Charging into the Second Half of the Season

This week the San Diego Chargers went on the road to face the Denver Broncos, their division rivals. The result, an eight point defeat with a final score of 27-19.

Well, it’s official, the Chargers’ whopping two game winning streak is over after a crippling loss at Denver this past Sunday. The team surprised its fan base in weeks 6 and 7 by putting together two impressive performances against two elite teams in the Broncos and the Falcons, making everyone think they were about to turn their season around. Nonetheless, they returned back to form in their second contest with the Broncos, mounting a late comeback only to fall short of victory.

The Bolts would play Denver almost even in the first half in a mostly defensive battle with both squads only posting a combined 17 total points. The Bolts saw their only lead in the first quarter with a touchdown from their veteran tight end, Antonio Gates, to make it 7-3. The Broncos would counter with a pick-six touchdown run from cornerback, Bradley Roby, early in the second quarter. That 10-7 score would remain when Chargers’ kicker, Josh Lambo, missed a 45-yard field goal later in the quarter.

In contrast, the second half saw somewhat of an offensive spark, and this time Philip Rivers’s team couldn’t quite keep up, but they had their opportunities. Casey Heyward, starting in place of the injured Brandon Flowers, returned a tipped Trevor Siemian pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to put the contest at 24-19. The Chargers were forced to attempt the 2-point try because of a blocked extra point earlier in the game (another Lambo mistake) and missed, leaving their deficit at more than a field goal. The Bolt’s defense would come through again and provide Rivers with a chance for a late game drive to force overtime. A red zone appearance at the two yard line would follow only to end in disappointment with four incomplete pass attempts. The game would later end on a pathetic three and out from the offensive unit back in their own territory. The final score was 27-19.

This mid-season collapse on the road had very few positive takeaways for Charger fans as it reassured them that this season is most likely out of reach. The reality is that having consistent success with a constantly changing roster, plagued by injuries, is difficult. Closing out games requires a refined team chemistry, a characteristic this team is lacking because of the setbacks they have faced since day one. Not to mention, the AFC West has three of the top 10 power-ranked teams in the league making things even harder. On the bright side, John Pagano’s defense is looking above average with the addition of defensive end Joey Bosa who is breaking rookie records left and right. If they can construct a sturdy defensive unit around Bosa leading into next season alongside a revitalized offense at full strength, the Chargers can certainly be a contending force. At this point, optimism is the only remedy for suffering San Diego fans.

The Bolts (3-5) come back home this Sunday to play the Tennessee Titans (4-4), hoping to produce a different result on the back stretch of their 2016 season.