During minicamp in June, Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman used the word “medieval” when assessing a member of his offensive line.
He was asked to elaborate.
“Get lower than somebody else and get after them and get physical,” Roman explained. “One guy being that way is one thing, but when you get a whole group of guys doing that, playing that way, it gets medieval in there.”
Through two games, the Chargers have been getting medieval. The physicality on both sides of the ball has been the through line in this 2-0 start. Jim Harbaugh’s message is showing on the field. And there is no better example than how the Chargers controlled the line of scrimmage in the run game during a Week 2 win over the Carolina Panthers.
The results in the run game are there, of course. The Chargers are second in the league in rushing yards through two weeks. They are fourth in yards per carry and sixth in expected points added per designed rush, according to TruMedia.
The film from the Panthers game was even more impressive than the gaudy numbers. And the physical dominance the Chargers showed is what indicates, more than the results, that this running game is sustainable.
Left tackle Rashawn Slater set the tone for the offensive line in this game. Panthers defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson had a long day at the office. Slater put the 320-pounder on his backside multiple times in the game, including on the opening drive.
Robinson was aligned directly across from Slater.
Slater engaged at the snap.
He drove him left as running back J.K. Dobbins received the pitch from quarterback Justin Herbert.
And Slater planted Robinson.
Slater and left guard Zion Johnson finished the block.
The Chargers had four runs of at least 5 yards on this drive. This pitch to Dobbins was the only rush that did not produce positive yards. But I want to focus on the play style and the physicality on some of these downs early in the game. As tight end Hayden Hurst told me after the game, the offensive line was “taking people’s will away.” This is what he was talking about. And it created massive amounts of push up front later in the game as that “will” deteriorated.
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It is the manifestation of the identity Harbaugh, Roman, offensive line coach Mike Devlin and everyone else involved with the running game have been trying to build since April.
Here is right guard Try Pipkins and right tackle Joe Alt manhandling defensive lineman Nick Thurman on a double-team later in the first quarter.
Center Bradley Bozeman and left guard Zion Johnson offered similar physicality to defensive lineman LaBryan Ray early in the second quarter.
Later in that same drive, Slater quite literally picked up Robinson and threw him onto his back.
Firing off the ball. Low pad level. Driving the feet. Finishing the blocks with tenacity. Just “moving them,” as Slater told me after the game.
This physicality in the first part of the game led to opportunities later. There was Dobbins’ 44-yard touchdown run late in the first half. But the true testament was the push the Chargers were getting in the fourth quarter.
Just look at the space for Dobbins on this fourth-quarter rush.
This was a third-and-3 two plays later.
The Chargers have faced nine third downs with 3 or fewer yards to gain this season. They ran the ball on designed rushes all nine times. They successfully converted seven of those nine attempts, including this third-and-3.
Last season, the Chargers called designed rushes on only 42.9 percent of their third downs with 3 or fewer yards to gain, according to TruMedia. Overall, they converted on these downs at the fourth-lowest rate in the league.
As Roman said in February of building a running game: “You got to commit yourself to do it or else you got no chance at being anything better than average.”
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The offensive line has been top of mind for Harbaugh, general manager Joe Hortiz and the entire Chargers staff since February.
What you are seeing now are the fruits of that commitment.
And NFL defenses are on notice: When it is time to face these Chargers, buckle up the chinstrap and prepare for a grueling 60 minutes.
(Top photo of J.K. Dobbins celebrating a touchdown with Bradley Bozeman, Simi Fehoko and Zion Johnson: Kara Durrette / Associated Press; screenshots via NFL+)
