The Los Angeles Chargers’ performance against the 49ers was flat-out undisciplined, and that’s putting it mildly. What makes it sting even more? Some of their *starters* were among the worst-graded players on the field. This wasn’t some minor hiccup; this was a game packed with lessons the team needs to learn fast.
Offensive Nightmares: Cole Strange and the Line Woes
You wanna talk about brutal? Let’s start with right guard Cole Strange. This guy was literally brought in because he knows Mike McDaniel’s offense from the Dolphins, a “hand-picked signing” ready to hit the ground running. And in his first game action? Atrocious. His 17.5 pass block grade was absolutely horrendous, the *only* worse one on the entire team coming from another player. And get this: it’s not even a fluke for him; he’s already recorded two different pass block game grades below 20.0. Ouch.
Then there’s veteran tight end David Njoku, another offseason signing. He just couldn’t execute his assignments, and honestly, he was a huge reason the starters got only three plays on their single drive of the game. His 27.9 run block grade was the absolute worst among offensive players. He only had two games below 50.0 as a run blocker in 2025, so the Chargers are probably praying this was just a one-off against a well-coached defense. And let’s not forget Laekin Vakalahi, who was the worst overall offensive player with dismal run (29.6) and pass (36.4) block grades. KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Branson Taylor also clocked in with some ugly numbers. This offense has some serious soul-searching to do.
Flashes of Brilliance: Defense and Bradley’s Hustle
Okay, it wasn’t *all* doom and gloom. There were a few bright spots that might keep fans from completely losing their minds. Linebackers Denzel Perryman (a 90.5!) and Junior Colson (89.1!) continued their strong preseason play, grabbing the team’s highest defensive grades against the Niners. Colson, especially, has been impressive in his return after missing most of his first… well, let’s just say he’s back. Cornerbacks Rodney Shelley (84.6) and Isas Waxter (79.2) also showed up, along with linebacker Marlowe Wax (84.3). This linebacker group, man, they’re looking solid, and that’s gotta be a good sign, right?
On offense, tight end Jerand Bradley delivered the Chargers’ only offensive touchdown. It was a heads-up play, too: he got up after being “touched down” and just scooted into the end zone. He’s got a tough road to stick with the team, but that play was nonetheless huge. Guard/tackle Alex Harkey was the highest-graded run blocker for the Chargers, the *only* player with a run block grade over 70.0 (72.3). And tackle Travis Burke’s 81.0 pass block grade was second-best on the team to center Jacob Spomer (82.6). So, yeah, there are some dudes stepping up, even if the overall picture was messy.
Look, this was a game the Chargers need to put behind them, but not before dissecting every single flaw. You gotta hope those awful grades from Strange and Njoku are just blips and not a sign of things to come from these new signings. The defense, especially those linebackers, are showing up, and that’s something to build on. They gotta find that improvement, because nobody wants to see that kind of sloppy play again. Time to get to work.
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.
Leave a Reply