They battered Justin Herbert from pillar to post to secure a first playoff win since the 2018 season, and the New England Patriots owed it all to a plan from interim defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr, a plan the Los Angeles Chargers freely admitted they had “no clue” how to decipher.
The Chargers shockingly conceded “they had no clue what we were doing. And they came up and said that: ‘We had no clue what you guys were in all game.'” That’s according to middle linebacker Robert Spillane, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Greg A. Bedard.
Herbert and the Chargers never figured things out during a dominant defensive display to key a 16-3 win at Gillette Stadium in the Wild-Card Round. They couldn’t crack the code to New England’s rugged mix of physical, man coverage and relentless blitzing led by big-money newcomers.
Those things proved “Zak Kuhr was in his bag” on Sunday, January 11, according to Patriots.com Staff Writer Evan Lazar. His view is shared by Bedard after a night when the Pats’ defense posted some historic numbers.
Patriots Switched Up to Hammer Justin Herbert, Chargers
Heavy blitzing hasn’t been the defining characteristic of the Patriots’ defense this season, but Kuhr switched things up for Herbert and the Chargers. Although the unit he’s overseen registered a modest 25.9 blitz percentage during the regular season, per Pro Football Reference, the Pats used all-out pressures and cover-zero blitzes, sending multiple rushers with no safety help on the back end.
As Lazar detailed, “Herbert went 1-for-4 for eight yards against cover zero, with the Pats producing two unblocked pressures by bringing all-out blitzes.” The ultra-aggressive approach helped the Patriots sack Herbert six times and keep him under siege all night.
It worked even when Kuhr sent five rushers. Like when slot cornerback Marcus Jones ended up hitting Herbert to force a fumble in the fourth quarter.
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Ultimately, the Patriots “allowed 0 TDs had a half-dozen sacks allowed under 100 rushing yards allowed under 150 net passing yards The only other team in the Super Bowl era to do all of that in a playoff game was the 1985 Bears against the Giants,” per OptaSTATS.
Those awe-inspiring numbers are a tribute to Kuhr’s sophisticated strategies.
Zak Kuhr’s Star on the Rise
This wasn’t the first time Kuhr successfully changed the formula to fool a veteran quarterback. Kuhr’s adjustments have won the respect of key players like Spillane.
The latter declared, “Zak [Kuhr] has been great all year. He keeps the dial spinning. He keeps offenses guessing. All year, he has been doing that,” per Bedard. Spillane also continued to praise Kuhr for his ability “to be able to build those packages throughout the week, our back-end players to know how to disguise the different defenses, really keeps quarterbacks guessing.”
Disguise and pressure left the Chargers without answers. Using both of those elements also provided a blueprint the Patriots can employ for the rest of these playoffs.
Beyond the postseason, Kuhr’s star will be on the rise. The inside linebackers coach stepped up once DC Terrell Williams fell ill, but Kuhr has since made a strong case for a bigger role next season, either in New England or elsewhere.
Chargers Make Shocking Statement About Patriots Defense, Zak Kuhr