The Chargers currently trail the Bengals at the halfway mark of the season opener by the score of 7-6.
Here are a few things that have stood out:
Swarming defense
Aside from Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow’s rushing touchdown that came in the first quarter, the Chargers defense has been holding their own to prevent Cincinnati from making much of an impact.
For Los Angeles, it has been all up front, as they have done an excellent job at putting the rookie under duress. L.A. has combined for three sacks. Defensive tackle Jerry Tillery and defensive end Joey Bosa have been the standouts, combining for five quarterback hits.
Burrow is passing for 54 yards on nine completions. Running back Joe Mixon has only managed 30 yards on nine carries. The offense has combined for 88 yards.
Where is the offense?
The Chargers’ newly revamped offense was highly anticipated all offseason, but the unit has yet to be effective. QB Tyrod Taylor has had some big throws to wide receiver Mike Williams and tight end Hunter Henry. However, he’s missed some of his pass-catchers while they were wide open.
An evident issue is that he’s staring down his targets, making it easier for defensive backs to diagnose.
The running game wasn’t much of a factor until late. Running back Austin Ekeler leads the pack with 11 rushes for 57 yards while Joshua Kelley and Justin Jackson have each only received two carries. Taylor, who’s been under a good amount of pressure, has only managed eight yards on five carries.