Los Angeles Chargers secondary piling up interceptions
ARLINGTON, Texas – There’s no turnover chain or locker room signs – yet – but the Los Angeles Chargers defensive backs are working up their own nickname after intercepting nine passes in the past three games.
“They’re starting to call us the ‘Jack Boys,’ ” safety Tre Boston said. “You can always catch us with stolen property.”
Boston was part of the Carolina Panthers secondary that in 2015 dubbed itself Thieves Ave. when it led the NFL in interceptions, with 24, and he’s tied with cornerback Casey Heyward for the Chargers team lead, with four picks a piece.
“We're just trying to build that identity. We're a good team, but you've got to win ballgames to get your names,” Boston said.
The Chargers’ 14 interceptions on the season are tied for second in the NFL, even with the Philadelphia Eagles and two fewer than the Baltimore Ravens. Five of those interceptions came a week ago, all in one half against Bills rookie quarterback Nathan Peterman.
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Peterman’s futility in his first start – and the decision Bills head coach Sean McDermott made in playing him instead of Tyrod Taylor – overshadowed the Chargers’ defensive accomplishment.
They weren’t overlooked Thursday, however. The Chargers intercepted Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott twice in the fourth quarter to blow open a game that Los Angeles wound up winning 28-6. Chargers rookie corner Desmond King returned his interception 90 yards as Prescott had finally driven the Cowboys into the red zone.
“I think last week guys were like, ‘Oh it's just a rookie, five turnovers is nothing.’ But it's something we knew we wanted to come back and repeat. We wanted an encore of last week, because we don't think people believed in us,” Boston said.
The Thanksgiving afternoon win was the Chargers’ biggest statement of the season, a sign to the rest of the league that they could be legitimate playoff contenders. The Chargers have rallied from their 0-4 start to 5-6, good for second place in the AFC West.
And they’ve done it by combining that opportunistic defense – led by pass rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, with their 18.5 combined sacks, on the front end, and Heyward and Boston, with eight combined interceptions, in the secondary – and an explosive passing game on offense.
Quarterback Philip Rivers has thrown 14 touchdowns and just three interceptions during the Chargers’ last seven games (when they’ve gone 5-2), and his performance Thursday against the Cowboys was arguably his best games in recent memory. He threw for three touchdowns and a season-high 434 yards. It was the most yards Rivers has ever thrown for in a win, passing his 419-yard performance in a 2013 win against Philadelphia.
He didn’t throw an interception, and the Chargers didn’t punt. Save for special teams issues after kicker Nick Novak injured his back, it could have been the perfect game for the Chargers, and gives them momentum as they try to chase down the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.
“It gives us confidence to build on when we're complementing each other,” said receiver Keenan Allen, who has 23 catches for 331 yards in the past two weeks. “We score, they get a turnover. They get a turnover, we score. You like playing football like; it’s fun.”