https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2023/12/25/chargers-bills-winners-losers-easton-stick-giff-smith/

Alex Insdorf
December 25, 2023 4:04 pm PT

Despite managing to keep the game close without Justin Hebert and
several key starters, the Chargers came up just short against the Bills
as they lost 24-22. Buffalo took control of their playoff destiny, while
LA was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

The Chargers have known their fate for weeks, though. It’s why Brandon
Staley and Tom Telesco were fired in-season. At this point, all you’re
watching for are performances to be used as an evaluation tool in the
off-season. What stood out, positively and negatively, for the Bolts?

Stud: QB Easton Stick

As mentioned last week, what you’re looking to see from Easton Stick is
competent fill-in play. Nothing more, nothing less. Last week in Las
Vegas, Stick’s processing and decision-making were just a step slow.
Turnovers made the margins of the game even worse for LA.

It was a much better performance for Stick this week. 23-33, 218 yards
and a rushing touchdown is about what I’d expect from the NDSU product
in executing the offense efficiently.

Also important for Stick as a game manager: zero turnover-worthy plays
against Buffalo. He had six in his first two starts this season.

Dud: The anemic run game continues

Relative to his recent efforts, this wasn’t a bad game for Austin
Ekeler, as he averaged 4.3 yards per carry for 65 yards. But the total
production and efficiency for the running back room wasn’t there.

After a 50-yard performance against Las Vegas, Isaiah Spiller had two
carries for one yard. Joshua Kelley had one run that went backward
yardage-wise. 18 runs for 64 yards between the backs is just more of the
same in terms of what we’ve seen this season. The interior line
struggled in a run-blocking capacity as they turned to Brenden Jaimes.

The absence of Corey Linsley and the athletic decline of Austin Ekeler
are hard factors to work with. But Kellen Moore’s run game has not met
expectations this year.

Stud: S Alohi Gilman

Alohi Gilman created two massive turnovers for the Chargers in this
game. Left by himself with Stefon Diggs over the top, Gilman came up
with a huge interception while undercutting Josh Allen’s pass. A forced
fumble in run support also gave the Chargers another opportunity to
swing the game.

By any conceivable metric, Gilman is having his best season in a
contract year. As uncertainty looms around the rest of the Chargers’
expensive roster, he’s proven to be a critical piece of this defense.
Whichever GM comes in needs to get Gilman back for 2024.

Dud: 4th down decision making

Staley took a lot of media heat on his fourth-down decision-making, but
the truth is that his calls usually added to the Chargers’ in-game
winning percentages. His aggressiveness in 2021 won that team some
games. Conservatism and inconsistent decision-making made the offense
less potent in ‘22 and ‘23.

On the first Chargers’ drive that gained traction to the tune of 90
yards, Giff Smith elected to take a field goal on the two-yard line. For
an LA offense that has struggled to put up points on the board, I get
the decision. But a touchdown there might’ve won the game for the
Chargers, considering the defensive effort.

Again, the game was irrelevant from a playoff positioning standpoint.
But had it been a must-win game, I think that decision at home against
Josh Allen would’ve generated more discussion.

Stud: TE Gerald Everett

Somewhat quietly, Gerald Everett has put together a really solid stretch
for the Chargers after a bit of a target drought. From October 1st to
November 12th, Everett averaged under 14 yards in a five-game span.
Since then, Everett has put up 41.8 yards per contest in his last five
games.

He also has a five-game streak of 4+ receptions in that span. Whether
with Stick or Justin Herbert, Everett has been a valuable piece in an
otherwise depleted offense.

As mentioned before with Gilman, I also would try to keep Everett next
year at the right value for the Chargers as draft/offseason insurance.

Dud: LB Kenneth Murray

Kenneth Murray has had his most erratic season as a pro. The run defense
has largely been decent for the most part. But while that support aspect
of his game is serviceable now, coverage is still a struggle. A
miscommunication put him 1 on 1 vs. Gabe Davis downfield. 82 yards
allowed in coverage was Murray’s most since the Dallas game.

Opposing offenses know that the middle and deep parts of the field are
attackable with the Murray-Eric Kendricks duo that’s started all year.
The Chargers took a run defense improvement while sacrificing coverage,
and I’m not sure that tradeoff has worked out.