The Chargers will be without one of their star defenders when they take on the Texans this Sunday, as Joey Bosa was ruled out with COVID-19.
This season, Bosa has been on a tear with 62 pressures, 44 hurries, 27 run stops, and nine sacks.
At Monday’s media availability, Brandon Staley was asked how the team is planning on adjusting without Bosa.
“It’s going to be a team operation. You’re going to be borrowing from a couple of places,” Staley said. “You’re just going to have to have a lot of hybrid-type groupings available.
It’s going to be all hands on deck. That’s what the NFL is showing right now, that you need to have depth this time of year, and you have to be able to figure it out. That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
This wouldn’t mark the first time without Bosa this season. Three weeks ago, in the victory over the Bengals, the Bolts dominated upfront, minimizing opportunities on the ground while generating consistent pressure.
Uchenna Nwosu, who stepped up big time that game with seven pressures and two sacks, will be tasked with being the group’s engineer.
The starter opposite Nwosu remains to be seen, considering rookie Chris Rumph II is also on the COVID-19 list.
If Rumph is inactive, the Chargers will likely start Kenneth Murray. Murray has struggled since making the position switch from linebacker to edge defender.
Another option is Emeke Egbule, who has appeared in two games this season.
Los Angeles has also succeeded in getting to opposing quarterbacks by utilizing blitz/pressure packages with linebackers and defensive backs and twists/stunts, no matter the personnel.
Nonetheless, while the Bolts’ edge defender group may be thin this weekend, they have a favorable matchup, facing a Texans offensive line that has allowed the seventh-most sacks this season (37).
