Dolphins Opponent Breakdown: Los Angeles Chargers
The Miami Dolphins will look to get back to their winning ways and move to 9-4 on the season when they face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday night.
The game originally was scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET but was flexed to replace the original Sunday night matchup of Kansas City at Denver.
The Chargers will go into the game with a 6-6 record following their 27-20 loss against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13. The Chargers currently stand in ninth place in the AFC standings.
To get some answers on five major questions related to the Chargers, we turned to Publisher Nick Cothrel of SI Fan Nation sister site Charger Report.
1. His stats are down from last year, but what kind of season has QB Justin Herbert had?
NC: This year hasn’t quite gone as smoothly for quarterback Justin Herbert as it did just a season ago. But there’s a lot of factors that go into that. He’s played most of the season with a fractured rib cartilage. Wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have played just one full game together and there were moments where they both missed time coinciding with one another. The offensive line has been plagued with injuries. Left tackle Rashawn Slater is out for the season, center Corey Linsley has missed three games, right tackle Trey Pipkins has played through an MCL sprain while also being sidelined for a pair of games himself, and left guard Matt Feiler has regressed considerably. Through the ups and downs this season, Herbert’s stats are down, but he still sits fourth in passing yards (3,339) and tied for seventh in passing touchdowns (20).
2. What is Herbert's ceiling as an NFL quarterback?
NC: I’d say he has the potential to be the top quarterback in the league. He’s not there right now, but I’d still put him in or around the tier of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, to name a few. With his arm strength, football IQ and the ability to move outside the pocket and operate off-platform throws, Herbert’s future could see him turn into the top passer in the league.
3. The Chargers have suffered their share of injuries to key players (Bosa, Slater, J.C. Jackson, Mike Williams), but which one has been the most damaging?
NC: I’d say Joey Bosa’s injury has been felt the most. Maybe that’s because he’s been injured the longest, but without him, the defense hasn’t received much production from his edge spot. The Chargers have turned to a rotation of guys to fill in during Bosa’s absence, using Kyle Van Noy, Chris Rumph and Derrek Tuszka. None of the three players has recorded a sack since Week 3. The Chargers run defense has also been gashed without Bosa. In the two games they played with him healthy, the defense held their opposition to under 100 yards rushing. Without him, opposing teams have run for over 100 yards in nine of their last 100 games.
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4. The Chargers spent big money in the offseason to upgrade the defense, bringing in Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson, among others, but the results aren't much better than they were last year. Is it simply a matter of too many crippling injuries, or are there other significant factors at play?
NC: Certainly the injuries played a significant part, but they’re part of the NFL and every team is tasked with overcoming roadblocks. Missed tackles have hurt them week over week. The Chargers have been subject to 117 missed tackles this season, according to PFF, tied for the fifth-worst in the NFL. I think it’s a combination of injuries and players just simply not executing their role.
5. Is the Chargers' 6-6 record a good indication of what they are as a team, and is making a push for the playoffs realistic for them?
NC: I’d say the 6-6 record indicates what they are with the personnel they have available. They’ve been one of the most injured teams, if not the most, in the NFL this season. Expectations entering the year were astronomically high, as they were expected to not just make the playoffs, but orchestrate a run to get through the playoffs. Not only have the injuries piled up, but they’ve hit arguably their most important players, many of whom are key starters. With better luck injury-wise, even in the slightest degree, I think they’re a playoff team. But right now, at 6-6, with five games left, they probably need to win four of the next five games to reach the postseason. That feels far-fetched at this point based on the recent play from the team.
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