San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
THE DEFINITION OF CHARGERING
Jaguars roar back as Lawrence pegs four TDS after four picks
The Chargers lost a playoff game Saturday night that they led by 27 points.
A playoff game in which one of their players had three interceptions.
A playoff game that ended with them having a 5-0 edge in takeaways.
The Chargers lost to Jacksonville 31-30 when Riley Patterson kicked a 36-yard field goal as time expired, bringing a sudden and shocking end to a season as inconsistent as their final game.
“I don’t even have any words for it right now,” safety Derwin James Jr. said. “I’ve been playing football 21 years and I ain’t never felt like this.”
After taking their big lead, the Chargers collapsed under a hail of penalties, an inability to run the ball and a defense that bent just far enough before breaking.
Now they enter an offseason loaded with questions, starting with the status of coach Brandon Staley.
Though there have been no credible new reports, there has been plenty of speculation that the often-polarizing Staley could be in danger of losing his job.
He and General Manager Tom Telesco are expected to sit down with owner Dean Spanos in the coming days to evaluate the season.
Leading 27-0, the Chargers gave Jacksonville life late in the first half, the Jaguars going 47 yards in seven plays for a touchdown. Trevor Lawrence hit Evan Engram for a 9-yard score with 24 seconds left before halftime.
That moment swung the game with the Jaguars scoring two more touchdowns in the third quarter on Lawrence passes to Marvin Jones Jr. (6 yards) and Zay
Jones (39 yards).
The Chargers countered with a 50-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker, which left their lead at 30-20 heading into the fourth quarter.
That inability to run the ball made controlling the clock and thus the game impossible as Jacksonville was mounting its comeback.
“It’s definitely disbelief,” James said. “Everybody likes to say it’s part of the business, but you’re up four touchdowns, you’re supposed to win. There’s no reason we shouldn’t have got that done today.”
The Chargers did manage to kill some time — 6:57, to be exact — to open the fourth quarter, but the opportunity went to waste when Dicker missed a field goal from 40 yards.
That gave Jacksonville continued hope with 8:47 remaining. The Jaguars went 70 yards in nine plays and scored when Lawrence hit Christian Kirk for a nine-yard TD, Lawrence’s fourth of the second half after four interceptions in the first.
With the score 30-26, Jacksonville initially sent out the kicking team.
But Chargers edge rusher Joey Bosa was called for unsportsmanlike conduct — his second of the game — after arguing with officials about being held.
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson then opted to go for two, with Lawrence sneaking across to make it 30-28 with 5:25 to go.
Needing a lengthy possession to drain more clock, the Chargers instead went three-and-out, gaining five yards and eating 2:16.
“It’s pretty obvious why we blew that lead,” Bosa said. “Mistakes, penalties all around, me definitely included.”
After a pause, he added: “I don’t know. I’ve been here a lot where we get up and get a little comfortable and then, boom, it’s the fourth quarter and it’s the final drive and they’re kicking a field goal.”