Mike Williams Suffers Back Injury as Chargers Play Starters for Majority of Week 18 Game vs. Broncos
The Chargers clinched the No. 5 seed in the AFC just ahead of kickoff as a result of the Ravens losing to the Bengals.
That meant regardless of the outcome between the Chargers and Broncos AFC West showdown at Empower Field, the Chargers would head to Jacksonville and face the Jaguars in the Wild Card Round next week.
The Chargers proceeded to start the game with all of their normal starters. The regulars on offense and defense got the green light early on. Chargers coach Brandon Staley said throughout the week leading into the game they would be playing to win and starters would see the field, and he followed that blueprint.
It first appeared he wanted to give the starters an opportunity to play snaps in an effort to stay fresh with the playoffs inching closer. However, things continued to carry out for the entire first three quarters with key players remaining in the game.
"There's only 48 guys that you can choose from and these aren't easy decisions," Staley said of how he managed the game. "Hindsight is perfect for everybody on the outside, but these games are not easy to manage. They're not, because you don't have that many players. We did it to the best of our ability."
Surely, there's only so many guys that can sit. Somebody has to play in the game. But things went south with 2:43 in the second quarter when wide receiver Mike Williams injured his back on the Chargers' fifth offensive series.
Williams was carted off to the locker room.
When asked after the game about the status of Williams, Staley said he had no update, but did add that he "possibly" could’ve returned, signaling some relief as it pertains to the severity of his injury.
Per multiple reports, Williams is experiencing back spasms and has undergone X-Rays that came back negative. More tests will be done on Monday.
"All we can do is hope for the best for Mike," quarterback Justin Herbert said of Williams. "He's an incredible player and we'd love to have him out there. We're hoping for the best. We'll wait to hear a report about him.
"I know everyone on this team wanted to go out and compete today, they wanted to battle. We believe in the front office, the coaching staff or whatever they decided. We're behind them 100%."
Staley turned to many of the subs as the fourth quarter began en route to a 31-28 loss. Herbert's last pass came with 21 seconds left in the third quarter after completing 25-of-37 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns.
"You can't decide when you're having to play a football game, who isn't going to play and who is going to play, and how you're going to subtract this," Staley said. "You got to go out there and play the football game because this isn't the preseason, where you have 90 guys to choose from. You only have 48 players to choose from. So you have to go out there, you have to field a football team, and we did it the best we could."
Edge rusher Joey Bosa, in his second game back from groin surgery, came out of the game around the two-minute mark in the second quarter. Despite Bosa heading to the sideline and remaining there for the rest of the contest before most of the team's other defensive starters joined him, Staley said Bosa's early exit was a result of phasing him out of the game, rather than an injury setback.
"Joey was taken out like the rest of the guys that we were trying to phase out in the game," he said of Bosa."
Linebacker Kenneth Murray suffered a stinger early in the third quarter that caused him to leave the game, but he appears to have avoided anything major.
The Chargers will now shift their focus on getting healthy, and seeking revenge on a Jaguars team that beat them 38-10 in Week 3. The Chargers-Jaguars Wild Card Round game will kickoff on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. PT at TIAA Bank Field.
"I think we've grown quite a bit," Herbert said of how the team has changed since their first meeting against the Jaguars. "You know that game obviously didn't go our way, but it's a tough team that we're going up against and we're pretty tough as well. So excited for the opportunity, just being in the playoffs and getting a shot."
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Read more from Charger Report:
- Live In-Game Updates: Chargers at Broncos Week 18
- Pregame Report: Chargers at Broncos Week 18
- Chargers at Broncos Game Day Betting Odds: Week 18 Point Spread, Moneyline, Over/Under
- Chargers at Broncos Week 18 Game Prediction
- Chargers Explain Approach vs. Broncos Knowing They Could Secure AFC's No. 5 Seed Before Kickoff
Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Charger Report. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel for more Chargers coverage.
