COSTA MESA — It’s no secret that the Chargers’ offensive line is battered and bruised. It’s become an area of significant concern as the list of the injured has grown and grown over the past few weeks, with opposing teams eager to strike the Chargers where they are most vulnerable.

Two rookies, two backups and one veteran starter are expected to start on the offensive line Sunday against the Miami Dolphins at SoFi Stadium, just as they did during the Chargers’ 27-20 loss to the Raiders last Sunday in Las Vegas. It wasn’t a winning formula then and it’s not likely to be now.

The Chargers did an excellent job of protecting quarterback Justin Herbert during the season’s first nine games, when he was sacked only 12 times. But when the injuries began to mount and the makeup of the offensive line had to be adjusted from week to week, things went haywire.

The Kansas City Chiefs sacked Herbert five times on Nov. 20.

The Arizona Cardinals sacked him four times on Nov. 27.

The Raiders sacked him five times Sunday.

Which means the Chargers’ franchise quarterback has been sacked more times – 14 – in the past three games than he had been in the first nine games.

The responsibility for the increase in sacks cannot be placed solely on the broad shoulders of the Chargers’ makeshift offensive line, according to offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. There are plenty of additional reasons why Herbert has been sacked more often in the past three games.

“There’s a number of factors,” Lombardi said. “You’ve got to get guys open faster (among the wide receivers, tight ends and running backs). There’s been a lot of shuffling of the O-line and we’ve been facing some pretty good rush teams. So, it’s been a combination of things.

“It’s certainly something we’re aware of and need to do better.”

Left tackle Rashawn Slater was the first lineman to go down and out of the lineup, suffering a biceps injury in Week 3 that’s expected to sideline him for the remainder of the season. Center Corey Linsley (concussion) and right tackle Trey Pipkins III (knee) have followed Slater to the sideline.

Jamaree Salyer, a rookie, has replaced Slater at left tackle, shifting over from left guard. Left guard Matt Feiler is the lone veteran starter from Week 1. Will Clapp has replaced Linsley. Right guard Zion Johnson is a rookie. Foster Sarell made his NFL debut earlier this season in relief of Pipkins.

Herbert has dealt with the increased pressure about as well as could be expected. In fact, he’s coming off a game in which he passed for 335 yards and one touchdown against the Raiders. He topped 300 yards for the 20th time in his three-season career, the most by a third-year player in NFL history.

But things could be better for him.

A lot better.

“Obviously, it’s not good if he’s getting sacked,” said Chargers running back Austin Ekeler, a frequent target for short passes when the pressure gets too great for Herbert to look for wide receivers in deeper patterns. “We’ve seen defenses have success against us. Guess what they’re going to try to do? They’re coming, too. So, we’ve got to stop it. We’ve got to keep him upright.”

TARGETING PALMER

Wide receiver Joshua Palmer has at least five catches and 50 yards receiving in each of his past three games, continuing an upward trend over his past six games. He’s been limited to less than five catches only once in six games. He had seven catches for 60 yards against the Raiders on Sunday.

“I have just been doing a better job of being in the right places,” said Palmer, who has 57 receptions for a team-leading 612 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. “I’m making sure I am available for Justin in the game and practice. Just being on the same page. It’s been helping a lot.”

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Only Ekeler, who has 85 receptions for 564 yards and five touchdowns, has caught more passes from Herbert this season.

“We have been having a couple bad stretches, a couple bad series in the last few games, but I feel like the receivers, as a whole, have just been working with the quarterback a lot more,” Palmer said. “We have been kind of backing each other up, in terms of having each other’s backs and knowing what we want each other to do. Yeah, we still have our divots here and there, but I feel for the most part, we’re starting to turn this thing around and be on the same page.”