The Chargers limp into Arrowhead Stadium this weekend to take on an undefeated Chiefs team coming off a bye week as Los Angeles continues to search for their first win.
Here's what LA needs to do on offense to come away with the victory.
Let Justin Herbert play free
It has seemed clear through five weeks that Herbert has struggled to adapt to offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel's anticipation and timing-based offense, considering his interception reel is already about as long as it has been in entire seasons in the past. Herbert has shown flashes of being able to move the ball at will in this offense, but it has primarily been when the Chargers call more true full-field reads and allow Herbert to use his processing ability to his advantage to find plays to make. Especially
with the way the Chargers receivers outside of Ladd McConkey have struggled to operate the timing-based portions of the offense, LA would do well to get away from those plays and center things more around Herbert's strengths.
Run behind Travis Burke and Charlie Kolar
Burke, LA's fourth-round pick, made his first career start at left tackle last week with Rashawn Slater on injured reserve and Joe Alt out with a neck injury, and he flashed the same high-end potential in the run game that he showed in the preseason. Kolar, meanwhile, returned from a forearm injury and seemed to be on the scene of nearly every successful run last week, plowing defenders off their spots despite the lingering effects of his surgery. With the Chargers likely running back their offensive line from last week, which includes four rookies and right guard Cole Strange, they should focus on Burke's flashes and Kolar's strengths to get the run game going against a strong Chiefs defense.
Break up tendencies in the RB rotation
The Chargers' run game has been predictable this season: when Omarion Hampton is in the game, it's a run between the tackles. When Keaton Mitchell or Kimani Vidal come in, LA either runs to the outside or throws the ball. That's created some tough sledding for Hampton, who has struggled to get going with the defense largely knowing where the play is going to go. (Hampton has also not seen some of those runs well.) Neither Mitchell nor Vidal are necessarily at their best between the tackles, but the Chargers need to find a way to change up their personnel tells if they want to get the run game going.
Receiving reinforcements
Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston have been cleared of all injury designations and are fully expected to suit up on Sunday after logging full practices on Friday. Additionally, KeAndre Lambert-Smith has been officially activated off injured reserve. While Lambert-Smith and Brenen Thompson are both listed as questionable, they upgraded to full and limited practice sessions, respectively, by the end of the week, indicating the team’s wide receiver room will look vastly different than it did in last week's loss to Denver.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers' offensive keys to victory against the Chiefs
