Prepare yourself for a tale as old as time – a group of guys took a trip to Las Vegas and lost just about everything they own. This time, the hapless Los Angeles Chargers suffered an embarrassing defeat, crushing any hope of a respectable season end performance.
The Raiders tore the Chargers apart, scoring 49 straight points before the Chargers had a chance to score a touchdown. The Chargers had no answer without Justin Herbert and it seems like there may be no reason to bring back head coach Brandon Staley after the 63-21 defeat.
Staley noted that he still had a grasp on the culture of the team, but it didn’t help. The Raiders and interim head coach Antonio Pierce had a 42-0 lead before halftime, leaving the Chargers embarrassed and with little hope.
It’s hard to seem more disinterested in winning than the Chargers were during their Thursday night game. Offensive, defensive, and special teams – each had a disastrous performance that led to their historic loss.
This loss may be freeing for the Chargers. There’s no hiding from it, they can’t spin it in a positive manner. It’s impossible to keep a sliver of hope alive for their job prospects following the season.
“Games like this happen in the NFL,” Staley told reporters postgame. But actually, this isn’t a result that happens very often in the NFL. Since the 1970 merger, there were only nine games in which a team scored 60 points. This will be the 10th (and on a different note, the second this season). Backup quarterbacks and injured defenses play every week, but they don’t give up this kind of result. The Chargers’ tumble this season now has a defining moment where they’ll be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
