Dude, you won’t believe the Chargers’ Week 5 PFF grades. Fullback Scott Matlock, fresh off injured reserve and making his season debut, didn’t just play, he somehow finished with the offense’s HIGHEST individual grade at 77.7. What even is happening in Inglewood?
Matlock Shines as Offense’s Bright Spot
Seriously, Matlock coming back from IR to be the top offensive guy is wild. This is a defensive tackle-turned-fullback, a sixth-round pick, showing up the entire offense. He absolutely crushed it as an extra pass protector, grabbing an 82.5 grade that led the *whole team*. And he wasn’t just standing around, either, racking up a 70.2 run block grade, good for fifth best. Remember Kimani Vidal’s 42-yard touchdown run? Yeah, Matlock was downfield throwing a key block alongside receiver Theo Wease. The guy played his heart out.
He wasn’t the only one trying, though. Tight end Hayden Rucci put up a 77.1 grade, and rookie offensive tackle Travis Burke, one of four rookie linemen starting, was the offense’s third-best player overall at 73.6. Burke was a beast in the run game with an 84.2, even if he did give up a sack and had a rough 39.7 in pass block. WR Tre’ Harris also showed up big in the run game with an 81.6 run block grade before getting hurt, which really messed up their ground attack.
Herbert’s Nightmare Week and O-Line Woes Continue
Now for the ugly stuff. Justin Herbert had what can only be described as a disaster class, getting the offense’s lowest grade at 41.8. An ugly pick, another lost fumble, and one of the worst production days of his entire career? Yikes. That’s a rough look for your franchise quarterback.
The offensive line was a mess, too. Rookie Logan Taylor, who mostly played tackle in preseason, got thrown in at guard and had the worst grade among the rookies. His 31.9 in pass protection was just brutal. And then there’s tight end Oronde Gadsden II, who somehow managed a 0.0 grade in pass protection. A zero! You just can’t make this stuff up. It’s like the coaching staff just throws darts at a board sometimes.
Defense Remains the Only Hope
Good thing the defense continues to carry the load, for the fifth straight game, no less. Linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips absolutely went off, nearly hitting that elite 90.0+ territory with an 89.9 grade. That’s his best game as a pro, becoming a starter in his eighth year! And EDGE Akheem Mesidor wasn’t far behind at 89.0. It’s wild that the defense’s best player is an undrafted free agent in year eight, while the offense’s best is a defensive tackle-turned-fullback. This is the 2026 Chargers experience in a nutshell.
So, what are we even doing here, Chargers? With the defense playing lights out and an actual fullback being your offensive MVP, where do you even go from here? Herbert and that O-line have got to figure something out, and fast, if they want to turn this weird season around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bolts from the Blue.
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