Chargers at Vikings Depth Chart Preview 2023
Sept 23, 2023 14:27:30 GMT -6
Reignman and Funkytown like this
Post by Danchat on Sept 23, 2023 14:27:30 GMT -6
Two 2022 playoff teams face off in a battle to avoid 0-3. Will the Vikings conquer the fellow underachiever or succumb to the bad luck? Let's see how the Chargers stack up:
Injury Report
Vikings
ED Davenport - Out
C Bradbury - Questionable
Chargers
RB Ekeler - Out
ILB Kendricks - Out
ED Bosa - Questionable
ILB Henley - Questionable
DE Hinton - Questionable
ED Rumph - Questionable
Line: Vikings -1
Super Sim Calculated line: Chargers -3.5
*My Thoughts*
It's shaping up to be another disappointing year for the Chargers, and once again Justin Herbert is leading a strong offense that has consistently been a top 10 unit since he has started. Like Kirk Cousins, the team continues to find ways to lose in spite of having him. Now lead by OC Kellen Moore, the offense is off to a hot start. They will be missing Austin Ekelerwho is integral to their passing game, though PFF does not think he is the best runner between the tackles. Kelley will start but he's just a guy, though he did average 4.2 YPC last year. The Chargers love to pass, but if the Vikings run personnel sets like they did last week with 1/2 DL on non 3rd and long plays, LA can run the ball at will.
The Chargers' receiving core is a deep unit, and dangerous with the whole unit intact (unlike last year). Allen is a killer in the intermediate range and isn't slowing down at age 31, and Mike Williams has the ability to erupt for 100+ yard games every few weeks. Palmer is currently their 3rd receiver and is like KJ Osborn, plays a lot of snaps but isn't a daunting threat, but will get open because of the guys around him. And they've got Quentin Johnston as an X-factor on the bench, but so far the coaches haven't trusted him outside of playing 15 snaps a game. At TE they're rotating Everett and Parham, who are decent enough options. Parham is a 6' 8" behemoth who gets red zone targets, making it harder to hold them to FGs.
LA's offensive line collapsed last year but is healthy now and should challenge the Vikings in the trenches. Slater is a beast and on par with Darrisaw, and they seem to have found their guards in the 2022 draft - one in the 1st and one in the 6th. Salyer moved from LT to LG but seems to be holding up so far. Corey Linsley isn't elite like he used to be, but he's still a serviceable starter. Finally, their one weakness is Trey Pipkins, who struggles with run-blocking and penalties. Expect more runs to the left side.
Defensively, this unit is a disaster despite having some names that you'd think would keep this unit somewhere around average. But nay, Brandon Staley and the defensive staff seem to be able to turn something into nothing and have consistently cost this team games every year. They play a hybrid 4-3 / 3-4 defense with several different looks, but it simply isn't working. Their only plus player is Joey Bosa, who is good but isn't fully healthy yet and can't play a full share of snaps. Khalil Mack looks cooked and is invisible so far, and the backup edge rushers haven't provided any juice either. Joseph-Day and Johnson were once quality run stuffers who have flopped in LA, and there isn't much behind them either.
The LB position is already a disaster too. Giving a past-his-prime Eric Kendricks $7.6M a year was already a blunder and he already got hurt Week 1 and hasn't played since. Kenneth Murray is a 1st round bust who can't stop the run and isn't a particularly good tackler either. This forces Nick Niemann into a bigger role, a former 6th round pick who was a RAS darling but has yet to make an impact. They've also rolled the dice on the safety spot alongside the dynamic Derwin James and went with 2020 6th rounder Alohi Gillman (same year and round as Josh Metellus) who hasn't been effective.
Finally, at the CB position they do have a quality starter in Michael Davis, but JC Jackson is a big question mark. He was an elite #1 corner for the Patriots but was horrific last year before suffering an ACL tear, and so far he hasn't played up to snuff. Samuels Jr. has been a sturdy nickel CB but is also off to a bad start.
Prediction: Vikings 34, Chargers 30
I expect chaos and a guarantee of a one-score win... but I'm feeling the Vikings. Not just because of homefield advantage, but because of the advantages on defense and in coaching. The Chargers are a mess and their easiest fix was to fire Brandon Staley, and they continue to look like a disaster on defense. A Chargers win wouldn't surprise me whatsoever, but I think the Vikings' bad luck reverses for one week as we face a team with even worse luck.
Any thoughts?
Injury Report
Vikings
ED Davenport - Out
C Bradbury - Questionable
Chargers
RB Ekeler - Out
ILB Kendricks - Out
ED Bosa - Questionable
ILB Henley - Questionable
DE Hinton - Questionable
ED Rumph - Questionable
Line: Vikings -1
Super Sim Calculated line: Chargers -3.5
*My Thoughts*
It's shaping up to be another disappointing year for the Chargers, and once again Justin Herbert is leading a strong offense that has consistently been a top 10 unit since he has started. Like Kirk Cousins, the team continues to find ways to lose in spite of having him. Now lead by OC Kellen Moore, the offense is off to a hot start. They will be missing Austin Ekelerwho is integral to their passing game, though PFF does not think he is the best runner between the tackles. Kelley will start but he's just a guy, though he did average 4.2 YPC last year. The Chargers love to pass, but if the Vikings run personnel sets like they did last week with 1/2 DL on non 3rd and long plays, LA can run the ball at will.
The Chargers' receiving core is a deep unit, and dangerous with the whole unit intact (unlike last year). Allen is a killer in the intermediate range and isn't slowing down at age 31, and Mike Williams has the ability to erupt for 100+ yard games every few weeks. Palmer is currently their 3rd receiver and is like KJ Osborn, plays a lot of snaps but isn't a daunting threat, but will get open because of the guys around him. And they've got Quentin Johnston as an X-factor on the bench, but so far the coaches haven't trusted him outside of playing 15 snaps a game. At TE they're rotating Everett and Parham, who are decent enough options. Parham is a 6' 8" behemoth who gets red zone targets, making it harder to hold them to FGs.
LA's offensive line collapsed last year but is healthy now and should challenge the Vikings in the trenches. Slater is a beast and on par with Darrisaw, and they seem to have found their guards in the 2022 draft - one in the 1st and one in the 6th. Salyer moved from LT to LG but seems to be holding up so far. Corey Linsley isn't elite like he used to be, but he's still a serviceable starter. Finally, their one weakness is Trey Pipkins, who struggles with run-blocking and penalties. Expect more runs to the left side.
Defensively, this unit is a disaster despite having some names that you'd think would keep this unit somewhere around average. But nay, Brandon Staley and the defensive staff seem to be able to turn something into nothing and have consistently cost this team games every year. They play a hybrid 4-3 / 3-4 defense with several different looks, but it simply isn't working. Their only plus player is Joey Bosa, who is good but isn't fully healthy yet and can't play a full share of snaps. Khalil Mack looks cooked and is invisible so far, and the backup edge rushers haven't provided any juice either. Joseph-Day and Johnson were once quality run stuffers who have flopped in LA, and there isn't much behind them either.
The LB position is already a disaster too. Giving a past-his-prime Eric Kendricks $7.6M a year was already a blunder and he already got hurt Week 1 and hasn't played since. Kenneth Murray is a 1st round bust who can't stop the run and isn't a particularly good tackler either. This forces Nick Niemann into a bigger role, a former 6th round pick who was a RAS darling but has yet to make an impact. They've also rolled the dice on the safety spot alongside the dynamic Derwin James and went with 2020 6th rounder Alohi Gillman (same year and round as Josh Metellus) who hasn't been effective.
Finally, at the CB position they do have a quality starter in Michael Davis, but JC Jackson is a big question mark. He was an elite #1 corner for the Patriots but was horrific last year before suffering an ACL tear, and so far he hasn't played up to snuff. Samuels Jr. has been a sturdy nickel CB but is also off to a bad start.
Prediction: Vikings 34, Chargers 30
I expect chaos and a guarantee of a one-score win... but I'm feeling the Vikings. Not just because of homefield advantage, but because of the advantages on defense and in coaching. The Chargers are a mess and their easiest fix was to fire Brandon Staley, and they continue to look like a disaster on defense. A Chargers win wouldn't surprise me whatsoever, but I think the Vikings' bad luck reverses for one week as we face a team with even worse luck.
Any thoughts?
... and neither is this Chris guy.