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5 Takeaways: Why Joe Alt Was 'Close' to Perfect in Season-Opening Win Over Chiefs

JoeAlt5Takes

The Chargers are 1-0 after a Week 1 win against the Chiefs in Brazil. Next up is a Week 2 primetime road date against another AFC West rival in the Raiders.

Here are five takeaways from Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh's Monday press conference:

1. Alt's stellar performance

It's impossible to have a perfect performance in football.

But Chargers tackle Joe Alt was as close as anyone in the season opener, according to Harbaugh.

"You can never play a perfect game, but it was close," Harbaugh said on Monday. "It was really close."

Alt pitched a shutout in the Week 1 win against the Chiefs, allowing zero pressures on 41 pass blocks at left tackle according to Next Gen Stats. It was the second game of his young career allowing zero pressures.

All of this while starting at left tackle for the second time in the NFL, manning Justin Herbert's blindside after playing all but one game at right tackle a season ago.

Harbaugh has continuously said throughout the offseason, even after the game, that Alt arguably tops the list as the team's most improved player.

Last Friday's performance showed why.

"I've been saying it, as well as Joe played last year, he's maybe been our most improved player this season," Harbaugh said. "It showed Week 1."

Alt wasn't just good in Brazil. He was exceptional.

The 22-year-old tackle boasts the highest Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade (91.4) among all offensive linemen in Week 1 heading into Monday Night Football.

Alt also ranked seventh among all offensive tackles who played at least 50 snaps in total offense grade (74.9) after playing every one of the team's 65 offensive snaps.

On a night where Harbaugh said he was impressed by the offensive line as a whole, it was Alt who anchored the left side with an all-around dominant performance.

"No matter who they put over him, he got his job done," Harbaugh said. "Whether it was pass protection, run blocking, pulling."

2. Hampton carries workload in 1st game

Chargers first-round pick Omarion Hampton’s debut was a busy one.

The No. 22 overall pick in 2025 was on the field quite a bit in his NFL debut, playing the overwhelming majority of the backfield snaps against the Chiefs.

Despite getting right in the mix from the first game, Harbaugh came away impressed with how the rookie asserted himself from the jump.

"Really thought Omarion was going to be a great player, a great back, was hoping that would be right from Game 1," Harbaugh said. "Exhibit A, he's really good. Played really well."

Hampton played in 52 of the offense's 65 snaps on Friday night and led all Chargers running backs in carries.

The rookie ran the ball 15 times for 48 yards and added a pair of receptions for 13 yards as well.

And his timely runs really got the ball moving for the Bolts offense and showed up big when the team needed it.

The Chargers Head Coach said Hampton's best run of the night came on fourth-and-1 at their own 35-yard line, as he got a lot more than what was needed.

"He got really good blocking… Omarion became his own blocker," Harbaugh said. "It was blocked for about a yard, maybe half a yard, which is what we needed, but he turned that into three. Very excited about that."

Harbaugh later added: "He did really well. Ran the ball strong, fast, he really hits the holes."

Not to mention, Hampton also passed the test that high on the list of importance for rookie running backs — pass protection.

The 22-year-old being on the field as much as he was in Week 1 meant he was important on passing downs, especially against a team that sends unique pressures as much as the Chiefs.

It was very noticeable when rewatching film according to Harbaugh.

"The pass protection really did stand out," Harbaugh said. "Didn't know for sure, Kansas City they're known for blitzing, they're known for linebacker pressures and Omarion did a great job.

"How would he be in the first game against that kind of pressure, against that kind of rush," Harbaugh added.

When Hampton did get a breather, it was Najee Harris who got some of the work playing 12 snaps in his first action with the Bolts after missing training camp.

Harbaugh said the plan going in was for Harris to play around what he did.

"We had planned 12 to 15 plays for Najee in this game," Harbaugh said. "Hit it right at 12.

"This week could be different," he added.

Check out the best shots from the Chargers season opener in São Paulo, Brazil matchup against the Chiefs!

3. Strong defensive trenches

The Chargers defensive performance flashed just as strong in Harbaugh's mind after getting a chance to review the tape.

"We played really good defense," Harbaugh said. "Another half of not allowing a touchdown, in the first half, I think that's the sixth or seventh time with Coach Minter coordinating the defense.

He added: "Some things to clean up… I thought we did well, acquitted ourselves well on defense."

Harbaugh named a number of standouts from both the secondary and the middle of the defense such as Tarheeb Still and Daiyan Henley, but made sure to praise the work of the defensive line.

The defensive trenches were one of the things that stood out the most to Harbaugh from Week 1 after reviewing the tape, with Da'Shawn Hand and Teair Tart primarily in the mix.

"The defensive line I thought was extremely good," Harbaugh said. "There was knock back, it was physical."

Hand finished the game with a sack, a tackle for loss and totaled three total pressures according to PFF. Tart, on the other hand, batted down three timely passes at the line of scrimmage including one that took away two Kansas City points in the fourth quarter.

Harbaugh touted Tart in particular for his big plays, as he had a hand in how the unit was able to limit the run the Chiefs' run game.

"He was disruptive, he was very physical, he was able to get off blocks and help create the run wall, which has been a big emphasis for us," Harbaugh said. "We want to be better against the run. [They] ended up not running the ball as much against us as it turned out.

"I think that defensive line was a very big factor in that and we were setting the edge," Harbaugh added. "Disruptive, three tipped balls, that was huge."

Sticking with the defense, Harbaugh also provided an update on linebacker Denzel Perryman, who left the game after playing eight snaps.

The Chargers Head Coach said the veteran is "working through an ankle" injury but did not have a timeline.

"That I don't know, [the] timeline," Harbaugh said. "Don't know that timeline."

When Perryman left the game, it was veteran Troy Dye who stepped in and played a big role in the contest.

Dye, who started five games at linebacker for the Chargers last season, was in for 33 defensive snaps and finished with four tackles.

"Troy Dye, football player," Harbaugh said. "He's a leader of our special teams but comes in and really played well at linebacker when [Perryman] went out, who was also playing good but went out early."

Get an inside look at the postgame celebration from the Bolts 27-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, Brazil! Presented by SoFi!

4. Props to Roman

Harbaugh has seen a lot of great performances from Chargers Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman first hand — and this one is near the top.

"G-Ro's had some great games as a playcaller, as a game planner, as an offensive coordinator," Harbaugh said. "I would put this one at the very top. Maybe none better than this one.

"Some of the same plane as this game, but none higher," Harbaugh added. "I thought it was just a great performance and play calls."

Harbaugh made sure to take some time Monday and highlight the Chargers offensive playcaller's performance in the win as they finished the night with 394 total yards of offense.

Of course, Justin Herbert's 318-yard and three touchdown performance reflected a more pass-heavy approach in Week 1, but Roman was able to mix it up and keep a good Chiefs defense off balance.

The Bolts offense had it all including play action, motions, different types of routes and much more that helped the unit keep things moving throughout the game.

"Keeping things off balance, keeping things timely," Harbaugh said. "Third down, a lot of credit for Greg Roman for the plays called and the players executing. Eight for 14, if you count the fourth down, very timely pickups."

He later added: "The totality of the game. Creative but was able to run at the right times, throw it at the right times. Very Bill Walsh with the way he comes out throwing and get their defense moving. And extremely good against the blitz. This is one of the best blitzing teams in the NFL."

It arguably was most apparent when the Chargers needed it most.

After being up just one point, Roman's offense orchestrated two double-digit play touchdown drives that kept the Bolts in the lead.

"In response to touchdowns, we need it," Harbaugh said. "We got to be at our best when our best is needed most. I thought the offense did that in the response, two 74-yard touchdown drives.

"Credit all around, and also credit to Greg Roman," Harbaugh added.

5. Another AFC West battle on deck

The Bolts are now back to work and attacking the recovery process after last week's long travel to São Paulo.

The flights were long, but what made the flight back better? Coming back to Los Angeles with the win.

"What you'd expect. It was a happy flight," Harbaugh said. "Really happy flight, as happy of a flight as I've ever been on.

"It was good, I think it prepares us. The five-hour flights are going to feel like a piece of cake going forward," Harbaugh quipped. "There's another bonus."

Not only that, but Harbaugh made sure to emphasize the significance and weight it holds considering it was an AFC West opponent.

"It's worth two games at least, probably two and a half, close to three when you factor it all in," Harbaugh said. "When you play a division opponent, you win and they lose, that's like winning twice, plus the tiebreaker. It's big.

"Got another one of those this week, then we'll have another one next week," Harbaugh added.

The focus has now turned to their Week 2 game a week from Monday in primetime against the division rival Raiders.

Las Vegas began their season with a 20-13 road win over the Patriots, with big performances from new quarterback Geno Smith, who threw for 362 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and tight end Brock Bowers.

And while the team began the prep for the Raiders on Monday, Harbaugh knows what to expect from a team coached by Pete Carroll.

"You can expect a Pete Carroll team is going to be really good," Harbaugh said.

He later added: "Just going through that now. Good football, tough, physical. Quarterback played really well. Still dissecting it, but it was good. Played well, it's going to be a challenge."

The page was flipped with all eyes now on moving to 2-0.

"Onward. Want to keep climbing, we don't want any downs, we don't want to stay level, we want to climb," Harbaugh said. "That's the strategy."

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