Against the Giants this weekend, many Chargers fans’ worst nightmare came true.
The Chargers collapsed embarrassingly.
The previously undefeated Bolts, number one in the AFC West, and early postseason favorites, lost to the winless Giants and rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart in his first NFL start.
Offensive Line, or Offensive Liability?
Star left tackle Joe Alt went down in the first half and had to be carted off the field. It was later confirmed that Alt had suffered a high ankle sprain and would be out for at least a few weeks.
With the team already missing star tackle Rashawn Slater, and Mekhi Becton sidelined by a concussion, the offensive line all but single-handedly lost the Chargers the game.
It became glaringly evident just how critical Alt is to the team once he went out. The offseason narrative centered on finding competent interior offensive linemen to protect Justin Herbert. This was especially true after the brutal Texans’ playoff loss. In that game, Herbert was sacked four times and pressured on 39% of his dropbacks.
As it turns out, the Chargers didn’t adequately address the issue heading into this season. The Giants pressured Herbert 27 times and sacked him twice.
Harbaugh Has to Fix Things
Jim Harbaugh has commented on this kind of O-line play before. He’s stated that it’s unacceptable to let their franchise, MVP-caliber quarterback, take as many hits as Herbert has. But there seems to be no way out of the hole they’ve dug. This is especially true now with both Slater and Alt sidelined for the foreseeable future.
He also pointed to the Chargers’ discipline issues, which included a staggering 14 penalties for 107 yards. That’s just one fewer penalty than they committed in the first three games combined, and the exact yardage.
One crucial factor in these missteps was the Giants’ pass rush. Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence II, Brian Burns, and rookie Abdul Carter are all elite. The unit is consistently ranked among the league’s top three.
While they combined for a dominant performance, and the Chargers won’t face a defensive line like this every week, it still showcased just how overwhelmed L.A.’s line was.
Omarion’s Emergence
There were at least a few positives to take from the game. Edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu recorded 4.0 sacks, three of them against Dart. Tuipulotu entered Week 4 without a sack but delivered a breakout performance. He looked like the best defender on the field.
He’s filling a big void with OLB Khalil Mack, who is sidelined by an injury suffered against the Raiders. Mack is expected to return in a few weeks.
But the biggest star was rookie running back Omarion Hampton.
Hampton was quiet through the first two weeks and showed a few flashes in Week 3 against the Broncos. Against the Giants, however, he finally broke out. He rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries. His first NFL touchdown came late in the third quarter. It was a 54-yard burst that cut into the Giants’ lead and briefly swung momentum back to L.A. He also ripped off an 18-yard run on third down, breaking multiple tackles along the way.
Behind a struggling offensive line and an inconsistent offense, Hampton looks more than capable of carrying the load with Najee Harris out for the season. That’s about as much as the team could ask for after such a tough loss.
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