The LA Chargers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football in a classic Chargers way. The Bolts were the better team throughout most of the game but the Chiefs made plays when they mattered most to escape with the three-point victory.
This loss left a sour taste in every fan's mouth not only because of how the game transpired but what storylines surrounding the team after the game. Suddenly, all of the excitement that was in the air just five days ago turned into worry.
This is just one loss and is by no means a reason to panic. Every great football team loses games and the Chargers do look to be among the best of the best. But there definitely are certain things worth worrying about.
3 things Chargers fans should be very concerned with after the Chiefs loss:
1. Justin Herbert and Corey Linsley's health
Brandon Staley provided updates for both Justin Herbert and Corey Linsley on Friday. Herbert is considered day-to-day with fractured rib cartilage while Linsley should also return to practice after dealing with knee tendonitis on Thursday.
While that seemed like good news for fans, there are still some concerns to have. First is with Herbert's ability to play football. In theory, Herbert could return for Week 3 and at the very most would miss just one game.
However, rib cartilage fractures don't just go away and it is something that Herbert is going to be dealing with for weeks pain-wise. He might be able to suit up and play football but it very well could impact his level of play and willingness to get hit in the pocket. That is concerning.
As far as Linsley goes, it is never good to hear about an offensive lineman in his 30s with knee problems. Knee tendonitis is another thing that doesn't just go away on its own and we already saw the Chargers giving Linsley extra rest in training camp. Sure, it might not be something that warrants a set amount of time off, but it is something that can linger all season and impact Linsley at the worst times.
2. The offensive scheme
The Chargers were a top-five offense in the league last season and with Justin Herbert under center, they likely will be in 2022 as well. That being said, the Chargers have not enjoyed that hot of a start offensively in the first two weeks of the season, scoring 23 and 24 points in two games.
A lot of Chargers fans are calling for Joe Lombardi to be fired and I get it. I understand where the frustration comes from and Lombardi can absolutely be better as a play-caller, especially for Justin Herbert. That being said, there are a lot more factors than just what play-calls Lombardi is making.
First is the fact that the Chargers have virtually no speed in the receiving room. That makes it really hard to create separation and removes the ability to go deep offensively. Just having that vertical threat can open up other things in the offense and the Chargers don't currently seem to have that.
That has caused the Chargers to run a more methodical offense than we are used to and while it looks really good when it works, there are times when it does not work and you are left wondering why. In Week 1 the team got far too conservative with the play-calling and in Week 2 they could not execute in key moments.
Granted, it is early in the season and not playing any snaps in the preseason is going to have an impact on the offense, just ask Austin Ekeler. The offense only scored 37 points in the first two weeks last season. That being said, it is not like the Chargers have played great defenses thus far in 2022.
The Chargers' offense exploded for 105 combined points in Weeks 3-5 last season. Hopefully the same can happen this season as well.
3. Sebastian Joseph-Day's level of play through 2 games
The Chargers' new-look defense has been everything it was advertised to be and more thus far this season. The Bolts held an explosive Raiders offense to only 19 points in Week 1 with three takeaways and then did really well against a dynamic Chiefs offense in Week 2.
While the Chiefs scored 27 points in the game, seven came on the defensive side of the ball and 17 of the 20 offensive points came after a should-be interception by the Chargers. It is impossible to not be pleased with the defense thus far.
That being said, one of the new additions has not quite found hit footing yet in Sebastian Joseph-Day. Joseph-Day has been really bad through two games thus far to the point where it is concerning. It would be one thing if he was just mediocre but he has been downright bad.
Granted, SJD is a really talented player and there is a good chance that he turns it around. We definitely are not ruling that out and that probably is the more likely outcome. However, it still is hard to not be concerned with his play thus far.
According to Pro Football Focus, SJD has made only one run stop on 23 run defense snaps this season without generating a single pressure on the quarterback. The tape matches the stats, as SJD really has not done much of anything.
There are some reasons to be worried about this stat line compared to his previous production. First of all, SJD has never put together a large snap count in a season. He has been good in spurts, but it is different to be good as the main option.
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Secondly, he is now playing without Aaron Donald for the first time in his career. Having Aaron Donald next to him on the interior is obviously going to make his life easier and with more focus on him (at least on the inside), things are tougher.