The Chargers took a five-game winning streak into Sunday’s game against the Chiefs, but they weren’t able to extend their run any further.
Kansas City took a 23-20 decision, leaving the Chargers to make a quick turnaround to start preparing for Thursday night’s game against the Broncos. They’ll be doing it with a defense that’s been thinned out by injuries.
Linebackers Manti Te’o and Jerry Attaochu and cornerback Jason Verrett were all inactive, defensive tackle Kwame Geathers is on season-ending injured reserve and linebacker Melvin Ingram is on injured reserve with the designation to return, leaving the team shorthanded from the start. Cornerback Brandon Flowers left with a concussion during the game and the team saw several other players shuffle in and out with less severe aches and pains over the course of the afternoon.
Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego reports Verrett is expected to be out again on Thursday and Flowers is going to have a hard time getting cleared so quickly, which would leave the Chargers quite vulnerable to the Denver passing attack.
“Next man up” is a popular and sensible response to the injuries that impact every team, but at some point you run out of next guys. The Chargers are closer to that point than they’d like to be at the moment.
