Keenan Allen Is Set To Offer Boost To Los Angeles Chargers’ Frustrating Offense

Though the Los Angeles Chargers tasted victory and improved to 4-2 with their overtime win over the Denver Broncos, quarterback Justin Herbert did not look satisfied on the sideline after the decisive field goal in a game in which his offense underwhelmed.

Despite possessing a quarterback of Herbert’s remarkable talents, the Chargers have struggled to find a rhythm on offense in 2022, with a frustrating showing against Denver in keeping with how things have gone for Joe Lombardi’s attack so far this campaign.

The Chargers were far from the first team to endure difficulties against a much-vaunted Denver defense this season, but the numbers did not make for pretty reading for the Los Angeles offense. Averaging 3.6 yards per play overall, the Chargers’ passing game put up 3.8 net yards per play while Los Angeles consistently failed to get the ball in the endzone when Herbert and Co. were able to gradually move it downfield, going one for four inside the 20.

According to rbsdm.com, Herbert finished the game with minus 7.1 Expected Points Added. His average depth of target was 5.1 yards and his completion percentage over expectation (CPOE) was minus 5.3.

In other words, Herbert rarely pushed the ball deep but struggled for accuracy despite the high-percentage nature of his throws.

For the season, Herbert is 15th in EPA per play among quarterbacks and has a CPOE of 0.1 along with an Air Yards per attempt average of 6.3 that is higher than just four qualifying quarterbacks.

Those advanced numbers are more an indictment of Lombardi’s offense than Herbert himself, with the dink and dunk approach a dreadful waste of a quarterback with the arm to make spectacular and deadly accurate deep throws that are beyond many of his contemporaries, the Chargers’ signal-caller possessing the ability to make such throws regardless of the platform afforded to him.

Simply put, offense should not be as hard as it proved for the Chargers on Monday when they have a quarterback who has the talent to elevate himself to the level of Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.

A sweeping change in approach is unlikely, but Herbert – who gets to go against a Seattle Seahawks defense that ranks 30th in EPA per play in Week 7 – may soon have a player who can make it easier on him at his disposal.

Per Jeff Miller of The Los Angeles Times, Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said wide receiver Keenan Allen is on pace to practice in full this week ahead of the Chargers’ game with the Seattle Seahawks.

Allen has not played since the Chargers’ season-opening win over the Las Vegas Raiders because of a hamstring injury but has the chance to significantly improve the Los Angeles offense should he return against one of the NFL’s worst defenses.

The 30-year-old remains one of the league’s premier route-runners and averaged 10.7 yards per reception last season, when 66 of his catches went for a first down, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL.

In other words, while Allen is closer to possession receiver than he is deep threat, his enduring ability to create separation will likely open things up for the Charger offense and allow Herbert to attack further down the field with more consistency.

A discussion of the merits of Lombardi’s scheme is one the Chargers will need to have in the offseason if the offense continues to fail to take advantage of Hebert’s elite tools.

But for now the focus is on their battle with the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West and Allen’s prospective return should lessen Herbert’s frustration and allow the Chargers to more frequently produce the chunk plays that will be pivotal to their hopes of keeping pace with Kansas City.