The Chargers offense got some high marks from Sunday’s loss. The defense? Not so much.
The Chargers’ loss to the Dolphins was a tale of two sides of the football.
The offense started hot and didn’t cool off until the very end. The defense didn’t get too far off the bus the way Miami sliced and diced them all afternoon.
With that striking contrast between each unit, it’s not a surprise to see the events of Sunday reflected so heavily in the team’s Pro Football Focus grades from Week One.
Below are the best and worst grades for the Chargers from their season opener inside SoFi Stadium.
Offense
Best (min. 20 snaps played)
OT Rashawn Slater – 80.9
RB Joshua Kelley – 75.5
RB Austin Ekeler – 74.8
C Corey Linsley – 74.2
TE Donald Parham Jr. – 71.5
Gosh, it was awesome seeing Rashawn Slater crush it in his return to the field after missing all but three games in 2022 with a biceps injury.
Unsurprisingly, both Austin Ekeler and Joshua Kelley were among the team’s top performers after they combined for over 200 yards rushing and two scores. It was an awesome first game for both of them.
Seeing Linsley continue his dominance is also ideal at his age. Parham getting a short touchdown is phenomenal to see after all the injuries he’s battled the past two seasons.
Worst
WR Josh Palmer – 50.6
OG Zion Johnson – 60.6
OT Trey Pipkins – 60.8
TE Gerald Everett – 61.9
WR Mike Williams – 62.1
Having both Zion Johnson and Trey Pipkins among the team’s worst would normally be a bad sign, but the offense as a whole had decent numbers from top-to-bottom and so their respective game grades are actually right there at what is considered “average” by PFF, so if that’s the worst of the worst, I’ll take it. Palmer was truly the only “bad” qualifying player for this list.
Both Everett and Williams were quiet on a day that the run game was the focal point of the offense. I expect both to have better games in Week Two.
Defense
Best
DT Morgan Fox – 64.5
DT Austin Johnson – 62.2
DT Nick Williams – 60.4
S Derwin James – 60.2
EDGE Khalil Mack – 59.8
The interior of the defensive line took the top three spots this week with strong performances against the run. Morgan Fox had multiple pressures and Nick Williams recovered a fumbled snap. Derwin James was his usual self and Khalil Mack led the defense with six pressures.
Worst
LB Kenneth Murray – 29.4
EDGE Joey Bosa – 44.0
CB J.C. Jackson – 45.0
DT Sebastian Joseph-Day – 45.4
CB Michael Davis – 47.0
Kenneth Murray was the worst player on the field for the Chargers with an abysmal game grade. He was abused in coverage and he struggled to read play-action fakes for most of the evening. In year four, games like this should be things of the past.
Joey Bosa was quiet aside from two penalties, one for offsides on the first play of the game and another on a face mask that helped extend a Dolphins drive. He finished with just one tackle but recorded four pressures, second most on the team.
J.C. Jackson was targeted early and often by the Dolphins. he allowed a 35-yard touchdown and 99 yards receiving. His interception was a highlight of the day…until he took it out of the end zone to go out of bounds at the four-yard line. When the Chargers went three-and-out, Jackson was immediately beat on the aforementioned touchdown.
Davis also had a rough outing. He allowed two touchdowns and seven receptions on 10 targets his way. He needs to forget about this one and get back to his 2022 play. Him and Jackson recorded two pass breakups, apiece.