The LA Chargers officially have two preseason games under their belt and the team has two preseason losses. That is to be expected when hardly any of the starting players are actually playing for the Bolts in the preseason.
While the outcome does not matter and the last thing fans should do is start to panic, there still were some ugly parts of this game that could impact the 2022 season and the roster building as a whole.
Most notably in the preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys, the LA Chargers' special teams unit looked awful. The Bolts allowed both a kickoff and a punt-return touchdown against the Cowboys while most of the players on the special teams side of the ball are fighting for their roster lives.
That is not a good message to send to the Chargers and Brandon Staley had a very direct thing to tell those who struggled on special teams in this game; it is not just the Chargers who are watching, it is the entire NFL and if they continue to struggle they won't be in the league.
Brandon Staley on the special teams unit:
— Nick Cothrel (@NickCothrel) August 21, 2022
“They’re going to learn that the entire NFL is watching & we’re watching the entire NFL. That's why these games are important when you’re playing. You need to make sure that you perform or else we’ll find someone else who can.”#Chargers
Ouch.
The LA Chargers better hope this does not translate to the regular season.
While most of the starters were not playing in this game, fans better be hoping that the team does not struggle on special teams in this manor in the regular season. Staley helped improve the special teams in his first season as head coach but the Chargers notoriously have struggled on that side of the football.
It does not matter how talented or productive the Chargers are on offense and defense in the regular season. If the Chargers are poor on the special teams side of the ball then it can single-handily lose games and even result in the Bolts missing the playoffs.
Heck, this has happened to the Chargers before. The 2010 Chargers were infamously one of the best teams in NFL history statistically and missed the playoffs because their special teams were so bad. That is the last thing the team wants this season.
Fans should not panic yet with this being a group of guys that likely won't even make the roster but we still need to hope that this is not a foundational thing that is going to hold the team back in any way.
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Because if so, the Chargers will end up having yet another disappointing season in 2022.