As the Los Angeles Chargers headed into Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans in Week 9, they were hoping to carry forth the momentum they garnered in their dominant win over the Minnesota Vikings last week.
Yet, multiple injuries, including the apparently devastating ankle injury that left tackle Joe Alt sustained late in the second quarter, likely indicate that there are more tough, and potentially hearbtreaking, times ahead for this team.
#Chargers say Joe Alt has an ankle injury and is questionable to return.
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) November 2, 2025
This season has been defined by injuries to the Chargers' offensive line, and, unfortunately, another absence for Alt would be no surprise.
Joe Alt was carted off the field late in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans
With Mekhi Becton missing the matchup against Tennessee due to a knee injury he sustained last week, the offensive line was already in dire straits. However, when both veteran Bobby Hart and Alt exited the game with a groin injury, fans knew that things were about to get worse.
Before Alt went down, the team had already allowed two sacks and numerous QB hits on Justin Herbert, and, while the offense generally had been playing well, their offense line looked like a serious mess yet again.
To make matters worse, Alt already missed three games this season with a high ankle sprain: games in which Los Angeles, and their backup tackles, seriously struggled to protect their quarterback and garner offensive momentum. He is one of the premier tackles in the league, and, if he were to miss more time, it is almost certain that any combination of Trey Pipkins III, Austin Deculus and Hart would not be able to come close to matching his stability.
Alt has been playing left tackle as a result of the season-ending injury that Rashawn Slater suffered in the preseason.
In the three games that Alt missed, the team went 1-2, with losses to both the Washington Commanders and the Indianapolis Colts. While the offense still looked potent in those games, anyone with even a casual interest could tell easily that the team was missing its star offensive linemen.
Not including the game today, the Chargers have allowed the ninth-most sacks in the league, largely as a result of these injuries.
Now, as Los Angeles attempts to make a run at securing a playoff spot, and ultimately capitalizing upon the superhuman play of Herbert, it is possible that they have taken another major blow. It's far too early to write the season off entirely, but it is hard not to be pessimistic with the injury misfortune this team has seen so far.