RM: I thought this was a perfect summary of the Chargers' situation, so
I am posting it from The Athletic. It has wonderful content; I encourage
those who are able to subscribe.

https://theathletic.com/5058327/2023/11/13/los-angeles-chargers-defense-justin-herbert/

By Daniel Popper
2h ago

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff set up in
shotgun formation. It was the final play of the first quarter. Detroit
was at the Los Angeles Chargers’ 13-yard line and needed a yard for a
first down.

Goff took one look at the Chargers’ defensive front before adjusting the
play. Goff moved under center. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and tight
end Sam LaPorta shifted to the backfield. LaPorta was to Goff’s left, 4
yards behind the line of scrimmage. St. Brown was to Goff’s right, 3
yards behind the line of scrimmage. They both joined running back Jahmyr
Gibbs in the backfield. Gibbs was directly behind Goff, 9 yards deep.

Goff took the snap and handed off to St. Brown on a stretch play to the
left. Gibbs played decoy on a fake pitch to the right. LaPorta executed
a cut block on edge rusher Joey Bosa. Receiver Antoine Green, aligned
split off the formation to the left, blocked down on safety Alohi
Gilman. St. Brown followed his pulling left guard, Jonah Jackson, for an
easy first down, attacking cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. on the edge.

It was just one play in the Chargers’ 41-38 loss to the Lions on Sunday
at SoFi Stadium. And even a meaningless play in the outcome of the game.
The Chargers, now 4-5 on the season, came up with a goal-line stand
later in the drive — one of just two stops Brandon Staley’s defense
forced in the game, not including a one-play possession at the end of
the half.

Still, this play was a microcosm of what is wrong with the Chargers and
has been wrong for years.

That is because Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson stole this
concept from the Chargers’ loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the
playoffs last season, according to Chargers safety Derwin James Jr.
Remember the fourth-and-1 conversion run from Travis Etienne Jr. that
effectively iced that game? Yeah, that play.

Johnson iterated on the concept. He replaced one tight end edge blocker
with a pulling guard. He added Gibbs as a decoy. It was a run to the
left instead of the right. But he also kept many of the same blocks —
the receiver on the safety, the backfield tight end on the edge rusher.
And Johnson was attacking the same player in the Chargers’ run fit: Samuel.

“We got that play to end the game in Jacksonville,” James said in the
locker room after Sunday’s loss. “It was that same play, and they hit us
on it.”

This is what Staley’s Chargers tenure has boiled down to: Same
you-know-what, just a different day.

Stop me if you have heard this before: Justin Herbert was stellar. After
an early interception, he willed the Chargers back into the game and
kept them in a wild shootout. Herbert finished 27-of-40 passing for 323
yards and four touchdowns. The Chargers scored touchdowns on five
straight drives to finish the game.

The defense, however, was overmatched.

“Justin was fantastic tonight,” Staley said. “He gave us a chance.”

Oh wait, my mistake, that is what Staley said after the Chargers defense
spoiled Herbert’s heroic performance in a Week 18 loss at the Las Vegas
Raiders in 2021.

This is what Staley said Sunday: “Justin was fantastic in the game. I
thought he gave us a chance.”

Same you-know-what, just a different day.

Almost two years later, Staley’s defense still is not reciprocating by
giving Herbert a chance.

Sure, the Chargers can go out and play well against bad offenses. That
is the not-so-hidden secret in all of the purported turning points over
Staley’s tenure as head coach and play caller.

When they take the field against good, well-coached offenses, they are
almost always overmatched. Outclassed.

Since the start of 2021, Staley’s defense has finished 15 games with a
positive EPA per play on defense, according to TruMedia. To put it
simply, they have positively had an impact on the game 15 times. The
quarterbacks they have faced in 13 of those games: Nick Foles, Zach
Wilson, Aidan O’Connell, Derek Carr (three times), Tyson Bagent, Drew
Lock, Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill and Malik Willis, Baker Mayfield,
Ryan Fitzpatrick and Taylor Heinicke, and Mac Jones. The other two: Joe
Burrow in 2021 and Tua Tagovailoa last season.

Staley might want to hang his hat on those two performances against
Burrow and Tagovailoa.

The evidence to the contrary is overwhelming.

Sunday’s showing against the Lions was the Chargers’ worst EPA per play
on defense in Staley’s three seasons as coach, according to TruMedia.

“I take full responsibility,” Staley said.

It started with the run game. The Chargers’ run defense went from
carriage to pumpkin. The Lions rushed for 200 yards on 31 carries,
including a 75-yard touchdown run from running back David Montgomery in
the second quarter. They gave up 177 rushing yards in the first half.
That opened up everything in the playbook for Johnson and Goff, most
notably the play action and screen games.

“You can’t allow them to play like that, and we allowed them to play
like that,” James said. “That’s what you get.”

St. Brown caught eight passes for 156 yards and a touchdown, becoming
the latest elite pass catcher to torch Staley’s defense. He joined
Tyreek Hill (215 yards), Travis Kelce (179 yards), Justin Jefferson (149
yards) and CeeDee Lamb (117 yards) on that illustrious list.

The Chargers allowed six plays of at least 25 yards. One of those was a
33-yard completion to St. Brown in the third quarter. On the next play,
St. Brown scored from 20 yards out on a screen.

“They were able to do anything they wanted to,” cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor
said.

The Lions totaled 533 yards on offense. It is the second time the
Chargers have allowed at least 500 yards this season.

“They schemed the game to their strengths,” edge rusher Khalil Mack said.

NFL offenses have put up at least 475 yards 14 times this season. The
Chargers were playing defense in four of those performances.

“We have to be able to adjust,” linebacker Eric Kendricks said.

Since 2021, the Chargers have given up 112 plays of at least 25 yards,
according to TruMedia. I don’t have to tell you, but I will anyway:
That’s the most in the league.

“I know the group that I’ve been coaching for nine games,” Staley said.
“We’re good enough on offense, defense and special teams to beat anybody
we play.”

Through it all, the Chargers tied the Lions at 38 in the fourth quarter.
Herbert hit Keenan Allen for a 38-yard touchdown on fourth-and-1. It was
a beautiful design and call from offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

Allen finished with 11 catches for 175 yards, battling through a
shoulder injury.

On the first play of the next possession, Lions receiver Kalif Raymond
ran wide open on a crossing route off play action. He exploded up the
sideline for a 41-yard gain, getting into field goal range with 2:46
remaining.

Later in the drive, Lions coach Dan Campbell opted to go for it on
fourth-and-2 from the Chargers’ 26-yard line. LaPorta found a soft spot
in the Chargers’ zone. Goff found him for the Lions’ fourth conversion
in five fourth-down attempts.

Kicker Riley Patterson then hit the winner from 41 yards as time expired.

Does that name sound familiar? It should. Patterson played for the
Jaguars last season, and he ended the Chargers’ season in Jacksonville
with a 36-yard field goal.

“I didn’t do a good enough job on defense for us today,” Staley said.

Same you-know-what, just a different day.