Los Angeles Chargers 2019 preseason awards: Best Play, MVP, and more

4 of 6

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 29: Quarterback Cardale Jones #7 of the Los Angeles Chargers calls the play in the huddle during the first quarter of the preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Chargers: Best play

Nominations:

Easton Stick runs for a touchdown
Troymaine Pope to the house
Anthony Lanier gets to the quarterback

Winner: Troymaine Pope to the house

Stick’s run was sensational, but it came right after a truly terrible interception, which is the award-equivalent of Eddie Murphy losing out on his Oscar for Dreamgirls because he starred in the critically-panned Norbit.

Lanier’s two-point conversion stop was a real eye-opener for fans, and a highlight of his best game of the preseason.

But, this one goes to Pope, who may have won a job on one play alone.

that man electric ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/GPMnKW3z9j

— Los Angeles Chargers (@Chargers) August 22, 2019

That, by the way, is one of the best edits the Chargers’ media team has put together this offseason.

Chargers: Biggest surprise

Nominations:

Cardale Jones vastly improves

Nope, that’s it, nothing else was as surprising. Did anyone see this coming?

No one expected Jones to have:

The most completions (28)
The most yards per attempt (8.7)
The most touchdowns (two)
The fewest interceptions (zero)
The highest quarterback rating (103.4)

What else can one say? Regardless of pre-preseason thoughts, it’s hard to argue Jones doesn’t belong on the roster over Stick after his performance across multiple games.

Jones outright won the quarterback battle by taking care of the football, looking sharper than ever, and even selling out his body for the sake of winning the job.