Kris Dielman should not have been playing well into Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. The San Diego Chargers star guard is a force along the line, but after suffering a concussion, no one is much good to their team. Yet the Chargers were out of options along a line that was already thin to begin with. Now that Dielman has suffered a seizure yesterday, its’ announced he won’t be playing. That puts both player and team in a position they’d rather not be in.
If anything, it reminds just how fragile the NFL can be at times despite all of its toughness. Injuries can happen at any second and the life outside the NFL suddenly comes into view loud and clear. For Dielman, the hope is that proper rest and medical treatment can make this a one-time scenario and that there’s nothing more than a short-term need to miss a game. For the Chargers, however, the issue is much more.
Marcus McNeil was already hurting with a neck injury and now the Dielman injury makes 40 percent of their line suspect. McNeil is supposedly okay, but the Chiefs are certainly targeting the lack of depth with their game plan for Monday night’s game.