The Chargers are still prone to giving up big plays. They have given up more points than they have scored, one of only three teams in the NFL with a winning record to do so. But they’ve also cracked down on recent opponents when it mattered most and the game was on the line.
“I think we’re improving more than anything,” linebacker Drue Tranquill said of the Chargers’ defense. “Time under task, getting more reps together, getting more experience, getting better, guys are stepping up. I think that’s what I owe it to. Guys are just doing their jobs and playing their roles.”
It figured that Tranquill would be the one to give a state-of-the-defense talk as the Chargers prepared to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. He has emerged as a leader of their defense, one of their best and most consistent players through the first six weeks of the season.
His standout play also is one of the reasons they’ve won three in a row and tied the Kansas City Chiefs for first place in the AFC West with a 4-2 record despite giving up 11 more points than they have scored. The Tennessee Titans (3-2) and Indianapolis Colts (3-2-1) are the only other winning teams with a negative points differential.
Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack and safety Derwin James Jr. draw most of the attention and admiration from fans and media, and for good reason. Mack, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, is tied for second in the NFL with six sacks. James, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, has a team-leading 55 tackles.
Edge rusher Joey Bosa, four-time Pro Bowl pick, also would likely overshadow Tranquill if he were healthy and on the field. Bosa suffered a groin injury during the Chargers’ loss Sept. 25 to the Jacksonville Jaguars and isn’t expected to play again until late in the season.
Cornerback J.C. Jackson, a first-time Pro Bowl selection last season, probably would merit plenty of attention, too, if he were having a season typical of his first four seasons in the NFL while with the New England Patriots. But his play has been subpar and he was benched in Week 6 against the Denver Broncos.
Tranquill has stepped into a leadership role in recent weeks, becoming the Chargers’ defensive signal caller for their Week 4 victory over the Houston Texans. He’s also provided a couple of highlight-reel plays, including two sacks of the Broncos’ Russell Wilson on Monday night.
James called Tranquill the defense’s “heart and soul.”
“You lose a superstar like Joey and the other guys have to step up and I think you’re seeing that,” Tranquill said. “I see myself commanding the huddle and quarterbacking the defense. When I got the green dot three weeks ago (as signal caller), I knew that Coach (Brandon) Staley was trusting me with a big responsibility and a big task. I was honored by it. I’m just trying to make the most out of my opportunity.”
Tranquill has 48 tackles, second behind James for the team lead. He also has two sacks, both coming in the Chargers’ 19-16 overtime victory over Denver. It was tough to know which was more impressive, although chasing down Wilson and tackling him might have been the most difficult.
“I’d say both,” James said, smiling.
As it turned out, however, Wilson was playing on an injured hamstring that will prevent him from playing in Denver’s game Sunday against the New York Jets.
Tranquill’s play more often than not has featured the routine rather than the jaw-dropping, and that’s just fine with Staley and defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill. The Chargers have been able to rely heavily on Tranquill, who has formed a solid linebacking tandem with Kenneth Murray Jr.
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“You can be consistent in your job, but are you producing?” Staley said. “I think he is doing both of those things. He’s communicating at a high level, playing with a lot of energy, being a factor in the run game, pass game, pass-rush. He’s having a really nice season and I think he and Kenny are playing really well together.”
Asked what he’s witnessed from Tranquill this season, Hill said, “His command. It’s his second year in the system, so he’s confident. He’s asking all of the right questions. He wants to know those questions so that he can solve the problems on the field. That’s what we’re seeing.”