Chargers regain defensive identity with healthier Khalil Mack on the field

EL SEGUNDO — Outside linebacker Khalil Mack played only 12 of 60 snaps in his return to the active roster after spending four games on injured reserve because of a dislocated left elbow. Neither his limitation nor the Chargers’ lackluster result against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 19 was what he had in mind.

Mack got a good deal more out of his second game, playing 28 of 49 snaps and recording a sack during the Chargers’ victory over the Minnesota Vikings last Thursday. It was a bounce-back game in so many ways for the Chargers, but also for Mack, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection now in his 12th season.

There was no question Mack’s more prominent role in the game against the Vikings served to galvanize the Chargers’ defense, which had suffered noticeably at times during his absence. The Chargers gave up a season-high 38 points during their 14-point loss to the Colts, for example.

“Shout out to the players,” Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said Wednesday of the Chargers’ 37-10 victory over the Vikings on “Thursday Night Football.” “It was a player-led win in the sense that they took ownership. It was a reclaiming of our identity a little bit.”

Mack was front and center in the hours and days leading up to the game.

“You know, he’s as competitive a human being as I’ve probably been around,” Minter said. “I know he understood the week prior he had a rep count coming off IR and just being able to practice for a couple of days. But, at the same time, he would have liked to have been out there for every snap (against the Colts).

“He feels that way. That’s how he trains. That’s how he prepares. So, I think he felt a little handcuffed in a way. He’s watching how the game is going (against the Colts) and he’s not able to do what he does. There weren’t a lot of things that needed to be said (going into the Vikings game).

“It was more about action. That was Khalil from the start of the week (going into the game against the Vikings). It’s an action week. It’s less about talking. By the end of the week, we felt really good about how the game was going to go based on what we saw for three days. He is the ultimate leader.”

Mack said Wednesday he couldn’t say for sure what percentage he was heading into the Chargers’ game Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. It likely wasn’t 100% but it was probably good enough to play effectively no matter how many snaps he might get in his third game back from IR.

“I can’t give you a percentage on where I’m at, but I feel good,” Mack said when asked what he expected from himself for Sunday’s game. “I feel close to myself, just being able to do what I normally do. Ultimately, stacking days, just trying to get healthier, getting better every day.”

TRUSTING THE PROCESS

Defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe has four sacks in eight games so far this season, which is four more than he had during his rookie season in 2024. He played only five games as a rookie after the Chargers selected him in the fourth round of the draft from the University of Alabama.

Eboigbe’s evolution as a player hasn’t surprised the Chargers, who believed he could become a consistent contributor to their defense. Minter credited Eboigbe with taking the steps necessary to become that sort of a player during his second season in the NFL, which has included one start.

“I really felt like halfway through last season you started to see him understand that this is a process-driven league,” Minter said. “How you operate week-to-week is how you get better. Player development in this league is the difference between teams that win and lose, in my opinion.

“Expect him to continue to be a really good player for us.”