Can Chargers fix hidden, biggest weakness during bye to save season?

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers have a quiet weakness putting them in serious jeopardy of a regression, to the point of possibly missing the playoffs. 

While the Chargers sit on a bye week, it begs the question: Can they actually fix the weakness? 

It sounds like a simple enough problem to fix, of course: Stop turning the ball over. But a layering of complex factors has played into the problem, making the fix a both-sides-of-the-ball thing that is in no way easy to correct. 

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Chargers’ biggest problem at bye week

Turnover differential. 

A year ago, the Chargers had a plus-12 turnover differential over 17 games. At 7-4 this year, they have a minus-1 differential. Justin Herbert has thrown nine interceptions, compared to just three all of last season. 

Meanwhile, the Chargers have forced just 12 turnovers. Last year, they forced 21, so the pace isn’t that out of band compared to last year, at least, for the defense under Jesse Minter. 

Perhaps most crippling of all, some of Herbert’s turnovers have come on short fields, causing massive point swings and altering expected outcomes. Those mistakes weren’t there a year ago, which permitted the surge to the playoffs. 

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Chargers’ biggest problem is fixable

Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Chargers defense needs to keep forcing turnovers, for one. Getting off the field and putting Herbert and the offense in ideal situations on the field would provide a boost. 

But the fix is mostly an offense thing. 

Herbert is playing a little more hero ball this year while trying to overcome an offensive line that has lost Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater and suffered front office negligence by signing a busting Mekhi Becton and ignoring the other two interior spots. 

The Chargers desperately need Trevor Penning to pan out at left tackle at even a league-average clip. He was a flop in his debut before the bye, but he’s been in the program for a few more weeks now, so it’s possible he turns it for the better. 

Penning playing even average would make life easier for Becton or whoever lines up next to him. And elsewhere at tackle, they need Trey Pipkins back healthy and starting, rather than someone signed off the street like Bobby Hart. 

Again, not an easy fix. But the Chargers have trotted out more than 20 different offensive line looks this year. Toning that down and letting them build chemistry should help Herbert stop turning the ball over as much.

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