Chargers make history... and perhaps their season

We were informed that the Chargers defense played well yesterday in their loss at Pittsburgh, 11-10. After all, they kept the Steelers out of the end zone. They also allowed, again, over 400 yards of offense including 300 in the air and most importantly, could not get a stop either at the end of the game or at the end of the half when they needed it – giving up field goals both times, either of which would’ve provided the margin of victory if denied. And the installation of Ron Rivera as defensive coordinator has resulted in more pressure on the quarterback but has yet to result in a linebacking corps or secondary that can execute sound fundamentals when wrapping-up and/or tackling.

Philip Rivers is one of the highest-rated passers in the game but he has shown a disturbing tendency to make huge mistakes at the most inopportune of times. His decision-making has actually regressed since the first part of the season as witnessed by getting stripped of the football in the end zone after holding on to the ball for too long a time which resulted in a safety in the first half and then throwing a horrible interception in the red zone right before the half in which either a field goal or a touchdown could’ve provided the margin of victory.

LT has shown flashes of his old self and does appear to be fully recovered from his injured right big toe but the usage of one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in football remains wholly unimaginative and at times inexplicable (it should be pretty well established by now that with the way the offensive line is blocking, sending LT up the middle is probably not going to net you your desired result).

Right now, this team is 4-6 and has placed itself in a position of having to win the remaining 6 games to even have any hope of getting a wild card spot as Denver, the current division leader, keeps finding ways to pull out victories in the 4th quarter as opposed to merely backing into them as is the Charger way this year when they do find themselves in the fortunate position of being ahead in the last frame.

Had the Chargers not flailed so miserably up to this point, being on the short end of a history-making score in Pittsburgh (none of the 28,000+ games played to date in the NFL have ended in an 11-10 score) to put their record at 7-3 or maybe 6-4 may have elicited a “we’ll get’m next time” but in a game they had to have a “we’ll see ya next year” may be more appropriate.