LA Chargers Week 2 overreactions: Is the run defense a serious problem?

The LA Chargers failed to open the season with a 2-0 record as the Bolts fell to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 of the 2021 season. It was an ugly game for both sides and while the Cowboys did not seem like they deserved to win, the Chargers definitely did not deserve to win either.

Following every single game, there is typically an array of takes from the fanbase about the action they saw unfold on the field. Some of these takes are justified, while some are overreactions; both positive and negative.

We will be breaking down each take and declaring whether it is an overreaction or not.

LA Chargers Week 2 loss overreactions:

1. The LA Chargers' run defense is a serious problem.

The biggest takeaway from this game was the horrendous run defense. This is certainly not what fans had in mind when the team hired Brandon Staley, especially considering that struggling against the run is not necessarily new to the team.

Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard combined for 180 yards on the ground and another 56 yards in the air. The Bolts did not struggle just in-between the tackles but in covering the running backs in the passing game as well.

The team did have some big losses that definitely made a difference. Justin Jones did not play and that left a massive hole in the middle with Jerry Tillery being awful against the run. The team was also without its best run-defending corner, Chris Harris Jr.

But still, if this is going to be a defense that succeeds then it is going to have to step up when missing 1-2 players who are not even in the top five in terms of overall defensive impact.

This definitely is something to monitor moving forward. I would not go as far as to say it is a serious problem yet, but it could be heading well in that direction.

Verdict: Slight overreaction (for now)