In 2014 the Chargers defense showed flashes of brilliance but overall was nowhere near as good as it needs to be to earn a spot on the list of the NFL’s true playoff contenders. So far in 2015 the San Diego defense looks like it’s taken the necessary steps to join the likes of the Seahawks, Patriots and Broncos.
In preseason game number three, a 16-15 loss Saturday night against Seattle, the Bolts only allowed the Hawks offense 9 points. Only six of those came with quarterback Russell Wilson in the game. Seattle got their only touchdown on a 67-yard punt return by rookie Tyler Lockett and the game-winning points on a 60-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka.
One moment in-particular showed just how much improvement the Chargers defense has made. In the first quarter safety Jahleel Addae blitzed Wilson, arguably the most elusive QB in the league. Addae didn’t buy the Wilson pump-fake, closed the gap quickly and forced an intentional grounding penalty. It’s the kind of play most of the guys on the Bolts D would have not made a year ago.
“All week we’ve been studying them and they like to run boots (bootlegs) away from the running back,” said Addae. “Coach Pagano called a great call. Russell is so athletic I wanted to wait for him to make his move then attack him.”
Addae treated Wilson the same way NBA defenders are taught to approach scorers like Kobe Bryant. Don’t leave your feet on the pump-fake; you’re only going to get the guy to draw a foul.
“I picked my hands up but I didn’t jump,” said Addae. “I tried to stay on the ground. Coach always says don’t jump. Once I was able to stay on the ground I was able to move right and left and it turned out in my favor.”
Safety Jimmy Wilson, a Pt. Loma High School product, also had a sack on a blitz. Those two got a lot of playing time with two-time All-Pro Eric Weddle resting a sore neck. Wilson and Addae have been battling for the other starting safety spot, but instead of a fight it’s turned in to a friendly rivalry.
“Both of those guys, every day in practice, just trying to get the edge on each other,” said Pro Bowl cornerback Brandon Flowers. “But it’s no confrontation they’re trying to push each other. They root each other on every play and that’s only going to make our secondary better.”
The Chargers pass rush has also shown signs of immediate improvement. If Wilson had not dropped Wilson (Jimmy and Russell, respectively) then Melvin Ingram was right there to clean it up. Rookie linebacker Kyle Emanuel has been working with the first team defense and looks to have the tools to be a legitimate NFL pass rusher. Fellow linebacker Donald Butler has returned from a sub-par season looking like the player the Bolts has when they signed him to a long contract extension before the 2014 season. The effort of the front-7 has not gone un-noticed by the guys in the secondary.
“They work together every day to see what protections these guys like,” said Flowers of the linemen and linebackers. “It’s been working.”
As certain head coaches (pretty much all of them) have been known to say a good pass rush is a good way to make your secondary better. Of course it helps when the secondary can jump in and get to the QB like Addae and Wilson did Saturday night, too.
