It's crazy how far this team has sunk. Do I need to really rehash last week, FAITHFUL READER? I guess I should be thankful that being in the stands meant that I wasn't quite as focused on the awful plays on the field. Despite the cynical (and at this point fatalistic) tone in my writing, I really don't take any joy in how lost this season is. You can go back and see that I truly wasn't convinced the 12-4 2018 team was for real. Last year, I pronounced the team dead at 6-6. But I said that a loss last week would make it official and I stand by it. We truly are the worst team in the AFC West. Denver looks like they will win 5 in a row, the Traitors are looking to upset KC, and we have four wins against the Bears, Jets, Traitors, and Vikings (pre Josh Dobbs in game that Cousins' inaccuracy clearly cost them). The Chargers have done nothing and it's after Thanksgiving.
Bosa is most likely done as a Charger and I can't imagine Ekeler coming back. At this point, I don't think he should. Moore continues to run him up the gut and he looks slower than ever. The fumble last week was the last straw for me. I will root for a win, because I don't know how to do otherwise. The closest I came to root against the Chargers was when they were blown out in Detroit. I barely watched the final game in Oakland that year. The reality is that nothing that happens the rest of the way will affect Staley's future. I see no way they can go 6-1 and make the playoffs. I do believe he'll be fired in January but don't see the team picking a real coach. We went from the retreads of Marty and Norv to first time coaches who never got a head coaching job again. Just look at how Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and even Washington fired their coordinators. The last team doesn't even have a chance to do anything and they made a move. Even the Traitors fired their coach and played better.
The reality is that the "way the Chargers do business" isn't working. In the end, Staley's refusal to adapt will be the team's downfall. After the Jet game, it seems like he was completely over-matched against Detroit. Their defense is kinda leaky, but it seems like we tried all the same failed schemes. Last week in Green Bay was much of the same. It doesn't matter how Jordan Love played on Thanksgiving. He didn't need to play that well against the Chargers and that's been the case all year.
I truly believe the next head coach will be similarly underwhelming. Rivers would have a ring if not for us. I would rather Herbert stay and suffer than let him go and win. I'm selfish like that. But it shouldn't be a choice. We have a quarterback that could easily have so many more wins, especially meaningful ones. You often see the quote on social media "I hate it here." That's how it has felt this season. I have never backed off my stance that the Jacksonville loss was almost preordained after the Denver game. I won't bemoan that the Chargers didn't go after Sean Payton. I have no idea what that would have looked like. It's working now in Denver, that's for sure. But the Chargers have been trying the same thing for a long time now. Staley's fourth-down calls aren't the issue. We haven't been up enough in games lately for those to even matter. Joe Lombardi and Russell Wilson are making it work right now. I am not one for hot takes or to say someone is washed, but we literally have the least wins in the AFC. They could win tonight, but do you really think they could win 6 of 7? I don't either. I'll be pulling for a win in 90 minutes but you know how my rooting has affected the outcome of games since 1978.
JIC,
RLW
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