09-05-2021 Ravens Preview - Flipbook - Page 21
NFL2021
LOS ANGELES
21
CHARGERS
COACH
Anthony Lynn (5th season with team,34-33)
LAST SEASON
7-9 (3rd in AFC West; no playoffs)
Record since 2011: 75-85 (2-2 in playoffs)
2020 TEAM STATISTICAL LEAGUE RANKINGS
2020 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS
SCORING OFFENSE
18th of 32 (24.0 ppg)
RUSHING
Austin Ekeler: 116 carries, 530 yards, 1 TDs, 53 ypg
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
SCORING DEFENSE
23rd of 32 (26.6 ppg)
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
RUSHING OFFENSE
18th of 32 (111.5 ypg)
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
PASSING OFFENSE
6th of 32 (270.6 ypg)
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
PASSING
JustinHerbert:396-595,4,336yards,31TDs,10ints,304.7ypg
SCORING
Michael Badgley, PK: 99 points (22 FGs, 33 PAT, 6.2 ppg)
Stats from pro-football-reference.com
Bounceback back
RB Kelley stays positive after struggling as a rookie
By Dan Greenspan
Associated Press
E
The Chargers Justin Herbert warms up before a Jan. 3 game against the Chiefs at Arrowhead
Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. JAMIE SQUIRE/GETTY
ven in the midst of a difficult rookie
season, Los Angeles Chargers
running back Joshua Kelley never
lost his smile and positive outlook.
With a new coaching staff that matches
his demeanor and a full offseason to work on
his game, Kelley is even more upbeat going
into his second year in the NFL.
“I feel really good,” Kelley said Friday. “I
feel like we’ve been working. I love this staff,
you know, love the energy, the excitement. I
love this team. It’s been good to get out here,
finally play some football. Put some pads on,
get some hitting. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Drafted in the fourth round out of UCLA,
Kelley was expected to back up incumbent
Austin Ekeler. But when Ekeler pulled his
hamstring in October, Kelley struggled in
his absence. He rushed for just 137 yards on
50 carries in the six games when Ekeler was
on injured reserve.
Kelley finished with 354 yards and two
touchdowns on 111 attempts, and his 3.2
yards per carry average ranked last in the
league among the 51 players with at least 100
carries last season. He also lost two fumbles
and was a healthy scratch in two of the Chargers’ final four games, and Kelley said those
struggles sapped him of confidence.
“I know I have the ability. It’s just all
mental. That was the biggest thing for me,”
Kelley said. “A lot of my teammates told
me, ‘It’s all mental for you.’ I know I have
the potential and the ability to play in this
league for a long time, so that’s been the
biggest thing.”
In addition to refocusing his mindset,
Kelley had a complete set of workouts in the
spring to refine his techniques and develop
an understanding of new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s scheme. Kelley has
continued to improve during a more traditional training camp and expects to benefit
even more from playing in preseason games,
highlighting the contrast from how he had
to prepare for last season.
“No, it makes a big difference ’cause I
didn’t have OTAs. I didn’t have minicamp.
I just came in during training camp. I didn’t
have preseason,” Kelley said. “All this stuff
we’re doing now, it’s big, man, ‘cause you get
a playbook but it’s different than actual live
reps. And we’re actually getting those reps,
and it’s helping me out.”
Kelley also used that time to mesh with
new coach Brandon Staley, Lombardi and
running backs coach Derrick Foster. Their
approach to football, from the 38-year-old
Staley on down, matches Kelley’s personality.
“I think it’s just the energy, how useful
they are,” Kelley said. “And also, you know,
just how passionate they are about the game
when they come out here. And for me, man,
like that’s huge ’cause I’m like that, too. I’m
being positive and I just feed off of that even
more.”
2021 SCHEDULE WEEK 7 BYE
WEEK 1
Sept. 12
WEEK 2
Sept. 19
WEEK 3
Sept. 26
WEEK 4
Oct. 4
WEEK 5
Oct. 10
WEEK 6
Oct. 17
@WFT
1 p.m.
CBS
DAL
4:25 p.m.
CBS
@KC
1 p.m.
CBS
LVR
8:15 p.m.
ESPN
CLE
1 p.m.
CBS
@BAL
1 p.m.
CBS
WEEK 8
Oct. 31
WEEK 9
Nov. 7
WEEK 10
Nov. 14
WEEK 11
Nov. 21
WEEK 12
Nov. 28
NE
@PHI
MIN
PIT
@DEN
4:05 p.m. 4:05 p.m. 4:05 p.m. 8:20 p.m. 4:05 p.m.
CBS
CBS
FOX
NBC
CBS
WEEK 13
Dec. 5
@CIN
1 p.m.
FOX
WEEK 14
Dec. 12
WEEK 15
Dec. 16
NYG
KC
4:05 p.m. 8:20 p.m.
FOX
FOX
WEEK 16
Dec. 26
@HOU
1 p.m.
CBS
WEEK 17
Jan. 2
WEEK 18
Jan. 9
DEN
@LVR
4:05 p.m. 4:25 p.m.
CBS
CBS
Note: This section was printed before final roster cuts, so personnel are subject to change; all times are Eastern and subject to change