INGLEWOOD — Trey Pipkins III shifted from right guard to right tackle to replace Joe Alt, who was sidelined by a knee injury for the Chargers’ 17-10 loss Sunday to the Kansas City Chiefs. Sam Mustipher was summoned from the practice squad to start at right guard to take the place of Pipkins.
Jamaree Salyer took the place of left tackle Rashawn Slater, who couldn’t play because of a pectoral muscle injury. Zion Johnson and Bradley Bozeman remained in their spots as left guard and center, respectively, the only two who stayed put in a significant shuffle of offensive linemen Sunday.
The results were predictable.
Quarterback Justin Herbert, playing on a sprained ankle suffered in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, was sacked only twice. But he faced consistent, unavoidable pressure, especially during the second half, when the Chargers struggled to move the ball and were shut out by the Chiefs.
Alt and Slater were injured during the Chargers’ loss in Week 3 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s uncertain when they might be sound enough to play again. The Chargers (2-2) have a bye week this week and don’t play again until Oct. 13 against the Denver Broncos (2-2), giving them a chance to get healthy.
“I feel like that would be the easy answer,” Herbert said, responding to a question about a lack of cohesion in the offensive line that led to seven penalties against the O-line or tight ends. “But I think we worked it all week. I just think it’s one of those things where we need to stay patient.”
Outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu replaced Joey Bosa in the starting lineup after Bosa suffered a hip injury on the first play of the Chargers’ loss to the Steelers. Tuipulotu forced a fumble and had four tackles and a pass deflection in place of Bosa, whose status for the Denver game is uncertain.
Safety Elijah Molden had a team co-leading eight tackles and a fumble recovery in place of Derwin James Jr., who was suspended by the NFL for Sunday’s game after the league determined he accumulated too many unnecessary roughness penalties in a too short of a span of games.
Kansas City wide receiver Rashee Rice suffered a significant knee injury when he collided with teammate Patrick Mahomes while attempting to recover Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton’s fumble after Fulton intercepted Mahomes’ pass intended for tight end Travis Kelce in the first quarter.
Rice, who was carted off the field, was scheduled for an MRI exam Monday, according to Kansas City coach Andy Reid, who also said, “I’m sure it’s not as good of news as we want.” ESPN, citing an unnamed source, later reported that it was feared that Rice had torn his ACL.
