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Chargers rested and ready to go after bye week

October 14, 2023

COSTA MESA — The Chargers entered the bye week with victories in consecutive games, evening their record after starting the season with consecutive defeats that ignited a flurry of second-guessing, head scratching and overall disgust inside and outside of a fanbase that expected so much more.

So, what’s changed with the Chargers exiting the bye week, preparing to resume their 2023 season with a date with the Dallas Cowboys on “Monday Night Football?” Have they learned their lessons? Are they better off now than they were after their first four games? Are they healthier?

Defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day shared a few thoughts about the state of the Chargers heading into Week 6. Above all, the bye week, as early as it was this season, couldn’t have come at a better time, according to Joseph-Day. The Chargers are now healthier and wiser after the break.

“It was kind of God-sent,” Joseph-Day said. “It kind of came at a premium time and now we could go in and dive in a little deep early, and see where our strengths were, where our weaknesses were and what we need to improve. And also, we got healthy. I think it definitely helped a lot.”

The Chargers still have miles to run before they can claim to be playoff contenders. Their 2-2 record isn’t what they might have hoped for entering the bye week, but it certainly beat any alternatives, what with the Cowboys and the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs next on the schedule.

No question, they are healthier, but they also have key players nursing potentially debilitating injuries, especially quarterback Justin Herbert, who is expected to play with a protective glove on his left, non-throwing hand. Herbert fractured his left middle finger in the Chargers’ win Oct. 1 over the Las Vegas Raiders.

What’s more, edge rusher Joey Bosa didn’t practice fully all week because of a toe injury. Defensive backs Alohi Gilman and Deane Leonard also didn’t practice fully with their teammates because of heel and hamstring injuries, respectively. Defensive lineman Nick Williams injured his back and couldn’t practice.

Running back Austin Ekeler, who sat out the past three games because of a sprained ankle, and safety Derwin James Jr. who didn’t play against the Raiders because of a hamstring injury, are expected to play Monday night against the Cowboys. So, the Chargers will have two key players healthy again.

The next question is whether the Chargers can put together a complete game and earn a third consecutive victory and move above .500 for the first time this season. It would go a long way in re-establishing them as playoff contenders, as a team starting to fulfill its promise as more than just a collection of elite players.

“If you look at our roster, I don’t think we’re a 2-2 team,” Joseph-Day said.

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That’s what had fans and pundits up in arms at the bye, and what had players and coaches pleading for patience. To be sure, there is plenty of football still to be played, starting with Monday night’s game against the Cowboys. But there are plenty of difficult games still to be played, starting Monday.

‘We know we’re a much better team than our record says,” Joseph-Day said. “But, you know, we’ve just got to keep pressing forward, learning from those mistakes, but keep pressing forward. That’s what we’re here to do, just making the most of those ‘opps’ (opportunities) and not beating ourselves twice with the same mistakes. We’ve got a huge ‘opp’ in front of us, a huge team in front of us.”

Orange County Register

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Chargers rested and ready to go after bye week

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