Chargers defense blooms with Flowers
The Jacksonville Jaguars tried a little shiftiness on third-and-three from their 38-yard line in the third quarter of Sunday’s game.
It may have worked as it was designed, if this were last year’s Chargers defense.
Before Brandon Flowers arrived and made them smarter and better.
Chargers safety Eric Weddle’s man, tight end Clay Harbor, ran left to right as wide receiver Allen Hurns stopped and wide receiver Allen Robinson, Flowers’ man, came back to set a pick on Weddle.
Flowers immediately recognized what was happening, came back from the route and brought down Harbor a yard behind the line of scrimmage.
What you see when watching the play on film is that Weddle actually made a guileful move to narrowly avoid the pick and looked to be in position to make a stop to prevent the first-down conversion. What Weddle saw when recalling the play was a bigger picture.
“He’s not even supposed to be there,” Weddle said, practically giddy. “But he recognizes his guy is trying to pick mine and he makes a play.”
If you’ve been watching the Chargers secondary for any span of years, the sequence was like a fog melting in a warm sun. Weddle didn’t say so, but it seemed like the kind of beautiful art that might bring tears to his eyes.
He’s not alone anymore.
This is not to suggest Flowers and Weddle are the only defensive backs making plays. Certainly, the whole group is better. And that’s the point.
“It’s just awesome,” Weddle said, “to have someone back there who is playing at a high level and believes in himself, believes he’s the best player on the field and plays like it -- and in that, brings up the level of play of everyone on the field.”
It isn’t coincidence that we are seeing a cohesive defensive backfield. It isn’t just experience that has Shareece Wright and Marcus Gilchrist and Jahleel Addae largely improved in their recognition, decision making and tackling.
It’s what happens in games when other things happen the rest of the week.
Like this on Wednesday, a familiar scene at Chargers Park:
Flowers, Addae and Jason Verrett walked toward the locker room after practice, stopped at the edge of the grass, dropped their helmets, took off their practice jersey and shoulder pads, picked back up their helmets and began to jog.
“That’s all Flo,” Addae said after their four laps (about one mile) around the two practice fields. “He’s a wily veteran. He knows if you keep your conditioning up, that eliminates mistakes.”
And there it was. In that synopsis was a big portion of the argument that can be made that why Flowers has been the most important player on a Chargers defense that has suddenly become known for its ability to make stops and close out games.
Flowers watches film like a coach, openly tries to be a coach on the field and in the meeting room, stressing details, pointing out tendencies.
“I’ve been approaching the game like this my whole career,” said Flowers, in his seventh season, his first not as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs. “. . . I’ve been doing it this way for a long time. I take pride in being like that.“
His play so far – five receptions (for just 68 yards) on 12 passes his direction, with three passes defended, an athletic and intuitive interception and tied with Weddle for a team-high nine stops (tackles after a gain of three yards or less) – gives his leadership emphasis.
“It’s not always just hearing it from my mouth,” Weddle said. “It’s nice someone else can say it and have some validity.”
Burned by Derek Cox last season, disappointed by a number of other free agents acquisitions over the years, the signing of Flowers in June was met with hope yet trepidation. Flowers played hurt almost all of last season and had what was statistically his worst season.
“I knew a lot of people didn’t know what to expect,” Flowers said. “I put a chip on my shoulder to let them know what they’re getting . . . I had to prove a lot. They brought me in to make plays. This is what I’ve been doing my whole career. It’s fun to be out there healthy again.”
His arrival has changed the defense perhaps more than even the ascension of Corey Liuget and sustained excellence of Dwight Freeney.
That’s not in any way diminishing anyone else’s performance. But what we’re seeing from Flowers can certainly be appreciated.
