A Red Flag Appears in Chargers Loss to Seahawks

And no, I’m not even referring to the 2 key players who were added on to the ever-evolving list of crucial Bolts on the injury list – I’m talking about the loss on the scoreboard, versus a loss on camaraderie.

I get it, football comes with losses – no matter how good you are, look at the 2007 New England Patriots, for example. And you can live with that, but what you can’t live with is going out there flat, making mental errors, and letting another team trounce all over you. That’s not a loss, that’s a defeat. 

What’s even scarier is that this is the second effort loss the Chargers have taken this year – as us Bolts fans saw an almost identical game in week 3 against the Jaguars. Now, both the Jaguars and the Seahawks are by no means a dumpster fire. But, even with the long list of battered Bolts, it’s safe to say the Chargers have a clear advantage when it comes to talent. Games like these just go to show you that talent doesn’t win games – heart does. Corny, sure – but the truth couldn’t be more evident.

But how exactly does “heart” translate into tangible evidence?

It Gets Scarier the Deeper You Look

It’s defensive backs giving up on coverages because they’re expecting the d-line to get home with a sack. Allowing a running back to carry you for an extra 3-5 yards even after you have them wrapped up. Giving up a first down on a simple 3rd & 8 run with 2 minutes to go. You don’t see the Kansas City Chiefs doing things like that. It’s a painful irony, too – at first glance, many assume the Chiefs are the dominant Chiefs because of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce – but clearly, it goes so much deeper than that. It’s the coaching, the way players play for each other, and the discipline – things that the Chargers are all currently lacking.

And that’s why you’re mad if you’re a Chargers fan – there’s something beneath the surface going on. Is it coaching? Is it a lack of chemistry? I can’t pretend I know these things. But Justin Herbert isn’t playing his best football by any means. Lombardi is making some seriously questionable calls on Offensive situations. The Defense is just.. weak, both against pass and run. There’s no doubt that the defensive side of the ball is the Chargers’ greatest weakness – but when you have Derwin James, JC Jackson, and Khalil Mack; that shouldn’t be the case. There’s zero pressure on the quarterback, tackles are being missed, and running backs are licking their chops to face the Chargers.

Moving Forward

Now, here the Chargers stand – a respectable 4-3, sitting second place in the AFC West. While watching the Bolts would certainly not tell that narrative – it’s true. Luckily, the Chargers have a bye next week – which couldn’t have come at a better time. Players need to heal, and something serious needs to be fixed. The season is still quite early, and the Chargers surprisingly have a solid spot in the running. But if they keep playing like this, you can kiss any post season, let alone a Super Bowl run, goodbye. 

So, what needs to happen? 

Again, I won’t pretend like I know that answer, but if I were Mr. Staley – here’s what I’d do. Make the starting line up something that’s earned – reward the guys who have been putting forth their best effort, who have shown the most heart; not those who simply have the biggest contracts. Secondly, I’d take a serious look at the team’s chemistry, and adjust accordingly. If there’s a problem in the locker room, tackle it head on. If there’s a linebacker who isn’t helping out in coverage – bench him. Hell, I’d even go Oklahoma drills to settle scores. Lastly, I’d ask for a serious conversation with Justin Herbert to see what’s going on. This past Sunday was the most abundantly clear evidence that Justin Herbert is not playing up to his own insanely high standard. Is it the receivers around him? Okay, then go out and sign a free agent. Is it his health? Swallow your pride and give him two weeks off. The Chargers bread and butter which excited Los Angeles was the high powered offense which ran on the arm of Herbo – but that’s not what we’re seeing this year. The run game was effective – amazing, really – for a few weeks; but clearly that’s not a long term solution either.

Something needs to change in Los Angeles. There’s a lot of injuries and that outright sucks, but there’s still an A-list roster out there every Sunday – you can’t blame it all on that. They’re playing soft, and spoiled, which hurts the most. Let’s see if this changes after the bye week – if it does, there’s an exciting future ahead. If it doesn’t, oh boy, it’s going to be a long season; especially for us fans…