1 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to playmakers. Everyone. I'm your host, Haley Ellwood. It 2 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: is week three in the Los Angeles Chargers. We'll welcome 3 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: to Jacksonville Jaguars to town. So joining me to talk 4 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,319 Speaker 1: about this matchup is NFL on CBS sideline reporter AJ Ross, 5 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: who will be down on the sidelines. Aj, thanks for 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,479 Speaker 1: joining me. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited. Yeah. 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: So we're going to give the big old disclaimer here 8 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: before we get into and that is we are taping 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: this on a Tuesday. The Chargers have not taken the field. 10 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:38,599 Speaker 1: No one knows really at this point what is going 11 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: to happen, notably most with Justin Herbert and his status 12 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: for Sunday. But we're gonna go with it. Who knows, 13 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: it might be outdated by the time Sunday rolls around, 14 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: but we're going to do our best here. Sounds good, 15 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: all right? AJ? So, as I said, we're not totally 16 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: sure on the status of Justin Herbert, But overall, what 17 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: are you looking at in this matchup? I mean, obviously 18 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: that's if Justin does play. He showed a lot of 19 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: just perseverance and grit, and I mean it was painful 20 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: to watch the end of that last game. But what 21 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: an amazing talent. What he's able to do and clutch 22 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: moments is really like top five in the league. So 23 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: I don't even want to call him an X factor. 24 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: He is literally a game changer. But this Jags defense 25 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: is an entirely different group than years before, So you 26 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 1: cannot sleep on this Jags team. This could be a 27 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:33,399 Speaker 1: sneaky game for the Chargers depending on who plays, and so, yeah, 28 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: it's an important matchup. You can't count these Jags out whatsoever. No, 29 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: that certainly seems to be the case right now, just 30 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: through the first couple weeks of the season. But let's 31 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: kind of start here. If Herbert can't go and say 32 00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: Chase Daniel has to assume the position of the quarterback 33 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: starting quarterback role on Sunday, how does his veteran presence 34 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: having been there before benefit this offense. It's a good 35 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: thought to think of his veteran presence transferring into a 36 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 1: game scenario. But again, looking at what the Jaguars did 37 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: to the Colts last week, Matt Ryan has just as 38 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 1: much I think one season on top of Chase Daniel, 39 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,119 Speaker 1: I think fifteen compared to fourteen seasons and obviously Matt 40 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,639 Speaker 1: Bryan's resume compared to Chase Daniel day and night, not 41 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: you know, counting the guy out whatsoever, but I think 42 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: he's only had like five starts in fourteen seasons, five touchdowns, 43 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 1: maybe a little over twelve hundred yards. You know. Of course, 44 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: leadership and poise can be something critical against the pass rush, 45 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: like what the Jags will probably be doing on Sunday, 46 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 1: But it's day and night compared to if Herbert's in 47 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: the game, if Chase Daniel's under center, two entirely different teams. 48 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: So I would expect a lot of, you know, on 49 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: the ground action with the Chargers. If Chase Daniel is 50 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,519 Speaker 1: the starting quarterback, You'll see a lot of Austin Eckler, 51 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: I would anticipate, and the defense will really have to 52 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: step up and kind of compensate and hopefully get some turnovers. 53 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: That all equates points absolutely, and flipping to that Chargers defense. 54 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: Ter when James obviously just such a presence when he's healthy. 55 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: We saw the impact he had on Travis Kelsey in 56 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: last Thursday's game. How can he be a game changer 57 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 1: on that side of the ball man that body slam 58 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 1: on Travis Kelsey. I think everybody felt that across the nation. 59 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 1: It felt like an earthquake when he did that. Derwin 60 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: James is just a unique talent. I mean, he's a force, 61 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: and his energy on the field you can feel, it's palpable, 62 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: it's contagious. So yeah, obviously on the defensive side of 63 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: the ball, his presence can you dictate a game immensely, 64 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,000 Speaker 1: But it's gonna have to be a collective effort and 65 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: they're gonna have to apply consistent pressure up front on 66 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: Travis Lawrence. Like that's going to be I think really 67 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: the big key for the Chargers defense in this one. 68 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: Or Lawrence. Yeah, yeah, Trevor Lawrence. And we'll actually we'll 69 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: get to Trevor Lawrence. Now, let's talk about these Jags 70 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: for a little bit. You mentioned it, they blank the 71 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: Colts in week two. There's a new head coach, you 72 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: mentioned some new pieces on defense, But overall, why is 73 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: this such a different Jacksonville team than maybe what we 74 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: saw a year ago. Well, Trevor, for one, is doing 75 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: extremely well through the first two weeks. His completion percentage 76 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: just this last game eighty three percent is a career 77 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: high for him. I think he completed twenty five or 78 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: thirty passes, which you know he hasn't even all of 79 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 1: last season had that high of a completion percentage or 80 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: a quarterback rating. So he's coming into his own. They 81 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: often say with quarterbacks the year two leap is a 82 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: you know, defining factor and what not. Just they do 83 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: that year too, but moving forward with their careers, and 84 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: he has key pieces around him now, he has Christian 85 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 1: Kirk Zay Jones, and their run game is also you know, 86 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 1: opening up a bit. So you know, offensively, it's a 87 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: different team and I've mentioned defensively it's a different team. 88 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: So I think this is really going to be an 89 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 1: interesting matchup and yeah, we'll see what happens. When you 90 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: look at that development for Trevor Lawrence, how much of 91 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: an impact do you think Doug Peterson has had, even 92 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: though just it's spend such a short amount of time 93 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: and we only have a very small sample size right now. 94 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: Absolutely day and night, it seems don't have to get 95 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: back into the controversy of last year, but something I've 96 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: just started to kind of delve into with local reports 97 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: and what I've seen with some of their interviews, even 98 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: the way they game planned for week two with Trevor 99 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: trying to build up his confidence and get him into 100 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: a rhythm with scripted plays out the gate. There was 101 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 1: a lot of underneath passes, a lot of you know, checkdowns, 102 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: things to just get him into a rhythm out the 103 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 1: gate and get him comfortable and not as inclined to 104 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: like force it and you know, turn the ball over. 105 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: And that's just made a huge impact. And obviously Doug 106 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 1: Peterson comes with a wealth of experience working with quarterbacks. 107 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 1: So the synergy, I think is something that you're already 108 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: seeing on display early on in this season. So let's 109 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: get into this Jags defense. Three interceptions last week of 110 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: Matt Randibley. Former charger ray Sean Jenkins had one of those. 111 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: What is causing them right now to just mesh so well? It, 112 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: according to reports, is like this contagious competitive spirit throughout 113 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: their defense and amongst them, you know, even ray Sean 114 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: was recently saying an interview, like they try to get 115 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: a turnover or take way early on because if they 116 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: can get that, it seems to be a ripple effect 117 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 1: and they want to get these multiples and even internally 118 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: they seem to have like these competitions like some of 119 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 1: the dbs, the corners are having any internal conversations or 120 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: competitions about like I gotta pick today, now you got 121 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: to catch up that sort of thing. So, you know, 122 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 1: the Jags had those top picks and the draft this year, 123 00:06:20,040 --> 00:06:23,960 Speaker 1: these rookies are, you know, already performing two linebackers they 124 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 1: drafted very early. So again, it's a whole new face 125 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: on this defense and they believe that they can win. 126 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: They do not have that carryover from years past with 127 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: you know, these negative connotations about the drag wars of 128 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: the old. This is a brand new team. It's a 129 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 1: new day, and this defense is young and they're hungry. 130 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: I think that's such an interesting point that you make, 131 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: because so much of the time we're talking about positive carryover. 132 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: We're talking about maybe teams that didn't quite make it 133 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 1: the last year, but it's like, oh, but they did 134 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: these great things and that'll carry over. But very rarely 135 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: do we talk about negativity and maybe throwing that aside. 136 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: And I think that's so interesting. Obviously, we said new 137 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: head coach, some new pieces, but the fact that they 138 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: have totally just put that behind them and are moving 139 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 1: forward is pretty remarkable. Absolutely, that mentality is everything, and 140 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: if you don't believe internally that you can do something 141 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 1: different than you know, it's a very long season, to 142 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: say the least. So seeing this sort of precedent early 143 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: on that they are, you know, believing in each other 144 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: and they're you know, picking each other up and competing 145 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: within the team in a you know, a positive way. 146 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: We'll see how long this endures. This is the first 147 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: AFC South opponent for the Chargers this season, after playing 148 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,559 Speaker 1: two AFC West. Team's final question, what do you think? 149 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: And I know this could be as easy as just 150 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 1: if number ten is out there, but what do you 151 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: think will be a big factor in determining how this 152 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: game gets played out? I think it's going to be 153 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 1: close either way. Even if Herbert is out there. There's 154 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: a pain factor, you know, a what is it rib? Cartilage? 155 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: I don't want to say the wrong thing, that it 156 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: can be just as painful, if not more than a 157 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: broken rib. So I don't want to take for granted that, 158 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: you know, if he is present out there, that this 159 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: is you know, just that throwing motion can be you know, 160 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: every snap something very painful. I think it will come 161 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: down to, you know, maybe some fourth down calls on 162 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: both sides of the ball these I mean not both sides, 163 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: but both teams, And these are two coaches that like 164 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 1: to gamble a bit, So I think there's a lot 165 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: of variables in this one as far as time of possession, 166 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: how often they may go for it on fourth down, 167 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 1: how well each of these quarterbacks whomever maybe out there 168 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: takes care of the ball, and obviously defense, there's there's 169 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 1: you know, some big names on both these teams. So um, yeah, 170 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: I don't I don't want to put it all on 171 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: Justin's shoulders, but yeah, I hope he heals up and 172 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: he's out there. We hope that too. I think every 173 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: Charters fan is lighting candles and praying for that to 174 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: happen this week. But AJ, we will see you out 175 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: at so Far on Sunday. Thanks so much for coming on, 176 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for having me looking forward to it.