The “fire Brandon Staley” posts weren’t flooding online this time — especially after a dominating night for the Los Angeles Chargers at MetLife Stadium.
Using the often criticized defense that’s sparked posts calling for Staley’s removal, the Chargers punished QB Zach Wilson with eight sacks, dismantling the New York Jets 27-6 on Monday Night Football.
Along with the sack pileup, the Chargers pounced on three fumbles, and in the process, L.A. evened their record at 4-4 and quieted the Staley critics.
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The last time the Chargers hit a high number of sacks, it was LB/EDGE Khalil Mack who snatched all six against the Las Vegas Raiders back on Oct. 1.
This time, it was more of a team effort, which was accompanied by the creativity HC Staley created in the first place.
For starters, he paired Mack with a fellow edge rusher, rising rookie Tuli Tuipulotu, during one right-side alignment. The result was the first-year defender from USC knifing through first and snatching Wilson.
Tuli Tuipulotu with a great hesi/club swim, but @TuipulotuTuli sheds the blocker with his rip & gets the sack! #passrush #chargers #boltup pic.twitter.com/KiYDcxKgAA
— DLineVids (@dlinevids1) November 7, 2023
The rookie wasn’t through. Again aligned inside, but this time in a two-point stance, Staley gets him looped around to the left and tussles down Wilson again.
Chargers rookie Tuli Tuipulotu is making his case for the All-Rookie team tonight with his third massive play on MNF.
All hustle here for the third down sack by the second-round pick out of USC. pic.twitter.com/an3pzE4AQ1
— Seven Rounds in Heaven (@7RoundsInHeaven) November 7, 2023
But in Chargers land, it’s not a sack party until EDGE Joey Bosa pulls up. Along with taking advantage of one-on-one blocking scenarios, the veteran Pro Bowler only needed one arm to bring down Wilson on one sack. That came with Staley plugging DL Sebastian Joseph-Day inside to draw the double team and free up Bosa.
Bosa joined the rookie and seven-time Pro Bowler Mack in getting two sacks (finished with a team-high 2.5). But again, this defensive performance gave Staley and the Chargers this new milestone when it comes to third-down situations.
Including tonight's game, the #Chargers have recorded 56 sacks on third down under HC Brandon Staley, the most in the NFL since he became head coach at the start of the 2021 season. pic.twitter.com/8Q4IXdGPIA
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 7, 2023
Staley’s criticism has come to a halt these last two weeks as the Chargers have avoided a 2-6 start.
Now with four victories, the Bolts have remained afloat in the crowded AFC playoff race waters. As Chargers insider for The Athletic, Daniel Popper, put it on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Brandon Staley’s defense showed up.”
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Staley didn’t want to pat himself on the back or show any relief from hearing the criticism he was given earlier this season.
Instead, he praised the way his defense limited explosive plays when talking to the media postgame. However, there’s another aspect of how the Chargers’ defense came alive — the way their special teams unit performed.
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The Bolts’ defense benefitted from one more area — staying healthy — which had been a problem in their EDGE room. But at full health, the Chargers are not only effective in chasing down passers but also snuffing out the run.
“When we’re healthy, that’s how we’ll rush…When they’ve (Bosa and Mack) been healthy together, that’s how they’ve played. The reason why we’re able to rush the way we are is the way we’re playing against the run,” Staley said to reporters.
Can Chargers Keep Streak Alive? Daunting Challenges Await Bolts
Getting to .500 came at the most opportune time for L.A. They needed the boost in confidence from these last two games because of what now awaits them — a weekly gauntlet of playoff hopefuls still remains.
When they return to Inglewood, the Chargers have the 6-2 Detroit Lions to tangle with at SoFi Stadium in Week 10. After a road trip to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers, the Bolts return on Sunday Night Football on Nov. 26 with the potential AFC No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens in town.
There’s also still a rematch with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs still on deck. Speaking of rematches, the Chargers get one more tilt with a suddenly rejuvenated Las Vegas Raiders team on Dec. 14 in Sin City.
Staley and the Chargers will no doubt get tested again. But on this night, criticism of the head coach was replaced by the creativity and chaos he threw at the Jets.
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