Welcome To The Graveyard Shift, Courtesy of ESPN Plus

It's been a while since we've had the second half of a MNF doubleheader. We opened in Arizona 10 years ago with a game we absolutely should have won. I was in Buffalo the following week when Danny Woodhead was lost for the season at the hands of the awful blocking of Johnnie Troutman. Then we upset the defending SB Champion Seahawks and went on a bit of a run. Two miracle wins at Baltimore and San Francisco (coached by Jim Harbaugh) and the Ravens shockingly losing led to a win and in scenario we blew. Mike McCoy's decision to kick a long FG down 12...

4th & 8 at KC 34

(0:26 - 3rd) N.Novak 52 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-M.Windt, Holder-M.McBriar.

I blocked out of my mind that we had a goaline TD to Royal wiped out by penalty and of course didn't punch it in after and that the game ended with Donald Brown unable to get a yard on 4th.

But that was then. We had a solid win at Denver, who has beaten everyone besides us of late. Yes, the second half wasn't pretty. I didn't really think we were the Same Old Chargers, however. For all of Greg Roman's conservativeness, I was amazed he let Herbert sling it on 3rd and 10 from our end zone. It was reminiscent of that pass to Palmer last season against the Traitors. That's not to say that it didn't feel uneasy while it was happening. The TD to Sutton didn't seem like a catch on any replay and the hold on Mack was so egregious that it shouldn't have counted anyway. It felt like the refs were just going with the momentum that seemed to be suddenly in Denver's favor. I was at the Reggie Miller 1995 playoff game against the Knicks where he absolutely shoved Greg Anthony to the floor before hitting a 3. It just seemed like they weren't calling anything when it appeared on the surface that we were falling apart.

The penalty that gave Denver a second chance at an onsides kick was frustrating for sure, but the stop by Perryman on the 2-point conversion try was not. It will be interesting to see who actually suits up tonight. The Bronco game started with so many injuries, including to Harbaugh himself. It sucked that Johnson was hobbled after another strong start. He came back, but of course is still banged up. McConkey didn't leap at the goal line and paid for it. I was surprised he came back after he got hurt to go along with the concussion fears.

I am surprised that I didn't realize the game was only on a streaming service that appears to have no other value whatsover. At least when they have an "exclusive" on Prime, Netflix, Peacock, etc. there is a ton of other programming to justify people signing up. What does ESPN Plus actually provide for someone like me who only watches the Chargers? When YouTube TV dropped SNY I had to go to the interwebs to find a stream of Met games until they unexpectedly got to the postseason. That, of course, is over now. It's not the same as the Chargers, however. Nothing really is, sadly. But I guess with a 9PM kickoff and a janky streamer I will find a way to watch, even if in bed with sound down.

Today is also my daughter Sarah's 18th birthday. She has often accused me of caring more about the Bolts than her. It's not true, but I get why she'd think it. Sam has had the same fight with me for 25 years now. Regardless, this installment of JIC is dedicated to my first born, my Green Bean.

I would invite the FAITHFUL READERS to hit me up during the game on social media but who knows how delayed the stream I get will be.

Regardless, this is a must-win, no matter who we have injured.

BTFU,

RLW