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The Los Angeles Chargers’ return to the playoffs didn’t last long. They blew a 27-point lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars, losing 31-30 in the Wild Card round. Justin Herbert’s solid performance and five takeaways from Brandon Staley’s defense weren’t enough for the Bolts.
The Chargers’ blew the third-biggest lead in NFL postseason history to a Jaguars team that got into the playoffs by virtue of playing in a garbage AFC South division. Everyone knows that the loss was a humiliating one, according to Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.
“It’s really tough because we think really highly of our team, and that’s a special group of guys in that locker room,” Herbert said, via ESPN. “They deserve better, and it didn’t go our way, and that’s the unfortunate part.”
Herbert had 273 passing yards and a touchdown but 55 combined yards from the Chargers’ running backs doomed their offense. Once Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense got going, Los Angeles wasn’t able to maintain its big lead. A 36-yard field goal from Riley Patterson put the finishing touch on Jacksonville’s improbable win.
“I’m hurting for everybody in that locker room,” Staley said. “This is the toughest way that you can lose in the playoffs.”
The Chargers losing Mike Williams to a back injury definitely hurt their chances but this one was still very winnable. Now, they will look to get more speed around Herbert and patch holes on both sides of the ball as they look to get back to the postseason again.