Swanson: Chasmic difference between Colts, Chargers lies in the trenches

INGLEWOOD — Glamorous? No.

Necessary? Utterly.

You know by now that the difference between a good football team, a middling football team and a great football team isn’t whose quarterback throws prettiest passes or which coaches’ schemes are the sharpest. It’s not who’s got the best hands or the best (or worst!) jerseys.

It’s what it’s always been, what it will always be: Is your offensive line impressive or … offensive? Can you win the war in the trenches?

If you can, you’re in the winning business. You’ve got a shot at the real prize.

But if, for whatever reason, you can’t?

Well, then, you’re not passing Go and you’re not collecting $200 and you’re definitely not beating the Indianapolis Colts – who steamrolled the Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, 38-24, to improve to 6-1.

The Chargers – who were 3-0 before their patchwork quilt of an offensive line was completely shredded by injuries – fell to 4-3.

Any question which of those teams has a stout and sturdy offensive line?

Yes, the team that led comfortably all game, that leaped ahead 20-3, went up by as much as 31-10 and had to punt just twice.

The Colts’ O-line created so much running room for Jonathan Taylor that it didn’t look so much like they were opening holes as laying down boulevards for cruising. Taylor – who scored three touchdowns – was regularly easing past defenders, including going untouched into the end zone.

And quarterback Daniel Jones – 288 yards and two TDs on 23-for-34 passing – was mostly unbothered too, hurried just five times and sacked once (welcome back Khalil Mack!).

“Hats off to them,” said the Chargers’ star safety Derwin James Jr., acknowledging both his defense’s failings but also the opponent’s prowess. “Great team, playoff-caliber team… [defending] the run game is not just the D-line – DBs, we gotta come in and help them tackle too. Everybody’s gotta look inward, look in the mirror and get back to work.”

“They got a good running back, they got a good collection of O linemen; they play very well together,” Chargers’ defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe said.

Said Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh: “Give credit. That’s a heck of a good back, and they did an outstanding job. Had us on our heels.”

The Colts’ steady churn – it was like they were making butter, apropos for a game the Chargers’ dressed entirely in yellow – had their hosts playing catch-up all game too.

Justin Herbert threw for a career-high 420 yards in a game he’d rather forget because he spent so much of it being chased or throttled. He was sacked three times (for 29 yards) and hit 15 times.

“That’s football, that’s part of the job,” said the ever-diplomatic Herbert after throwing 55 passes, more than in any game in his pro career that didn’t end in overtime. “It’s the way it is when you’re down; we had to throw. And the offensive line is doing an incredible job battling. I can always get the ball out quicker.”

That’s kind of him to say, something a good teammate would say.

Forgiving spin from a leader who’s cognizant of the plight of his line, which, coming into Sunday’s game, had run out 173 unique combinations, second-most in the NFL, according to the CBS broadcast. That lack of continuity in no way benefits on-field chemistry. Obviously.

And then, on the Chargers’ first offensive drive Sunday, they temporarily lost left tackle Austin Deculus to what looked like it could be a serious injury. He returned, but it sent a shudder through the Chargers’ universe, considering recent history.

The Chargers are without standout left tackle Rashawn Slater (torn patellar tendon), which forced right tackle Joe Alt to flip to left tackle before he went out with a high ankle sprain. Trey Pipkins III, who filled in at right tackle, was also hurt and unavailable Sunday with a knee injury. So the Chargers brought aboard Bobby Hart just last week and plugged him in at right tackle.

It’s basically a game of dominoes, if somehow each subsequent domino had less value, less heft.

The Chargers’ depth has been tested, and it’s failing. And that’s left Herbert exposed, having to play catch-up while running for his life. It’s got him forcing throws, one of which was batted and intercepted by nose tackle Grover Stewart and another that Nick Cross picked off in the end zone.

It’s got the Chargers slipping, sliding, looking like anything but a contender – or even the 11-6 team they were a season ago.