The Chargers thought they had it all figured out. They believed they had all the right pieces in all the right places. They had drafted well. They had made all the moves they believed they needed to make, with one blockbuster trade and a string of quality free-agent signings.
They were as right as rain, the pundits agreed. They had done well to upgrade their roster during a very active offseason. They certainly seemed prepared for whatever might come their way during a season in which many observers picked them to be one of the NFL’s elite teams.
Look at the Chargers now.
It’s only been three games, something Chargers coach Brandon Staley stressed Monday during his Zoom call with reporters, but their season appeared to be on the brink for a number of reasons, including but certainly not limited to a long list of serious injuries to key players.
“We’re three games into an NFL season,” Staley said when asked whether the “Chargers Curse” – the bad luck that so often seems to plague the franchise – had played a role in decimating the roster with injuries. “If they’re saying that after 17 or 20 games, that’s something different.
“We haven’t played enough games for anybody to feel that way or to think like that. We lost a tough game, that’s what happened. … We’re still at the beginning. No team has defined itself one way or the other through three games. We’ve got to get to work. We’ve got to stay together.”
After all, the Chargers learned Monday that left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending biceps injury, wide receiver Jaylen Guyton tore his ACL and won’t play again this season, and edge rusher Joey Bosa sustained a significant groin injury and is considered to be week-to-week.
Slater, Guyton and Bosa were hurt in the Chargers’ 38-10 loss Sunday to the Jacksonville Jaguars at SoFi Stadium, a result that dropped their record to 1-2 and raised questions about the wisdom of playing injured quarterback Justin Herbert at the end of a runaway defeat.
Staley said Herbert didn’t suffer any setbacks despite playing Sunday with fractured rib cartilage sustained in the Chargers’ loss Sept. 15 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Staley was criticized for keeping Herbert in the game and Herbert also took heat for wanting to stay in a game that was lost.
The Chargers were already without wide receiver Keenan Allen (hamstring), cornerback J.C. Jackson (ankle), center Corey Linsley (knee) and tight end Donald Parham Jr. (hamstring) when they took the field to face the Jaguars. Herbert’s insistence on playing when it was 38-10, seemed to be an unnecessary risk.
“It was definitely my decision to keep him out there,” Staley said. “When you’re in the fire like that, you’re always doing things together. All the decisions made on that football field go directly through me and that’s why I’m ultimately responsible, and I take full responsibility for it.”
Given roughly 24 hours to reflect on it, Staley said he would have told Herbert he had done enough and it was time to sit out the last few minutes. Herbert completed 25 of 45 passes for 297 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and his accuracy and smooth delivery were often absent.
“You playing in this ballgame alone shows how much you care about them (his teammates), the fight that you have,” Staley said of what he would tell Herbert if the situation arises again. “They’ve seen enough evidence. Hopefully, I can do a better job moving forward in a situation like that of getting through to him that our team respects his game and respects his competitive spirit as much or more than anyone.”
Staley declined to say whether Herbert received a pain-killing injection before Sunday’s game, citing Herbert’s stated desire for privacy. He said he spoke to Herbert about the game and said, “We were on the same page on the field and we are on the same page now. Going through something tough like that, a game like that, I know that brings you a lot closer. I’m looking forward to getting back to work with him.”
