Chargers Already Bracing for Major Absence vs. Bengals in Week 11 

Update: Khalil Mack told reporters on Thursday he plans to play on Sunday despite tweaking both of his groins, per ESPN's Kris Rhim.

The Los Angeles Chargers will put their three-game winning streak on the line on Sunday night when they play the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Chargers defense is coming off a ridiculous performance against the Tennessee Titans last week, producing seven sacks and eight tackles for loss. 

Los Angeles will need a similar performance against Bengals QB Joe Burrow, who shredded the Baltimore Ravens’ defense in Week 10. However, the Chargers might be missing one of their key defenders for this primetime contest.

Daniel Popper of The Athletic reported star pass rusher Khalil Mack was not seen at Thursday’s practice. Mack is dealing with a groin injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday.

The veteran defender shockingly played in last week’s game against the Titans despite not practicing. However, Mack only logged four snaps in the first quarter and did not see the field for the rest of the game.

The 33-year-old pass rusher isn’t on pace to have 17 sacks like he did in 2023. However, Mack still has produced 26 combined tackles, 11 quarterback pressures, eight QB hits, five tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks this season.

If Mack misses Sunday night’s game, the Chargers will likely turn to veteran Bud Dupree, who played a season-high 69 percent of the defensive snaps. The 31-year-old Dupree recorded five total tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble in last week’s win over the Titans.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Mack's status, the Chargers are small home favorites (-125 on DraftKings Sportsbook) against the Bengals.

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