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Chargers Notebook: Packers review, Shane Steichen, Gus Bradley

By Jason Balliet II

CARSON, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 03: Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Shane Steichen looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Dignity Health Sports Park on November 03, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
CARSON, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 03: Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Shane Steichen looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Dignity Health Sports Park on November 03, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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JACKSONVILLE, FL – NOVEMBER 12: Defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers Gus Bradley watches the play on the field during the first half of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on November 12, 2017, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL – NOVEMBER 12: Defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers Gus Bradley watches the play on the field during the first half of their game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on November 12, 2017, in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images) /

What did Chargers’ defensive coordinator Gus Bradley do to confuse Green Bay’s great offensive line without sending blitzes?

It wasn’t something he did to confuse the Green Bay offensive line. He played more man in the secondary, asked the linebackers to initiate more contact to limit the development of a route, and dared Green Bay to stop Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. That’s it.

There was no confusing blitz, there was no confusion.Bosa and Ingram flat out dominated the Green Bay offensive line, while Casey Hayward, Jaylen Watkins, and Desmond King locked down the receivers and running backs.

Nice to have 14 offensive plays to break down and then only 3 defensive plays to choose from

Joey Bosa set a whole new tone on 3rd down, and sent the Packers a message early.

Bosa has some of the best hand usage in the NFL, and is explosive off the LoS. In Rodgers' face all day pic.twitter.com/vEI7xS1YbG

— Jason Balliet II (@Syntari13) November 6, 2019

Both of the plays above are examples. The point of a screen pass to start the game was to start a trend of forcing Bosa and Ingram from sideline to sideline. Tire them out, that way later in the game you have a nice clean pocket to throw from. It is one of the best gameplans in the book if you can execute it.

The problem was that Watkins said no and immediately sent a message to the Packers.

“You’re going to have to deal with me if you want to avoid Bosa.”

The message was loud and clear, and two plays later, Rodgers was forced to drop back and read the defense while an angry pass rush closed in. Watkins set the tone against the Packers, and the reason they struggled to move the ball all day was because of that first play of defense by Watkins. It allowed Bosa and Ingram to play their game.

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