oscar de la torre
The Chargers are now 7-4 after a tough loss on Monday night to the Baltimore Ravens, 30-23. Even with the loss, the Chargers find themselves holding onto the sixth playoff seed with six games remaining this season.
Los Angeles has been a surprise to some, but most football fans expected instant improvement with the addition of head coach Jim Harbaugh. The Chargers are led by a balanced offense and the top scoring defense in the NFL but if they expect to make the playoffs, they will need to address a few issues, especially at the wide receiver position.
The MCL knee injury to running back JK Dobbins is a huge setback for the Chargers. Dobbins has been an integral piece to the offense combining for 900 yards (766 rushing, 134 receiving) and eight touchdowns.
The Chargers offense will now lean on quarterback Justin Herbert and an underwhelming receiver group. Rookie Ladd McConkey has been a spark for the group with 49 catches for 698 yards and four touchdowns. McConkey finished with six catches for 83 yards against the Ravens. The rest of the receiving group has had its ups and downs. Their passing offense is ranked 20th in the NFL.
Last year's first round draft pick, Quentin Johnston has had his moments with six receiving touchdowns. Joshua Palmer is second on the team with 403 receiving yards and has been a solid veteran presence with the group, but the group hasn't been consistent outside of McConkey, and it hurt them on Monday night. Johnston and Palmer combined for three catches for 38 yards. All of the catches were made by Palmer.
Johnston had zero receptions on five targets during the game. To make things even worse, Johnston dropped three of his five targets all in the fourth quarter, including a critical drop when he was wide open on a third-and-6 play that would have extended the Chargers' drive.
Herbert was very supportive of the young receiver (Johnston) after the tough game. "I think that's the tough part about the NFL. He's a playmaker. He's done an incredible job all year. You never want to see that," Herbert told reporters after the loss. "Just like when I throw an interception or when I miss a throw, he's going to come up to me and tell me, 'Hey, it's the next play'. And that's the way it is. Everyone in that locker room are professionals. 'Q' will do a great job. I can give him better placement, better balls. It's on all of us. It's not just on him, it's on me for the way I got to deliver the ball. I got to make sure we're all on the same page."
Johnston understands he has to be better and is looking to bounce back Sunday in Atlanta. "You kind of just learn not to dwell on it too much, and just try to put it past me as much as I can...Obviously I want to have catches back, but I can't," Johnston told reporters after the game. "So I can't do anything but just learn from it. I know I've got to get better."
Johnston and Palmer are what the Chargers have alongside McConkey and a returning DJ Chark. So, this group will have to step up if the Chargers are hoping to make real noise this season.
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