The Los Angeles Chargers are a vastly different team than the one that took the field during the first three weeks of the 2025-26 NFL season. While some may chalk up the recent decline as just another example of “the Bolts being the Bolts,” injuries have undeniably taken a serious toll on both the offense and defense.
In Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles watched another core player go down. Star safety Derwin James suffered an ankle injury early in the game and was eventually ruled out, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper. James — a 2018-19 First-Team All-Pro and two-time Second-Team All-Pro — was later seen in a walking boot, adding to the growing frustration among the Chargers’ perpetually tormented fan base.
Even when things are going well, the Chargers seem to get hit hard by misfortune. Just shortly after valuable offensive tackle Joe Alt returned to the field for the first time since Week 4, another one of the team’s top defensive players was forced to leave the game with a potentially concerning injury.
This season, James has contributed significantly with one interception, one and a half sacks, 28 solo tackles, five tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, and nine total pressures. Alongside him, safety Tony Jefferson and guard Mekhi Becton also sustained injuries in the game against the Vikings.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh’s squad desperately needs a turn of good luck. At the time of writing, the Chargers hold a three-possession lead in the fourth quarter and are poised to improve to 5-3 on the campaign. However, make no mistake — the team is currently reeling.
Having lost a huge piece of their identity after enduring so many injuries, formulating a strong game plan has become extremely taxing. This group is doing what it can to stay relevant in a league that features more parity than usual, but every team has its breaking point.
The Chargers cannot plausibly withstand much more misfortune without risking a significant skid. If Derwin James faces an extended absence, Los Angeles may have to employ an unreasonable amount of creativity on defense moving forward.
For now, fans are praying to the football gods, begging for mercy as the Bolts fight to keep their season on track.
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/los-angeles-chargers/chargers-news-derwin-james-ruled-out-rest-tnf-vs-vikings-with-ankle-injury
