The Los Angeles Chargers got off to an electric start this season, starting the year 3-0 with a +20 point differential and a victory over all three AFC West teams. In the two weeks since, the club is spiraling out of control and injuries are only making it worse.
Already without Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater for the entire season, the Chargers’ offense has now lost Joe Alt and Omarion Hampton to long-term injuries. The timing poorly coincides with a defense, playing without Khalil Mack, Denzel Perryman, and Junior Colston, that is starting to regress.
Ahead of a Week 6 matchup versus the Miami Dolphins, there are a few concerning NFL stats for Los Angeles moving forward.
147.3 – Rush YPG Allowed by the Chargers Defnese
Among the many reasons for the Chargers’ collapse in Week 5 versus the Washington Commanders was their inability to stop the run. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt accounted for 111 of the team’s 164 rushing yards on Sunday, coming off a three-game stretch where he had just 90 rushing yards total. It’s just the latest example of Los Angeles’ inability to stop the run as of late. In the last three games, opponents are averaging 147.3 rushing yards per game with a 4.9 yards-per-carry average. That is leading to more first downs and shorter third-and-distances, which makes it even harder for the Chargers’ pass rush to generate consistent pressure.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2025, see where the Chargers land
40% – Justin Herbert’s Completion Rate vs Pressure
Before we even get to how porous the Chargers’ offensive line has been as of late, it’s worth looking at the difference in NFL stats Justin Herbert is putting up from a clean pocket vs. under pressure. They highlight just how much trouble Los Angeles’ passing game will be in until Alt is healthy.
Related: Top Five Los Angeles Chargers Trade Targets
- Justin Herbert stats vs Pressure (PFF): 41.4 percent completion rate (26th in NFL), 4.3 yards per pass attempt (25th), 2-2 TD-INT, 3.1% Big-Time Throw rate (21st), 51.9 QB rating (23rd)
- Justin Herber from clean pocket: 77.5% completion rate (6th), 8.2 ypa (11th), 6-2 TD-INT, 110.4 QB rating (11th)
The numbers have been even worse in the last three games, with Herbert completing just 40 percent of his passes when pressured, while averaging just 3.8 yards per pass attempt and posting a 40.2 QB rating on 57 dropbacks versus pressure.
51 – Pressures Allowed by Chargers’ OL in Last 3 Games
The issues up front for Los Angeles are truly alarming. In the first two games of the season, the Chargers’ offensive line allowed just 14 pressures and 1 quarterback hit, resulting in Herbert being pressured on just 31.5 percent of his dropbacks (sixth-lowest in the NFL) with an average time to throw of 2.98 seconds. Over the last three contests, Herbert has been pressured on 44 percent of his dropbacks with the most hits taken (14) and now just an average of 2.57 seconds to throw. Backup tackles Trey Pipkins (13 pressures allowed) and Austin Deculus (12 pressures) are a big part of the problem, but starting center Bradley Bozeman has also allowed 8 pressures and 3 quarterback hits.
