EL SEGUNDO — Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said the quiet part out loud when he praised defensive coordinator Jesse Minter during an interview with ESPN personality and former NFL punter Pat McAfee on Monday. Harbaugh said he expected Minter to be a head coach sooner rather than later.
“We’re probably going to have to enjoy Jesse Minter while we have him because I have a feeling he’s going to be a head coach next year,” Harbaugh said of the man he brought with him from the University of Michigan after the Chargers hired Harbaugh in January. “We’re going to be competing against him.”
Said Harbaugh on Wednesday: “Enjoy him while you’ve got him.”
The Chargers’ defense has emerged as one of the NFL’s best in Minter’s first season in the league as a defensive coordinator. They are first in fewest points allowed per game (13.1), sixth in net yards allowed (302.1), ninth in net passing yards allowed (191.6) and ninth in rushing yards allowed (110.6).
No opponent has scored more than 20 points against the Chargers this season.
The players have praised Minter for keeping it simple and uncomplicated.
Minter has praised the Chargers’ willingness to buy into what he’s selling, and that goes for longtime veterans like outside linebacker Joey Bosa and safety Derwin James Jr., rookies like cornerbacks Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still and new arrivals like defensive lineman Poona Ford and safety Elijah Molden.
It’s been a team effort, according to Minter.
“I think it starts with the players who are here,” Minter said last week. “When a guy comes in, they sort of say, ‘Hey, this is how we operate.’ It’s become, over time, since (Harbaugh) has been here, the players are leading the charge. So, when a guy comes in, it’s like, ‘Hey, here’s our standards. Here’s how we practice. Here’s how we study. Here’s how we get ready to play.’”
QB PRESSURE
No question, a key reason behind the Chargers’ three-game winning streak has been a menacing pass rush. The Chargers’ pass rushers had five sacks in their Oct. 27 victory over the New Orleans Saints, six in a rout of the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 3 and seven in their victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Tuli Tuipulotu, a second-year outside linebacker from USC, leads the Chargers with 5½ sacks. He has two-plus sacks in each of his past two games and needs two sacks against Cincinnati to become the third player in Chargers history to record two or more sacks in three consecutive games.
Outside linebacker Khalil Mack, who is in his 11th season in the NFL, is second with 4½ sacks. He needs four sacks to reach 110 for his career and to become only the third active player to reach that milestone. Mack didn’t have a sack against the Titans and played only four snaps because of a groin injury.
“A combination of really good players, good coaching, Jesse (Minter),” Harbaugh said. “Shout out to Mike Elston (defensive line coach). Dylan Roney (defensive assistant coach), too. They’ve done a phenomenal job. Tuli is playing at a super-high level. Great to see Bud (Dupree), too. Everybody gravitates to Bud. We knew we had a great edge (rusher) room.”
Related Articles
Chargers review: Justin ‘Beast’ Herbert sparks victory over Titans
Chargers catch a break from video replay that wiped out Titans’ touchdown
Alexander: Chargers don’t let their guard down
Justin Herbert, Chargers thump Titans for 3rd consecutive victory
Chargers face Titans with another chance to bury the past
HARBAUGH UPDATE
It’s been a month since Harbaugh suffered an irregular heartbeat and was forced from the Chargers’ sideline and into the locker room to be examined by medical personnel in the first quarter of a victory over the Broncos on Oct. 13 in Denver. He later returned to the field to coach the team without incident.
Later, he was fitted with a heart monitor and given medicine to treat what he described as his third episode with atrial flutter. He said Wednesday he’s feeling fine and there haven’t been any new episodes. He credited the medicine with keeping the atrial flutter in check.
“If there’s any flare-up, then I’ll get the ablation,” Harbaugh said, referring to a procedure either by surgery, hormones or other ways that destroys or removes tissue and, in this case, keeps the heart beating at a regular rate. ”Otherwise, I may not need an ablation or I may get the ablation after the season.”
INJURY UPDATES
Mack, who usually takes Wednesdays as a rest day, did not practice because of a groin injury. Tight end Hayden Hurst didn’t practice for personal reasons. The Chargers opened the 21-day practice window for defensive back Deane Leonard (hamstring) to return from injured reserve.