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Bolts Start Playoff Journey On the Road in Jacksonville

Jan 13, 2023 at 11:00 AM

Omar Navarro

Jr. Writer

The regular season has come to an end.

Following their regular season finale in Denver, the Chargers begin their preparation for their Wild Card Round matchup against the Jaguars.

Here's a breakdown of news from the Chargers 19th week of the season:

Monday: All eyes on Jacksonville

The Chargers schedule is set Super Wild Card Weekend.

Despite knowing they would play the Jaguars prior to kickoff, dates and times of the first round of playoff games were announced Sunday night. The Bolts will be traveling to Jacksonville and playing in the Saturday night slot in their first playoff game since 2018.

While this does make this week a short week, the team is focused on keeping their same rhythm they would in a game week by adjusting and moving certain things up a day. The team will travel to Jacksonville on Friday, and Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley pointed out that the game being at night gives them some more time to get ready for the game.

"The benefit is that we don't have to be in a hurry on Friday," Staley said. "As you know, those East Coast trips, they are long. When we played Atlanta at 1 o'clock [p.m.], which is really 10 o'clock [a.m.], those are tight turnarounds.

"We are playing in the evening, so, hopefully, we'll be able to not be in any hurry on Friday," Staley added. "Then, be able to wake up on Saturday and have some time to decompress, and then get our minds right to go play."

This travel will be similar to the one they had in Week 16 when they traveled to Indianapolis, as kickoff won't be until 8:15 p.m. (ET) / 5:15 p.m. (PT).

"It will be similar. We'll be able to get in Friday evening and not be in a hurry to do anything," Staley said. "Whenever we have a night game, we do the team meeting stuff the day of the game.

"Friday, there won't be anything football-wise, per se, when we get to the hotel," Staley added. "Wake up on Saturday, have some meetings, and then get ready to go play."

It's a quick turnaround for the Chargers as their sights shift to the Jaguars. And on the injury front, they also got an update on wide receiver Mike Williams, who left Sunday's game in the second quarter.

"Mike's MRI confirmed that there is not a fracture nor a muscle injury, he just has a contusion," Staley said. "You will see him back at practice at some point this week."

Staley also updated linebacker Kenneth Murray, Jr., who also left the game on Sunday, and others.

"Kenneth [Murray] had a stinger," Staley said. "You will see him back at practice this week."

"Bryce [Callahan], you will see him back at practice this week," Staley later added. "Trey Pipkins [III] made it out of the game OK. I think that was it from the game."

Tuesday: Bolts begin Wild Card Practice

Although the good news won't affect the Chargers on the field this week, they did get a big update. Tackle Rashawn Slater was designated to return from Injured Reserve and would be back on the practice field on Tuesday.

"We're going to activate the 21-day [practice] window for Rashawn Slater," Staley said. "You will see him at practice.

"He is not going to play in this game, but we're going to open up the window for him to start practice," Staley. "He is progressing well. We're excited to get him back out there with the football team."

With Slater back on the field practicing, his outlook looks good. But first, the team is focused on this weekend's game and taking care of the Wild Card Game.

Saturday night will be Chargers-Jaguars Round 2, but this time in Jacksonville.

Both teams look and play very different compared to when they first met back in Week 3, a meeting the Jags won after pulling away in the second half. Wide receiver Keenan Allen and center Corey Linsley were inactive for that game and the Bolts also lost outside linebacker Joey Bosa, Slater and wide receiver Jalen Guyton during the game. Herbert was also playing his first game with fractured rib cartilage.

"I feel like we've evolved and changed," Linsley said about the Chargers now compared to Week 3. "I feel like we're different and better team now, but this team that we're going up against, we knew that they were good in Week 3 and they're still a very good team, especially on defense.

"They're physical, tough bunch that deserves all of your attention in every situation, so we're going to have to bring our stuff," Linsley added.

More than three months later, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence also looks different this time around.

"Just more experience; more time on task, more familiarity with their skill group," Staley said about Lawrence. "Their skill group has been intact the whole season, so him having that chemistry with that skill group."

"He is the same player that he has been his whole life. Coming out of Cartersville, Georgia, he has always been a really good distributor, a guy that is a playmaker, a guy that can play well in the clutch. He is having a great season."

The Chargers enter their first playoff game since 2018 with only six members of the last playoff roster currently on the team. The playoff experience is mixed, but the team is built around having both players and coaches with big game experience.

The ability to lean on other members of the team is something that is important as they enter Saturday night.

"That type of experience, where it's your brothers that have gone through it — it's always the most impactful, the players who have gone through it," Staley said. "I think that we have a really good combination on our coaching staff of guys who have been in Super Bowls and guys that have been in the NFL Playoffs, National Championship Games in college.

"You lean on all of that experience. Our players know that," Staley added. "Since we've gotten here, we've had that type of atmosphere, where you can really trust the people that you're around and bring out the best in one another."

On Tuesday, the Bolts conducted a walkthrough, so the injury report is an estimation. Williams did not participate, but everyone else would have practiced in full.