Every time it looks like the Los Angeles Chargers look like they are ready to take some steps forward, something gets in the way and sets them back. There isn’t a team in the NFL that finds more ways to lose games they shouldn’t be than the Chargers.
Entering their Week 10 matchup with the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles was riding a two-game winning streak. Their defense looked great in matchups against the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, taking advantage of two struggling offensive units. Whatever positive momentum was built in those games, the Lions quickly erased.
Detroit went on to win a shootout in Week 10, 41-38. This is the third time this season Los Angeles has scored at least 30 points in a game, but they have lost two of those contests. Having this kind of defensive production under head coach Brandon Staley, who has a defensive background, is unacceptable.
As shared by CBS on NFL, the Chargers have the fewest turnovers in the NFL with only seven. They have the second-best penalty margin at -16, as they doing everything to limit self-inflicted mistakes. Despite that, they have a losing record.
The performance on that side of the ball is far and away the reason the Chargers are in a dogfight for a playoff spot in the AFC with a 4-5 record. Based on the team’s performance this season, they are defying all logic by not having a winning record.
The expected win-loss record of the Chargers is 5.1-3.9. The addition of Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator has paid off as Los Angeles is seventh in points scored and 11th in yardage gained despite having the No. 22 ranked rushing offense in the NFL and a PFF running grade of 67.5, which is 30th.
Against the Lions this past weekend, the franchise set yet another NFL record they would prefer to not be attached to. As shared by Oliver.Pickled. on X, formerly known as Twitter, Los Angeles scored a touchdown on all five of their possessions in the final 40 minutes of the game.
That made them the first team this century to score a touchdown on all of their possessions in the final 40 minutes of a game and lose. Only 22 teams have scored a touchdown on even 70 percent of their drives in the final 40 minutes of a game. The first 21 teams to accomplish that feat won the game before the Chargers snapped that streak.
At this point, it is impressive how the team is finding new ways to lose games. If they cannot figure things out in the final eight weeks of the season, there could be some major changes on the horizon for the Chargers in the offseason.
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