Scouting Report: San Diego Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns

The San Diego Chargers travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns, looking to climb back over .500 after dropping their previous two decisions to the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos. The Bolts sit tied for first in the AFC West with the Broncos with a 3-3 record.

A Look Back At Last Week

The Chargers were on bye, which allowed some of their banged up players to get healthy. Jared Gaither returned to practice this week after missing the previous two with a groin injury, while Shareece Wright continued to inch closer to being game ready after suffering a sprained ankle on the first play of Week 1.

What to Watch For…

On Offense for the Chargers

Much has been made about head coach Norv Turner’s statement of a shift in his offensive strategy. Sunday’s game against the Browns marks the Bolts first game to implement Turner’s new plan to take fewer shots down field, opting instead for safer, shorter throws to decrease turnovers. Philip Rivers also declared he would play a safer brand of ball, so look for the Chargers to preach ball security throughout the entire game.

On Offense for the Browns

Quarterbacking the Browns is 29-year old rookie Brandon Weeden, a first-round pick from Oklahoma State. Weeden is completing 56.6% of his passes, going 154 of 272 for 1,783 yards with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Running back and fellow first-round pick Trent Richardson from Alabama has shouldered most of the offensive load as he leads Cleveland in rushing with 348 yards and four touchdowns. He also serves as the team’s leading receiver with 24 catches for 197 yards and a score.

On Defense for the Chargers

The Chargers defense ranks first against the run, allowing just 71.2 yards per game on the ground. Against the pass, however, they have struggled mightily, ranking 25^th in the league by giving up 268.2 ypg through the air. With Richardson banged up with a rib injury, the Browns very well could put the game in the hands of Weeden. As a result, the Bolts secondary will need to rise to the occasion. Pressuring the rookie QB will be a critical focus of the Chargers defense.

On Defense for the Browns

Cornerback Buster Skrine leads the Browns with 49 tackles, while linebacker Craig Robertson is second with 47. Fellow linebacker D’Qwell Jackson leads the Browns with three sacks. Four Browns have two interceptions apiece for the Cleveland defense, including Jackson who returned one of those picks 27 yards for a touchdown. The Browns defense also boasts standout cornerback Joe Haden, who recently returned after being suspended four games for taking adderall.

Series History

The Chargers and Browns have met 22 times, all in the regular season, with the Chargers leading the all-time series, 14-7-1. The Bolts have won four straight, seven of the last eight and nine of the last 11, and have won three straight on the road in 2003, 2004 and ’09. The Chargers’ 2004 win in Cleveland was especially memorable coming on a day when the game-time temperature was just 18 degrees, with a wind-chill of -10, and snow on the ground. The Bolts beat the Browns 21-0 to claim their first AFC West title since 1994. Antonio Gates helped the Chargers win that day with a career-long 72-yard catch and run for a touchdown. The Chargers are 8-3-1 all-time when playing in Cleveland.

By the Numbers

For the year, the Chargers rank 25^th in total offense (330.2 yards per game), 19^th in passing (229.0 ypg), 18^thin rushing (101.2 ypg) and 12^th in points (24.7). The Browns rank 27^th in total offense (324.0 ypg), 16^th in passing (244.9 ypg), 30^th in rushing (79.1 ypg) and 21^st in points (21.0)

Defensively, the Bolts rank 13^th in total defense (339.3 ypg), 25^th in passing (268.2 ypg), first in rushing (71.2 ypg) and 16^th in points allowed (22.8). Cleveland ranks 27^th in total defense (410.6 ypg), 26^th in passing (276.9 ypg), 24^thin rushing (133.7 ypg) and 23^rd in points allowed (25.7).

Milestones on the Horizon

Ryan Mathews (2,028 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns) needs 207 yards and three scores to crack the team’s career Top 10 lists.

Philip Rivers needs 1,161 passing yards to move past John Hadl for second in team history.

Malcom Floyd (3,588 receiving yards) needs 367 to crack the team’s career Top 10 list. Floyd has three 100-yard games in the Chargers’ last seven games, dating to the 2011 season finale.

Shaun Phillips has 64.5 career sacks, fourth in team history. Phillips needs one more to tie Lee Williams (65.5) for third, and he needs 2.5 to tie Gary “Big Hands” Johnson (67) for second. Phillips leads the team this season with 4.5 sacks, 11 pressures and six quarterback hits.

Antonio Gates (8,007 career yards) currently ranks fourth all-time in receiving yards by a tight end. Two of the players ranked ahead of him are still active, including Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez, who owns the most yards by a tight end with 13,768, and Dallas’ Jason Witten, who’s third with 8,185 yards, 178 more than Gates.

Gates (78) needs three touchdown catches to match Lance Alworth’s (81) team record.

The Chargers need five regular-season victories to reach 400 all-time. The Chargers’ all-time regular-season record is 395-386-11.

A.J. Smith is the winningest general manager in franchise history with 94 wins. He needs six wins to see the team reach 100 wins under his watch. Additionally, the Chargers’ next division title will be Smith’s sixth as general manager, most in team history, and the Chargers’ next playoff win will be Smith’s fourth as general manager, also most in team history.

Norv Turner (114 career wins) is tied with former Chargers coach Don Coryell for 32nd all-time in career wins. Several others are within reach this season. Turner needs three wins to tie Dennis Green (117) for 31st, four to tie George Allen (118) for 30th and nine to tie another former Chargers coach, Sid Gillman (123), for 29th.

Eric Weddle (15) needs five interceptions to crack the team’s top 10 for career picks.

Quentin Jammer (20) just moved into a tie with Chuck Allen (1961-68) for 10th on the team’s all-time interceptions list. With one more, Jammer will tie Woodrowe Lowe (1976-86), Bob Howard (1967- 74) and Leslie “Speedy” Duncan (1964-69) for seventh.

Antoine Cason (245 int. return yards) needs 64 to crack the team’s career Top 10 list.

Nick Novak (32) is tied with Ray Wersching (1973-76) for seventh on the Chargers’ all-time field goals list. He needs to make 10 more to tie Steve Christie (42) for sixth.

Mike Scifres, currently third in team history with 516 career punts, needs three more to tie Dennis Partee (1968-75) for the second-most in team history (519).

Connections

Photos: Familiar Faces
Connections between the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers.

Tight ends coach Jason Michael was born in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Offensive line coach Mike Sullivan served as assistant offensive line coach with the Browns from 2001-04 and 2007-08.

Defensive tackle Antonio Garay was a sixth-round pick by the Browns in 2003.

Center/guard Rex Hadnot played for the Browns in 2010.

Tight end Antonio Gates attended Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

Browns running backs coach Gary Brown was a running back for the Chargers in 1997.

Broadcast Information

CBS (KFMB, Channel 8 in San Diego) – Spiro Dedes (play-by-play) and Rich Gannon (analyst)

Rock 105.3 FM, XTRA Sports 1360 (San Diego) and AM 570 KLAC (Los Angeles & Orange County) – Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Hank Bauer (analyst) and Mike Costa (reporter)

Spanish Radio –XHFG 107.3 (San Diego) and KWKW 1330 AM (Los Angeles) – Jorge Villanueva (play-by-play) and Dante Lazcano (analyst)