Chargers grateful Khalil Mack to miss little time with elbow injury
When Khalil Mack suffered an injury to the left elbow after colliding with a teammate while attacking Geno Smith of the raiders, the concern was not to know if he would miss time, but how much.
Fortunately for the loads, the diagnosis was a listened elbow, putting it away four weeks on the injured reserve – much better than the result of the end of the season that many had feared.
“He’s like Wolverine,” said coach Jim Harbaugh, invoking the regenerating “X-Men” character. “One of the most difficult things I have ever seen. He was not going to sit or lie on the ground. … A new level of respect.”
Mack was remarkably sustainable in his charge mandate, starting 52 of the 53 games.
Last season, however, he played a groin injury, never at full power. The time of this setback is particularly frustrating, since the team had removed it from the pre-season to preserve it for the regular season.
Losing Mack is an important blow before the third AFC West confrontation of the team in three weeks. His impact was obvious before leaving the match on Monday when he disrupted the Raiders offensive early, including a third key bag.
Although the absence of Mack is difficult, the defense seems in stable hands. He has already proven that he could comply with last year’s standard when he finished as a unit of n ° 1 defense of the League by limiting the opponents to 15 points per game in two weeks.
The Edge Rusher group will play high roles in the absence of Mack.
Tuli Tuipulotu, considered by the organization as a future star, will anchor the unit alongside the veteran Bud Dupree.
Caleb Murphy, mainly a special teammate, recorded a career summit of 34 snaps against raiders and should have a more defined role. The recruit choice of fourth round Kennard, still in the training team, is also online for a promotion to give the team a fourth option.
Harbaugh did not exclude the front office in search of external aid via trade or the free agency, saying: “We are going to look. We always look and see what the coming days bring. ”
