The LA Chargers traveled all the way to Brazil looking to make a statement on Friday night and that's exactly what they did. Los Angeles punched the Kansas City Chiefs right in the mouth and walked away with a 27-21 win to show for it.
It's hard to imagine a better start to the season for the Chargers. They thoroughly outplayed the Chiefs from the opening whistle to the final kneel down and Justin Herbert proved his doubters wrong in one fell swoop. It was about as perfect as it could have been for the Bolts.
But it wasn't all gravy for the Chargers. Veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman suffered an ankle injury during the game and did not return to action. Perryman was spotted after the game in a walking boot, which is the last update Chargers fans wanted to hear after such a big win.
Denzel Perryman's injury is not the news Chargers fans wanted after such a big win
Injuries are bound to happen in the NFL but that does not make they any easier to swallow. Perryman isn't just one of the most impactful players on the Chargers' roster, but he is one of the most beloved veterans with the fans.
It's unclear just how severe Perryman's injury is and we won't hear any concrete updates until next week when the Chargers prepare for the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. Even then, Jim Harbaugh often keeps information close to the vest.
The hope is that Perryman's injury is a minor one that sidelines him for as little time as possible. If that's not the case, the Chargers are going to have to challenge some young players to step up sooner than they expected.
Troy Dye is the third linebacker on the depth chart with Junior Colson out for the season. And while Dye will play more on defense, he is too valuable on special teams for the Bolts to overwork him on defense. If Perryman is out, the Chargers need more help than that.
The real solution is Marlowe Wax. Wax was one of the biggest standouts of the preseason and will have an opportunity to follow up that hype if Perryman has to miss time. That's a lot to ask out of a rookie UDFA, but if there is anyone up for the task, it's Wax.
Hopefully, the Chargers don't even need to go down that route and Perryman's walking boot was solely cautionary as the team returns to Los Angeles. Time will tell.