RM: I didn't realize that Davis has such brutal numbers so far this season.

https://chargerswire.usatoday.com/2023/10/09/chargers-cowboys-players-to-step-up-michael-davis-khalil-mack/

Alex Insdorf
October 9, 2023 5:32 pm PT

Following the bye week, the Chargers will now face the Cowboys with a
chance to go over .500 on the season. 3-2 would certainly feel like a
step in the right direction after the team’s 0-2 start.

Winning against Dallas will not be easy, though. After a 42-10 loss to
the 49ers on Sunday night, the Cowboys will be under intense pressure to
get back on track offensively and defensively. Here are some players who
need to perform to prevent a rebound game for Big D.

CB Michael Davis

The story that dominated Chargers headlines during the bye was
cornerback J.C. Jackson being traded to the Patriots. With that trade
completed, Davis and Asante Samuel Jr. are officially locked in as the
outside corners for the rest of the year. Unlike Weeks 1 and 2, there is
no more three-man rotation to deal with on the outside.

That’s why there’s even more pressure on him to perform. To this point,
the former BYU product has struggled. Davis has allowed 286 receiving
yards and a 71% completion percentage when targeted, both on pace to
shatter records for a single season in his career. The most penalties he
has given up in a season is six. He’s already at five penalties
committed in 2023.

Quarterbacks are throwing for a 138.8 passer rating on Davis targets.
The sledding does not get any easier for this defense with Dak Prescott
and Patrick Mahomes coming up in their next games. As he nurses an ankle
injury, Davis will need to find a way to get back to his form from the
end of the 2022 season in order to stabilize the secondary.

C Will Clapp

Corey Linsley remains on the NFI list with a non-emergent heart
condition. Until there are more details on the situation, it should
probably be assumed that Linsley is out for the foreseeable future with
the Chargers not giving him a four-week injured reserve distinction.

Linsley coming back feels much more like an if than a when at this
point. Clapp had a decent game against the Raiders in relief. He only
allowed one pass pressure on 68 snaps played. There will likely be some
communications and tweaks on the offensive line that need to be ironed
out, but so far Clapp is off to a good start.

The Dallas defensive line will bring its own set of challenges. They
have been the best front in the league when it comes to creating
pressure and have the third-highest sack percentage. A lot of the
offensive lines’ responsibilities in pass and run blocking will fall on
Clapp without Linsley.

WR Joshua Palmer

Palmer will enter the last 13 games of the season in the team’s WR2
spot. The three main sets will likely be Keenan Allen, Palmer, and
Quentin Johnston for the rest of the season (barring injury).

He’s been in this position before. Last year, Palmer was effectively the
team’s first receiver on the depth chart in several games that Allen and
Mike Williams missed.

If this Chargers’ offense is to remain a potent threat, they cannot lose
the efficiency they’ve had on the field this year with both Williams and
Allen in the lineup. Palmer doesn’t necessarily have to replace
Williams’ production by himself, but the Chargers have to hope that he
and Johnston can at least come close on a per-game basis.

The tight end room

Gerald Everett has not had the receiving production that most expected
this year. He stands at 107 yards over four games. That puts him almost
10 yards per game behind his 2023 pace. In filling the Williams’ load
this offense will be missing, Everett probably has to be one of the more
consistent sources of offense for the team.

Donald Parham has a wrist injury that will likely take a few weeks to
heal in terms of using him as a red-zone scoring threat. What really
concerns me with this unit though is the below-average blocking. Stone
Smartt and Tre’ McKitty both have PFF run-blocking grades under 35.

The tight end group needs to get a little more resolved from a receiving
standpoint, but the blocking is the more important aspect that needs to
get better in running Moore’s multi-tight end formations.

EDGE Khalil Mack

Mack had his best game as a Charger which earned him a 92.3 PFF grade
against the Raiders. A six-sack, nine-pressure game was an effort that
was much needed after an underwhelming first three weeks of the season.

Mack will need to have premium performances against good offensive lines
as well, and that starts with Dallas. The former Bear is also
increasingly more important with how banged up Joey Bosa is. It’s likely
that Bosa will be able to return against Dallas in Week 5, but who knows
how many snaps he’ll be able to play after dealing with nagging toe and
hamstring injuries.

Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Bosa continuing to rack up pressures would put
the Chargers’ in a really solid position with their EDGE room. But Mack
regressing a bit to his average level in his LA career would be tough
considering the state of the secondary behind him.