Three Takeaways: How Do the Pass Rush and Secondary Go 'Hand in Hand' with Forcing Turnovers?

Sep 27, 2021 at 05:24 PM

Cory Kennedy

Seasonal Content Assistant

Below are three takeaways from Monday's pressers with Joey Bosa and head coach Brandon Staley:

Bosa wanted four turnovers and defense got it

On Monday, Chargers OLB Joey Bosa talked about the excitement amongst the team on the way back to L.A. that stemmed from the 30-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. But Bosa, a veteran player in the league, knows the team can't get too excited or let down by early games like this, with 15 more weeks in the season still ahead of them.

"It's a long season," Bosa said. "You can't get too high or too low with any win or loss so you just gotta just keep your head straight and dissect it for what it is. Of course, we're supper happy we were able to go into their place and pull off a win early in the season."

Bosa, who was questionable coming into Sunday with foot/ankle injuries, battled through the game and discussed how the Bolts were able to cause four turnovers on the day. He explained the secondary and the pass rush 'go hand and hand' when it comes to forcing turnovers.

"Being able to keep [Patrick] Mahomes in the pocket and keep a tight pocket on him and make him get rid of the ball quick really had an effect on him," he said. "He threw the two picks with pressure, so it was a testament to what we've been working on with paying attention to the ball…we said we wanted four [turnovers] and we got four."

Bosa's sack split with linebacker Drue Tranquil brought his career sack total to 49.0, just one shy from being the fourth Charger to record 50 sacks in a Bolts uniform. Bosa has sacked Raiders quarterback Derek Carr six times, more than any other quarterback he has faced.

Getting the job done in the red zone and offensive line play

A key to Sunday's win in Kansas City was scoring touchdowns in the red zone, allowing the Chargers to put 30 points on the board for the first time in this young season. On Monday, Staley talked about what led to the success in the 'red-area' for the Chargers.

"I really like the way we ran the football," Staley said. "I think that's gotta be a part of your strategy [in the red zone] having some runs with pass solutions, whether it's from under the center or in shotgun. I like the way that we trended, and you need to score versus [the Chiefs]."

Staley talked about right tackle Storm Norton's performance and how Norton used the help of veteran players like Bryan Bulaga and Corey Linsley as resources. Together, they were able to develop a game plan to slow down the Chiefs' top defensive linemen, especially Chris Jones.

"I felt like Storm really responded [on Sunday] by his fundamentals, his technique," he said. "Ifelt like Storm really competed in the game and gave us a chance and I think that's an exciting sign for him and a lot of young guys like him. I felt like he allowed Justin [Herbert] to really have some clean pockets in some big moments yesterday."

Moving to another key piece of the Chargers offensive line, Staley talked about the important duo in center Linsley and Herbert. He explained how vital it is to have a high caliber center like Linsley to the success of the Bolts offense.

"When you've got one of the best centers in the game playing, it's gonna help you play better as a quarterback. I love those guys teaming up because when you play in a hostile environment like the one we just played in the other day, you need those two central controllers to command your offense and I'm glad we have both those guys."

Mike Williams is a 'power forward' in the Chargers offense

When comparing football and basketball players, it's usually tight ends that get the comparison to a power forward or center in the NBA. But Staley explained why the skill set of wide receiver Mike Williams is comparable to having a 'power forward' on the gridiron.

Staley went on to discuss how he's been impressed with Williams going back to his time as a receiver for Clemson and how the Chargers coaches came together this season to try and unlock a new element in Williams' game.

"This is how were gonna design this offense and really get Mike in situations that are advantageous for him from a matchup standpoint," Staley said. "Get him to be running the right routes against the right guy and then the type of chemistry that he's been able to build with Justin. You put all those factors into play, and I think that's how you wanna do things for all your guys."

Williams' game-winning touchdown grab against the Chiefs put him in the top five in touchdown receptions in the NFL with four scores. Staley said he never saw Williams as a guy that was just a vertical deep down the field receiver, he explained he always had more in mind for the six-foot-four receiver and is excited for what lies ahead.

"I've gotten closer to him as a person now too," he said. "I feel like we've been able to really establish something and we're at the beginning and I'm just excited to uncover even more."