The San Diego Chargers will lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars

Julius Thomas & T.J. Yeldon

Put simply, the San Diego Chargers are really bad at covering tight ends and running backs. Thomas and Yeldon are both very good receiving threats at those respective positions. There really is no realistic scenario in which Dwight Lowery, Jahleel Addae, Manti Te’o, and Denzel Perryman (let alone Kyle Emanuel and the other outside linebackers) shut down the Jaguars backs and tight ends this weekend. It’s an example of strength vs. weakness and that very rarely plays out for the team sporting the obvious weakness.

Best case scenario is that Dexter McCoil and Jatavis Brown showed the coaches enough to see more playing time because they at least have the physical tools to cover someone. Granted, that won’t be too helpful if they’re still behind learning the defense (or whatever reason might be keeping them on the sidelines).

Allen Robinson & Allen Hurns

Cornerback is arguably the Chargers’ biggest strength with Jason Verrett, Casey Hayward, and Brandon Flowers. Robinson and Hurns are an incredibly dynamic receiving duo, though, and it is possible that they will just overwhelm the Chargers’ corners or their offensive coordinator will just find a way to get them lined up on linebackers or safeties none of whom can cover anyone that gets paid to catch passes in the NFL.

At the very least, it should be entertaining to watch Verrett match up with Robinson and watch Hurns work against Flowers or Hayward. Strength vs. strength is more fun and decidedly less predictable. Either way, the Jacksonville Allens will have something to say one way or the other about how this game plays out.

Keenan Allen

With Allen sidelined for the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL, the Chargers will turn to... Dontrelle Inman? Good luck. Inman is by all accounts a very hard worker and willing contributor. He even stepped up and played defensive back when the need arose. That said, he’s not very good. He’s a WR5 on a good offense. He will be starting for the Chargers on Sunday and if tendencies carry over from the Chiefs game he will be one of the two receivers on the field in two-receiver sets. The drop off from Allen to any other Chargers receiver is substantial. The drop off to Inman is staggering.

Chargers fans can only hope that Tyrell Williams forces the coaches’ hands by making plays when he gets on the field. Until then, however, maybe we will just get to see a lot more 12 personnel. Fingers crossed, I guess.