Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Aug 20
Chargers Lose 41-17 to 49ers as Tyler Biadasz Suffers ACL Injury
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · Aug 20

Chargers Lose 41-17 to 49ers as Tyler Biadasz Suffers ACL Injury

3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Aug 20

Summary

  • Tyler Biadasz went down with an ACL injury that Jim Harbaugh said "doesn't look promising," leaving rookie second-rounder Jake Slaughter in line to take over at center.
  • A 41-17 preseason loss at SoFi underscored the Chargers' broader problems: they converted 2 of 14 third downs, averaged 1.8 yards on designed runs and allowed five touchdowns, including an 84-yard punt return.
  • Trey Lance provided one of the few bright spots, completing 10 of 16 passes for 73 yards and breaking a 37-yard scramble, while Justin Herbert and most starters played only one three-and-out series or sat out.
  • Injuries and lineup uncertainty kept building, with rookie receiver Brenen Thompson leaving for the locker room, lineman Branson Taylor exiting with a shoulder issue and left tackle Rashawn Slater already sidelined by a knee flare-up.
  • The defeat came after a stronger preseason opener in Houston, but with more than three weeks until Arizona visits for the regular-season opener, the Chargers now face fresh offensive-line and depth concerns.

Insights

With a devastating injury to their new center, can the Chargers prevent a repeat of their disastrous 2025 offensive line collapse?
After a brutal preseason blowout, will Jim Harbaugh's squad overcome glaring mental mistakes before the high-stakes regular season opener?
Could a standout preseason performance by Trey Lance against his former team drastically alter the backup quarterback landscape?