Week 2 was bad for a lot of teams, but nobody looked worse than the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers entered Sunday's matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders as 6.5-point favorites and needed a win after being upset by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. Falling to 0-2 in any division is tough, but especially in the AFC West.
That's exactly what happened. The Chargers fell 26-14 and looked out of sorts all game, with Justin Herbert getting outplayed by 38-year-old Kirk Cousins, multiple players coughing up costly fumbles, and the offensive line doing little to slow down the Raiders' defensive front. Things only got worse Monday, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Chargers have placed their top two tight ends on injured reserve: David Njoku with a fibula injury, and Charlie Kolar with a forearm injury.
More news: Andy Reid Drops Huge Praise on Chiefs Rookie After Colts Win Njoku was hurt in the second quarter of Sunday's game. He was blocking for running back Omarion Hampton on a play where his right knee got caught up in an awkward collision. He couldn't put any weight on the leg afterward and had to be carted off.
Kolar, meanwhile, suffered his injury later in the second half after making a catch and didn't return to the game. Both players were signed in the offseason to give Herbert more reliable pass catchers. Now, there's just one tight end left on the depth chart: second-year player Oronde Gadsden.
As a rookie last season, Gadsden hauled in 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns. He's clearly a capable pass catcher and can help offset the losses, but the Chargers will need to add depth at the position in the coming days. More news: Saints WR Chris Olave Makes Wild Claim About Tyler Shough After Ravens Upset More news: Latest Caleb Williams Injury Update May Have Saved the Bears’ Season Los Angeles' offense has been reeling through the first two weeks.
Star wideout Ladd McConkey nearly missed Sunday's game against the Raiders with a rib injury, and they've now just lost their top two tight ends. Their upcoming schedule won't help. They next travel to Buffalo to face the undefeated Bills before heading to Seattle to take on the 2-0 Seahawks.
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