COSTA MESA — The numbers don’t look good for the Chargers’ offensive line lately.
Neither do the medical reports from the training room.
The Chargers won’t be at their best when they face the Raiders on Sunday in Las Vegas. Center Corey Linsley won’t play because of a concussion. Right tackle Trey Pipkins III won’t play because of a knee injury. Left tackle Rashawn Slater won’t play because of a season-ending biceps injury.
That’s bad news for quarterback Justin Herbert, who largely avoided the intense pressure of opposing defenses during the season’s first nine games. The hits have been fast and furious in the past two, though. He was sacked four times in a victory over the Arizona Cardinals last weekend and a career-high five times in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Nov. 20.
Overall, Herbert has been sacked 21 times in 11 games, which isn’t a particularly high number, given that only three of the NFL’s top-10 passers have been sacked fewer times. He trails only Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady and Detroit’s Jared Goff, who have been sacked 17 times each.
It’s only the past two games that have given the Chargers reason for concern.
Now, here comes Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who is fourth in the NFL with 10½ sacks. Asked how much planning this week has gone into keeping Crosby as far away from Herbert as possible Sunday, Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said, “A ton. A ton.”
“He is a guy who can just completely ruin your day,” Lombardi said of Crosby during Thursday’s session with reporters. “Just someone that we are going to be aware of. Him being on the field and where he is and what play we are running, we are taking a player like that into account every single play.”
Chargers coach Brandon Staley said Crosby and Chandler Jones “are as good as it gets” at the defensive end position in the NFL.
Will Clapp will start at center in place of Linsley.
Foster Sarell will start at right tackle in place of Pipkins.
Jamaree Salyer, a rookie, has been starting since Slater was hurt in Week 3.
So, facing another in a series of must-win games if they are to stay in the AFC wild-card race, the Chargers (6-5) will start a patchwork line of two backups in Clapp and Sarell and two rookies in Salyer and right guard Zion Johnson along with veteran left guard Matt Feiler against the Raiders (4-7).
“Staying out of known passing situations,” Staley said when asked how best to avoid the Raiders’ pressure Sunday. “Just staying ahead of the chains, getting a lead, playing with good pace. Then, obviously, everyone is working together from a protection plan, receivers running the routes on time. There is no one better than Justin at protecting the football, feeling the rush.”
Sometimes, it’s OK to take a sack, to protect the football, to avoid an errant pass.
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“Each sack has a story and you have to make sure you look at it,” Staley said. “I just think the one thing that Justin has proven is that he is an outstanding decision-maker and that he’s really strong with the ball. I think, although we have had nine sacks (the past two games), we have had zero fumbles. That is important, to be strong with the football. That’s how you win games in the league, protecting the football and taking it away. We have done a good job of that and we’ll keep working hard at protecting the passer.”
As ever, Herbert will be asked to protect himself from sacks, too. Herbert blamed himself for his inability to return to the line of scrimmage on some recent scrambles, which has boosted his sack total.
“I think there are times where I could get back to the line of scrimmage, where I’ve gone down before the line of scrimmage, and that counts as a sack,” Herbert said. “The offensive line has done a great job of protecting me, where I’ve had enough time to get the ball out.”
INJURY REPORT
Linsley, Pipkins and wide receiver Mike Williams (sprained ankle) were ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Raiders. … Safety Nasir Adderley (thumb), defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko (illness) and linebacker Drue Tranquill (illness) were listed as questionable to play, although Staley said he expected each of them to play. Staley said Adderley would wear protective padding on his injured thumb.