EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers offense has understandably dipped over the past five practices. Starting quarterback Justin Herbert remains out with an injury to the plantar fascia in his right foot, and Easton Stick has been taking all the reps with the first-team offense.
As Stick said Sunday after the joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams: “There are very few people in the world that can do what Justin Herbert does.”
At what point, though, does the stagnant offensive play go from understandable to concerning?
“We’re where we need to be,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Tuesday of his unit. “It’s not really results-oriented right now. It’s, OK, are we using the right footwork? Are we doing the right things? … That’s what this process is all about.”
Roman added that the coaching staff is putting “ankle weights” on the offense right now. When asked what he meant by that, Roman noted that he is not “scheming anything” right now against the Chargers defense in practice.
“Sometimes we’re running plays that we would never run against that defense in a game, but they’re great teaching opportunities,” Roman said. “I would never run some of the stuff we’re doing in practice against our defense in a game. But guess what? We got to practice it. We got to learn it. We got to say, ‘Here’s why we like it versus this coverage and not this. But if they do spring this coverage on us, ball’s got to go here.’ Or run game, we’re running runs against fronts I would never run against, but we got to learn the plays and experience getting blitzed and blown up in the backfield. Here’s why we got to do this, this or this to prevent this. You have to go through that. If you don’t, just, I don’t know.”
The reality: It’s difficult to gauge exactly where the Chargers offense is 12 practices into camp. There is the context Roman is talking about. What the Chargers do come Sept. 8 to attack the Las Vegas Raiders defense will be different than what they are doing now as they finish the final installation of the scheme. There is also the fact that Herbert is not practicing. The Chargers said in a statement that Herbert is expected to be ready for that Week 1 game against Las Vegas. Herbert’s presence will, as receiver DJ Chark said Tuesday, “elevate” the performance of the offense.
Still, the results on the field are the results on the field.
The Chargers had a run period early in practice. On the first play, edge Khalil Mack got penetration off the left side for a tackle for loss. On the second play, edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu stuffed a Gus Edwards rush up the middle.
Stick opened seven-on-seven with a completion to Joshua Palmer on an out route against zone coverage. The next three plays: Derius Davis drop, Stick throwaway and a Tarheeb Still interception off a deflection from linebacker Nick Niemann.
On the opening play of the ensuing 11-on-11 period, Mack had another run stop. On second down, Stick had good protection. He threw deep down the left sideline. No one was there. Two plays later, Stick was sacked off play action.
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Later in that period, Stick got another series. First play, a second down: No one was open off play action, and Stick scrambled. On the next play, Stick threw behind tight end Donald Parham Jr., who was open over the middle. This should have been a completion.
Next came a low red zone period. Stick got one play, a fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Palmer was open on a slant route out of the slot. Stick missed him.
In the next 11-on-11 period, Stick faced a third-and-10. He hit receiver Brenden Rice on a crossing route, but the completion was short of the sticks. The first-team offense punted.
The Chargers then held a longer red zone period. The offense started at the 25-yard line. If the defense forced a field goal, they got four points and the offense got three points. If the offense scored a touchdown, they got seven points and the defense got nothing.
Stick connected with J.K. Dobbins on a swing route on first down. He handed off to Dobbins on second down. The offense was granted a first down on this run even though defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia looked to be in position to stop Dobbins short. A Dobbins run on the ensuing first down was stopped for a 1-yard gain. Ogbonnia was stout again on the interior. Stick then completed a shallow route to tight end Will Dissly over the middle. On third down, defensive lineman Morgan Fox got the defense off the field with a sack. Four for the defense, three for the offense. Kicker Cameron Dicker connected from 33 yards.
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The first-team offense got another turn later in the period. After a check down to running back Jaret Patterson, the Chargers faced a second-and-7. Stick dropped back. Palmer came open on a post route. Stick connected with Palmer past the coverage of cornerback Deane Leonard. But even this completion came with a caveat: Bud Dupree won his pass rush off the offense’s right side. He was in the backfield, and this could have easily been ruled a sack.
Palmer was shaken up on the play. He was pointing to his right knee as trainers came over to treat him. Coach Jim Harbaugh ended the period after this play and sent the Chargers into special teams drills.
Stick got one more series in 11-on-11. On the first play, Palmer — who returned to team drills after testing the knee out on the sideline — was wide open on a deep over route. Stick threw wide of him, and the pass fell incomplete. Stick completed two more passes in the period — one to Rice and one to Palmer — before tucking and scrambling on a third-and-6.
“I feel like we were really picking it up early in camp,” Chark said. “I think we kind of had a little setback the last few days. Today was better. We just got to pick up on that. We’re playing against a really good defense every day, so they’re picking up on our tendencies, we’re picking up on theirs. But I think we had a little lull, but like I said, today was great, and we’ve had a lot of really great days.”
When asked what led to the lull, Chark said, “Obviously with Justin not being there, he’s the heartbeat of this offense for sure. So any time you don’t have him in the huddle, it’s a difference.”
The Chargers announced the signing of former UFL and XFL quarterback Luis Perez during Tuesday’s practice.
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News and notes
• Chargers who did not practice Tuesday: Herbert, safety Derwin James Jr., receiver Ladd McConkey, edge rusher Joey Bosa, offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III, offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer, tight end Hayden Hurst, fullback/tight end Ben Mason, linebacker Junior Colson and running back Kimani Vidal. Colson and Vidal were working off to the side. Rookie receiver Leon Johnson was in individual drills but worked off to the side during team drills.
• Jordan McFadden and Foster Sarell both got first-team reps at right guard with Pipkins and Salyer sitting out. McFadden walked off the field and into the facility with trainers late in practice.
• Tight end Stone Smartt had an encouraging blocking period in one-on-one pass protection against the edge rushers and safeties. On the first rep, Smartt showed a good initial anchor against edge rusher Chris Collins. On the second, Smartt used his hands well to corral safety AJ Finley.
(Top photo of Casey Bauman, Max Duggan, Justin Herbert and Easton Stick: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
