After a strong start to the 2024 season, the Los Angeles Chargers took it on the chin in the last two weeks in back-to-back losses. The team is in a mini-slump and the injuries are piling up, so the bye week comes at a great time for this team.
The Chargers need a week of rest to reset their season and come back with a renewed focus starting in Week 6. The good teams (look at Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs) come out of the bye week nearly unbeatable, showing that they used the bye week to their full advantage.
Jim Harbaugh has his first chance to do that with this Chargers team. Here are some things the team should use this bye week in order to make the team stronger for the rest of the year.
Chargers bye week to-do list
1. Rest for key players will be critical
In Week 4 against the Chiefs, the Chargers were without Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater, Derwin James (suspension), Joey Bosa and Junior Colson. In addition, Justin Herbert could not have been close to 100 percent.
Not all of these players may be able to take the field in Week 6, but a week of rest while not having to play (and possibly lose) another game is big for this team right now. The team can make do without some of them, but with an injury list that looks like that, it will be tough to beat anyone.
Herbert being able to rest his high ankle sprain, without feeling like he HAS to play, will be important. The Chargers need this week off for this reason more than any team on the bye this week.
2. Find a way to open up the passing game
The Chargers are not going to air it out under Harbaugh, that is just not the way this team is constructed. But they still need to find a way to offer more of a threat in the passing game.
Joshua Palmer needs to step up or the team needs to find a way to get the tight ends more involved. Maybe add a new wrinkle by inserting Brenden Rice into the mix. Whatever it is, offensive coordinator Greg Roman (known for what he brings to the running game) needs to find a way to throw something different at teams following the bye week.
3. Get Kimani Vidal on the field
The Chargers' bread and butter is going to be running the football this year and they have done that well, for the most part, with J.K. Dobbins. But his counterpart, Gus Edwards, is not getting the job done.
Edwards has 113 yards on 38 carries (a 3.0-yard average) so far this season and that just won't cut it. Yet, rookie Kimani Vidal has been a gameday inactive in all four games this season. Enough of that.
#BoltUp Per NFL Pro Stats, Gus Edwards is fifth worst in the entire NFL in yards after contact per attempt (including QBs). Kimani Vidal’s time is coming and it’s probably coming soon thanks to the early bye.
— Draft Buddy / Mike MacGregor (@DraftBuddy) October 3, 2024
The Chargers need to work on a package of plays to get him into the shuffle and see what he can do. It's certainly not going to be any worse than what Edwards has done. The team needs a guy who can spell Dobbins, at the least, and it's beyond time to see what the sixth-round pick has to offer.
MORE CHARGERS NEWS
Derwin James won't be a different player following his suspension
NFL Power Rankings: Chargers continue slide after flirting with top 5
Chargers Week 4 winners and losers
