Jesse Minter quickly impressed Chargers players with his calm demeanor in his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator, but as Denver Broncos After throwing for three consecutive touchdowns last Thursday, even the imperturbable Minter began to panic.
He had just spent four days discussing with his players the appropriate response to ensure the previous week’s success. resounding defeat against Tampa Bay would be unique. They couldn’t afford to make it a trend.
“I was afraid that at some point I might have talked about it,” Minter said with a slight smile.
Then a sack in the second quarter of Joey Bosa triggered a three-and-out. The Chargers kept the Broncos out of the end zone for the final seven drives of the game to hold on. Victory 34-27 this put the team on the brink of its first playoff berth since 2022.
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“I think this momentum is real,” Minter said. “We kind of feel as a defensive unit getting our momentum back, it’s huge.”
Holding the Broncos to six points in the second half, the Chargers regained their lead as the NFL’s best defense, giving up 18.3 points per game. Against the New England Patriots On Saturday, the Chargers (9-6) could become just the sixth team since 1970 to give up 20 points or fewer in eight road games in a season, and the first since the Chicago Bears in 2010.
For a defense hoping to maintain momentum heading into the playoffs, the game is a great opportunity. The Patriots’ 17.3 points per game ranks 30th in the NFL. New England (3-12) ranks last in passing yards (178.5 per game). Rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who was drafted third overall in April, has had at least one pass intercepted in seven straight games.
The Chargers, who can clinch a playoff spot with a win or tie, will try to win with a thin secondary as safety Marcus Maye (ankle) was placed on injured reserve Monday.
The team claimed Maye off waivers on Nov. 27 to help fill in after safety Alohi Gilman was placed on IR. Maye made a splash in his Chargers debut with a key interception in a win over the Atlanta Falcons, but left last Thursday’s game in the first quarter.
Already without Elijah Molden, who missed the game with a knee injury, the Chargers suddenly needed practice squad call-up Kendall Williamson on defense. Coaches hinted the 24-year-old, Stanford’s seventh-round pick, that he would be active for the game a few days in advance, but the plan likely risked substituting special teams.
Then he played 17 defensive snaps in his NFL debut, finishing with one tackle.
“It’s the name of the game to step up when your number is called,” cornerback Kristian Fulton said after Thursday’s game between Williamson and Dicaprio Bootle, who was also elevated from the practice squad. “It’s a credit to them because they don’t get a lot of reps in practice. So they stepped up their efforts.
Williamson is just the latest player to make an impact after toiling on the practice squad. Veteran safety Tony Jefferson parlayed his practice squad reps into a starting role, finishing with 20 tackles in three starts since Gilman went on IR.
Learn more: Chargers takeaways: Comeback win over Broncos puts playoff berth in sight
Jefferson, who missed one game with a hamstring injury, played all 64 defensive snaps against the Broncos and made seven tackles.
“He’s a guy that, at the drop of a hat, can go in there and play multiple positions and go out there and execute the defense,” Minter said, “line the guys up, brings confidence and brings a little dynamism. advantage when he is there.
The Chargers have not yet opened Gilman’s practice window, although the 27-year-old is eligible to return this week.
Molden was limited in practice Tuesday after working with trainers on the sideline Monday, and cornerback Cam Hart was also limited as he works through the concussion protocol. He missed last Thursday’s game.
Etc.
Punter JK Scott (illness) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) were not seen on the practice field for the second straight day. Perryman re-injured his groin last week after returning from a four-game absence. Backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke worked as a starter on kicks with long snapper Josh Harris and kicker Cameron Dicker. … Offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III missed practice with a hip injury.
This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
