Kendricks: There's time to `get back on track'
KANSAS CITY, MO. » The postgame mood in the Chargers locker room was what you would expect after a 31-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. They were down but defiant, determined to bounce back after falling to 2-4 and looking ahead to the next challenge after failing to meet Sunday's test.
Realistically, though, with 11 games remaining in the 2023 season, the Chargers must go 8-3 the rest of the way in order to match last season's 10-7 record. They have opportunities to turn around their season, starting with next Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears at SoFi Stadium.
“There's nothing we can do about this one, particularly,” Chargers linebacker Eric Kendricks said. “It hurts. We wanted it to be a different result. There were some good things we did. There were some bad things we did. But from the grand scheme of things, we've got to get back on track.
“We've got to settle down and we've got to get back after it. We have 11 games left. It's a lot of games. A lot of things can still happen. We start playing good, we can still hold some cards in this thing. Honestly, it's just about finishing. We've got the guys. I'm very confident. It's hard to be confident when it's like this, but I've been in this situation before with good teams.”
Kendricks, a nine-year veteran who spent his first eight seasons in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings after a stellar career at UCLA, couldn't remember exactly when it was that one of his teams rallied after a rocky start. But he was adamant that it happened at some point.
“I have no idea, but I've been in this situation before,” he said, laughing along with reporters. “I have been in this situation before. You can go back and look. This is my ninth year, so somewhere in the mix. It's just about stacking them and being consistent, letting go of what you can't control … and being a savage.”
It's possible Kendricks was referring to the 2020 season, when the Vikings started out 1-5 before winning six of their final 10 games for a 7-9 overall record. It was the only noteworthy turnaround during his tenure with Minnesota, which began when he was drafted in the second round in 2015.
Turning point
Kendricks was involved in what turned out to be a pivotal play near the end of the half, when he was called for pass interference while defending a pass from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes that was intended for tight end Travis Kelce in the end zone. The penalty gave Kansas City the ball at the Chargers' 1-yard line.
On first and goal, Mahomes then completed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Kelce for a 24-17 lead with 15 seconds left in the half, an advantage that would hold up as the Chiefs held the Chargers scoreless in the second half. It was Mahomes' third touchdown pass of the first half.
“The penalty before half(time) was crucial,” Kendricks said. “It led to a touchdown. … It was sold pretty well. I didn't turn my head. I was in a really good position. I wasn't trying to be physical. I knew it was a scramble drill, so I knew if I turned my head the tight end could go in another direction.
“He sold it pretty well.”