The Los Angeles Chargers, in their Week 4 loss to the New York Giants, displayed a number of areas of concern across their roster, many of which were simply continuations of some of the issues that have plagued the team to this point in the season.
Yet, their pass rush, even in the absence of star pass rusher Khalil Mack, held strong, and linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu had his first major impact game of the season, sending a strong message to the NFL both about his capabilities and the ongoing lethality of the team's defense.
While Mack's absence is still massive for this team, Tuipulotu amping up his performance could seriously help plug the hole in the roster it leaves, and the team's continued ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks could be the key to making a run at the division championship this season.
Tuli Tuipulotu could be the X-Factor for the Chargers defense during Khalil Mack's absence
Heading into the season, it was clear that the Chargers defense was going to yet again be their strength, and their Week 1 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, in which they held the opposing offense to a minimum until the final minutes of the game, confirmed this fact.
Yet, when Mack went down with an arm injury in Week 2 against the Las Vegas Raiders, it appeared as though this strength might be in jeopardy. While the team maintains a strong secondary and a strong linebacker core, their pass rush is the heart of their effectiveness in their 3-4 defensive scheme.
Therefore, when Mack went down, the team desperately needed someone from the rest of their pass rushing core to step up, and, frankly, it needed to be Tuipulotu. Beyond the third-year pass rusher, Los Angeles did not have much depth, with an aging Bud Dupree and unproven youngsters in Caleb Murphy and Kyle Kennard constituting the rest of the depth chart.
Thankfully, in Week 4, Tuipulotu broke out. He had four sacks on the day, bypassing the above average Giants' offensive line with relative ease and taking advantage of rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart's lack of confidence maneuvering in the pocket.
The team, moreover, posted six sacks on the day, and, if their offense was clicking more consistently, it is fair to say that their defense might have put up a winning performance despite Dart's early ability to maneuver the ball through their secondary.
Therefore, the Chargers desperately needed someone to step up in order to keep their defense's strength alive while their star player is absent, and it appears that Tuipulotu is more than poised to do so.