Over the past six decades, the Los Angeles Chargers have built a strong following in their former home of San Diego, and even though fans there felt disrespected when the team headed north to L.A., some of them are still die-hard supporters.
However, the organization has always made it hard for such fans to enjoy rooting for it.
Saturday was the latest example, as the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead and lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL Wild Card playoff round, 31-30.
JAGS COMPLETE 27-POINT COMEBACK TO TAKE DOWN CHARGERS 😱
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/fKZNq6JnGc
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 15, 2023
It was an embarrassing collapse by a team that collectively had a little more postseason experience than the young Jaguars and arguably a little bit more talent on both sides of the ball.
Such a loss would be devastating enough for just about any franchise, but the problem for the Chargers is that it was simply the latest in a string of heartbreaking defeats that goes back decades.
Who could forget the 2006 divisional round, when they fell to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, 24-21, thanks to several miscues, including Nate Kaeding‘s missed field goal at the end?
Two years earlier versus the New York Jets, Kaeding missed a field goal in overtime, allowing the Jets’ Doug Brien to convert the game-winner.
Then there was Week 18 of last season against the Las Vegas Raiders when quarterback Justin Herbert made one clutch play after another but the Chargers still lost in overtime, arguably due to some bad decisions by head coach Brandon Staley.
Some feel the organization may be cursed, or at least afflicted with some bad mojo after years of personnel decisions that have been criticized by many fans.
The Bolts appear to have the talent to make a Super Bowl run, or at least make some serious noise in the playoffs, but if any of that is to ever happen, their front office needs to make some bold decisions and make sure the organization is moving forward based on the same sound vision and execution.
That would likely involve firing Staley, but it may not end there.
