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OPPOSITION TERRITORY: Los Angeles Chargers · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

• 0:20
  Speaker 1: Welcome to opposition territory here at the Philadelphia Sports Table
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: podcast show, the longest running weekly Philly sports podcast show
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: in the world twelve years strong. Great to be in
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: your ears if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: any other podcast platform. If you're watching us here on YouTube,
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: it's great to see you. We have from the Locked
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: On Chargers podcast to dive into this team, what the
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: Chargers have been doing this offseason, and where this coming
• 0:47
  Speaker 1: season may go. With regard to Justin Herbert and company,
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: We've got David Drogmeier again for the Locked On Chargers podcast.
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: David Man, thanks so much for jumping on, Buddy.
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: Absolutely to be able to say that I'm a repeat
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: guest at this moment in time, so I mean I
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: was actually able to provide some decent commentary for you
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: last time. I always find that to be a compliment.
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: So I'm happy to jump back on and talk about
• 1:12
  Speaker 2: this year's iteration of the Los Angeles Chargers.
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: The Los Angeles Chargers as we are looking at this
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: upcoming season, David, They're a fascinating story, I think in
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: terms of the NFL and what they may do. They've
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: got a head coach who is looking to make his
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: mark again in the NFL. But I really want to
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: dive into the front office first here because recently on
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: our Opposition Territory podcast here, I've been getting into the
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: vision of various front offices throughout the NFL. So, David,
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: to start us off, I want to first dive into
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: the vision of the Chargers' front office and how that
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: vision is being perceived by the fan base. So if
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: you can talk about that vision based on what you
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: and the fan base have seen thus far this season,
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: that would be fantastic. Where's this team going? What is
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: the vision of the front office in terms of their
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: in terms of the overall picture here.
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: Well as you know, you know, this is year two
• 2:14
  Speaker 2: of Jim Harbaugh and Joejortiz, the new kind of head
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: guys that are in control of the Chargers organization and
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: where they are going. And so with Jim Harbaugh, you know,
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: what he brings to the table is very kind of
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: old school in nature. He wants to beat you up,
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: you know, he wants to get down in the trenches.
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: He wants to get big, physical, ugly type guys to
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: beat the heck out of you. For sixty minutes and
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: make you just not want to play football. And the
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: thing is is that vision, along with any other vision
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: for a new front office, doesn't happen in a day.
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: Rome was not built in a day, as they say.
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: It takes time to be able to develop that and
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: to be able to get the right type of people
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: in the building to be able to orchestrate that vision
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: the way that he wanted to be. So in year one,
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: tremendous overhaul, I mean absolutely trumdu and I think the
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: biggest one was the culture that he had to change
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: from the Chargers not really knowing how to win consistently
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: to you know him, at every single level not only
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: understanding how to build culture, but understanding how to build
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: winners through that culture altely. And he's done that from
• 3:24
  Speaker 2: USD to Stanford to the forty nine Ers to Michigan,
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: every single stop that he's been. So he has that pedigree,
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: he has that immediate buy in, not only as a coach,
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: but he did it at the highest level as a
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: player in the NFL as well. So I think with
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: Jim Harbaugh, when he walks into a room of players,
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: people listen, They are quiet, and they listen to what
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: he says, and so that was first and foremost is
• 3:50
  Speaker 2: trying to change the culture of how the Chargers play
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: football from charging, you know, finding a way to lose,
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: to finding a way to win consistent ballgames. And I
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: think where it started last year was winning the games
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: they were supposed to win, and they did that at
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: a much higher level. Obviously going from five to twelve
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: to eleven and six and a playoff berth. Obviously it
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: did not turn out the way they wanted it to.
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: But I think a lot of people need to understand
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: that was year one, and you can't completely get the
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: vision the way they want it in one year. They
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: did a tremendous job to be able to overhaul that
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: roster and get a lot closer. But in year two,
• 4:29
  Speaker 2: I think it's building upon that vision and also trying
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: to bolster and support Justin Herbert as much as humanly possible.
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: That is definitely what the game plan was for the
• 4:40
  Speaker 2: Chargers this offseason. Whether it was in free agency where
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: they brought back Mike Williams, whether it was the draft
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: where they drafted four or five offensive skill position players,
• 4:50
  Speaker 2: their big mission was, I cannot allow Justin Herbert to
• 4:55
  Speaker 2: have another season where he doesn't have the proper support
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: in the running game and weapons, because last year it
• 5:01
  Speaker 2: was Lad McConkey and everybody else yep, And so that
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: just could not happen again. So the Chargers made sure
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: that it wouldn't happen again by not only bolstering the
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: offensive live bringing in Makai Beckton, which that's a literal
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: massive signing, as you know, someone who covers Philadelphia Sports
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: would know intimately well, and you know, he played extremely
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: well for the Eagles last year, opening up some massive holes.
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: And I think when you pair him on the right
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: side with you know, another gigantic man in Joe Alt,
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: who's six foot eight, three point thirty, I think the
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: vision is is, Hey, we're gonna we're gonna absolutely dominate
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: guys on the right side of the line. We're gonna
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: open up some massive holes for Najie Harris and our
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: rookie running back of Mario On Hampton. But it was also, hey,
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: we need to get more help for Justin and more
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: help for lads. So they go get Trey Harris, they
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: get Mike Williams, they go get Kls, a guy they
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: you know, drafted later on in the draft who's got
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: real speed. They get a Rendez Gatston, they go get
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: Tyler Conklin. So they are going into this year loaded
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: up on offense. They wanted to make sure that they
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: were never put in that position again. And you know,
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: one of the things Greg Roman, the Chargers offensive coordinator,
• 6:07
  Speaker 2: said last year was, Hey, imagine how good Justin Herbert
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: would be with a good running game, right exactly. That
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: never got a chance to actually happen. Yeah, So this
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: year they were they were steadfast and making sure that
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: that changed. Because they were already one of the best
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: in the league in play action last year with a
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: horrendous running game. Imagine if they have an actual good
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: running game like the Philadelphia Eagles had last year. That's
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: what the Chargers want to do. They want to be
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: able to beat people up, run the ball, dominate the
• 6:36
  Speaker 2: line of scrimmage, and then be able to take you
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: over the top with the play action. So the entire
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: vision of this offseason was trying to orchestrate that the
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: way they wanted to this season.
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: They have a foundation offensively, and we're certainly going to
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: talk about the defense in a little bit, but offensively,
• 6:54
  Speaker 1: the foundation of the future I think as a fan
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: of football. Just somebody on the outside is absolutely there
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: for this Chargers team. So, but you did mention Justin Herbert,
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: So let's get into him and the strides that he
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: will need to make for this offense this coming season.
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: I mean last year, yes, he had a career low
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: in terms of passing yards. Pro Football Focus actually ranked
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: Justin Herbert as the number eight starting quarterback coming into
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: this season, David and in some field that he was
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: snubbed in terms of this rank. Look, he's still awaiting
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: his first playoff win, which might be why he was
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: ranked beneath guys like Matt Stafford, Jalen Hurts, and even
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: Jayden Daniels. I'm wondering if I'm wondering if this is
• 7:39
  Speaker 1: kind of a quote proven year for Justin Herbert. I
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: hate to look at it that way because he's such
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: a phenomenal talent, but a prove it year as he's
• 7:49
  Speaker 1: looking to shake off that playoff narrative and what does
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: he need to do this season to take that next step?
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: Here?
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: What are your thoughts?
• 7:58
  Speaker 2: Well, I think a lot of people need to understand
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: that last year Justin Herbert played through a high ankle
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: sprain for most of the season, not even just you know,
• 8:06
  Speaker 2: a few games here and there. It was in almost
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: the entire season that he had to navigate through that,
• 8:12
  Speaker 2: and you know that changed the way that the Chargers
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: had to call offense. I mean Greg Rumman was on
• 8:17
  Speaker 2: the Chargers Weekly podcast and basically said, Hey, we had
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: to take a lot of the plays that we had
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: out of the playbook and kind of tailor it to
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: what Justin could do because he was very, very limited
• 8:27
  Speaker 2: mobility wise. So I think one of the things Justin
• 8:30
  Speaker 2: Herbert needs to and obviously he got healthier throughout the
• 8:33
  Speaker 2: season as it got closer to the end, but one
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: of the things I definitely need to see from him
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: this year is running with the football. He is an
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: extremely good athlete, and I think we saw that in college,
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: especially in the Rose Bowl where he just was running wild,
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: and he showcased it on a couple of different occasions
• 8:49
  Speaker 2: in the NFL.
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: Was.
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: Yeah, he's very very He's six foot six, two hundred
• 8:54
  Speaker 2: and forty pounds, runs like a gazelle. It's really ridiculous
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: how unbelievably gifted he is. But he when he sees
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: those opportunities and there's not somebody there that that's open.
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: He needs to see that lane and take off. He
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: needs to do that a lot more effectively this year.
• 9:10
  Speaker 2: As a passer, there's really not much else that he
• 9:12
  Speaker 2: can do. I me he had a career low in
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: interceptions last year. He's deadly accurate. If he has that
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: running game, I think it's gonna be even more explosive.
• 9:21
  Speaker 2: From the play action standpoint, Yeah, but when he sees
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: a scene, when he sees a lane and things are
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: breaking down, he needs to use that athleticism to get
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: get forward, get some extra yards, throw on the run.
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: I think we're gonna see that a lot more and
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: even more in more by design this year, if we
• 9:37
  Speaker 2: are able to have a healthy justin Herbert, because last
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: year we were not able to see the full kind
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: of talent be able to unfold in front of our
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: eyes because of the injuries. So hopefully, if he's one
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: hundred percent, I think you're gonna see the best version
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: of him. And yes, the playoff Moniker, it's gonna hang
• 9:54
  Speaker 2: over his head, fair or not, I hate it because
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: it's a team game. You know, no one player or
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: loses any football game, but that's just what it is.
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: And so until he's able to get that monkey off
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: his back. And I like to remind everybody there's a
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: Hall of Fame quarterback by the name of Peyton Manning
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: that didn't win a single playoff game his first five
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: seasons in the NFL. There you go, Well, sounds pretty
• 10:17
  Speaker 2: familiar because that's where Justin Herbert is exactly in his
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: career as well. So going into this year, it's you
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: see Elane, you got to go take it and take
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: advantage of it, which I think is going to be
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: able to remind people how much more dangerous he absolutely
• 10:33
  Speaker 2: is if you were able to see the full breadth
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: of his game.
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: Absolutely, Justin Herbert, he's not only dangerous with his arm,
• 10:40
  Speaker 1: he's dangerous with his legs too. I can't wait to
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: see how he's going to perform this season. But you know,
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: you mentioned another gentleman on this team from the offensive perspective,
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: David that really carried the weight last year, and that's
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: Lad McConkey. I want I want to get into what
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: type of wide receiver he is going to be, and
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: I know you guys recently talked about it on the
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: Lockdown Chargers podcast this past week, how he's already a
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: top ten wide receiver in this league. There is pressure
• 11:10
  Speaker 1: on him for sure coming into this season again as
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: he was basically the only source of the Chargers offense
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: last year. But from a realistic and logical expectations standpoint,
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: what do you think lad McConkie is gonna be able
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: to do this coming season or should be able to
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: do for this team? Again, realistic expectations for him? What
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: are your thoughts?
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: I expect another thousand plus yard receiving season from Ladd Okay,
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: and it's just because of the type of player that
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: he is and the skill set he brings to the
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: table that people just can't teach. He is a absolute
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: route technician. If you're saying, hey, I need you to
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: just snap this route off at eight and a half yards,
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: it's gonna get snapped off at exactly eight and a
• 11:54
  Speaker 2: half yards like he had. Just has that unbelievable ability
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: to be able to be so present in his movements.
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: And also he also just has a knack for being
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: able to find the soft spots in the zone, be
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: able to present himself as friendly to the quarterback. And
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: he's underrated in his yards after catchability and also for
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: a smaller wide receiver. It's unbelievable how good he was
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: in the contested catch situation. He's about six foot maybe
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: six and a half depending on who you ask, but
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: you know his ability to go up and get the
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: ball and really fight for being a smaller type of guy.
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: And also, I just want to break the moniker of
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: a slot receive. He's not a slot receiver. And I
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: fully expect that the Chargers will move him around all
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: over the formation. And they did a little bit of
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: it last year late in the year when they kind
• 12:43
  Speaker 2: of found out the type of player that he is
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: and what he is capable of doing. This year, there's
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: no secrets. They know exactly what he is capable of doing,
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: and I believe they are going to fully unleash him
• 12:53
  Speaker 2: from the very beginning of the season, and he has
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: a lot of help this year. It's not just Lad
• 12:58
  Speaker 2: McConkey anymore. I already went through and documented and talked
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: about all the extra weapons that the Chargers brought in
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: that also is gonna help Lad because you're not gonna
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: be able to double team him all the time anymore,
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: because there are other legitimate threats like, hey, you double
• 13:12
  Speaker 2: Lad maconkey Okay, Well, they have a jump ball demon
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: on the outside by the name of Mike Williams who
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: has built in chemistry with the quarterback Justin Herbert, because
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: they have a laundry list of amazing plays that they've
• 13:24
  Speaker 2: been able to put on tape just throughout their tenure together.
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: And so I expect them to kind of pick things
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: up where they left off, and they just have a
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: lot more on the tight end position. Like it's gonna
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: be a much different situation this year, and I think
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: it's gonna benefit Lad. But Lad's that type of guy
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: that he's gonna get his no matter what. Yeah, because
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: he's that good.
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: Remember it for fantasy football folks. Okay, it's gonna be
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: here before you know it's fantasy football leagues. I'm in
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: like five leagues. It's gonna be here before we know it.
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: For sure. Chaos.
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: It is chaos. Love it, Love it again, folks. For
• 13:56
  Speaker 1: talking to David Drobier from The Lot on Charge Argers podcast.
• 14:01
  Speaker 1: You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Where else can
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: they find you out there, David? If they want to
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: check out what you're doing, you know your co hosts
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: are doing. Where they can find you on the interwebs.
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, so, I mean you can definitely check us
• 14:13
  Speaker 2: out on video as well. We are on YouTube. Our
• 14:16
  Speaker 2: YouTube channel last year went over one point six million
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: view you've views, which is unbelievable. I could not expect
• 14:23
  Speaker 2: to ever have that level of success. So I want
• 14:25
  Speaker 2: to give a big shout out out there to the
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: Charger fans and all the other fans that came to
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: hate watch. It all contributes to what we're doing. But yeah,
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: we're in off season mode right now, the one month
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: out of the year where we actually get to go
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: down to three shows a week, but we are still
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: going to be there and if there's anything that's big
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: that occurs, we will definitely be bringing you all of
• 14:46
  Speaker 2: the best information that's going on with the Chargers. But yeah,
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: check us out Spotify, Apple Music, and of course on
• 14:52
  Speaker 2: video on YouTube as well.
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: They do a great job over at the Locked On
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: Chargers podcast folks. And you know, we love the Locked
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: On Network. We got our friends at Locked on Eagles,
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: Lou Debassi at Locked on Falcons. Last week we had
• 15:05
  Speaker 1: Aaron Freeman on Love the Locked On Network. And if
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: you are watching us for the first time on YouTube,
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: you'll see our social media sites are up here. We're
• 15:13
  Speaker 1: on Instagram, we are on Twitter. I'm over on TikTok
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: at mister Jeff Warren. You can like our Facebook page
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: as well. We're on threads and you can catch me
• 15:22
  Speaker 1: over on Blue Sky as well. Just search Jeff Warren.
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: You can find us there and would highly recommend if
• 15:30
  Speaker 1: you're watching this on YouTube to like and subscribe. We
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: would very much appreciate that. But let's continue talking about
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: this Chargers team and what we've seen this offseason, David,
• 15:40
  Speaker 1: because look, you you talked about the foundational pieces being
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: set for the future, and a lot of that is
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: in with regard to the revamped running game, and they're
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: likely gonna want to take some of that pressure off
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: Justin Herbert and Lad mcconki, which we've been talking about.
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: It's been a theme here about about where the team
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: is gonna go. Naj Harris, Marion Hampton. You know, these
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: are two backs looking to make their mark in Los Angeles.
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: So what are your thoughts about the differences The difference
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: is that we're going to see this year with the
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: rushing attack than what we saw last season. What are
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: your thoughts here?
• 16:15
  Speaker 2: Well, I think with the running backs, and not just
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: the running backs, but the type of players that the
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: Chargers wanted to bring into their building. They subscribe to
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: the ted logic, which means there every day. They want
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: guys that are durable. They want guys that are able
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: to show up and actually contribute, because, as we saw
• 16:32
  Speaker 2: with Joey Bosa throughout his tenure with the Chargers, it
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: does not matter how incredibly talented you are if that
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: talent never manifests itself on the football field being able
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: to play snaps for your team. So that's why you
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: go get a Najie Harris who has four years in
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: the NFL and has four straight thousand yard rushing seasons. Yeah,
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: it's four yards of carry, but it's very consistent, and
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: he is that type of running back that screams Jim
• 16:59
  Speaker 2: Harbass style. He wants to run you over, he wants
• 17:02
  Speaker 2: to run through you, he wants to get those hard, tough,
• 17:05
  Speaker 2: physical rushing yards. And I think with a Mario Hampton
• 17:08
  Speaker 2: he has a lot of that too, but he's a
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: little more explosive. I think he has the ability to
• 17:12
  Speaker 2: take it the distance. So I think you're gonna see
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: a lot of that this year. They're gonna run the
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: ball a lot more, and they're gonna run the ball
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: a lot more effectively. I think that's why they go
• 17:21
  Speaker 2: get a Macai Beckton, as I mentioned earlier, a guy
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: that can really open up some holes and really get
• 17:26
  Speaker 2: a running game to support Justin Herbert, because that's a
• 17:29
  Speaker 2: big part of it too. You got to take some
• 17:32
  Speaker 2: pressure off him, you got to give him ability, and
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: also just in general, you look at the best offenses
• 17:37
  Speaker 2: in the NFL year over year over year, it's the
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: teams that can run the ball at will whenever they
• 17:42
  Speaker 2: want and to close out football games. They can shorten
• 17:46
  Speaker 2: the game, they can shorten the down and distance, and
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: they can put their foot on their opponent's throat and
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: they can suffocate them. They drag them into the deep water,
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: and then they drown them with the running game. That's
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: what Jim Harball wants to do. He was not able
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: to do it last year with the personnel he had
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: in the building. It was a huge point of emphasis
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: to make sure that they had the personnel to be
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: able to do it this year. That's why you go
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: spend a luxury pick on a first round running back,
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: which you know, I'm not a huge fan of just
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: from a philosophical standpoint, but when you look at what
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: omaro On Hampton did in college, it's two back to
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: back fifteen hundred plus rushing yard seasons to go with
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: fifteen plus touchdowns in both of those seasons. Beyond breshing
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: and receiving standpoints, yes, it's beyond impressive. It really is,
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: like I see like nausea. I'm glad you mentioned the
• 18:37
  Speaker 2: type of players these guys are. Naji Harris. I have
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: seen a lot of him over the years here being
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: here in Pennsylvania, and you know there's a lot of
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: Steelers games on. Not an explosive player, but the consistency
• 18:50
  Speaker 2: there time and time again. Amarion Hampton, he is the
• 18:53
  Speaker 2: explosiveness that this team is absolutely gonna need. And I
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: think when it comes to the running game, he talked
• 18:59
  Speaker 2: about play action as well. These are two players that
• 19:02
  Speaker 2: are really going to help this offense in more ways
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: than one. It's gonna be real interesting to watch for sure.
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: But we got to talk about the defense here because
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: the Chargers produced one of the league's top defenses last season.
• 19:14
  Speaker 2: They finished first in points allowed per game at seventeen
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: point seven points. Absolutely as incredible. They were fantastic in
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: the red zone in terms of giving up points. So, David,
• 19:26
  Speaker 2: where do you see the defense going here during this
• 19:30
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty five season. Much of the same or might
• 19:33
  Speaker 2: actually be more dominant. Yeah, I think it's gonna be
• 19:36
  Speaker 2: a little bit more difficult this year. Just looking at
• 19:39
  Speaker 2: the schedule. They're going to play nine of their seventeen
• 19:43
  Speaker 2: games against playoff teams from last year. And so it's
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: not You're gonna be your New Orleans Saints and your
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: you know, New York Giants, not gonna be those weaker
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: teams with the weaker quarterbacks littered throughout your schedule this year.
• 19:57
  Speaker 2: This year, you know, you made the playoffs, and that
• 19:59
  Speaker 2: of has a direct reflection on what your schedule is
• 20:03
  Speaker 2: this year, which is gonna be a lot more difficult. Now.
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: The Chargers have a great defense, and I mean, and
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: I think the reason why they do is because they
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: have stalwart type players at every level of their defense.
• 20:16
  Speaker 2: On their defensive line, they have a future Hall of
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: Famer and I mean a first ballot Hall of Famer
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: with Khalil Mack. Then in the middle, they have a
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: budding superstar in Dayon Henley, who I think is gonna
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: have an All Pro year this year. If he's on
• 20:29
  Speaker 2: the field, he can do it all from the linebacker position.
• 20:33
  Speaker 2: Him and Derwin James absolutely shut down tight ends. Last year.
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: They could do nothing against the Chargers and is because
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: of those two men almost exclusively. And I think that's
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: really unheard of when you think about a linebacker, because
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: most of them just can't cover very well. It's just
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: a fact of the game. You look at their I mean,
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: and I do notes every single week whenever we go
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: in and play the whatever the Chargers' opponents are, I
• 20:56
  Speaker 2: look at the linebacker stats and it's routinely eighty five
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: ninety percent reception percentage allowed. That's not the case with
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: Dayon Henley. He has that ability to really shut down
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: opposing tight ends and you know, be a real weapon
• 21:09
  Speaker 2: in pass coverage. So I expect some big things. And
• 21:12
  Speaker 2: then of course you have the All Pro and I
• 21:15
  Speaker 2: just mentioned with with Derwin James, who is a monster
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: on the backhand, who they really really kind of used
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: closer to the line of scrimmage last year because of
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: his ability to really affect the quarterback and really like
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: he's probably the best rushing safety in the NFL in
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: my opinion, like he he blows up running I mean,
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: don't do not disrespect Derwin James by trying to block
• 21:36
  Speaker 2: him with the running back. He routinely runs those guys over.
• 21:40
  Speaker 2: It is not pretty. It's a car car rat car crash,
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: and he wins every single time. So I think it's
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: I think they're gonna be good. I can still see
• 21:49
  Speaker 2: them sitting around that top ten area, okay, because of
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: the talent that they have, but it's gonna be a
• 21:55
  Speaker 2: much different situation this year. They're gonna be tested. They
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: have a laundry list of superstar wide receivers they're gonna
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: have to contend with. I do love the good young
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: rookie not rookie, but second year corners they have. With
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: tar Heeb Steel and Cam Hart on the outside, I
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: think they have really good players at every level, but
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: they're gonna be truly tested this year with the quarterbacks
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: and the receivers they're gonna have to defend on their schedule.
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: They definitely have some talent that's continuing to develop for sure.
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: Like you said, the cornerback position gonna be very interesting
• 22:23
  Speaker 1: to see where they go this year with their development.
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: But David. Before I let you go, buddy, I want
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: to talk about what could potentially be the X factor
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: on this Chargers team. I mean, there always seems to
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: be an X factor for certain teams every year, and
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: those X factors they could just come out of nowhere.
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: I mean, take, for instance, Philadelphia Eagles. They signed Zach
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: Bond to a one year deal before the twenty twenty
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: four seasons. Started thinking, Okay, he's going to be a
• 22:48
  Speaker 1: contributor on special teams and that'll probably be about it.
• 22:52
  Speaker 1: You know, we need we need a good guy on
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: special teams. And then he turns out to be one
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: of the best linebackers in the NFL. He gets a
• 22:59
  Speaker 1: long term deal after winning the Super Bowl. Good for him, Yeah,
• 23:03
  Speaker 1: I know, God bless him. What do you see the
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: X factor being possibly this coming season for the Chargers?
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think a kind of a sneaky under the
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: radar signing. I mentioned him earlier that I think a
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: lot of people are not paying a lot of attention
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: to that's tight end, Tyler Conklin. I think Tyler Conklin
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: can absolutely be that X factor for the Chargers because
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: he's a complete tight end. I mean, very, very quietly.
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: He has played pretty much sixteen games, seventeen games every
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: single season and also, like one of my favorite, absolute
• 23:35
  Speaker 2: favorite stats about him is last year or the last
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: two seasons combined one hundred and fifty targets one drop, dang,
• 23:43
  Speaker 2: one drops. It. Has incredible hands and he just doesn't
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: miss time. I think he's going to be a real weapon.
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: And he has never played with a quarterback the caliber
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: of Justin Herbert. His best season, believe it or not,
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: was with Zach Wilson throwing on the football for most
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: of that season. So you pair him with Justin Herbert,
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: my goodness. I think this is a guy who has
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: not been really given the best opportunity to shine. I
• 24:10
  Speaker 2: think he's gonna be given that opportunity. He's gonna be.
• 24:12
  Speaker 2: I think he's gonna be that primary pass catching tight end.
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: Last year they had, you know, they're they're blocking tight
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: end mostly step out of his shell and do some
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: things that he really wasn't accustomed to or was expected
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: to do for the Chargers last year. And so they
• 24:30
  Speaker 2: they really thought, excuse me, hayden Hurst was going to
• 24:33
  Speaker 2: be that that main guy, that main receiving threat, and
• 24:36
  Speaker 2: he just was not a factor. He was a non factor. Yeah,
• 24:38
  Speaker 2: he couldn't stay on the field with the injuries, and
• 24:41
  Speaker 2: so they overextended their their run blocking tight end, which
• 24:45
  Speaker 2: I mean he played admirably. But this year, Tyler Conklin's
• 24:49
  Speaker 2: gonna step in. I think he is going to make
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: a big impact for the Chargers offense. I can't wait
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: to see this surprise on a lot of people's faces
• 24:57
  Speaker 2: when he performs well this year.
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: I can't wait to see what's gonna happen with the
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: Los Angeles Chargers this coming season. They again a team
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: to be reckoned with. I think so again. David drew
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: Meyer from the Lot on Chargers Podcast again throw out
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: those promos, David. Let's let's let's get some people following
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: you even more out there.
• 25:17
  Speaker 2: Thank you. Yeah, first and foremost. You can follow me
• 25:20
  Speaker 2: on Twitter or x whatever you like to call it
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: at Droe Talk SD. I am covering the Chargers all year.
• 25:26
  Speaker 2: This is actually year ten for me covering the Chargers
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: and number eight for me on the Lockdown podcast network
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: with my fantastic partner Daniel Wade. You can also follow
• 25:37
  Speaker 2: him on Twitter as well at Dan Talksports. He is fantastic.
• 25:40
  Speaker 2: He's our kind of the conductor. He's the play by
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: play guy and I'm the color commentator. But I think
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: we have a very very good dynamic. We do a
• 25:50
  Speaker 2: really good show. If you want to know what's going
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: on with the Chargers, please check us out also on
• 25:55
  Speaker 2: our Twitter page at lockdown LAC and wherever you get
• 25:58
  Speaker 2: your podcasts, Apple Music, Spotify, and of course on video
• 26:01
  Speaker 2: on our YouTube channel at the Lockdown Chargers podcast.
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: Lockdown Chargers Great podcasts, folks and David, thank you so
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: much again, Buddy, really appreciate it. Come back and join
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: us down the road. I'd love to have you back.
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: On you send me an email and tell me when
• 26:14
  Speaker 2: and I'll be there. Brother.
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: That's going to do it for us here on Opposition
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: Territory this week. Please share our podcast with your friends
• 26:22
  Speaker 1: and family members who are Philly sports fans or sports
• 26:25
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• 26:28
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• 26:33
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• 26:36
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• 26:38
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• 26:41
  Speaker 1: at Philadelphia PST on threads at Philadelphia Sports Table and
• 26:46
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• 26:50
  Speaker 1: We will catch you next time.