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Los Angeles Chargers: Grades for first half of the 2017 season

By Derek Snyder

CARSON, CA - OCTOBER 22: Austin Ekeler #30 of the Los Angeles Chargers reacts after scoring a touchdown making a 14-0 lead during the game against the Denver Broncos at the StubHub Center on October 22, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - OCTOBER 22: Austin Ekeler #30 of the Los Angeles Chargers reacts after scoring a touchdown making a 14-0 lead during the game against the Denver Broncos at the StubHub Center on October 22, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 15: Nick Novak #9 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates after kicking the game winning field goal as time expires in their NFL game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 15, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 15: Nick Novak #9 of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates after kicking the game winning field goal as time expires in their NFL game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 15, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Special Teams

Unfortunately for the Chargers, their special teams unit has been somewhat of a disaster through the first eight games of the 2017 season. Not only did they lose their first two games of the year thanks to two missed field goals from former kicker Younghoe Koo, but they’ve found new ways to frustrate Los Angeles fans everywhere with punt returns.

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Yes, I’m talking about that awful muffed punt that Travis Benjmain lost 11 yards for a safety against New England. All kidding aside, not everything has been a complete train-wreck this season for their special-teams.

Benjamin is one of only four players in the NFL this season to return a punt for a touchdown. It was easily one of the biggest plays of that Broncos game, but it helped clinch the Chargers third win in-a-row. Needless to say, that’s exactly the type of clutch performance that starts to boost the overall grade for the unit.

That said, the absolute highest grade I could give the Chargers special-teams is a below average score. There have been too many mistakes in the first-half of the season for them to get a “B”, plus that punt-return touchdown saved them from a “F”. They must be better over the next eight games of the year if they want any shot of making the AFC Playoffs.

Special Teams Grade: C-

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