The Los Angeles Chargers are facing an absolute disaster on their offensive line this Sunday against the Broncos, with starting right tackle Joe Alt now expected to miss the game due to a neck injury. This isn’t just one guy; it’s a full-blown crisis hitting the team just when they can least afford it.
The O-Line Is Officially a Hospital Ward
It’s an injury report nobody wants to read, especially when your team is struggling. First, we heard earlier this week that starting left tackle Rashawn Slater is out for a bit after suffering a high ankle sprain last Sunday. That alone is brutal. But then Ian Rapoport dropped the bomb on Wednesday: Pro Bowl tackle Joe Alt could miss the Broncos game with a neck injury he picked up last week at Seattle. Good news is there are no plans for IR, but still, missing both starting tackles is catastrophic.
And it gets worse, folks. The Chargers have already lost their starting center. Their starting left guard didn’t even practice today thanks to a fibula injury. Then you look at the reserves: Trevor Penning didn’t practice because of a concussion, and Branson Taylor was limited with his own neck issue. Seriously, this entire offensive line, which was already having a tough time, is completely decimated heading into Sunday. It’s an absolute mess out there.
0-4 and Spiraling: What’s Next for the Chargers?
Let’s be real: it’s been a tough, tough start for the Chargers. They’re sitting at 0-4 and are officially the NFL’s most disappointing team to kick off the 2026 season. Bringing in “offensive guru” Mike McDaniels hasn’t sparked anything, and the Chargers’ offense has looked flat-out bad. Now, with these annual offensive line injuries piling up like crazy, you just know things could completely snowball for them. This weekend against the Broncos could easily get ugly.
Broncos Pass Rush: Time to Eat
This is where the Broncos’ pass rush has to step up big time. They’ve had their own challenges early on, going against guys like Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, and Brock Purdy, who, by the way, still hasn’t been sacked. It feels like they’ve been missing John Franklin-Myers and Jonathon Cooper out there. But now? Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson, and the rest of those Broncos pass rushers need to absolutely feast on this banged-up Chargers offensive line. This is their moment to get back to their league-leading sack ways. They’ve had their struggles against the Chargers when Justin Herbert is under center, but this is a golden opportunity. Hopefully, they can get both their offense and defense clicking this Sunday and finally push their record to 3-2.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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