San Diego Chargers Offensive Line Injuries

by John Gennaro on Oct 27, 2011 9:01 PM PDT in San Diego Chargers Media Coverage

After getting through five full games without an injury, the San Diego Chargers offensive line ended up battered in bruised after losing the battle of the trenches with the New York Jets.

Marcus McNeill left the game with a neck injury, worrisome because of his history of neck problems in the past, but is back to practicing with the team and expected to play against the Chiefs. Much more worrisome is the story about Kris Dielman that's just coming out now. Take it away, Silver Fox...

Pro Bowl left guard Kris Dielman, who stayed in Sunday's road game against the New York Jets with a concussion and suffered a Gran Mal seizure as the team flight descended into San Diego, will miss at least the Chargers' next two games.

Dielman, who wouldn't confirm that anything happened on the flight, said the decision not to play Monday night in Kansas City and Nov. 6 against Green Bay was based on how he's felt in the days after being visibly staggered in the fourth quarter Sunday.

"I just banged my head a little bit," said Dielman. "Now I gotta deal with it."

Sources, however, said the incident on the team plane was "violent" and "scary." An ambulance met the plane on the tarmac and transported Dielman to the hospital, where he stayed overnight.

So, on top of the injuries on the defense that were mentioned earlier, the Chargers now have an injured LT (still playing), an injured LG (out at least two weeks) and an injured C/G backup (Scott Mruczkowski apparently injured his neck at some point). If it weren't for McNeill (somewhat suspiciously) making such a quick recovery, the depth on this line would be terrifying heading into Kansas City.

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They shouldn't have let him fly

Make him wait a day, then fly back. I really don’t think the team doctors handled this well at all.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Oct 27, 2011 9:18 PM PDT reply actions

"I just banged my head a little bit"

This is the way the game is played. Teams cut or replace injury prone players. Players understate their injuries. Teams patch ’em up and push ’em on the field. Players end up FUBAR. Teams cut or replace injury prone players.

He probably would have seized regardless of the flight. And seizure is a VERY bad symptom of brain injury. Probably due to swelling. Chris Deilman… poster boy for Chronic Traumatic Brian Encephalitis.

Why aren’t these players and union doing more to change the game and fight this?

by Trendsearcher on Oct 28, 2011 8:40 AM PDT up reply actions

He probably would have seized regardless of the flight.

Better to have seized when he was near a hospital rather than on a 5 hour plane ride.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Oct 28, 2011 9:14 AM PDT up reply actions

Dielman

Was stumbling around after that hit. He looked drunk for about 15 seconds, but stayed in the game. He probably knew we were out of O-lineman. None the less, the refs should have the authority to require a concussion test on the spot, it was pretty obvious that something wasn’t right with Dielman.

They really need to fix this process. Everyone is motivated to keep the guy in the game, they need more checks and balances.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Oct 28, 2011 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions

Too busy stalling to let everyone get the HGH out of their system.

Why aren’t these players and union doing more to change the game and fight this?

by PNSter on Oct 28, 2011 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

rec rec rec rec

by Orz on Oct 28, 2011 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Player Safety?

you’ve all heard of this phrase, but why is it players are “allowed” to chose their head gear, instead of “required to wear” the latest concussion reducing head gear?

The peanut gallery has spoken!!!

by gatesoftds on Oct 28, 2011 1:51 PM PDT up reply actions

What's suspicious about him practicing this week?

Are you insinuating that he wasn’t hurt that bad and could have played more in the Jets game?

by Orz on Oct 27, 2011 9:28 PM PDT reply actions

I think he means

that if the team were healthier, McNeill wouldn’t be practicing at all, and they’re pressuring him to play.

A pirate I was meant to be!
"You say you're nasty pirates,
scheming, thieving, bad bushwackers?
From what I've seen I tell you
You're not pirates, you're just slackers!"

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 27, 2011 9:36 PM PDT up reply actions

ic

by Orz on Oct 27, 2011 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 28, 2011 8:52 AM PDT up reply actions

McNeill has played a lot in the past when he was hurt

it is one of the reasons that I am glad he got a nice contract. I am sure that he is not at 100% though and the O-line could be an issue.

by JeromeB on Oct 28, 2011 9:03 AM PDT up reply actions

Luckily, KC's pass rush is awful

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Oct 28, 2011 9:29 AM PDT up reply actions

Rivers got his ass-kicked last time

Partially his own fault…but still, we have a habit of making a team’s weakest link look unstoppable.

"The biggest thing..." - Norv Turner

by Cake or Death on Oct 28, 2011 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions

Except that Hali guy.

A pirate I was meant to be!
"You say you're nasty pirates,
scheming, thieving, bad bushwackers?
From what I've seen I tell you
You're not pirates, you're just slackers!"

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 28, 2011 9:45 AM PDT up reply actions

Well that's bad news

A seizure following head injury is serious business and could be an indication of significant underlying problems. I hope Dielman’s OK, football aside.

"Were such things here as we do speak about?
Or have we eaten on the insane root
That takes the reason prisoner?"

by aesimpleton on Oct 27, 2011 9:54 PM PDT reply actions

During the game,

There was shot of Dielman where he was clearly out of it and he nearly fell over. He managed to keep standing somehow and stay in the game. Hopefully staying in didn’t make anything worse.

by sdpads24 on Oct 27, 2011 10:14 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah, I sort of forgot about that one

he was loopy as could be. Staggered back about five yards and made two attempts to get up before he could even keep his legs under himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if the NFL had something to say about his continuing in the game without doctors demanding to examine him.

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Oct 27, 2011 10:51 PM PDT up reply actions

And there it is

PFT Link

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Oct 28, 2011 10:21 PM PDT up reply actions

Hope all is well

And everyone at AP seems to be hoping for the best.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2011/10/27/2519527/chargers-pro-bowl-lg-kris-dielman-suffered-a-seizure-on-flight-home#comments

by Zif on Oct 27, 2011 11:13 PM PDT reply actions

I read this

Everyone is super cool, its cool to root against a rival team, but you never root for someone to get hurt. thanks for stopping by

by cameronm on Oct 27, 2011 11:51 PM PDT up reply actions

McNeil's quick recovery notwithstanding

I am still terrified about our offensive line this Monday Night.

by Ferguson1015 on Oct 28, 2011 6:25 AM PDT reply actions

Hope your boy Dielman will make a full recovery.

As much of a presence he is for your front line, I would prefer we had to play against him Monday night, then see him in this situation.

Godspeed!

"In my experience, there is no such thing as luck."

"It's not always going to be pretty; and that's alright..."

by crashman6 on Oct 28, 2011 6:37 AM PDT reply actions

He won't.... None of 'em will... KC Cheifs included

We might play again, he might play well, but his mind will never be the same. And this event compounded upon the last one, and the dozens of undocumented prior injuries probably indicate that he will have a very bad life after football.

Expect him to: have relationship challenges; drug problems; have memory problems

Expect him to: have difficulty making: good life decisions; financial decisions.

What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his mind?

by Trendsearcher on Oct 28, 2011 8:50 AM PDT up reply actions

Dielman

Almost fell over after the collision and one would think that if some old guy watching the game on TV could see he was nearly KO’d ( me ), someone from the medical staff could of , but being forthright is not exactly a hallmark of NFL teams . Fans are relegated to mushroom status , kept in the dark and fed manure . Dielman waved his injury off while staggering but it’s not his job to assess , so someone whiffed or worse yet , ignored it .

by threecubed on Oct 28, 2011 7:50 AM PDT reply actions