As we head into Week 2, fans of the Los Angeles Chargers are obviously still upset about the way things went in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals.
You can't really attribute that loss to any one thing. The defense came out unprepared and under-schematized under Chris O'Leary, and the timing of the offense as a whole was off. The passing game only found its footing through Ladd McConkey, and when he went out in the second half, the offense was essentially dead in the water.
Needless to say, it's a disappointing outcome based on how high expectations were this offseason.
But any time you're taking a gamble along the offensive line like the Chargers are, the ire is going to crystallize there. Los Angeles continued to platoon Kayode Awosika and Trey Pipkins III at left guard through their Week 1 matchup, and although Jim Harbaugh said that the team will consider their options during their down time this week, it seems like there's a very real chance that practice stretches into their Week 2 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
It's not the end of the world if it does—although this is undoubtedly a position the Chargers shouldn't be in in the first place. But as soon as their Week 3 matchup against the Buffalo Bills rolls around, it will be time to have decided on a true starting guard.
The Bills new-look defense under Jim Leonhard is simply too potent to accept otherwise.
The Chargers can afford to gamble at LG for one more week—but after that, things need to be set in stone
There's certainly room to argue that the platoon should come to an end immediately. Awosika has been in the "lead" for the starting job since the middle of training camp, and Los Angeles' insistence on giving Pipkins opportunities next to him exudes a level of stubbornness.
Awosika also vastly outperformed Pipkins in their split snaps in Week 1. Awosika allowed zero pressures across 25 pass-blocking snaps and seemed to be an actual net positive in the run game. Pipkins only allowed one pressure (although it was a notable one on a pivotal fourth-down play), but he graded out at just 38.9 in the run game according to Pro Football Focus's system.
Based on those metrics alone, Awosika should have the job. Continuing to rotate left guards disrupts continuity along the offensive line, especially for rookie center Jake Slaughter.
But if Los Angeles is going to insist on continuing their experiment, they have one more week to get things right. As formidable as aspects of the Raiders' pass rush are with Maxx Crosby in the fold, there's room to still believe in the ability of McDaniel's scheme to overcome some of the Chargers' deficits along the interior. The Raiders' defensive interior, granted, was highly productive against the Miami Dolphins—amassing eight pressures split between Tonka Hemingway, Foley Fatukasi, Thomas Booker IV, and Jonah Laulu.
But even with a replenished and reshaped defensive front, the Raiders aren't necessarily who the Chargers need to worry about. They'll face the Bills in Week 3, and after a monstrous performance by Buffalo's defensive front against the depleted Detroit Lions offensive line on Thursday night, Los Angeles needs to be doing everything they can to prepare for that matchup in the trenches.
Even with veteran DT Ed Oliver missing the game with a hip injury he suffered in warmups, Buffalo's combination of Deone Walker, Greg Rousseau, and Dewayne Carter exerted their will upon Detroit's protection. Jahmyr Gibbs finished the night with just 52 yards on 16 attempts, and although the Lions found their footing through the air by the end of the game, it simply wasn't enough to overcome the Josh Allen's onslaught.
Perhaps, by the end of the season, the Raiders' defensive front will be viewed as more formidable than the Bills'. But even beyond the Week 3 matchup, the Chargers will need to face off against a slew of defensively capable opponents—starting with the Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver Broncos.
Maybe the left guard platoon is excusable over the first couple weeks of the season. But once Los Angeles advances into the tougher stretch of their schedule, there needs to be some semblance of certainty at the position.
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