The Los Angeles Chargers remain in the thick of the playoff race in the AFC despite the plethora of injuries ravaging the roster, particularly on the offensive line. Facing the Las Vegas Raiders in a divisional matchup in Week 13, the hope had to be that they could separate themselves from the Kansas City Chiefs.
However, the first half did not go their way in a game that should have been a relatively easy encounter for them. Instead, they walked into the locker room at halftime tied at seven apiece, with a rather underwhelming day from the offense, particularly Ladd McConkey.
What Happened to Ladd McConkey?
Behind a porous offensive line missing Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, the onus was going to be on Justin Herbert to make some magic happen. However, the star quarterback needed the right kind of production from his weapons to make that a reality.
Unfortunately, the first half did not work out in his favor. Not only did Herbert rush back to the locker room after a hit to his wrist, but he also could not get excellent production from his receiving core.
McConkey, who had set the league on fire as a rookie last season, was particularly disappointing, as he caught one of his two targets for 15 yards. Herbert recorded 96 passing yards in the period, with one touchdown and one interception to his name.
As a rookie, he was simply sensational for LA, ranking at number nine on PFSN’s WR Impact, while tallying 1,149 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. This year, he hasn’t been as productive from a statistical standpoint, adding 644 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 11 games, for a WRi ranking of 44.
But on an offense featuring the likes of Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston, alongside the rookie sensation, Oronde Gadsden II, McConkey remained an invaluable part of the operation as the Chargers tried to make it to the postseason in back-to-back seasons.
In the second half, the Chargers pulled away for a comfortable 31-14 victory, with their star sophomore also playing a bigger role, with three more receptions to his credit. Finally, he ended the game with four catches and 39 receiving yards, while adding a touchdown to the tally as well.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.Â
