When Jim Harbaugh was employed as the pinnacle coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, a transfer I used to be excited for was bringing his defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, with him to the NFL to name the protection for LA. His defenses had been extremely versatile and disciplined whereas at Michigan, and a number of the identical stuff that present Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald runs can be applied with the Chargers.
To this point, the rent has been a convincing success. Los Angeles is second in defensive EPA per play allowed, fifth in EPA allowed per go and is permitting the least factors per sport in the complete league. Of their first yr underneath Jesse Minter, the Chargers’ protection has constantly grown into the unit I hoped for them to be at first of the season, and that progress has me intrigued for his or her future outlook in addition to Minter’s potential as a head coach. Of their 27-10 victory over the Browns, the Chargers held Cleveland to a -0.28 EPA per play and picked off QB Jameis Winston 3 times. Let’s dive into the movie to see why I’m so enthusiastic about this Chargers’ protection.
It begins up entrance within the run sport for me. Their skill to cease the run out of 2-high shells has been essential to their general success. The Chargers permit the sixth-lowest EPA per try within the run sport when defending it with a light-weight field (six or fewer defenders), and I largely suppose it’s due to their mechanics up entrance within the run sport that permit them to be higher towards the go. Should you can cease the run with fewer defenders, you possibly can commit extra our bodies to the passing sport, a major instance of why coaches emphasize stopping the run a lot.
The Browns are working zone to the weak facet of the formation, however earlier than the ball is snapped, take a look at how the Chargers are aligned. They’ve a defensive sort out on the within shoulder of the left guard (2i approach), one other sort out on the skin shoulder of the precise guard (3 approach), and two edge defenders. A standard 4 man entrance in a nickel formation. Nonetheless, the alignment of the linebackers is what makes this go. By placing LB Daiyan Henley immediately over the B-gap, this could let him play the ball faster and keep away from getting touched by the left guard, as a result of he has to double on the 2i. LB Denzel Perryman is over the bottom A-gap taking part in the cutback as properly, so there’s nowhere for RB Nick Chubb to go. EDGE Khalil Mack forces this run to bounce, and since Henley is unblocked he can fly in for this sort out and preserve it to a brief achieve.
They had been additionally in a position to stymie the run sport out of a number of fronts, and Henley was a giant a part of that as properly. They initially line up of their nickel formation, however as a substitute of lining Henley up over the B-gap, they stroll him all the way down to the sting to create a five-man entrance out their nickel personnel. Then, they bring about S Derwin James off the sting on the snap, sliding EDGE Tuli Tuipulotou inside. On the opposite facet, they slant everybody a niche throughout, forcing RB Nick Chubb to chop again proper into Henley.
They’re additionally getting some superhuman performances alongside their line of defense within the run sport. Watch nostril sort out Teair Tart on this cut up dive motion. He’s getting doubled, however he doesn’t quit any floor, retains the left guard from getting a clear angle on Perryman, and nonetheless helps to make this sort out for a brief achieve. Above all of the schematics of the protection, the Chargers are getting actually good play from everybody concerned of their protection, particularly up entrance.
Within the passing sport, the factor that stands out essentially the most in regards to the Chargers’ protection is how a lot area they shut. They don’t simply cowl grass, no. They’re attempting to squeeze the air out of all of the routes, making all throws tight window passes. Minter has the defensive backs taking part in at a excessive degree, and it permits them to get actually versatile. Right here, LA opens with three safeties on third down, however as a substitute of working Tampa 2 like each crew does in these three-safety seems to be, they spin to Cowl 1, with S Alohi Gilman going from the hashmarks to the center of the sector as a robber. There’s no area for any of those passes to really be thought of open and it finally ends up falling incomplete.
This one is actually enjoyable, largely due to how Minter aligns Derwin James and Daiyan Henley. they’re each lined up as linebackers, however Henley is walked as much as the road of scrimmage trying like he’s going to blitz. This can be a enjoyable manner of moving into Tampa 2, with James being the center runner as a substitute of Henley. However watch this play by the second-year linebacker. He will get an incredible quantity of depth and nearly picks this ball off. I’ve been enthusiastic about his progress in LA, and he may very well be a possible participant if he retains this up.
The Chargers have the Titans up subsequent, however I’m cautiously excited for his or her playoff hopes. They’ve a reliable protection, and QB Justin Herbert is taking part in at a really excessive degree. They’ve a tough stretch of video games quickly, together with consecutive weeks of the Bengals, Ravens, Chiefs, Falcons and Buccaneers, however Minter has this protection rolling and a should see unit.
