Chargers aim to simplify offense during bye week
Head coach Jim Harbaugh said the team will consider reducing the playbook and pre-snap motion after a loss to the Chiefs, as the Chargers seek to improve their struggling offense.
The Los Angeles Chargers plan to narrow their offensive playbook during the upcoming bye week, coach Jim Harbaugh said. Harbaugh explained the team is reviewing the volume of plays and looking for ways to make the system easier for players to understand.
The decision follows a Week 6 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in which the Chargers used pre-snap motion on 74 percent of their snaps, the fourth-highest rate in the league, and experienced confusion among skill position players. Last season the team used motion on 56 percent of its snaps.
Quarterback Justin Herbert, who has not recorded a touchdown pass in his first five games, was pressured heavily by the Chiefs defense and posted a negative EPA per drop back. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey left the game early with a head injury, adding to the Chargers' injury concerns at the receiver position.
Harbaugh did not confirm which receivers would be active for the next game, noting the team is still evaluating the health of players such as McConkey and Quentin Johnston. The Chargers have a Week 7 bye before resuming their schedule.
Separately, the NFL announced a one-game suspension for Bills defensive lineman Sam Franklin after an incident in Week 6, and the Indianapolis Colts added veteran punter Thomas Morstead to their practice squad as insurance for injured punter Rigoberto Sanchez.