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Top Quotes | What the Chargers Said Ahead of Week 2

Weekly TQ W2

Take a look at top quotes from Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley, quarterback Justin Herbert and more from their Week 2 media availability during the week:

Head Coach Brandon Staley

On G Jamaree Salyer's performance at RG:

"A winning performance, for sure. We don't take his performance for granted because he kind of makes it seem that way because he can go anywhere and do it at a high level. To move to a different side, he has been a left-side player — that's where he trained in training camp his first year — and he went from left guard to left tackle last year, but to go to the right side seamlessly, it was a winning performance against a very quality front. Their three starters are outstanding interior players with [Dolphins DT Christian] Wilkins, [Dolphins DT Zach] Sieler and [Dolphins DT Raekwon] Davis. We have to keep building on it."

On Titans QB Ryan Tannehill:

"Ryan [Tannehill] is an outstanding player in the league. I have a lot of respect for his game. He showed real toughness last year when hurt his ankle and then came back into the game. They have won a lot of football games there in Tennessee with him as the starting quarterback. I think he's had a really quality career. He can do a lot of things as a quarterback. He can really access any part of the field. He's a very clean thrower of the football, accurate, tough. He is big. People forget that he played receiver in college. He's an outstanding athlete. He's a really smart football player, too. He has seen it all. We have a lot of respect for his game."

On how the tight ends blocked in Week 1:

"I felt like, when we were healthy — our first year — that that group really did a good job, a quality job, our first year. Last year, there was a ton of attrition. You don't rush for that many yards if your tight ends aren't involved at the point of attack. All of them that played in the game contributed — all four of them contributed to a big performance. With as good of an edge group as Miami has, you're going to need tight ends to be able to neutralize it and give your runners an avenue to run. I thought that all four of them did a quality job. [Tight Ends Coach] Kevin Koger is doing a really good job of coaching them. My hat is off to them because you don't get 240 [rushing yards] without good, quality tight end play."

On the linebacker room if Eric Kendricks and Daiyan Henley can't play:

"Certainly the group is going to have to pick up for Eric. It'll be a great opportunity for those young guys."

Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore

On the value of the run game 'opening things up in the passing game':

"It certainly has the potential to. Teams play different styles, you play different opponents. Every week is different, but I think it's important that we at least have the evidence to support that. Hopefully, it does, potentially, as the season progresses — whether it's this week or future weeks — that it may provide us some more one-on-one opportunities outside, just when they have to commit the down safety. We'll see how it goes."

On RB Joshua Kelley:

"Just a big-time professional. Obviously, we see the production on the field, but I think he prepares really, really well. He's a great teammate to everyone. He knows his role. He embraces his role. When he gets those opportunities to take advantage of some chances there, he certainly takes advantage of them. As the season goes on, he's a guy — like a number of these running backs — we're going to need different guys to play different roles as the weeks go on."

On the 'strength' of a 'balanced offense':

"Something that we just emphasized throughout the offseason is that this is just the formula and we have to be willing to adapt and adjust each and every week and take it wherever we need to. There are going to be days where we can run the football to some success, or maybe days where we have to throw it a lot. We'll just see what happens."

Defensive Coordinator Derrick Ansley

On if the defense is 'chomping at the bit to get back out there' following the unit's performance in Week 1:

"We have a bunch of grown men in our room. The coaches are really excited about getting back out there. I know I am, the staff feels the same way. Every seven days you get an opportunity to humble somebody, or somebody humbles you. We'll get another chance this Sunday."

On the run defense:

"They ran it for 70 yards or whatever on 20 carries. They stressed it, but I thought that we held strong there. They were committed to throwing the ball and we didn't do enough work on the back end to stop them from doing that. We take pride in the back end and we'll get that fixed."

Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken

On the Titans special teams unit:

"It's a really well-coached team. In terms of the Titans, I think they play really hard. It's a really good group. They're big, long and athletic. It's going to be a really good test for us. We've got to make sure we're on our P's and Q's on everything and we're squared away. We know the rules. It's going to be about us, at the end of the day, and our situations. It's a very well coached team. They're going to play hard."

Quarterback Justin Herbert

On the Chargers offensive weapons:

"I think that's the great thing about our offense, is that we have so many weapons. I think, just having people out there that make plays — that takes the pressure away, like you said. Having a run game and having guys to throw the ball to on the outside — [WR] Keenan [Allen], [WR] Mike [Williams], [WR Quentin] Q [Johnston] and [WR] Josh [Palmer] — they've done such an incredible job. My job is just to get them the ball in space and let them do the cool things."

On the Titans' defense:

"They're really well-coached. They have some really impressive guys on that side of the ball. They have impressive guys on both sides of the ball. They have a really good defense. A great front seven and some cover guys that can really get after it in the back end. It's going to take a lot of preparation, film watching and having a good week of practice to get ready for the Titans."

Outside Linebacker Khalil Mack

On 'the name of the game this week':

"That's the name of the game. You have to go out there and put your pads on and play ball. You have to show why they brought you here and why this is going to be a special defense and a special team this year. We haven't done it yet."

Safety Derwin James, Jr.

On the Titans' offense:

"They have a physical team. They run the ball, have a balanced attack and have some good players over there."

On fixing mistakes:

"Very fixable. We're not panicking, no one's putting their head down. We've got a new challenge this week in Tennessee. We're coming out here and getting better and we're working towards that."

On Titans QB Ryan Tannehill and Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa:

"They're definitely two different quarterbacks. Tannehill can probably run a little bit better. Tannehill is a veteran player in this league. They're similar in some areas, but they're definitely two completely different players."

Running Back Joshua Kelley

On how he approaches Sunday's game if Austin Ekeler can't play:

"To be honest, that doesn't really change anything. I feel like my mental approach has always been the same ever since it's been training camp, preseason, regular season, I think it's all been the same for me. My mentality is to dominate, take every possession, every rep, to the best of my ability."

On the younger running backs:
"They're ready to go man. You saw what these can do in the preseason, they're over here running the ball really hard, really well, fast and scoring, all of that. These guys are excited just as much as I am. Let's get it. Our coach said it like, 'Hey, [if] we need you to roll, then you got to answer the call."

Guard Zion Johnson

On what stood out from the film in Week 1:

"The physicality. We really wanted to focus on running the football and improve that from last year. I feel like we accomplished that but we have more improvements we want to work on going into this week. We expect to play a full game on offense."

On keeping the consistency along the offensive line this week and beyond:

"Every week is a different week offensively. Different defenses have different strengths, but it's really a mentality thing. We want to stay as physical, as aggressive. If we continue to do that, no matter at what time in the game it may call, this game may be different it might call for us to run the ball better late in the game or have a different flow to it. But as long as we stay aggressive and physical, we can do that."

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