ALL THREE PHASES NEED TO CLICK

Chargers know it will take everyone to put season on course

The Chargers reach a crossroads today when they visit Lambeau Field. A victory over the Green Bay Packers gives them a .500 record for the third time this season and renews their faith that they’re not out of the AFC playoff chase. A loss would be devastating, though.

No question, the Chargers have been consistently inconsistent en route to a 4-5 record going into today’s game. They lost their first two games, won their next two, lost their next two, won their next two and then were powerless to stop the Detroit Lions last Sunday at Sofi Stadium.

Trying to figure them out has been a chore.

Are they the team that limited the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears and New York Jets to a meager total of 26 points over a span of 10 quarters? Or are they the team that surrendered 41 points and 533 yards of total offense to the Lions, losing on a field goal as time expired?

So, which team shows up to face the 3-6 Packers?

The key to the Chargers’ success this season is playing a complete game, one in which the offense, defense and special teams are clicking all at once. It hasn’t happened often, and it certainly didn’t happen last Sunday against the Lions, when their defense suffered one meltdown after another.

The Chargers’ offense was exceptional against the Lions, scoring touchdowns on five consecutive possessions to end the game, including the score that made it 38-38 with less than four minutes to play. Quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 323 yards and a seasonhigh four touchdown passes.

The final score was only close because of the offense’s excellence.

The play of the defense

Lions quarterback Jared Goff gets a pass off to running back Jahmyr Gibbs despite pressure from Khalil Mack (52) and Sebastian Joseph-day last Sunday, when the Chargers failed to record a sack of Goff.

Chargers at Packers

could not match that of the offense.

The special teams were sound, as per usual.

“We’ve played in a lot of tight games because the NFL is competitive,” Chargers coach Brandon Staley said. “I think that’s the nature of the league. I think for us to finish more of the close games, you have to have a team that’s really operating in all three phases. I think that we’ve been inconsistent

in that way, where sometimes the defense is playing well and the offense, maybe is not quite at such a high level.”

What’s been clear this season is that the Chargers’ defense has risen and fallen depending on the opposing quarterback. Three of their four victories have come against backup quarterbacks, including two making either their first or second career starts. Their losses have come against veteran QBS.

Last Sunday, for instance, Jared Goff of the Lions torched them for 333 yards and two touchdowns. The Chargers failed to adequately pressure him and didn’t sack him once. One week earlier, they had sacked

New York Jets backup Zach Wilson eight times in a dominating 27-6 victory.

“We just have to play better, we have to execute better,” Chargers outside linebacker Joey Bosa said. “We have to play with better effort on the back side of plays. I mean, we addressed everything. We had great meetings this week. We tell the truth with each other. There’s no sugarcoating things.”

One obvious difference between their victory over the Jets and their loss to the Lions was the Chargers’ energy in the opening minutes of the game. They had some against the Jets, starting during the pregame warmup, and had none against the Lions, giving up 24 points in

the first half.

“We addressed it,” Bosa said. “I think we need to come in with a little more energy in the beginning of the game. I feel like we came out in the second half (against Detroit) … I’m actually really proud of our team because it wasn’t going well at the beginning and we got together in the second half and we did play hard.

“We played hard and gave ourselves a shot at the end.”

A strong beginning, middle and ending from their offense, defense and special teams certainly would serve the Chargers well against the Packers.

Otherwise …

JOHN CORDES AP