Below are three takeaways from Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, wide receiver DJ Chark, quarterback Justin Herbert and others following Wednesday's media availabilities.
Chark returns to practice
The Chargers on Wednesday activated DJ Chark's 21-day practice window, the first step to the wide receiver eventually making his debut in powder blue.
Chark sustained a hip injury in August and was placed on Injured Reserve the day before the Bolts season opener.
Chargers now have 21 days to add him to the active roster. If they don't, he would remain on IR and miss the entire season.
Chark said Wednesday he was unsure of when he'd make his debut and was just excited to get back on the practice field Wednesday.
"It felt great," Chark told Chargers.com on Wednesday. "It had been awhile but it was good being back out there with the guys to run some routes and catch some passes. It had been a long time coming."
"Eased back into it," Chark later added. "Got some team reps ... but still building my wind, endurance, stuff like that."
The Chargers signed Chark — a Pro Bowl selection in 2019 — as a free agent this offseason.
The 28-year-old Chark said getting injured before he could play a snap with his new team "weighed on me a little bit" in recent weeks.
But he said he surrounded himself with a great support system and kept a positive mindset throughout.
"It's a challenge, for sure," Chark said. "But it's a lot of self-reflecting, being grateful for what I've been able to do and be around some great teammates.
"Just being thankful for the spot I'm in and know that I'm working towards something," Chark added. "I've had some ups, had some downs … but still coming to work and giving it my best shot."
A 2018 second-round pick by the Jaguars, Chark has played in 69 career games (51 starts) and hauled in 212 receptions for 3,069 receiving yards in addition to 23 touchdowns.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said the Bolts offense is gladly welcoming Chark back into the fold with welcome arms.
"DJ has seen a lot of football," Herbert said. "He's very good, he's very talented and we've definitely missed him.
"We saw how good he was in camp, and during OTAs as well," Herbert added. "To miss a guy like that is tough, but to know we've got him and he's working to do everything he can to get on the field, we're definitely excited about him."
Chark could provide a jolt to an passing attack that has could use an extra gear.
Entering Week 7, the Chargers are tied for 32nd in the league in both 20-plus yard pass plays (10) and 40-plus yard pass plays (zero).
Chark said he's more concerned with bringing a good vibe to the field and is hopeful that stats and production can follow.
"Bringing some energy," Chark said. "I've developed a great relationship with these guys and just excited to play with them again.
"It was fun in camp," Chark continued. "So, whatever I can bring, make some plays, have some fun and win some games with them."
He later added: "I'm ready to play my first game as a Charger, whenever that happens."
Bolts run defense off to strong start
It's been quite the start for the Chargers run defense this season.
Entering Week 7, the Bolts rank sixth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (97.2) and are eighth in rushing yards per play (4.23).
They also have a 69.8 run defense grade, according to Pro Football Focus, good for seventh in the league.
The unit is tied for third-most forced fumbles on run plays with three and have also tied in sixth with the fewest missed tackles on run plays in the NFL with 18, according to the site.
It's been a point of emphasis for the unit as they have found success through both a mentality perspective, and a schematic perspective.
"They're all pieces to the puzzle," Harbaugh said Wednesday.
Morgan Fox added: "What we do is really important but how we do it is just as important. Play calls are important, the scheme is important, but how we approach it and how we do it, how execute it is just as or more important."
And it's started up front, as the defensive lineman room as a whole have played at a high level throughout this first part of the season.
Harbaugh praised the interior group for what they've been able to do up the middle.
"I think of it as a run wall," Harbaugh said. "Poona Ford has been incredible. The inside players, Morgan Fox, Scott Matlock, Tito Ogbonnia have been great.
"They create that wall, they get some penetration, and they get off blocks," Harbaugh added.
The group has thrived so far through five games, and Ford's play, as Harbaugh alluded too, has been a big boost in the trenches.
Ford holds a 71.7 Pro Football Focus run defense grade, which ranks 11th in the NFL among interior defensive linemen with at least 50 snaps. He also is tied for fourth on the team with four run stops (Ogbonnia also has four).
Everyone on the D-line has been determined and bought in to stopping the run, according to Fox, and it's something they take a lot of pride in.
"Just buying in to the mentality of really stopping the run," Fox said. "Everybody is unselfish about it, buying into the details of the run game and attacking every day.
"It's a point of pride and a point of emphasis, making sure we're coming down hill and put a physical brand of football on tape and we go up there and play with those physical teams that like to run the ball," Fox added.
He later added: "Everyone buys into each other, it's really unselfish. How do we make this work together, buying into the identity of wanting to be good run stoppers up front but also affect the quarterback when we get in the game. Just trying to up the level of D-line play if we can."
Of course, the run defense takes everybody, and the Bolts have gotten contributions from just about every level of the defense.
Khalil Mack is doing it all, holding the fourth-best PFF run defense grade among all defensive players with a 92.0. Second-year edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, who has stepped up in Joey Bosa's absence sits at 15th among edge rushers with a 72.6 grade.
Linebackers Denzel Perryman and Daiyan Henley have combined for 25 run tackles, while Derwin James, Alohi Gilman and the rest of the secondary have also stepped up, making it a complete team effort.
It's been total team execution, and something the Bolts hope they can continue to build on as the season progresses.
"Just good team defense," Harbaugh said. "Everybody running to the ball has been really good."
A Harbaugh heart update
Harbaugh provided another update on his heart on Wednesday.
The Chargers Head Coach briefly left Sunday's game in Denver with arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) but gave a positive update on Monday.
The good news continued on Wednesday.
"Just talked to the cardiologist before I came in here," Harbaugh said. "Got some test results back. 'The heart of an athlete' is a direct quote from my cardiologist. So, that made me feel good.
"He said stress test was really good, too. I think he used the word 'incredible', I think he did," Habaugh added. "That my stamina was incredible and heart got stronger as it was more stressed. Back in rhythm, hopefully that sticks. Got the monitor on. Good news, I took that as a compliment. Blue twisted steel. Feel good about that."
Harbaugh said earlier this week that Sunday's incident was the third he's had in his life, all of which have come when he's around team doctors who have been able to help him out.
Harbaugh reiterated Wednesday that he will continue to follow doctors' advice going forward.
"I'm coachable. I don't think there's anybody anywhere that can say Jim Harbaugh wasn't coachable," Harbaugh said. "I don't think anybody has ever said that. I approach listening to the doctors as the same as listening to one of my coaches."
He later added: "I'll probably do some things. Probably less Diet Coke and more water, some other things like that. Attacking the oatmeal in the morning, doing some stuff, trying to keep up."
