Michael Bandy wasn’t prepared to receive this jet sweep handoff \u2014 a play call that never should have been made. (Nathan Ray Seebeck \/ USA Today)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cI could have done a better job of going to him and telling him exactly what we needed to do,\u201d Herbert said.<\/p>\n
But this was not Herbert’s fault.<\/p>\n
The jet sweep handoff call from Lombardi was an asinine decision in the first place, even if Carter had been in the game. The Chargers have run four jet sweeps to Carter this season. He has gained a combined -21 yards \u2014 note the negative sign in front of that number \u2014 on those four touches.<\/p>\n
Beyond that, Bandy playing meaningful snaps in a playoff game is an indictment of this entire organization. Bandy earned his practice squad spot with a fine training camp. And my intention is not to pile on a hard-working player who has made some meaningful contributions this season. But a team trying to win a Super Bowl has to do better. Williams would have been on the field if Staley had just rested his starters in Week 18. And general manager Tom Telesco should have added more receiving talent this past offseason. Perhaps a speed threat who, you know, could thrive in that type of lateral rushing concept.<\/p>\n
This was the pivot point in the game. And it was unraveled in the second half. The Chargers had a 20-point lead and should have been able to run the clock out offensively. They mustered just 7 rushing yards on seven designed carries over the final two quarters. That is not a typo. Loving.<\/p>\n
The Chargers did not trail in this game until Riley Patterson’s 36-yard field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired, and they had 55 rushing yards on 20 designed carries in the game. Blame the blocking. Blame the running backs. Blame Lombardi and his offensive staff. Blame Staley. Blame everyone.<\/p>\n
The Chargers had a clear path to winning this game. Staley has always maintained that he wants to be a physical \u201cline of scrimmage team.\u201d When they needed to be that team the most, they failed. epic.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly when you have that type of lead, if you can possess the ball effectively enough, then there won’t be enough time (for a comeback),\u201d Staley said. \u201cAnd we just didn’t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The defense had flummoxed Lawrence in the first half with disguised coverages and blitzes. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson adjusted in the second half and upped the tempo for his offense. The Chargers were not prepared for the wrinkle, and Staley’s unit fell flat.<\/p>\n
The Jags ran 15 no-huddle plays in the game, according to TruMedia. Twelve of those came in the second half. On those 12, the Jaguars averaged 10.5 yards per play. Lawrence had three passes of 20 or more yards in the second half. All of them came out of no-huddle snaps, including Zay Jones’ 39-yard touchdown that cut the Chargers’ lead to 30-20 in the third quarter. That was a busted coverage, and Jones ran wide open into the end zone. The Chargers scored their only points of the second half on a Cameron Dicker 50-yard field goal on the previous possession.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got to be better in tempo situations,\u201d linebacker Drue Tranquill said. \u201cWe got to be in better conditioning, all across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Chargers committed a series of devastating defensive penalties in the second half.<\/p>\n
Joey Bosa was flagged for lining up in the neutral zone on a third down in the third quarter, negating a Bryce Callahan sack. The Jaguars scored a touchdown on that drive to cut the Chargers’ lead to 27-14. Bosa was also called for two unsportsmanlike penalties, one for complaining to officials and the other for slamming his helmet near the Chargers sideline after what he seemed to view as another missed call in the fourth quarter. The second unsportsmanlike moved the Jaguars’ two-point attempt from 2-yard line to the 1 yard, and Lawrence converted on a sneak to make it 30-28.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can’t lose our composure like that,\u201d Staley said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m not going to speak my mind and get fined more than I already am,\u201d Bosa said in the locker room after the loss.<\/p>\n
Rookie cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor \u2014 playing in place of the injured Michael Davis \u2014 committed a pass interference penalty on a second-and-19 in the fourth quarter that gave the Jaguars a fresh set of downs. The Jaguars scored a touchdown and converted that two-point sneak late in the drive. Dicker had missed a 40-yard field goal \u2014 just his second missed kick of the season \u2014 to give the Jaguars the ball for that possession. The Chargers faced a fourth-and-3 on Dicker’s attempt, but Staley opted not to go for it in a continued deviation from his 2021 process.<\/p>\n
Davis suffered a pectoral injury in the third quarter and had to leave the game. Taylor has a future in this league, but he is still young, and he made some critical mistakes down the stretch of this game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had far too many penalties in the second half that really hurt us,\u201d Staley said.<\/p>\n
And then, with the game in the balance, the Chargers, well, Chargered, in the two-minute drill. The Jaguars faced a fourth-and-1 from the Los Angeles 41-yard line. Pederson schemed up a run to running back Travis Etienne Jr. that got him one-on-one on the edge against Asante Samuel Jr., who had three interceptions in the game. Etienne beat Samuel to the edge and set up Patterson’s winning field goal.<\/p>\n
Perimeter run defense has been an issue for the Chargers all season. And that issue popped up again in the biggest moment of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty-two years of playing football in my life,\u201d safety Derwin James Jr. said. \u201cThis one probably hurts the most.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nIn the locker room after the loss, Herbert sat at his locker, still in full uniform, staring straight ahead. The pain was evident in the emptiness of his gaze. Teammates around him got back from the showers, dressed and packed their bags. As Van Noy was on his way out of the locker room, he stopped at Herbert’s locker, gave him a long embrace and murmured a few words into his ear.<\/p>\n
The hug ended, and Herbert nodded to Van Noy. Then he sat back down. staring. Longing for something better, something more.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
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\n The look on Justin Herbert’s face long after Saturday’s game ended told the story of this painful loss. (Mark J. Rebilas \/ USA Today)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHe was still wearing his black cleats. All the Chargers had worn black cleats for this game.<\/p>\n
Toward the end of a team meeting on Wednesday, according to players, Staley had shown a picture of the late 1990s Bulls \u2014 Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc and Ron Harper \u2014 all walking off the court in black sneakers. He told the team he wanted everyone to wear black cleats on Saturday night as an homage to that team.<\/p>\n
Staley’s message in the meeting, according to one player: \u201cWe look the same. We stand for something. We’re all going to do this together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Players rally around the idea. Another motivational tactic from a coach trying to do it differently. Football guys do not channel basketball ideas. But Staley did.<\/p>\n
it worked. Until it all fell apart.<\/p>\n
It was not until 12:06 am ET \u2014 nearly 40 minutes after the clock at TIAA Bank Stadium had hit triple zeroes \u2014 that Herbert started to take his uniform off.<\/p>\n
He took off his cleats, the black ones, then slumped back into his seat.<\/p>\n
Gifted with the rocket arm that was supposed to lead this organization to a new era, Herbert sat, and stared, and felt the weight of a dark cloud that might never dissipate.<\/p>\n
(Top photo of Brandon Staley: Chris Carlson \/ Associated Press)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n