3 Things We Learned From the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15
It was a problematic Week 15 for the Los Angeles Chargers, who were blown out by the Las Vegas Raiders and then cleaned house.
SportsGrid looks at what we learned from the Chargers.
1. Brandon Staley Was the Wrong Guy
Of course, we didn’t just learn this in Week 15, but the Chargers’ ownership had grown frustrated and reached a boiling point after this embarrassing loss. Brandon Staley continued to lead this roster to underwhelming results, and the team finally ran out of patience. There are many reasons to believe in this roster, but Staley hasn’t delivered the results. One of the hardest things to do in the NFL is find good quarterbacks, and Staley had the luxury with Justin Herbert but couldn’t win games when it mattered. Staley’s path to being a head coach in the NFL was quick, and you have to wonder if this sets back other coaches who don’t necessarily have the experience. It will be interesting to see what direction the Chargers chose to go in the offseason with their next head coach.
SportsGrid looks at five candidates to be the next head coach of the Chargers.
2. Easton Stick has Some Promise
Although we’re not talking about a highly touted draft pick, Easton Stick showed some promise in the second half for the Los Angeles Chargers. With Herbert set to miss the remainder of the year, the Chargers can see what they have in Stick as a potential backup. Stick struggled in the first half, but we don’t want to lay all the blame on him because of how poor the offensive line was playing. Stick finished Week 15 with 257 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The line was likely more flattering than how he looked for the entire game, but there were still some things he did well that warrant praise. How will Stick respond in a difficult matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16?
3. Quentin Johnston Isn’t a Fit Right Now, Joshua Palmer Remains a Threat
The Los Angeles Chargers spent first-round draft capital when selecting Quentin Johnston in the 2023 NFL Draft. Many thought he was due to take off in this explosive offense under Kellen Moore, but that hasn’t transpired in his rookie year. We’re not ready to call him a bust, but it doesn’t bode well for him that he’s still not getting touches in this offense, especially when Keenan Allen was sidelined with an injury. Coming out of TCU, we were bullish on Johnston, but he has yet to live up to the hype of his draft status. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Joshua Palmer finished Week 15 with four catches for 113 yards and a touchdown. Palmer has carved out an excellent role for himself with the Chargers, and we wonder if he’ll be sticking around with this group in the future.
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