INGLEWOOD — The Chargers’ offensive struggles in training camp continued during their 16-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks during their exhibition opener Saturday at SoFi Stadium. Here’s what we learned, what we heard and what comes next after the Chargers failed to move the ball from start to finish:
STICK SCUFFLES
Easton Stick started at quarterback and endured a nightmarish first half in which he completed 5 of 13 passes for 32 yards with one interception and a passer rating of 14.6 in 25 plays. The Chargers gained only 71 total yards and scored only three points on Cameron Dicker’s 58-yard field goal.
Stick completed passes of 15 and 4 yards to tight end Stone Smartt, 5 yards to tight end Luke Benson, 4 yards to running back Jaret Patterson and 4 yards to running back Elijah Dotson. His only pass downfield nearly got tight end Hayden Hurst hospitalized before it was intercepted by Coby Bryant.
Hurst was hammered to the artificial turf before he could latch onto the way-too-high pass.
Bryant’s interception set up the second of the Seahawks’ two second-quarter touchdowns. Seattle quarterback Sam Howell completed a pass for a 13-yard touchdown to tight end Brady Rusell and then George Holani scored on a 10-yard touchdown run as the Seahawks led 13-0.
In addition to Stick’s interception, the Chargers went three and out on five possessions in the first half. They didn’t get their first first down until Stick scrambled for an 11-yard gain on a drive that produced Dicker’s 58-yard field goal that cut their deficit to 13-3 with 3:26 remaining in the half.
Max Duggan replaced Stick to start the third quarter.
Stick didn’t have wide receiver Joshua Palmer as his top target with Palmer sitting out Saturday’s game after suffering an injury in practice during the week. He did have wide receivers DJ Chark Jr. and Quentin Johnston available to him, but he misfired on three attempts to connect with Chark and didn’t target Johnston once.
No matter the quarterback, the Chargers struggled to move the ball in the days after it was announced Aug. 1 that starter Justin Herbert would be sidelined by a plantar fascia injury and would wear a boot for approximately two weeks. The Chargers expect Herbert to play in the season-opener Sept. 8, however.
Related Articles
Chargers looking to ‘let it rip’ in exhibition versus Seahawks
Easton Stick to start at QB for Chargers in exhibition vs. Seahawks
Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley determined to earn starting role
Swanson: David Crain’s 1st-and-10 line measures up as his ‘best idea’
NCAA punishes Jim Harbaugh for recruiting violations at Michigan
Running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards sat out as did a number of expected defensive starters, including edge rushers Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack and defensive backs Asante Samuel Jr., Derwin James Jr. and Alohi Gilman. The Seahawks rested a number of starters, too.
For example, Howell and PJ Walker handled the quarterbacking duties in place of Geno Smith.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The Chargers play host to the Rams next Saturday at SoFi Stadium in the second of their three exhibition games. The teams also have the second of their two joint practices scheduled for Wednesday at the Chargers’ new headquarters in El Segundo. The Chargers’ third exhibition is Aug. 24 at Dallas.
More to come on this story.
Leave a Reply