Defense turnover madness, next key men in win over Falcons

Just when it seemed like the takeaways had dried up for the Chargers, the defense tapped into a new well with four interceptions in a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium .

Led by two interceptions from rookie Tarheeb Still, the on-ball defense ended a three-game scoreless drought and helped overcome an inconsistent offense that went without a touchdown.

Three things we learned from this victory:

The next men are new guys

The Chargers’ ever-evolving secondary received a boost from two more sudden additions Sunday as safeties Tony Jefferson and Marcus Maye were the latest embodiment of the Chargers’ next-man-up mentality.

A day after being placed on the active practice squad roster, Jefferson finished with eight tackles in his first regular season start since Dec. 14, 2022.

Maye’s fourth-quarter interception in the end zone preserved the Chargers’ four-point lead after giving the Falcons excellent field position following a botched fake punt pass attempt. The veterans gave the Chargers a boost with starting safety Alohi Gilman (hamstring) on ​​injured reserve.

The Chargers claimed Maye off waivers from the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday, and he arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday night. He watched practice Thursday and took a walkthrough Friday before returning to the East Coast for Sunday’s game.

Learn more:Tarheeb Still’s second interception, a 61-yard pick-six, lifts Chargers above Falcons

Despite limited time on the field with his new teammates, Maye said he knew “a good portion” of the defense that coach Jim Harbaugh said was similar in structure to the Dolphins’.

“It’s part of the nature of the business we’re in,” said Maye, whose safety Derwin James Jr. joked that he hadn’t said more than 10 words to his teammates while he was studying the playbook.

Jefferson, 32, worked as a scout for the Baltimore Ravens last year but showed he could still perform on the field with 14 tackles, a sack and two interceptions in a preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys .

A loyal fixture on the Chargers’ practice squad, Jefferson has been a valuable resource for younger players and a nuisance to the scout team who mimics opposing defenses in practice.

“Now he can do that to stand up (to offenses),” Harbaugh said with a smile.

Changes in the secondary began before the regular season as safety Elijah Molden was signed 10 days before the first game. The Chargers relied on rookies in the starting rotation when injuries piled up and signed Eli Apple to the practice squad and got productive snaps from the veteran cornerback before going to reserve. wounded.

Even though there was another new combination on the field Sunday, it didn’t feel like it, James said.

“You’re not going to be alone, we’re going to communicate on defense,” said the team captain who had 10 tackles and two tackles for loss. “I feel like that’s what makes us a great defense.”

Offensive difficulties continue

Harbaugh used the defense’s impressive performance to deflect questions about the offense, but the coach won’t be able to ignore this rut ​​for long.

The Chargers have scored just three touchdowns in their last 27 drives. They don’t even struggle against top-tier defenses. The Bengals, Ravens and Falcons are ranked 29th, 25th and 23rd, respectively, in points allowed.

“We’re not impressed or happy with the way we played,” quarterback Justin Herbert said Sunday, “but we’re very happy we won.”

The offensive swoon, which began in the second half against Cincinnati, also included 12 punts, seven field goals and two lost fumbles.

Herbert threw for 147 yards on 16-of-23 passing, but was sacked five times by a defense that had 10 sacks in its first 11 games.

Receiver Ladd McConkey played early with 105 of his 117 yards in the first half, but was limited to just one catch in the second half before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. After McConkey’s nine catches, Quentin Johnston was the only receiver with more than one catch, finishing with two receptions for 12 yards.

The recruits have all grown up

As the Chargers enter the final five games of the season, “there are no more rookies,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said last week, but many of the team’s first-year players have performed like seasoned veterans all season.

McConkey was the only bright spot on offense as he set a Chargers record for most receiving yards in the first half of a game. He and Keenan Allen are the only players in franchise history to reach the century mark in the first half of a game, and the rookie notched his third 100-yard performance. Allen holds the Chargers’ rookie record with five 100-yard games.

“It’s starting to become the norm now,” Johnston said of McConkey’s performances. “The name he’s making in the NFL in his first year is just incredible.”

He still stole the show on defense with two interceptions that made him the second Chargers rookie – and first since 1985 – to record multiple interceptions and return one for a touchdown in a game.

The rookie class expects the return of two more key contributors as linebacker Junior Colson (ankle) was injured and cornerback Cam Hart (ankle) missed two games. Colson could be eligible to return this week after missing four games.

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This story was originally published in the Los Angeles Times.