Film Breakdown: San Diego Chargers Pass Defense Vs. Bears

Pass #9

Situation: 3rd and 2 CHI 26
Description: Q2-(11:58) J. Cutler Pass Incomplete Short Right to A. Jeffery (J. Verrett)

Verrett makes a great play to disrupt the catch but this should of been a completion with a better throw. Weddle and Flowers do a great job not biting on the play action fake and covering the front side receivers on the bootleg flood. Verrett gives up inside leverage on Jeffery though and is a step behind. If Cutler puts this high and away, Jeffery has an easy catch for a first down. Instead Cutler puts the pass low in away which makes Jeffery’s attempt at a catch much harder and allows Verrett to disrupt the catch attempt.

Pass #10

Situation: 2nd and 7 SD 38
Description: Q2-(10:11) J. Cutler Pass Short Right Intended for A. Jeffery Intercepted by J. Verrett at SD 32. J. Verrett for 68 Yards and Touchdown

Verrett does a good job of getting himself into position for the interception but a better throw is a first down for the Bears. Verrett battles Jeffery down the field but he ends up on the outside of Jeffery and Jeffery has good inside leverage. If this ball is thrown to Jeffery’s inside shoulder, Verrett has no chance to get the interception since he is out of position. The pass rush is getting close as Ingram beats LG Vladimir Ducasse with his stunt but Cutler can step into the throw so there is no excuse for why this throw is so off target. To give credit to the rest of the defense, the coverage was good across the board.

Pass #11

Situation: 1st and 10 CHI 20
Description: Q2-(9:58) J. Cutler Pass Deep Right to A. Jeffery Ran Out of Bounds at SD 33 for 47 Yards

There are two problems with the secondary on this play. The obvious one is Verrett versus Jeffery. Verrett gives up inside leverage too easily to Jeffery and his transition from the backpedal to running with the receiver happens to late. When I was in college, I was taught that “if the WR gets even with you in your backpedal, you are beat” and Verrett lets Jeffery get even with him on his backpedal. Verrett also pulls up on this play with an injury (and is out the rest of the game), making the gap between him and Jeffery even bigger. The second problem is Addae bites on the play action fake. Addae is the deep middle zone player on this play so he should be bailing during this play action fake. Instead, he stops his drop once he sees the fake. If he keeps on bailing, he could take a much sharper angle to the ball and may be able to get over the top of Jeffery’s route. His stopping in his drop though gives him no chance to take a sharp angle and instead he has to play contain over the top of Jeffery; letting Jeffery make the catch for a big gain.

Pass #12

Situation: 2nd and 12 SD 35
Description: Q2-(8:45) J. Cutler Pass Short Right to A. Jeffery to SD 23 for 12 Yards (S. Williams)

The Chargers are in a Cover 6 shifted to their left side of the field and the Bears route combination exploits this. Flowers is suppose to be the flat defender on this play but he is caught up by Mariani running the post route. Flowers trying to redirect this route opens up the comeback route by Jeffery as CB Steve Williams is responsible for the deep outside quarter of the field. Williams has to bail in his coverage because of his responsibility, opening up Jeffery in his comeback route. Flowers needs to be quicker on the reroute of Mariani and get underneath the comeback route if the Chargers have any chance to stop this play.

Pass #13

Situation: 1st and 10 SD 23
Description: Q2-(8:05) J. Cutler Pass Incomplete Deep Right to A. Jeffery (S. Williams)

The Chargers get very lucky on this play as Bennett is wide open on the corner route. Bennett gets turned loose by Butler on the corner route and there is no one behind Butler to cover Bennett. There is either a mix up in coverage or its a very bizarre play call as the Chargers are bringing Weddle on the blitz and the CBs are playing man coverage but the LBs are in zone coverage. Addae is the deep safety on the play but he has his back turned to Bennett due to his drop technique and he would not have a chance to recover and get over the top of Bennett. Cutler doesn’t see this and instead sees Jeffery get a step on Williams on the go route. Cutler has to try to fit this pass in a very small window as Addae can get over the top of this route and he ends up slightly under throwing the pass. This allows Williams to catch up to Jeffery and break up the pass.

Pass #14

Situation: 3rd and 2 SD 15
Description: Q2-(7:23) J. Cutler Pass Short Middle to A. Jeffery to SD 1 for 14 Yards (P. Robinson)

The initial coverage is on this play is great as the Cover 6 takes away every route. But the pass rush does not get to Cutler and Attaochu’s stunt goes too far inside, giving Cutler an alley to step up into. When Cutler steps up, Butler loses focus on Jeffery and puts his eyes on Cutler as it looks like Cutler is going to run with the ball. Cutler sees this and tosses it past Butler to Jeffery for the first down. Butler needs to do a better job of keeping tabs on Jeffery and he should commit to Cutler only when Cutler has no choice but to run.

Pass #15

Situation: 1st and Goal SD 1
Description: Q2-(6:57) J. Cutler Pass Short Left to M. Bennett for 1 Yard and Touchdown

This is all on Addae on this play as he is undisciplined in his rules. He has man coverage on Bennett but instead he jumps inside on the play action fake by Cutler. Bennett helps sell this play action fake as he blocks LDE Kendall Reyes initially. Once the fake occurs, Bennett leaks out to the flat and is wide open as Addae has commited too hard to the run fake. This is as easy a touchdown you are going to have in the redzone.

Pass #16

Situation: 2nd and 8 SD 40
Description: Q2-(2:33) J. Cutler Pass Incomplete Short Middle to J. Langford (K. Conner)

The Chargers get lucky again as Mariani is open on the post route. The Chargers are in a Cover 6 again and Butler should be sitting underneath this post route. Instead, Butler redirect and follows Bennett on his out route. This opens up a big gap underneath the safety which Mariani gets into on the post route. Weddle is following the route but a low and inside throw by Cutler gives Weddle no chance on the ball and the Bears pick up a first down. Cutler never looks at him though as he goes from the double out routes of Wilson and Bennett straight to Jeffery on the curl route. CB Craig Mager is in flat coverage so he sits on the curl route and takes it away. Cutler then has happy feet and drifts to his left, giving an angle for Ingram to get a pass rush on Cutler. This forces him to force a throw to Langford who is decently covered by Conner (who may of gotten away with a hold). If Cutler throws it away from Langford’s body, Conner has no chance to make a play on the ball. Instead Cutler throws it into the body of Langford which allows Conner to break up the pass.

Pass #17

Situation: 3rd and 8 SD 40
Description: Q2-(2:27) J. Cutler Pass Short Left to M. Bennett to SD 35 for 5 Yards (J. Wilson) [J. Attaochu]. Penalty on CHI-K. Long, Unsportmanlike Conduct, 15 Yards, Enforced at SD 35

The Chargers do a great job on their downfield coverage as all the WRs are well covered on their deeper routes. Cutler doesn’t have time for these routes to develop and open up due to the Attachou beating RT Kyle Long on a speed move to the outside so he has to dump it off to Bennett on the crossing route. SS Jimmy Wilson is on top of Bennett though and gives him no chance to get a first down.

For the 3rd Quarter passes, click on the next page