COSTA MESA, Calif. -- It’s no surprise that one of the catalysts for the Los Angeles Chargers’ improved play on defense during the second half of the season has been cornerback Casey Hayward.
The NFL leader in interceptions last season with seven, Hayward has three interceptions in his past two games, giving him four on the year.
Hayward has benefited from a potent Chargers’ pass rush led by Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram. However, the veteran also does a nice job of baiting young quarterbacks into bad decisions.
Against Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the Thanksgiving Day game last week, Hayward played off receiver Brice Butler, making him appear open on the sideline and jumped the route for an interception late in the contest. The interception was Hayward’s 20th as a pro, ranking him fourth in the NFL since entering the league in 2012.
“We played good coverage,” Hayward said about the play. “We tried to change it up. We never play Cover 2. But on my side we had Cover 2. I was trying to bait it. And that is the route, if you can fit it in there on the seven route -- we try to do it. I just picked the ball.”
Hayward is tied for third in the league with four interceptions and leads the NFL with 20 pass breakups. Over the past seven games, the Chargers have forced 17 turnovers and have recorded 20 sacks.
“If you go back over the last six or seven weeks and look at the stats, we are getting better and better,” Hayward said. “Our coach [defensive coordinator Gus Bradley] always says, turnovers come in bunches. Once we get the first one, we try to just continue to stack them and stack them.”
But not only has Hayward been good in coverage, he’s also been a willing tackler in the running game, according to Bradley.
“It is a different system as far as what we’re asking him to do,” Bradley said. “Now, he played press [man coverage] last year, so there’s some similarities. But play in and play out what we’re asking him to do [is different]. I think he’s done a good job. The corners have done a good job on the perimeter, knock on wood that’s got to keep going.
“But what I think has been impressive about the corners is their tackling. We made a big emphasis on you’re not just a corner here to cover. We need you, and you’ve got to be a big part of this tackling. … That’s a big part of their game now where they are understanding just the importance of how much we need them, not only in the pass game, but in the run game. And Casey has been a big part of that as well.”
Here’s the Week 12 snap counts for the Chargers against the Cowboys:
OFFENSE (Based on 68 snaps)
Quarterback -- Philip Rivers 68.
Running back -- Melvin Gordon 42, Austin Ekeler 27, Derek Watt 7.
Wide receiver -- Tyrell Williams 60, Keenan Allen 59, Travis Benjamin 44, Mike Williams 1.
Tight end -- Hunter Henry 52, Antonio Gates 18, Jeff Cumberland 15, Sean McGrath 7.
Offensive line -- Russell Okung 68, Dan Feeney 68, Spencer Pulley 68, Kenny Wiggins 68, Joe Barksdale 68, Michael Schofield 8.
Offensive analysis -- The Chargers did not punt on Thursday against the Cowboys. It marked the first game without a punt for the Bolts since Jan. 1, 2012. ... Rivers tallied a 149.1 rating on Thursday. That rating is the third-best of his career. The Chargers are 37-5 when he posts a 120 or higher rating and are undefeated (25-0) when he registers a 127.1 rating or higher. ... Henry’s touchdown catch upped his career total to 11, ranking him third among tight ends since entering the league last season.
DEFENSE (Based on 55 snaps)
Line -- Melvin Ingram 44, Joey Bosa 42, Corey Liuget 28, Brandon Mebane 25, Darius Philon 25, Damion Square 20, Tenny Palepoi 15, Chris McCain 13.
Linebacker -- Denzel Perryman 50, Kyle Emanuel 14, Hayes Pullard 11, Jatavis Brown 3.
Secondary -- Tre Boston 55, Jahleel Addae 55, Casey Hayward 55, Trevor Williams 51, Adrian Phillips 48, Desmond King 44, Rayshawn Jenkins 7.
Defensive analysis -- The Chargers have scored three defensive touchdowns in the past two games. ... King’s 90-yard interception return for a touchdown was the longest interception returned for a touchdown for the Chargers since Jahleel Addae returned a pass 90 yards for a score against the Chiefs on New Year’s Day last season. ... Perryman tied for the team lead in tackles with seven and now has 22 in his past three games.
