The Los Angeles Chargers enter the 2020 campaign on the heels of a 5-11 mark, fighting an uphill battle to return to the postseason in an AFC West chock full of talent.
Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is entering his fourth year on the job and he spoke with Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times to lay out how the team's defense could improve in the new season, and it's not just focusing on stopping the run. Said Bradley,
“Yes, you’ve got to stop the run … Yes, you’ve got to eliminate explosive plays. But you have to find ways to affect the quarterback … We didn’t do a good enough job last year in doing that.”
The Chargers were right in the middle of the pack in terms of rushing yards yielded per game in 2019 (112.8), but the team ultimately tied for dead last in the league (with the Giants) with 17 more turnovers than they created. For Bradley, putting pressure on the quarterback will hopefully pave the way to more mistakes, ergo ramping up his defense's effectiveness.
The step backwards was a diametric shift from the 12-4 record that the team reeled off in 2018 (also under Bradley), which saw them win a playoff game before ultimately being eliminated from Super Bowl contention. That season, the team finished with a plus-one mark in the turnover column.
With the offseason addition of Linval Joseph at defensive tackle, the focus out wide will be on Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram III, who will likely take on increased disruption duties. Both were Pro Bowlers last season, but if Bradley has his way, they'll be even more effective in 2020.
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