The LA Chargers have one of the most talented rosters when it comes to starpower but has been lacking roster depth for years. That has been the team's Achilles' heel and it has forced a need for certain players to step up and play better than expected. Some players rose to the challenge early in the season and have had great seasons, such as Kyzir White.
Other players took more time to develop into big role players for the team. These players started the season off slowly but are really starting to come into their own over the last few weeks. If the trend continues, we could expect great production from these players leading into the playoffs.
As Brandon Staley has emphasized all season, the Chargers want to play their best football in the fourth quarter of games and in the season. These Chargers are starting to play their best football in 2021's fourth quarter.
LA Chargers who are coming into their own down the stretch:
1. Uchenna Nwosu
Uchenna Nwosu was really struggling to start the season and was starting to cast doubts in whether or not the Bolts were right to trust him to take over for Melvin Ingram. Kyler Fackrell started playing more in the edge rusher rotation as Nwosu was not generating much pressure on the quarterback and was playing really poorly in the run game.
While Nwosu is not playing to the level that Ingram was as a Charger, he has really turned things around in recent weeks and has played some of his best football as a result. The defensive line as a unit has improved a fair amount over the last month or so and Nwosu is a big reason why.
According to Pro Football Focus, Nwosu recorded 14 pressures in the first nine weeks (eight games) of the season combined. He was averaging under two pressures per game and maxed out at three pressures in Week 3. Over the last four games, Nwosu has recorded 15 pressures, doubling his season total in half as many games.
His best game of the season came this last week against Cincinnati. Nwosu recorded a career-high seven pressures on Joe Burrow, pulling him down for two sacks as well. Hopefully, the former second-round pick out of USC can turn this game into some momentum and finish out strong in 2021 before becoming a free agent.