The Los Angeles Chargers‘ Week 9 win over the Tennessee Titans brought more bad news than good. Around the 5-minute mark in the 2nd quarter, Titans defender Sebastian Joseph-Day fell into the right leg of LT Joe Alt during a pass play. He stayed on the ground for a few minutes. Trainers checked him as he held his lower right leg before being taken to the locker room. Though the Chargers confirmed it as an ankle injury, head coach Jim Harbaugh has since received the update every Bolts fan was dreading.

This is the same ankle that Alt hurt earlier this season. He had missed three games with a high ankle sprain and had just returned last week against the Vikings. Doctor David J. Chao claimed that re-aggravation is never a good thing, as it delays the recovery process for a long duration. However, he also warned that now, surgery might be needed to treat his injury. That would definitely put him out for almost a month.

“Joe Alt left the game, got rolled up on his right high ankle again, very similar to before. And unfortunately, there’s some talk of even surgery now, perhaps the tight rope type surgery, the quote Alabama surgery,” he said about Joe Alt’s injury. “The takeaway here is re-aggravation is never good.”

Joe Alt is their key player.

You can only imagine how crucial Alt has been for the Chargers, that before the Week 7 game against the Indianapolis Colts, Mina Kimes of ESPN chose the Colts as the winner when told that Alt wouldn’t play. He took over at left tackle after starter Rashawn Slater tore his knee in training camp. When Alt plays, the Chargers are 5-1. When he doesn’t, they are 1-2.

If Alt needs surgery, he could miss at least a month. That’s bad news for the Chargers, who have two tough games ahead against the Steelers and Jaguars before their bye week. Both teams have strong defenses, which could make things even harder for Harbaugh’s team.

The Chargers might have to put Alt on injured reserve, which would mean he misses at least four games. The team could also look to trade for another offensive lineman before the deadline.

There are plenty of other problems for Jim Harbaugh.

Joe Alt isn’t the only concern for the LA Chargers

The team’s injury problems don’t stop there. Right tackle Bobby Hart left Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans with a groin injury. The Chargers said he is questionable to return. Hart hurt himself in the first quarter and was taken to the locker room for more tests. Trey Pipkins came in to play right tackle after Hart left the field.

The early injury forced the Chargers to make quick changes on the offensive line. It’s another setback for a unit already missing several starters, including LT Rashawn Slater and RG Mekhi Becton. There’s no word yet on how serious Hart’s injury is, but the team is expected to give an update after the game or on Monday.

With both starting tackles out, QB Justin Herbert has been under heavy pressure in recent games. That pressure is starting to show in his numbers. Herbert has already thrown 8 interceptions in nine games this season, more than his overall INTs in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. His interception count has gone up while the team’s offensive line keeps changing week after week.

Without stable pass protection, Herbert forcibly takes more risks. His completion rate remains strong, but the rising turnovers are hurting the Chargers’ offense.