The Pittsburgh Steelers game could not have gone worse. The Los Angeles Chargers got their first loss of the season and racked up injuries to key players, which will hurt their chances against the Kansas City Chiefs. This is what the team will have to do to squeak out a win on Sunday:
Chargers vs Chiefs:
Pad the Offensive Line
Sunday was a nightmare, not only because quarterback Justin Herbert could not go back into the game after the third quarter due to his ankle, left tackle Rashawn Slater went out with a pectoral injury, and right tackle Joe Alt injured his knee.
Because of these injuries, there were changes made to the offensive line throughout the game, with offensive linemen Jamaree Salyer moving to right guard and Trey Pipkins moving to left tackle.
Daniel Popper of The Athletic reported that Salyer had also been tried out at left tackle during the matchup. It didn’t matter, as the sacks kept coming, and backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke couldn’t find a rhythm on offense. All these changes made for the worst pass-blocking grade (32.8%), according to Pro Football Focus (PFF), of the entire season.
The Chargers are going to face some heavy hitters on the Chiefs’ defense, like defensive lineman Chris Jones, defensive end George Karlaftis, linebackers Nick Bolton and Leo Chenal, and former Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill.
Jones terrorized backup quarterback Easton Stick last year with three quarterback hits, four hurries, and one sack in Week 18. Chenal has two batted passes on this current season, while Tranquill has nine solo tackles.
Since this offensive line isn’t healthy, it’s going to be all hands on deck to protect either Herbert, Stick, or Heinicke. Defensive lineman Scott Matlock will play an outsized role at fullback. Tight ends Hayden Hurst and Will Dissly will be needed for blocking, as well as any additional wide receivers and running backs.
Pipkins is also listed on the injury report this week, so things are not looking up. The Chargers have to fortify this line as much as possible to give their quarterback a chance. Otherwise, this game will be a repeat of the Steelers matchup and maybe worse.
Clean Up The Penalties
On the first drive of the third quarter, safety Derwin James Jr. got called for grabbing the face mask of Steelers wide receiver Scott Miller, resulting in a first down for the Steelers and a gain of 15 yards. James also got called for unnecessary roughness later in that same quarter, giving the Steelers another 15 yards and a first down, and he was suspended for that penalty.
Also in the third quarter, edge rusher Khalil Mack got a roughing the passer penalty for hitting Steelers quarterback Justin Fields, leading to a 15-yard penalty and a first down. After that, edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu managed to sack Fields, but cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. got called for holding on Steelers wide receiver George Pickens, for which the Chargers got another penalty and the Steelers another first down.
These penalties contributed to the Steelers getting in field goal range twice, in a game ultimately won by 10 points. The Chargers have to clean up the penalties, because with the Chiefs, you cannot give them an inch.
Have Safety Alohi Gilman Step Up
James is always an asset, especially during these Chiefs games, as he’s normally able to keep up with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. The issue with James is penalties, and according to Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com, James is currently facing a one game suspension for that one unnecessary roughness call during the third quarter, where James “lowered his head to make contact” with Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth.
Since James can’t play, Gilman will need to turn up the heat, generating some of that receiver coverage that he’s become known for. I could not stop singing Gilman’s praises after last season, and he’s not quite lived up to the hype, as he’s gotten off to a slower start this year after a knee injury kept him out of Week 2. He’s really going to be counted on this next game without James.
Stop The Mahomes Magic
If edge rusher Joey Bosa is unavailable Sunday, as he went out during the Steelers game with a hip injury, then the Chargers pass rush will need to step up even more to make sure that Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes doesn’t turn on the usual heroics.
The Chargers really have to shut him down so he doesn’t have a chance to make use of Kelce, or wide receivers Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice. This will really be the matchup where Tuipulotu, Mack, and edge rusher Bud Dupree will have to make the difference. And if they can’t stop Mahomes, they’ll need to stop his weapons. Like Gilman, cornerbacks Kristian Fulton and Samuel Jr. will also need to be up to the task.
Keep Giving Wide Receiver Quentin Johnston Chances
Quentin Johnston may just earn a permanent place in my column if he keeps playing well. He’s currently leading the team in receiving yards (133), touchdowns (three) and yards after catch (62). Before the Chargers offense died Sunday, in the first quarter Herbert hit Johnston for a 27-yard touchdown. If Herbert plays, I hope to see another Johnston touchdown. If he doesn’t, I just hope Johnston can give a spark to this offense.
