Previewing The Los Angeles Chargers Defense
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley knows what a top-ranked defense looks like, having coached one last year with the Los Angeles Rams.
Now with the Los Angeles Chargers, the talent is there for him to have similar results.
They're off to a good start, with the team currently seventh in the league in points allowed (20 per game) and have forced six turnovers.
It starts up front, with three-time Pro Bowler Joey Bosa being among the best defensive linemen in the league since he was drafted in 2016.
Bosa has three double-digit sack seasons, and when he's been healthy has been a fixture as a top-10 rated edge defender by Pro Football Focus.
He's supported on the edge by veterans like Kyler Fackrell and Uchenna Nwosu, while at defensive tackle Linval Joesph and Jerry Tillery occupy the inside.
The Chargers' first-round pick last year, Kenneth Murray, leads their linebacking corps after having 107 total tackles as a rookie.
They might be most deep in the secondary, though, where they have safety Derwin James, the only defender on their roster who's been a First-Team All-Pro.
That was in 2018 when as a rookie James stuffed the stat sheet with three interceptions, 13 pass breakups, 3.5 sacks, and 105 total tackles.
James has played in only five games in the combined two years since but has gotten back to form early this season, ranking in the top-10 of safeties according to PFF.
Along with safeties Nasir Adderley and Alohi Gilman and cornerbacks Asante Samuel Jr., Michael Davis, Chris Harris Jr., and Tevaughn Campbell, it's a deep and talented group.
One area that the Chargers' defense hasn't been good in so far is the running game, where they rank at the bottom of the league in yards allowed and yards per attempt.
If the Raiders can run the ball similar to how they did in the second half of last week's win, that could then give them a big advantage in this matchup.
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