Was the Chargers’ loss to the previously winless New York Giants a mere blip or an omen of what life’s going to be like with a patchwork offensive line?
Sunday’s game will be a test of that, because even though the Washington Commanders aren’t quite as imposing along the defensive line, they can still rush the passer.
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The Chargers defense has been playing well but tends to struggle with mobile quarterbacks. Enter Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, last season’s Offensive Rookie of the Year who is recovering from a sprained knee. He won’t have his top receiver, Terry McLaurin, who is dealing with a quadriceps injury.
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Meanwhile, Chargers receiver Keenan Allen needs two catches to reach 1,000 for his career, and has a chance to hit that milestone in fewer games than anyone in NFL history. This will be his 159th game. Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison has the record, collecting his 1,000th catch in his 167th game.
How the Chargers can win: Protect Justin Herbert. Get the ground game going with rookie Omarion Hampton. Gap discipline — this defense doesn’t handle scrambling quarterbacks well, and nobody scrambles better than Daniels.
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How the Commanders can win: Eliminate or at least limit the explosive plays, a weakness of the Commanders defense. Keep that running-back-by-committee approach rolling against a defense that gave up 161 yards rushing last week. Let Daniels use his legs for big yards on unscheduled plays.
Key injuries
Washington: WR Terry McLaurin (quad, out); WR Noah Brown (groin/knee, out); G Sam Cosmi (knee, out).
Chargers: OT Joe Alt (ankle, out); WR Derius Davis (knee, out); G Mekhi Becton (concussion, questionable) TE Will Dissly (knee, questionable).
How to watch and listen to Chargers vs. Commanders
The Chargers and Washington Commanders will play at 1:25 p.m. PDT Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The game will be available in Fox throughout California. It will be available nationally via a subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV. In Southern California, fans can listen to the game on 640 AM or 105.5 FM (Español).
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Betting lines for Chargers vs. Commanders
Who will win Chargers vs. Commanders?
Sam Farmer’s pick: The Chargers offensive line is a major concern, even though Washington’s pass rush isn’t quite as fierce as that of the New York Giants in Week 4. The Commanders get a boost with the return of Jayden Daniels. Maybe the Chargers can pull their patchwork line together quickly, but edge goes to Washington. Commanders 24, Chargers 20
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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