[ad_1]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Here’s what we learned, what we heard and what comes next after another agonizing, frustrating, maddening loss Sunday night to the Chiefs, the Chargers’ seventh consecutive and 19th in the past 22 games against Kansas City, which clinched its ninth straight AFC West title:
THE BIG PICTURE
The Chargers’ 19-17 loss to the Chiefs wasn’t season-damaging by any stretch. They have an 89% probability of advancing to the postseason as a wild-card team, according to NFL.com’s playoff picture. They have four games to play and, realistically, need two victories to make it happen.
It doesn’t seem like too much to ask, given the level of their competition. The Chargers (8-5) face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) and the Denver Broncos (8-5) at SoFi Stadium followed by games against the New England Patriots (3-10) and Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) on the road.
The Buccaneers and the Broncos are in the playoff hunt, but the others are not. The Patriots and the Raiders have been eliminated from contention.
How the Chargers respond from Sunday’s defeat will tell the tale, however.
“Heck, yeah, it’s frustrating, bro,” Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. said. “Losing to them on the last drive is frustrating. Tired of doing it, too. We’ve got to get it fixed and get ready for Tampa. We just need to make the plays we need to make. … We just need to clean up our side of it. I feel like there’s a lot we can control.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh had a message for the Chargers, according to James.
“Stay together,” James said. “We’ve got to keep going. We’ve got Tampa coming into our house. We’ve got to respond, honestly. Stay together. Stack the days. Stack the moments and just keep going, man. Nobody get down on each other. We’ve got a great team. We didn’t come out on top, but let’s keep going.”
SECOND HALF TURNAROUND
Quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense had a first half unlike any they have played this season. They were shut out for the first time this season, for example. They had six possessions, five ended by punt and one by the end of the half. They had 127 total net yards on 27 plays.
Then a funny thing happened. The Chargers began to move the ball and do so productively. They had three possessions in the second half and those produced Gus Edwards’ 3-yard touchdown run and Herbert’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston plus a Cameron Dicker field goal.
What changed? Nothing, apparently.
“Honestly, it was just a sense of knowing ourselves, just relaxing and playing our game with all the confidence in the world that we could go out there and score,” said Johnston, who had five catches for 48 yards and one touchdown, rebounding from a four-game stretch in which he had two receptions or fewer.
On the ground, the Chargers awoke with a start to begin the third quarter. At the half, backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke was their leading rusher with a 12-yard scramble in place of Herbert, who was sidelined for one play after a hard collision with a hard-charging Nick Bolton near halftime.
Edwards gained 30 of his 36 yards on six of his 10 carries in the second half. Rookie running back Kimani Vidal rushed for 27 of his 34 yards on seven of his eight attempts in the second half. Overall, the Chargers ended with 94 yards on 24 carries, two yards shy of the Chiefs’ total on 25 carries.
WHAT WAS THAT?
Dicker gave the Chargers a 17-16 lead with a 37-yard field goal with 4:35 left in the game. He then botched the ensuing kickoff, coming up short while attempting to place the ball inside the landing zone inside the 20-yard line. The Chiefs started their game-winning drive at their own 40.
“Rare mistake,” Harbaugh said.
According to Harbaugh, Dicker mishit the ball in his attempt to kick it short of the goal line and force a return rather than a touchback. The plan was for Dicker to avoid a touchback, which would have given the Chiefs the ball at the 30. Only once in his first three kickoffs did the Chiefs start beyond the 30.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The Chargers play host to the Buccaneers with a chance to put Sunday night’s loss behind them. The Chargers are 2-1 after a loss this season and have one two-game losing streak. The Buccaneers needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to put away the Raiders, 28-13, and improve their record to 7-6.
Originally Published:
0 Comments