The San Diego Chargers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 38-14 on Sunday. While there were many highlight plays and key moments, a closer look at the film shows what you may have missed at first glance.
The Situation: *First Quarter (11:52); 2nd-and-8 from JAX 47
*What You Saw:Melvin Gordon took the handoff, cut back through a large gap on the right side and darted 21 yards to the 26-yard line.
What You Missed:Hunter Henry was the first player to burst through the gap, and was a major reason why Gordon was able break off his big run. The rookie tight end was able to block three players after D.J. Fluker and Tyrell Williams helped pave the way, creating a massive lane for Gordon to sprint through.
The Situation:Third Quarter (11:06); 3rd-and-12 from JAX 44
What You Saw:Tyrell Williams ran a shallow crossing route over the middle, caught the ball at the 40 and turned on the jets down the right sideline. The wide receiver spun out of a pair of blockers at the seven-yard line before bowling over Paul Posluszny and Davon House for the touchdown.
What You Missed:Helping Williams over the goal line was left guard Orlando Franklin. While you likely saw him pushing his teammate into the end zone, you probably missed just how far the 6-6, 315-pound left guard sprinted in order to finish the play. Franklin was standing at the Jacksonville 48-yard line when Philip Rivers released the ball, but nonetheless kept running until the final whistle.
The Situation:Third Quarter (0:38); 2nd-and-10 from SD 39
What You Saw:Blake Bortles hit Allen Robinson for a 10 yard gain that moved the chains to the San Diego 29.
What You Missed:While Caraun Reid was credited with the tackle, his hustle evoked that of Franklin's earlier in the quarter. The 6-2, 298-pound defensive tackle was one of six Chargers that came on a blitz. While he wasn't able to get to the quarterback, he ran 15 yards downfield to hit Robinson from behind as he was slowed down by Brandon Flowers and Casey Hayward. It's the type of play that galvanizes a defense.
