"Justin Herbert was given free rein to showcase his arm, firing pass after pass against the defending AFC champions. This approach hinged on trust; not necessarily in Herbert's ability, but in his receivers' capabilities. "It's all about having a clear mind and trust," Quentin Johnston said. "Trusting the play call, and then trusting yourself to get open. Trusting Justin that the ball will be in the right place when you get open.""
"With Week 1 as a litmus test, the dynamic looked much improved, thanks to another year of bonding with Johnston and Ladd McConkey and the added reliability of a returning Keenan Allen. "We were all really close last year and bonded well, so this is just a continuation," McConkey said. "We know the offense. We have a year under our belt with it, and now we can play more freely, be ourselves.""
"A group of "regular guys," as McConkey puts it, the bond has only grown stronger as the connection off the field has grown through beach volleyball sets, casual board game sessions and rounds of golf. "Everybody comes in with a positive attitude," Johnston said. "Never a dull moment with us. Always in the meeting room, just bouncing ideas off each other. I'm having fun on the field, between plays, cracking jokes.""
The Chargers moved away from a run-heavy philosophy and adopted a pass-focused approach in their season-opening win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil. Justin Herbert received freedom to throw frequently, placing emphasis on receiver ability to get open and secure passes. Last season's learning curve left the quarterback and wideouts occasionally misaligned, but continuity and Keenan Allen's return improved timing and reliability. Off-field bonding through beach volleyball, board games and golf deepened chemistry. The reinforced trust and familiarity enabled more confident, rhythm-driven offensive execution in Week 1.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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