LA Chargers: Pros and cons of offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi
By Jason Reed
Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports – LA Chargers
Pros of the LA Chargers hiring Joe Lombardi:
Obviously, working with Drew Brees and Sean Payton for a combined 12 seasons is going to naturally raise someone’s stock. While Payton is a great offensive mind and does deserve the most credit alongside Brees, there is a lot that Lombardi learned from New Orleans that can be transferred to LA.
The progression of the other quarterbacks in New Orleans is impressive as well. Teddy Bridgewater was still an unproven commodity in 2019 and he filled in for Drew Brees and did not lose a game.
Taysom Hill has also found his niche in the league, although he is more of a tight end than a quarterback most times. Regardless, Lombardi is the one that is primarily working with Hill.
Lombardi’s experience in the league is also huge for this coaching staff. Staley has been in the league for four years, Hill has coached in the league for three years. Swinton has been in the league since 2009, though.
Lombardi has legitimate NFL experience and more importantly, has a ton of experience on winning football teams with an all-time great quarterback. He knows what it takes to be successful and because of the fact that he was hired, he will be willing to buy into Staley’s offensive ideology, which hopefully shies away from the power zone running scheme he ran in Detroit.
Heck, Brees openly admitted he missed Lombardi when he was in Detroit and the Saints did have their fewest points scored in the two years that Lombardi was gone.