The next stop in Jim Harbaugh's first season as the Chargers head coach is Huntington Bank Field, a week after the Browns hosted Jim's brother, John, in their Week 8 win over the Ravens.
The two brothers' similarities run deeper than their bloodline, as they both command teams with a commitment to playing physical football with an emphasis on the running game.
"[Jim] Harbaugh, both Harbaughs, they have the same fabric where they're going to try to out physical you," CB Greg Newsome II said on Wednesday. "And I think last week, we did a great job in being very physical and hopefully we can continue that this week."
Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman spent the 2019-22 seasons as the Ravens offensive coordinator and aligns with both Harbaugh's physical approach to coaching a football team.
The Chargers utilize 21 personnel, using either two running backs or a running back and a fullback, on 15.9 percent of plays – the fifth-highest rate in the league this season. Using two backs gives an offense an extra blocker to power their rushing attack.
"It's a little bit of an old school approach," defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said on Thursday. "It's try to get first downs, old school play actions, power running game. […] A couple years ago, I don't know if we went the whole season without seeing 21 personnel, a full back and two wide outs or even the big packages. And that's just sort of standard for those guys. It's just sort of a throwback a little bit."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Los Angeles Chargers at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Safeties Coach Ephraim Banda and the safeties during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive tackle Roy Mbaeteka (61) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Director of High Performance Shaun Huls during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Cornerback Mike Ford Jr. (31) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Punter Corey Bojorquez (13) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive Assistant/Quarterbacks Coach Ashton Grant during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) and Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Coaching Consultant Mike Vrabel during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive guard Zak Zinter (70) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Assistant Offensive Line Coach Roy Istvan during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 30, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive Quality Control Coach Jeff Anderson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (90) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Linebackers Coach Jason Tarver during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Director of Strength and Conditioning Larry Jackson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Cornerback Mike Ford Jr. (31) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst II (90) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Assistant Strength and Conditioning/Sports Science Coach Josh Christovich during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Coaching Consultant Mike Vrabel during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Head of Athlete Health and Performance and Strength and Conditioning Dustin Nabhan during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive Assistant/Quarterbacks Coach Ashton Grant during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 31, 2024.
Harbaugh and the Chargers' dedication to running the ball has been apparent throughout the season, as the Chargers run the ball on over 48 percent of plays, the ninth-highest rate in the league.
Assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, who played on Jim Harbaugh's 49ers team from 2013-14, noted Harbaugh's emphasis on the run game and called his former coach 'old school.'
"He is all football all the time," Ventrone said on Thursday. "He's done a good job of being able to keep that old school mentality in this new day and age. […] He's done a good job of – even at Michigan, wherever he's been – of maximizing the time with the players to create that culture of toughness, physicality and it shows up in their film. I mean, their defense is really good. They run the s–– out of the ball and that's his mentality and that's how he's always been."
Leading the Chargers in rushing is RB J.K. Dobbins, a former Ohio State Buckeye who spent the first three seasons of his NFL career with the Ravens.
This season, Dobbins has four rushing touchdowns, 535 rushing yards and the 12th-most runs for 10 or more yards with 14. While his early career was limited with injuries, playing just 24 games across his first three seasons, Dobbins has established himself as a viable NFL starting running back.
"He's an animal," Newsome said. "I think early in his career he dealt with a lot of injuries that's why we weren't talking about him as much when he was in Baltimore. But I think he's a very elite running back. I've been going against him since my college days, and he looks just as great. So, he's definitely an elite running back and we'll definitely have our hands full tackling him."
Dobbins runs behind one of the top offensive lines in the league per Pro Football Focus. Both offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and rookie Joe Alt did not surrender a pressure in 41 pass-blocking snaps last week against the Saints.
The Chargers took Alt with the fifth overall pick in the 2024, securing a talented right tackle to protect franchise QB Justin Herbert, who earned high praise from different Browns defenders this week.
Herbert, who head coach Kevin Stefanski said has one of the strongest arms among NFL quarterbacks, has thrown eight touchdown passes and only one interception this season, the third-best touchdown-to-interception ratio behind Bills QB Josh Allen and Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.
Newsome pointed out Herbert's rare ability to make throws in uncomfortable situations. Because of his arm strength, Herbert is able to throw deep balls without having to follow through with his legs.
"He's one of the only guys that can throw a dot off his back leg," Newsome said. "He's a guy that can make every single throw. I definitely think he's probably got the best arm talent that we've gone against so far this year. So, that's definitely a guy where you've got to be true at all times, we just have to find a way to plaster our guys and be great in phase three, which is the finish."
Herbert's favorite target this season has been rookie WR Ladd McConkey, who leads the Chargers with 376 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions. Last week against the Saints, McConkey had his best game as a pro, catching all six of his targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
"He's a talented young player," Stefanski said. "Very fast, time speed and plays fast. Can catch the ball in a variety of areas. Had a nice play at the back of the end zone, can catch option routes. They're utilizing him in a bunch of different ways. He looks to be very trustworthy for the quarterback, he goes to him in a lot of situations."
McConkey has shown his ability to play in both the slot and on the outside. All four of his touchdowns have come from his 30 slot targets this season, per NFL Pro. He's added another 10 catches for 88 yards when lined up on the outside or in a tight alignment.
As they look to counter McConkey and the Chargers offense, the Browns will be without LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah after he suffered a neck injury against the Ravens. With Owusu-Koramoah out, the Browns will look to their younger linebackers, such as Mohamoud Diabate, to step in and help the defense counter the Chargers offense.
Diabate played a season-high 89 percent of snaps against the Ravens in Week 8, registering nine tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed.
"Mohamoud stepped in and played really well," Schwartz said. "But we got some good contributions. [Rookie LB Nathaniel Watson] stepped in, had some good contributions, you know, [LB Winston Reid] played a little bit. We'll just need a little bit more from those guys."
