you have bigger issues. And we’ll talk about some of the issues the Chargers have on special teams at the end of the show and what needs to get fixed in that aspect. But I would say basically, you know, especially when you’re watching that last game or just the game, the Chargers have struggled this year. Like in the last game, number one, you trusted your tackles way too much, specifically Trevor Penning. It’s like you didn’t watch anything that he did, especially playing guard this year for the Saints and just threw him out there on an island at left tackle, which you basically hadn’t played in a couple of years, and expected him to, you know, be able to win those one-on- ones. But more than that, the Jaguars were coached up and they knew exactly what Greg Roman wanted to do. It’s too predictable. Something has to change there. And also three, the kinds of plays he was calling other times, there was just no way that they could get those kind of plays with the pressure that they were going to allow. Like it it just you have to be better. You have to have a better game plan. And you’re just basically hanging Justin Herbert out to dry if you don’t. But we still have more to get into because the Chargers need a better game plan against other teams running attacks. And when it’s not working, they need a better adjustment. 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They plan my workouts for me based on my mood, my vibe, and also my favorite instructors. So, make sure you check it out and use it because it also helps you correct your form in real time, and it maximizes your reps. to count your reps so that you can do it smarter, safer, and more efficient. Let yourself run, lift, flex, push, and go. Explore the new Pelaton crossraining tread plus at onepliton.com. All right, David, we talked about kind of some of the things that can be fixed during the by-week from a coaching perspective on the offensive side of things. But obviously, when you give up 35 points and allow five for five red zone drives to go score touchdowns, your problems are more than just the offense. And the defense has issues, too. But I do think when you look at kind of what has killed the Chargers this year, it does might seem like, you know, it might seem like an oversimplification, but it really just comes down to the running game and the Chargers defending it. Because I do think that like whether it’s getting heavier personnel out there, whether it’s trying, you know, other situationally, you know, guys on the field personnel-wise or whatever it takes, like there has to be a better plan against the run game. Like I know what Jesse Mentor wants to do. I know he wants to dare teams to run, but the problem is is in their four losses, right? They’re giving up an average of 150 rushing yards and those teams are, you know, very happy to see him do that. So, like I I do think that personnel-wise, you kind of have what you have, right, to for the most part, but like you have to have a better answer when these games start running away from you. You have to be able to find the button that’s going to get some negative plays against that other team. be more aggressive if you have to, more run blitzing, whatever it takes. You need to find ways to get teams off schedule because you got shredded in the first half of the Jaguars game. The second half rolls around and they go on two, you know, seven plus minute drives on you right after that doing the same thing. Jesse Mentor has to have a better answer schematically for what teams are doing against them in the run game because like when you look at the run attacks that have had a lot of success in the losses they’ve had and even in the wins like the Miami game like teams are doing the same thing to beat you, you need to take these two weeks to figure out an answer for it. Yeah, because I mean the strength of this this defense is obviously the their pass defense and and you know being able to uh utilize those pass rushers, but you have to earn the right to be able to use those pass rushers, which means you have to stop the run. You have to at least be decent enough. You have to be able to provide somewhat of a deterrent against the run to be a be to be able to even utilize and tap in to that strength of your defense. So, uh, if you’re not able to figure that out, if you’re not able to load the box occasionally and be able to switch things up in game to disrupt that flow and to deter those teams from just lining it up 45 times and running it straight down your throat, then you know, you’re going to have this reoccurring issue all season long because you’re going to go up against a couple of other teams that are on your schedule that are going to just run the ball until you stop them. So, if you want to be able to earn the right to use the strength of your defense, it all starts and stops with your ability to stop the run. When it goes along with something you’ve talked about before, just like being bad on early downs and not being able to really unleash the pass rush, which we know they have the guys to, you know, to get a pass rush, but you have to situationally get them into opportunities where they have the advantage there, right? And like the Chargers just aren’t getting into those situations enough. they especially didn’t in this last game. But like I think another part of it too is just one thing that’s consistently come up through kind of even the veterans like Bud Debris saying after this last game, you’re trying to make a play in this situation, but you’re only hurting the team and that’s from Daniel Popper. But he’s saying that because what he’s saying is that the Chargers basically when things start to unravel and they start giving up these chunks in the running game, guys are leaving their assignments to go try to fix it themselves. They’re getting out of their running lanes. they’re not fitting the run the way that they’re supposed to and it’s allowing all of these gains to happen. Now, the one thing you can’t coach or you can’t teach is energy and effort. Like those things just have to be better on a week in and week out basis as well for the Chargers to fix what their issues are in the running game. But I do think that like when you look at Washington or Miami or even the Giants who just, you know, killed you with a million paper cuts and averaged like 3.6 yards per carry but ran it on you 40 plus times. teams are doing the same thing. You have to have an answer. There has to be a button. Even if you’re risking things, trust your guys on the outside more. Play man coverage if you have to, right? But like, you have to be willing to risk some things to be able to stop the inevitable death that’s keeping your offense off the field and stopping you from being able to get to positions where your defense has succeeded. So, I think that is the number one thing for this defense and Jesse Mentor to try to figure out during these couple of weeks. But I do think another kind of big thing here is trying to get more from the Chargers linebackers. And that goes with the run defense as well because I do think other teams are using their linebackers tendencies and what Jesse Mter’s asking of his linebackers to their advantage when they’re trying to target these guys in the running game and they know exactly what to do to open these holes up and where these guys are going to go. But I think the other part of it was kind of super apparent in this last game where just teams attacking the soft middle part of the field right behind the linebackers and in front of the safeties. they are being singled out there. They really just haven’t been able to make the plays in coverage that the Chargers need them to make in the running game and in coverage as well. But I think it was like three of the five lowest graded defenders in this last game for the Chargers were linebackers. Like it you just after last year having such a kind of an uplifting year for that unit and you know giving Navaro Bowman all the praise, we just haven’t seen that impact from those linebackers this year. Yeah, they have definitely been up and down. uh they’ve been inconsistent with their play from a week in weekout basis. I think we’ve seen some greatness from Deon Henley where we thought like, you know, okay, this was going to be a breakout year and then we’ve seen some regression. It’s just been an up and down roller coaster so far for him. Denzel Pman is who he is. He when he’s on the field, he’s being able to to, you know, provide some decent play in run support, although the the metrics don’t exactly love what what he’s done so far with the 55.2 2 run defensive grade, but you know, he’s missed a lot of time. I think, you know, a guy who probably needs to see a little bit more playing time against the run is probably Troy Dye. This is a 72.3 run defensive grade and leads the team with 13 stops um at that linebacker position. So, you know, he he’s been pretty good at it, you know, and hopefully, you know, switching up that rotation a a little bit will help, but you know, the Chargers have to tighten that up. You know, the the the this linebacker room has the talent. They have the ability to go out there and make plays. They just need to be more impactful. They do like and we’ve seen it and I mean I think part of this and and you know one of the things that’s really really sucks about this year is like obviously Deion Henley is dealing with so much off of the field not just with the passing of his brother but like even more than that plus having a serious sickness that really seemed to impact him and it only felt like you know weeks maybe a month later he was getting back to what he looked like before that but he can’t do it by himself. I think part of the problem is the Chargers thought that Junior Coulson would be in the middle of this defense by now helping in these situations like he did so well for Jesse Mentor at Michigan which just isn’t the case. But I think the other part of David what will help the Chargers and kind of what needs to happen is these guys just getting a rest. I mean Jim Harbaugh talked about it. It’s like 15 weeks including all the preseason games even though there is a week between the last preseason game and the first game of the season. These guys have been going non-stop and like that did look like a team that was pretty burnt out on Sunday. Yeah. Yeah, I mean they took an extra day off on that Sunday game for sure. There there’s no question about that. But first time the Chargers have had a late buy in a very very long time. It feels like, you know, so getting this opportunity to get off your feet, get away from the game of football, recharge your batteries, connect with your families, you know, not get Justin Herbert hit for a week, I think is a is a fantastic thing to do. Um, and yeah, they have to make the most of this because this backstretch is going to determine whether you make the playoffs or not. So, hope hopefully all these players, they take this, take advantage of this, reset, come back laser focused to go on a run to finish this season. Yeah, and I do think that just it is something that can’t be overlooked just how much everyone’s beat up, not just the guys who are showing up on the injury report. And like having a a late by week is good for some reasons, but it’s also bad for some reasons because it’s just so many weeks consecutively that you’re playing and having to practice every week without really getting any kind of extended break. Like the Chargers had eight important players on their injury report last week and that feels like something that we’re seeing every single week. So I think they needed this. Jim Harbaugh is giving them some extra rest and I understand, you know, maybe some have the perspective, okay, well, this team needs to work like and and I get that, but there’s obviously a reason they’re doing it. They’re not seeing what they need to see from this team. These guys definitely seemed like they need a little bit of a break, but that is going to be the challenge for them. Okay, you can get the break. You better come back hungrier with more energy and more fight than you showed last week for sure. But that isn’t, you know, they’re the one kind of hidden part of the Chargers that’s really let them down so far this year is their special teams unit because offense and defense have had their moments. The special teams have been off pretty much all year and they are a couple of things that have to be changed including maybe Lad McConi returning punts for this team. We’re getting in all that and more on today’s Lockdown Chargers podcast. The NBA is back and there’s no better place to get in on the action than FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Even if you miss the start of a game or you want to ride the hot hand, FanDuel has live bets on everything from who will score next to fourth quarter comebacks. But it’s not even just that. I mean, one of the things I love is the ability to build your own parlays because there’s so many different things that you can bet on from the first basket uh either team scores and which player on either team will do it or even a specific team, which player on the Lakers, for example, will be the first to score. 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And I think that there are very fixable things on this team and things they can get better at even if there are certain guys they’re not going to get back. But we’ve talked about offense, we’ve talked about defense, it’s time to work talk about the special teams a little bit, David. And one of the things you brought up when we were kind of coming up with this show is just like, man, the Chargers need more out of the return game. And that is like something we didn’t think we’d be saying as much, especially since they have a former second team allpro returner on their team. Yeah. I mean, you you look at it in the special teams area, that’s where you find those hidden yards where you swing field position and you’re able to set your offense up to be able to win your win these uh you know, these possessions and be able to score touchdowns, right? So, so far like the Chargers are fourth worst in the league in punt return. 6.9 yards on average per punt return, which is horrible. And Darius Davis 7.3 yards per punt return, which is significantly lower than last year where he was at 12.4 yards per punt return. Like, that’s a gigantic difference. And I think for me personally, uh, I want some more juice. I want somebody out there that can that can create some offense in that special teams avenue. And for me, that’s Lab Makoni. We saw it already, right? Obviously, that uh terrible penalty to take away his punt return touchdown that he had, which was absolutely epic and something that looked like it was done in Madden. Uh, you know, I want to see more of that. And obviously, it’s that double-edged sword of wanting to get him out there and use his obvious gifts in the open field while also not wanting him to take all the hits because of how important he is on the offense as well. But I think he’s he’s done this before. He knows how to do it. He knows how to protect himself. So, if he has those opportunities where he has daylight, he’s already shown that he can be a difference maker in that field. And right now, the Chargers need to find difference makers in any avenue, especially on special teams. And the thing about Darius Davis is he’s never really been a great kickoff return man at the NFL level. I mean, he had multiple returns for touchdowns at the collegiate level, but his specialty and what he made in AllPro as as a rookie was as a punt returner where I believe he led the league in yards per punt return, had a punt return touchdown in his rookie season. Like, they’re just not even getting close to that. And I mean, he only has eight returns as a power returner so far this year. So, it’s like not a huge sample size, and he’s obviously been banged up, but it it doesn’t look the same for him right now. It doesn’t look like they have that juice. And like, it’s just crazy because it seems like when another team is returning kicks against the Chargers, they’re easily making it out to the 30 or 35 yd line, like before they’re even getting significantly contacted. Yeah, when the Chargers are returning kicks, it feels like they are totally stuck in the mud and like somebody is contacting them at the 20 yardd line. Like this is something that is a byproduct of the blocking that you have available to you as well and that hasn’t been great. But like the Chargers just need more juice. Like I would be going to sign Naim Miller Hines back to the practice squad and elevating that dude because in a big moment against the Dolphins with, you know, a loss you really couldn’t afford to set up that win. it was him that had the best kickoff return that you’ve had so far this year and instead you’re bringing up you know practice squad running backs that are are averaging you know half a yard per like when you’re and it’s like they’ve tried KLS they’ve tried Darius Davis to me it’s open competition at the kick returner who can give me some juice who can do something I’m rotating in game if I have to and just better decisions man like you get the ball at the 35 yd line now if the other team kicks it into the end zone right that is such a huge advant advantage. The Chargers caught two kickoffs in their end zone last game and thought, “Well, you know, I could take 35, but what if I run it back to the house?” No, take the 35 yards. That’s like the the Family Guy thing where it’s like he’s doing the little time share thing and he’s like, “Oh, hey, you can have a bow or you can have a mystery box.” Like, well, Lois, you know, the mystery box could be a bow. It’s like, no. If they’re going to guarantee you 35 yards, there’s no one on this team who’s averaging 35 yards per return. if it’s in the end zone in almost every situation, you keep that in there, right? Because it’s much better than the 20 or 25 yards that you’re going to get. So, decision- making hasn’t been a strength there as well. But yeah, to me, it’s like as at least as far as kick returner goes, like I know if you want to give him some more run as the punt returner, you don’t want to put Lad Man out there. I understand those parts of it. Most teams don’t have their wide receiver one as their punt returner, right? But it just has something has to be better because the Chargers are just getting no juice out of the return game. This is a a return game that’s set up incredibly good punt returns in the past and kickoff returns and like there’s this entire unit. It hasn’t worked so far in the return game or in the coverage game, David, where the Chargers are still the worst coverage team in the NFL so far this season. And to me, it’s not, you know, it’s not as easy as like an open try out there. I understand the losses that they’ve had as far as key special teams contributors, but like you have to get it figured out in these two weeks. Like Ryan Ficken, we know you can be a great special teams coach. Coach him up because like the coverage you’ve been getting so far has been atrocious. Yeah, it’s been awful. I mean, they have given up multiple big returns uh in both avenues in kickoff and in punt return. We’ve seen it them taking them back to the house and the Chargers haven’t done that at all. And so you see how much of a difference maker it is both when you when you get one and when you allow it, right? That momentum swing is massive. So, they just have to be more technically sound. They have to make sure that they wrap up and they they set these guys, you know, get in lanes, swarm these these returners so that they don’t have these gigantic returns because if you’re not getting them, you absolutely can’t be giving them up for sure. Like, we’ve seen Justin Herbert let down by his offense and his special or his defense. Like, you can’t afford the special teams as well. I’m I’m just going to Well, like this is the thing like these are some of your top guys as far as snaps played on the coverage units last year. Nick Neman, Caleb Murphy, Hassan Haskins, who’s on injured reserve. J Taylor who you traded away, Dean Leonard who just came back from injured reserve, Shaq Quarterman who isn’t on the team anymore. Guys like Deion Henley and Tui T2 Palotu are playing a lot less special teams. Like I understand why it’s been an issue, but this has to be where it gets corrected. Maybe you didn’t have the time or didn’t know who you were going to have for some of the year. And we’ll see when Assan Haskins can come back cuz obviously he was a key part of their special teams coverage units and they need him back in that regard. But like Shaqman’s out there, I’ll go get him on the practice squad and elevate him for game days if I have to. He was pretty good on the Chargers special teams last year. It has to be better. Like you just we know they can be uh and you know special teams is an underrated part and an underlooked at part of you know just the football in general. Uh, and it’s not as easy as just like, hey, play better, right? But like whatever is hurting you right now, whoever those players are that are hurting you right now, whatever the issues in your scheme are that are hurting you, those are things you can figure out. Those are things and players who can get replaced by somebody on the practice squad who can maybe come up and play those roles better because a lot of times some of those guys are really only there for what they bring as far as special teams value goes. So, the last thing I would add is just if you’re the Chargers front office, like if there are any additions that you want to make, and I know it’s bare bones out there as far as the free agents that are still available to you, but like you have 11 weeks of tape now, 11 games of tape. You need to figure out what this roster needs and you need to add it as quickly as possible because this is the only real time you’re going to have to get these guys up to speed and to be able to deep dive into the rest of your season like you need to during this two weeks off. So, you know, maybe this is also giving potential practice squad guys more chances. Uh, you know, especially on special teams, they could use the help there. But like I think, you know, you were able to find Bobby Hart off the streets and he’s been your second best pass protector on the offensive line so far this year. So to think that there’s no one that can improve this roster, uh, I I think is wrong. Um, but yeah, there if there is a time to do it, David, this would be it. This is it. This is the only time to do it. This is the last time that you’re really going to have any time to be able to get these guys up to speed with, you know, time with the coaching staff, right? So, this is the time where you have to do it. I mean, we already mentioned a guy that could make a difference right now in Miller Hines in that return game. anywhere that you can find any incremental increases or improvements on your football team and you feel like that guy is out there and can provide that, go bring them in cuz there’s nothing nothing to lose and everything to gain to get where you want to be this season. And I’ll reiterate it, the Chargers can make the playoffs. The Chargers season doesn’t have to be over, but you have to be able to eliminate performances like the one you had last Sunday. And the causes for that performance, whatever that may be, because there are some very fixable ones, and that’s what these two weeks have to be about. Because if the Chargers can beat the Eagles, we feel differently about this team, right? If the Chargers can go beat the Char the Chiefs or the Broncos again, we feel differently. If you can explode offensively against the Texans defense, we’ll feel differently. It just doesn’t seem like it can happen right now. It doesn’t mean it won’t happen, right? But what it’s going to take is this team improving and this is going to be their best chance in season for a reset and a chance to reconfigure what they’re doing. And that’s why the by-week is so important to what this team needs going down the stretch. But that’s going to wrap things up for today’s show. The next show will be a Chargers mailbag. So if you guys want to hit us up for that, you can do that at Lockdown LAC on Twitter, Lockdown Chargers on Instagram, and our Lockdown Chargers Facebook page as well. You could also call to the voicemail line and give us your question at 323-524-7924 and give us make sure it’s just 30 seconds or less. But to make sure you never miss the show, go subscribe or follow for free on the Lockdown Chargers YouTube channel and listen wherever you get your podcast from. But I know you guys still have a lot of questions. Make sure you hit us up for the mailbag and we’ll be back with you guys tomorrow. But until then, take it easy and go Bolts.

The Chargers aren’t out of playoff contention yet, but the upcoming bye week is absolutely critical. On today’s episode of Locked On Chargers, Daniel Wade and David Droegemeier break down what HAS to change during the bye to keep the team’s postseason hopes alive.

We dig into the offensive line problems, discuss the need to protect Justin Herbert, and what adjustments Greg Roman must make to maximize the offense’s potential. The guys also examine the glaring weaknesses in run defense and linebacker play – as well as discuss Jesse Minter’s coaching schemes and what needs to happen for the defense to turn things around.

Plus, special teams can’t be overlooked! Should the Chargers shake up the return game and try new faces? Is it time for Ladd McConkey to take on punt return duties? And what personnel moves could spark some hidden yardage that swing games?

Get Daniel and David’s candid insights and their checklist of must-fix priorities for the Chargers during this crucial bye week. If LA can get healthy, make the right adjustments, and solve these issues, there’s still hope for a playoff run!

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