Chargers’ Season Not Off to a Good Start

The start of the NFL season has come around and fans from all across the country are pumped for a new year of football. Oh wait, I forgot. We live in San Diego, so Charger fans will have to just wait another year for a chance at success.

The Chargers opened their season in Kansas City against division rivals, the Chiefs. For the first half of the game, they looked like a playoff team. They scored touchdowns on their first three drives with second-year running back Melvin Gordon finding the endzone twice, something he couldn’t do once all last season.

Then, they remembered they are the Chargers. They decided that one good half was enough for fans this year and began to fall apart. After having an electric first few drives, star wide receiver Keenan Allen went down with an ACL tear. In one of the saddest turn of events in Charger history, Allen went from looking like the All-pro receiver Chargers fans knew he could be, to out for the rest of the year. In the blink of an eye, hopeful charger fans saw the future of their offense fall to the ground on a non-contact knee injury.

The Chargers went from being up 21-3 at half, to losing in overtime 26-33. They deserved to lose this one. They had so many chances to seal the game but came up short almost every time. The defense went from looking like an elite team to a middle school team compared to the Chiefs. The lack of Allen made the offense flat, just like every game last year.

However, the true blame has to fall on the coaching staff, which was gifted a 24-3 lead with six minutes left in the third quarter. The coaches need to learn how to put four quarters together, as it seems the Chargers are always either trailing a deficit created early on, or choking the lead in the final quarter.

Head Coach Mike McCoy needs to instill a disciplinary mindset that ensures a quality performance throughout the entirety of the game. The Chargers proved that the offense can score and that the defense can get stops, they just seem to be cursed with not knowing how to win. The defense needed to make ONE stop in the final 10 minutes of the game; instead, they gave up 17 points, letting Kansas City back into the game.

At this point, I see it impossible that the vote passes for the Chargers to build a new stadium in downtown, despite it being a complete positive for the city in every aspect. The loss of Allen puts a sour taste on this season for Charger fans. I don’t see San Diegans complaining much longer, because soon LA will get the second team it deserves.

The Chargers will be playing next Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium against the Jacksonville Jaguars.