Cowboys vs. Chargers: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for San Diego
The San Diego Chargers were victorious in their preseason opener Thursday, beating the Dallas Cowboys 17-7 in front of the home crowd.
Branden Oliver tied for the game high in rushing, with 53 yards and a touchdown, and Danny Woodhead, playing in his first game since September, had a rushing touchdown of his own to kick off the scoring in the first quarter. He suffered a broken fibula three games into last season.
Melvin Gordon, the team's highly touted rookie out of Wisconsin, ended with a modest debut of 11 yards on six carries. Rookie Gus Johnson paced Dallas with 35 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Dustin Vaughan completed 12 of 18 passes for 106 yards.
Woodhead put the Bolts ahead, slashing his way to the end zone from eight yards out, and Johnson responded with a five-yard plunge to even the score at 7-7. Oliver helped the Chargers pull away with a nifty touchdown run of 10 yards, and Nick Novak concluded the scoring with a 52-yard field goal.
Want to know more? Read on for grades, notes and quotes on Thursday night's game.
Position Grades for Chargers
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| Position | Grade |
| QB | C |
| RB | A |
| WR | C |
| TE | C |
| OL | C+ |
| DL | C |
| LB | B |
| DB | C- |
| Special Teams | A |
| Coaching | C |
The Chargers had almost no interest in throwing the ball, and it's tough to evaluate Philip Rivers on two completions, but if I was hard-pressed to critique his performance, I'd say he looked like his usual confident self. However, the same could not be said for Kellen Clemens and Brad Sorensen, who tried to fit a lot of balls in tight windows.
Aside from Gordon, I thought the running back position was solid from the top down. Oliver was a stud, Woodhead never looked better and undrafted rookie Jahwan Edwards broke out some nice runs, which included a 17-yard burst.
Wide receivers and tight ends didn't get a lot of work in due to the restrictions on passing, but Dontrelle Inman stood out with a couple of tough grabs against coverage. He started heating up toward the end of last season, and I wouldn't be surprised if he got more opportunities to work with the ones.
The first-team offensive line was a little inconsistent, as there were a few instances when Dallas got penetration up front, but in watching Woodhead's touchdown run, you have a fine example of picture-perfect run blocking.
The defensive line was rather disappointing, but it was most evident on the Gus Johnson touchdown. Give him credit for not giving up on the run, but he should have been stopped short of the end zone. There were at least two or three defenders in his path, and he still managed to power his way through.
Donald Butler and Manti Te'o played well in their first bit of action, reacting to the flow of the run game well. Butler looks noticeably more athletic and confident in his play than he did last season.
In the secondary, Jahleel Addae made plays from sideline to sideline, and he looks to have a slight edge over Jimmy Wilson for the battle at strong safety. Steve Williams got picked on a lot in the passing game, and aside from the one deflection he had, it wasn't his best outing.
Javontee Herndon played his way into the discussion for punt returner. He returned three kicks for 63 yards, and he showed good vision and acceleration. The friendly contest between Nick Novak and Josh Lambo was fun to watch unfold. Lambo showed impressive leg strength on kickoffs, but so did Novak. He clearly has been working on that part of his game, and as an added measure, he drilled a 52-yard field goal with ease.
As far as coaching goes, fans might have been turned off by the simplistic play-calling on offense, but you have to remember this is the first preseason game, and players are still learning and re-learning the playbook. Plus, coaches are reluctant to show their hand when it comes to exhibition games.
Branden Oliver Steals the Show
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Oliver made sure to remind folks that Gordon isn't the only running back worth noting on the Chargers roster. He was just as slippery as he's ever been, and those legs of his kept churning for extra yardage after contact.
Oliver, Gordon and Woodhead are going to be a nice trio—so long as they stay healthy. Oliver can contribute as a runner and receiver, and when he gets space on those little dump-offs and screen passes, watch out.
Kyle Emanuel Making the Most of Opportunity
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The rookie out of North Dakota State had himself quite the debut, collecting a sack and a forced fumble on special teams. Blitzing from the right side, Kyle Emanuel beat his man with an inside move to bring down the Cowboys' Dustin Vaughan.
The Chargers will need edge-rushers behind starters Melvin Ingram and Jeremiah Attaochu, and with moves like that, Emanuel is stating his case to be included in that discussion.
Hustle plays like the one he performed on kick coverage to force a fumble are also ideal. Former Chargers linebacker Andrew Gachkar went a similar path, excelling on special teams before getting his chance on defense.
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Johnnie Troutman, Chris Davis and Tourek Williams Leave Game with Injuries
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Johnnie Troutman, who had already been dealing with a bum knee in training camp, suffered an injury to his right arm in the first half that needed to be placed in a sling, which is never a good sign. Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported:
"Chargers RG Johnnie Troutman now standing on sideline. Right arm in a sling.
— Michael Gehlken (@UTgehlken) August 14, 2015"
Troutman has a lot to be concerned with as it is his starting spot in jeopardy, and this injury will only set him back further if it's serious enough to keep him out of practice for an extended amount of time.
Chris Davis was next to exit the game when he sustained a concussion making a tackle at the knees of a Cowboys running back.
For what it's worth, the effort Davis made as he flew in from the secondary to deliver the hit was impressive, but as a player thought to be on the bubble, this could obviously hurt his chances of making the cut.
And the last casualty of the night was Tourek Williams, who had a relatively good showing before injuring his foot. He was on crutches and in a boot after the game, according to Gehlken:
"Tourek Williams will undergo further testing Friday morning on foot injury. Chargers OLB was on crutches, in protective boot after game.
— Michael Gehlken (@UTgehlken) August 14, 2015"
He isn't projected to start next season, but the Chargers can't afford to lose depth at outside linebacker, especially one with his experience.
Melvin Gordon on His First NFL Game
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Gordon commented on his performance, per Gehlken:
"Melvin Gordon on first NFL game: "I just missed some runs. It just wasn't clicking for me today." Took it in stride. Learning experience.
— Michael Gehlken (@UTgehlken) August 14, 2015"
Gordon looked indecisive at times, getting stopped for no gain or negative yardage on a couple of occasions, but that's to be expected from a first-year player. In time, he'll learn to trust his instincts and hit the hole with confidence.
It may not have been the debut we were expecting, but the important thing to remember here is there are more games to be played in the preseason. This is but a small sample of Gordon, and he will get plenty of opportunities to improve on it before the start of the regular season.
D.J. Fluker on Playing Guard
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D.J. Fluker assessed his transition to guard, as reported by Ricky Henne of Chargers.com:
"Fluker on playing guard - "I felt pretty comfortable. I think it went OK. The biggest difference is there is not much room to move."
— Ricky Henne (@ChargersRHenne) August 14, 2015"
Like Fluker said, he looked OK playing inside, but he doesn't strike me as being entirely comfortable there. Learning to play in a phone booth can be difficult for someone who has grown accustomed to the edge, especially for a man of his stature, but over time, he could learn to make it work for him.
We saw him manhandle a few of his opponents in the run game, but he needs to be consistent with it or he might as well stay at tackle.
Coach Mike McCoy on Danny Woodhead
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Mike McCoy is pleased with Woodhead's return:
"Coach McCoy on @danny__woodhead: “We’re very fortunate to have him back. He’ll really help our team."
— #DALvsSD (@Chargers) August 14, 2015"
Woodhead is invaluable to an offense with all that he offers as a receiving option out of the backfield, but people tend to forget he can tote the rock as well. I was taken aback at how elusive he looked on that touchdown run, and it didn't appear there were any lingering effects from the injury he suffered almost a year ago.
With him in the lineup, the Chargers will see a higher success rate in the red zone.
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