The LA Chargers claimed veteran safety Marcus Maye off waivers on Wednesday. Los Angeles invested in the safety room by signing Maye to the active roster after placing Alohi Gilman on the IR with a hamstring injury.
The recently acquired DB ended up playing 21 snaps and recorded his first Chargers' interception on Atlanta's Kirk Cousins. It came at a critical juncture of the game as well, considering the Chargers had just failed a fake punt to give Atlanta the ball back in their territory.
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh spoke about Maye's critical INT through the context of his failed fake punt attempt:
"I thought it was a good time to catch them by surprise," Harbaugh said. They did a good job defending it. We didn't exactly run it the way we had practiced it. Just came up short, that's on me. Those coaches decisions are good when they're right."
"There's the beautiful thing," Harbaugh continued. "Our defense gets the turnover. Marcus Maye who just, as you know, was signed this week."
Jim Harbaugh praises Marcus Maye after hectic first week with Chargers
Harbaugh went on to say that Maye did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday after he was claimed by the Chargers: "I know he didn't practice Wednesday. Didn't on Thursday, by the time he got through all the physicals and everything. So Friday was really his first day."
The leadership of Derwin James shined through in how the team was able to bring Maye along, per Harbaugh:
"Derwin James again, here's Derwin-'Coach, I'll get him ready. I'll tell him, be in the post, be in the half, be in the flat.' The coaches did a great job of getting him ready, and he's a pro. Similar defensive structure."
Apparently, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was able to predict that Maye would come down with an interception when they were considering signing him:
"Jesse called it," Harbaugh explained. "Jesse predicted that he would get an interception in his first game when we were looking at signing him. So Jesse had the crystal ball out. Yeah, it's great."
The Chargers' defense has cycled through a number of players that were able to get caught up on the team's defensive structure quickly. Similarly in the safety room, Elijah Molden was traded over from Tennessee just a week before the season started.
They've of course also gotten great contributions in the secondary from Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still as rookies. Still had an impressive pick-six to save the team when it was needed the most.
It was an ugly day on offense, but getting back in the win column on a short week on the road in Atlanta is no small feat. The Chargers are now set up for a big Sunday Night Football game against the division rival Chiefs next week.