Chargers Defense Needs to Stick Together Amid Derwin James News

The Los Angeles Chargers are officially 0-7 after another disappointing loss, falling 24-9 to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. While there are plenty of issues throughout the roster, the defense continues to face an uphill battle, especially with the recent news that Derwin James has been placed on injured reserve. If there is one thing this group needs to do over the remainder of the season, it is stick together and continue fighting for one another.

Sunday’s loss was another example of how difficult things have become for this team. The Chargers actually did a decent job keeping the Rams’ offense in check early on. Los Angeles held the Rams without a first down on their first five offensive drives and managed to keep the game within reach heading into halftime. Unfortunately, the Rams eventually found their rhythm, particularly on the ground, and pulled away in the second half.

Kyren Williams and Blake Corum each found the end zone as the Rams leaned on their running game to take control. The Chargers defense was able to make things difficult early, but eventually ran out of answers as the offense failed to provide much support.

That is becoming a familiar story for this team. The defense is constantly being put in difficult situations and has struggled to get the necessary help from the other side of the football. Now, things become even more challenging with James expected to miss at least four games after being placed on injured reserve.

Losing James is about much more than losing another starter. He is one of the most important leaders on this roster and someone who brings a level of versatility that is extremely difficult to replace. His ability to play multiple positions, make adjustments and impact the game in different ways is something the Chargers are undoubtedly missing.

Tony Jefferson will continue to be an important piece of the secondary, while younger players will need to take advantage of the opportunities in front of them. Players like Elijah Molden, Genesis Smith and RJ Mickens will have to help fill the void and take on additional responsibility.

At this point, there is little reason to believe the Chargers are going to turn their season around overnight. At 0-7, the focus should be on evaluating the roster, developing younger players and figuring out which pieces can be part of the team’s future.

However, that does not mean the players should stop competing. If anything, this is when leadership becomes even more important. It would be easy for frustration to take over with the way this season has unfolded, but the defense needs to continue holding itself accountable and playing together.

The Chargers have another difficult matchup coming up against the Houston Texans on November 8. They will once again need to find a way to compete without their defensive leader.

Derwin James will eventually have an opportunity to return, but the Chargers cannot simply wait for him to come back before finding some consistency. The remaining players need to step up, support one another and continue building something despite the circumstances.

This season has been a disaster, but how this defense responds to adversity could still tell the organization a lot about the players it has in the building. The Chargers need to stick together, because things are unlikely to get easier anytime soon.