The Chargers are looking to bounce back against the Commanders this Sunday after a frustrating loss to the Giants last week.

Here are a few reasons to be concerned about Los Angeles falling to 3-2.

Pass protection

It’s to be determined who will start at left tackle for the Chargers on Sunday, which is not the position any team wants to be in heading into Week 5. But with Joe Alt (ankle) inactive, Los Angeles will have to put either Jamaree Salyer or Austin Deculus on Justin Herbert’s blindside. That decision could come down to Mekhi Becton’s recovery from a concussion – if Becton does not clear protocol, Salyer will start in his right guard spot.

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Washington is 12th in the league with ten sacks, and although five of them came against the Raiders, the Chargers’ offensive line is in a similar shape as Las Vegas’ unit currently.

Run defense

The Chargers gave up 161 yards on the ground to the Giants last week, including 54 yards from rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Washington has a similarly mobile quarterback in Jayden Daniels returning this week after a two-game absence with a knee issue. Still, their rookie running back, Bill Croskey-Merritt, also leads all rushers with at least 10 carries in yards per carry with 5.9. The Commanders have generated the second-most yards on the ground per game this season, behind only the Bills, and have the second-highest yards per carry as a team, behind only the Ravens.

Field position battle

Washington leads the league in kickoff return average with 33.7 yards per return, and returner Luke McCaffrey had the league’s best kickoff return yardage total of the season last week with 199. The Chargers, meanwhile, have struggled with the new kickoff rules in coverage and as a return unit. They may be without returner Derius Davis for the second straight week, as he is dealing with a knee injury. KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Kimani Vidal combined to average 24.3 yards per kickoff return last week, so the Chargers could be giving up nearly ten yards of field position just in that phase of the game.

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Conversion rates

Last week against the Giants, Los Angeles converted two of their three third-down plays when the yardage to gain was 3 yards or fewer. On third downs requiring at least four yards, that conversion rate plummeted to two of nine. Washington is the sixth-best defense on third downs this season, allowing just a 33.33% overall conversion rate. The Chargers’ overall rate offensively is 43.4%, good for 5th in the league, but it will be strength on strength when LA’s offense is on the field. That will turn into weakness on weakness when the defense takes the field, as the Chargers are 17th in third-down conversion rate allowed, and the Commanders’ offense is 27th in converting third downs.

Production from depth

Washington has dealt with a litany of injuries this season, but has held steady at 2-2 despite missing Daniels, receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown, running back Austin Ekeler, guard Sam Cosmi, safety Will Harris, and cornerback Jonathan Jones for at least one game this season. The Commanders’ run game is still the second-best in the league by yardage and yards per carry without Ekeler and Cosmi. The passing game stats improved with backup Marcus Mariota in the game, even with McLaurin missing Week 3 and Brown missing Weeks 2 and 3. The Commanders have had depth pieces step in admirably, whether Mariota or receiver Luke McCaffrey or rookie running back Bill Croskey-Merritt. Los Angeles has seen a sharper dropoff when their starters have been injured, which could hurt the Chargers’ chances even though both teams are about equally banged up heading into Sunday.

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Reasons why the Chargers could lose to the Commanders: Week 5 concerns