It's only Week 3 in the NFL, but Sunday's game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Minnesota Vikings was in essence a playoff match. Considering that only four teams have started 0-3 and made the postseason since 1990, a loss would cause low playoff odds to plummet even further, per ESPN.

The Chargers emerged with some hope of getting their season back on track with a 28-24 victory. They stand at 1-2 with almost the same amount of points scored as points allowed. Justin Herbert was electric in the win over the Vikes, completing an astounding 40 of 47 passes for 405 yards and three touchdowns. It was the kind of performance that reminds fans just how high this team's ceiling potentially is.

But as the scoreline indicates, the Chargers faced plenty of adversity getting into the win column for the first time in 2023. Some of these problems are going to bleed into next week and remain unless addressed.

So, despite the optimism from a victory Sunday, what concerns are the Chargers still carrying with them? Let's break down the three biggest ones below.

3. The ground game

On the whole, Sunday's performance was encouraging for the offense. And let's be honest, this is a team built around Justin Herbert's right arm and the passing game. But there are going to be times when running the ball is a necessity. (Like, say, when a team has a big lead and is trying to grind out the clock in a playoff game.) And the Chargers did not move the ball on the ground against the Vikings effectively. At all.

Yes, L.A. was without top back Austin Ekeler with an ankle injury. In his place, Joshua Kelley stepped in and gained 12 yards on 11 carries. This issue was never more evident than in the fourth quarter. Head coach Brandon Staley opted to go for it on fourth-and-one from the Chargers' own 24-yard line. Kelley got stuffed, handing Minnesota a short field. It didn't bite the Chargers in the behind, but it easily could've, and reiterates the need to be able to run when the situation calls for it.

2. The pass defense

The first sign something was wrong for the Chargers in this department came when J.C. Jackson, the team's $82.5 million cornerback, was a healthy scratch on Sunday. Jackson was not on the injury report all week, so this was simply a coach's decision. Benching one of your top corners ahead of facing Justin Jefferson is quite the gamble.

It didn't exactly pay off. Jefferson torched the L.A. secondary for 149 yards on seven catches and a score. QB Kirk Cousins ended the game 32-of-50 for 367 yards and three touchdowns. What saved the Chargers on Sunday was Herbert's ability to win a shootout. But again, as the season wears on, it becomes tougher to win games in this fashion. Leaning on Herbert in Week 3 in a dome is one thing. But if the secondary can't hold up in January in Kansas City or Buffalo in cold weather, this team might be looking at another season ending prematurely.

1. Mike Williams' health

This might be the most immediate takeaway from Sunday. The Chargers wide receiver suffered a knee injury in the third quarter of the game, not his first health scare of the season. After the game, Williams' leg was in a brace, and he needed to ride a cart to the team bus. The seventh-year wideout serves as a valuable weapon for Herbert (and Keenan Allen!), illustrated on Sunday by his 7-121-1 statline.

For a team built around the passing game, and one that wants to play aggressively when it does have the ball, losing the #2 receiver can be catastrophic. If Williams is forced to miss an extended amount of time, Herbert, Allen, and the offense will be under even more pressure. Austin Ekeler is already banged up. The Chargers are still playing catch-up with a 1-2 record and the Kansas City Chiefs sitting at 2-1. Two of the team's top three playmakers is an easy way to slide further down the standings as the season rolls on.