The Chargers’ 0-7 start kept rolling in Week 8, and with it came another round of hard truths about who is helping and who is holding this team back. In a loss to the Rams, a few players at least gave Los Angeles something to build on, while others delivered the kind of performance that makes a bad season feel even heavier.
One of the clearest bright spots was Isas Waxter, who was thrust into his first NFL start as the team’s third corner with Donte Jackson, Deane Leonard, Rodney Shelley and Derwin James all out. Waxter didn’t look overwhelmed by the moment.
He tackled with force, played with edge and didn’t get picked apart in coverage. His line against the Rams backed that up: six tackles, including two for loss.
Ladd McConkey also gave the Chargers a needed lift after finally getting a full game back following the injuries that slowed him earlier in the season. Against a Rams secondary featuring Trent McDuffie and Quentin Lake, McConkey was the offense’s only real spark. He finished with four catches for a team-high 86 yards, and if he stays healthy, he’s expected to keep carrying a unit that has been the league-worst.
But the game also exposed some ugly spots, and Jake Slaughter was right in the middle of that. The second-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has already drawn criticism, and not just because of his play.
The bigger question was the plan for him, since the Chargers drafted him with the idea of moving him from center to guard and having him fight for a job in camp. That decision looked questionable then, and the on-field results have not made it look better.
After Tyler Biadasz’s injury, Slaughter moved back to center and has been dealing with the usual rookie growing pains. This one, though, stood out as one of his roughest outings.
He struggled in the run game, missed defenders and looked overmatched. On one third-and-1, he was beaten immediately, fell after the whiff and stayed down on the turf.
The assessment from the source was blunt: “Jake Slaughter got beat instantly on that 3rd & 1. He falls due to his whiff and doesn't get back up.
He stays on the ground and sulks instead.Sounds about right for this offense.”
Elijah Molden’s day was just as frustrating. The veteran safety, who has been a roller coaster for the Chargers and has had many of his low points tied to injuries, came into this game with a new contract extension but left with another uneven performance.
With Derwin James Jr. sidelined, Molden had multiple missed tackles, poor run fits and no notable impact in coverage. It was a rough outing for a player the Chargers need to be steadier than this.
In Other News...
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Former Chargers defender Breiden Fehoko jumped into the middle of it on social media, taking aim at Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon over the way the situation has been handled. For Chargers fans, it is another reminder of how quickly a leaguewide storyline can turn into a public relations problem, especially when a player of Taylor's caliber is involved and the messages coming out of the building do not seem to line up. [Read more 🡒]
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Chargers Face Two Huge Concerns Heading Into Rams Showdown
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Protection up front is a major part of the equation against a Rams front that can wreck a game plan, especially with Aaron Donald and Byron Young coming after the pocket. The Chargers are also trying to sort out an inconsistent running game while dealing with offensive line injuries, and even with Joe Alt trending toward availability, Rashawn Slater remains on injured reserve. How those moving parts hold up will go a long way toward deciding whether this feels like a post-bye reset or another familiar problem. [Read more 🡒]