It is not uncommon for me to work a lot longer on games that don’t present a play than those that have an obvious side to pounce. Tonight, when the Los Angeles Chargers host the Philadelphia Eagles, we have one of those games.
Here is the deal. From a year-to-year cycle I had the Los Angeles Chargers as a potential Super Bowl winner this season. It was Jim Harbaugh’s second year with the team and he had a splendid quarterback that had never won a postseason game … oh for two is Justin Herbert in the two times he has guided the Chargers into the postseason since joining the team in 2020. I liked his chances of overcoming that obstacle.
I liked everything about the Chargers. Harbaugh and Herbert have a solid player/coach relationship and Los Angeles has, or should I say, had outstanding talent on both sides of the ball. The “had” in that statement is based on the Chargers projected strength, their offensive line, being crippled by injuries.
It started in the preseason, when early in August All Pro Rashawn Slater was lost for the season to an injury. Fortunately, they had another first round draft choice that moved from the right side to the all-important left tackle spot, Joe Alt. In ninth week action, the Chargers hopes were carted off the field when Alt suffered a season ending ankle injury.
The Chargers also lost their top two runningbacks, first Najee Harris and later Omarion Hampton. Tonight, Hampton returns to action after missing nearly two months of play.
Despite these devastating injuries, the Chargers have hung tough and still have a shot at the division title while coming into this week two games back of the Denver Broncos in the AFC West Division. They need a win tonight to stay within two games given the Broncos got a victory yesterday in Las Vegas.