I’m calling it year one because not only is it year one of me being a season ticket holder, which I hope I will be for decades to come, it’s also year one of fans in the new SoFi stadium, year one with Brandon Staley as head coach and even though it’s year two of Justin Herbert’s quarterback career in the NFL, it’s year one of anyone being there to see it. It feels like a new beginning for so many reasons.
My goal with this first season review is not so much to critique the Chargers play calling in too much depth because quite frankly I’m from England and my knowledge of the technical side of the NFL is poor. I know enough to get by and hold down a conversation and I absolutely live and breathe every play if I’m sitting in the stadium or watching on TV. What I will do is recap my experiences inside and outside the stadium, my level of acceptance and respect for each visiting fan base, do my best to comprehend what happened on the field and generally how the whole season panned out.
As I’ve mentioned before, my love for the Chargers began in 2004 when I had just met my future wife and anticipating I may be spending the rest of my life in the US, I decided I needed a NFL team. Being European and instinctively tribal by nature when it came to ball games, I simply asked her what the closest team to her home was. The answer was the Chargers (at that time in San Diego) and that was me hooked without knowing anything about them.
It’s been a wild ride since. Many great trips to San Diego to the boisterous but crumbling old Qualcomm stadium, many great teams and players but ultimately too many near misses and too much unnecessary heartache.
The recent awkward few years of transition from San Diego to Los Angeles and the temporary home at the LA Galaxy’s 25,000 seater stadium, typically overrun by opposing fans was a test in loyalty and what the future held. It was a rebranding, a new identity, would this still be my team?
As SoFi stadium was built (it seemed like it took forever), a pandemic swiftly followed. Chargers fans robbed of seeing the new brand in a truly magnificent new setting. Justin Herbert, a somewhat low key first round draft pick to potentially replace Philip Rivers, exceeded expectations and looked the real deal in that behind closed doors season. Was he a one season wonder? Was he really that calm and collected? Could he handle the pressure when big crowds returned? One look around the new stadium in the spring of 2021 and I knew I had to buy seats. This was too good to sit at home every week and watch from the couch. I needed to be there from day one and embark on an exciting new future.
Week 1: @Washington Football Team. W 20-16.
The season began on the road and I wasn‘t planning to go to any road games just yet. This is a goal for future seasons though - what a great way to see America. The Chargers took the lead on their opening drive with a touchdown from running back, Austin Ekeler. This was promising! Washington slowly gained the upper hand but for some reason I never had a doubt after that first drive that the day would end in nothing other than a win. In the fourth quarter, Justin Herbert threw a short touchdown to Mike Williams to take the lead and the Chargers then did something very strange. Not strange for most NFL teams but the Chargers have been notorious during my time as a fan for blowing late leads or just generally doing something stupid to lose a game. They hold all kinds of records for the most defeats by a few points or less or something similar. For the last six minutes of this game, led by Herbert in his first NFL game with a crowd, they methodically and expertly ran down the clock and ended kneeling to win the game in Washington territory. It wasn’t spectacular or controversial, they just professionally got the job done. What just happened? Who was this team? Who was this coach? It was glorious. Roll on week two.
Week 2: Vs Dallas Cowboys. L 17-20.
When I decided to buy season tickets I was told there weren’t many left. Only the top section in the corner had two seats together but as a starter that was fine with me. It was cheap enough - $200 for the seat licenses that meant I technically owned them for the next thirty years and $1,100 for the seats, which with nine home games this season (eight away - that will switch around every year) that worked out at just over $60 a seat per game. It also included two pre season games. Not bad for a brand new stadium and an exciting team.
The below picture was taken of my son in the seats at an open training session they did during the summer. They were high up but there really wasn’t a bad view in the place and I was confident I could upgrade lower down in future seasons.
With two seats, I had the option of taking whoever I wanted and my goal was to mix it up. My brother in law Mike, as a huge Chargers fan for longer than me was my first choice and here we are in his Jeep on the way to first home game vs Dallas Cowboys.
The parking was the kicker. They didn’t announce those prices until well after the seat prices which was probably a wise move on their part. The most expensive parking pass, I kid you not, was $1,000 for the season and that allowed you to tailgate in the solo designated tailgating lot. Everywhere else it was prohibited and I ended up getting the cheapest one at $500. I soon came to learn that these passes went quickly and if you didn’t have one and were just going to a one off game, the cheapest game day parking was $75 and a walk from the LA Forum across the street.
As we pulled in on that first day, the organization wasn’t the best and it didn’t get much better throughout the season. Long lines to get into our lot which in future games I sussed out a little back way in was much quicker and parking by an exit gate created a fast getaway back to the freeway. Such a Dad move.
We got there early for this one as I had received an email to say there would be meet and greet appearances from different “legends” before the game at something called the SoFi members lounge. To become a member seemingly all you had to do was sign up on the SoFi finance app, enter everything except your fingerprints and simply flash your profile page to gain entry. They saw me coming though, I ended up with a SoFi credit card with some very generous discounts in the Chargers store and cash back on any food and drink at the stadium. This seemed like an amazing deal at the time, until I tasted the food and saw the prices of beer.
The problem with this legend meet and greet was that it appeared to be everyone‘s first day at SoFi stadium, apparently even the hundreds of staff so nobody and I mean nobody, knew where the Members Lounge was. We must have been told by half a dozen people in orange jackets, “i think it’s just down there” but it never was. We had just about given up when we found it by complete accident. Standing in frustration accepting we may as well just find our seats, we realized we were standing right by it.
Upon arrival we were greeted with two free drink vouchers which was great because Mike doesn‘t drink beer much so I started my season with two giant cans of Modelo, face value $18 each.
We then joined a somewhat orderly line to meet probably the greatest Charger of all time, certainly in my time, hall of fame running back, LaDainian Tomlinson. I was taken aback that he was the same height as me and possibly slightly trimmer but it was an amazing start to the season to shake hands and get a picture with one of my all time idols. I even have a LT Christmas ornament that hangs on the tree every year.
I was already feeling the perks of being a season ticket holder even though you could seemingly do this without being a season ticket holder, still it felt pretty special.
One of the unique and brilliant features of SoFi stadium is the continuous ledge that runs across the top of the fourth tier which is an amazing place to stand and eat, drink and watch the game. As we were in quite early, we found a spot almost on the fifty yard line and it seemed too good to be true. It was certainly a better view than my seats (that we never actually went to) and we decided to stick it out and claim our territory for the next three and a half hours.
SoFi looked and sounded as good full as I had imagined it so many times during the summer.
Offense introductions:
Now for the Cowboys fans. As a foreigner, I don’t get the whole Cowboys thing. “America’s team”, what a load of old horse shit. Support your local team for gods sake. Anyway, they are everywhere. Despite being consistently terrible since I started watching almost twenty years ago, they have a huge fan base all over the country and predictably outnumbered the home support.
Now the NFL is not like a major European soccer league where fans are segregated inside and even separated on their way to and from the stadium and often engaging in organized and sporadic fights when they do meet face to face. Soccer clubs control their own tickets and set their own prices. In the NFL and all other US sports for that matter, the clubs sell their soul to Ticketmaster and the prices fluctuate depending on demand. It means that anyone can buy a ticket for anywhere in the stadium and openly drink at their seats, which I’ve never experienced in England but it certainly exists in other areas of Europe and the wider world.
For me, coming from the tribal and aggressive background that I do, visiting fans are the enemy without even coming face to face with them. Up close and personal they are a huge irritation and I have to do everything within myself to try and be respectful and friendly. That also has to be reciprocated the other way. Unfortunately the American sports fan is rarely respectful and friendly. Especially in Los Angeles where a general arrogance exists among its biggest and most popular teams. LA also has a whole generation of people who did not grow up with a NFL team in their city and subsequently latched on to other teams all over the country. That leaves thousands upon thousands of fans of all kinds of teams who despite their loyalties to other cities‘ teams, LA is still their home and low betide anyone that tries to infringe or takeover. This is their town and you are not welcome. This has led to large scale condemnation and ridicule of the Chargers‘ attempts to make a new home and a new fan base. It’s been met with scorn, anger and resentment and it will take the Chargers (and the Rams) to do very well over a sustained period of time to attract the younger generation who now WILL have NFL teams on their doorstep and change the tide of fandom. For the time being, I’m well aware the Chargers will be sometimes outnumbered and often face as much support for the opposition as anywhere else in America.
On this particular occasion, “America‘s team” were probably the worst opponent we could have got for the first home game and the full bravado and obnoxiousness of the Cowboys fans was on full display. Non the less, Mike and I chatted fairly cordially to the ones around us as we all took in a titanic battle of two very good football teams.
Unfortunately after the new look Chargers of the week before, it was back to the old Chargers finding a way to lose. They gave up twelve penalties for 99 yards, had two touchdowns ruled out, hit the upright with a field goal, got intercepted in the end zone and ultimately lost to a walk off field goal from 56 yards. It was also the first ever NFL game with a 14-11 half time score, which is a bit weird. It was gut wrenching as anyone watching that game could see the Chargers were the more talented team and should have won the game. Anyway, the SoFi era was up and running.
Week 3: @Kansas City Chiefs. W 30-24.
This was the game that I truly knew Justin Herbert was going to be a massive superstar. The loudest stadium in American sports - no problem. Throws four touchdowns and converts a 4th down in the fourth quarter to set up a game winning touchdown to Mike Williams. Chargers of the past would have settled for overtime. This Chargers team are different.
The Chiefs were off to a shaky start and long may that continue. We all know how supremely talented they are so any lead we can build on them was a bonus.
After this game I called the Chargers season ticket line as I kept seeing commercials on TV for seats being available. I told them look, when I first bought mine I was told there was nothing else available, why do I keep seeing ads for season tickets? It was explained to me that a lot of people ended up upgrading to the premium seats on the lowest level and they did now have some in the 300 section if I would like to move. I was told I couldn't trade in my current seats in the 500 section but I could sell them game by game on Ticketmaster and pay for the new ones separately. What I wrongly assumed was that I could just renew the new ones at the end of the season and give up the originals but more on that later.
I was thrilled to be able to purchase new seats above the Chargers tunnel in the corner, just in time for the next home game against our deadly rivals, the Raiders.
Week 4: Vs Las Vegas Raiders. W 28-14.
If there was a worse fan base in the NFL than the Cowboys then it might be the Raiders. I'm going to try and be as nice as possible here because I have friends that are Raiders fans and I like them a lot. However, come on, everyone knows the Raiders are a uniquely obnoxious group. Despite spending the last twenty years in Oakland and now moving to Vegas, they were still very prominent in Southern California and they would for sure outnumber the home support for this one. I thought about cashing in and selling my new seats for a healthy profit such was the demand but at the end of the day the Chargers needed me. If everyone just cashed in for games like this we would never have the support we wanted or deserved. It was also a Monday night game under the lights, a first for me and also the Raiders were bang average despite being 3-0 so a win was very likely.
I took my other brother in law, Scott to this one, a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan. We got there when the doors opened because the next in line at the "legends" meet and greet was just about the second most famous Charger since I've been a fan, hall of fame tight end, Antonio Gates.
Unfortunately Scott does like a beer so I only got one free Modelo this time but find yourself someone that smiles at you like Antonio Gates smiles at me is all I can say...
We tried a burrito from one of the new shiny kiosks, which was ok - too many beans for me, I like beans but it overwhelmed the meat. After a rather rubbery looking and tasting pizza at the first game, SoFi stadium for all its promise was failing spectacularly in the food department. As the season went on, I would learn purchasing a dirty but delicious and cheap hotdog outside, before or after (or even both) was a better option.
The new seats were fantastic, the Raiders fans predictably outnumbered us and were true to form in their general aggressive stance, many of them wasted drunk by half time and looking for fights wherever they could find them.
I was struck by the lack of security inside as a number of these sporadic fights broke out with people laying on the ground literally getting their heads kicked in, it was often minutes before anyone in a brightly colored vest showed up.
The drunk and toxic atmosphere at this game only intensified with a 40 minute delay to kick off due to a thunderstorm which apparently was widely mocked online and on television because "don't the Chargers play in a dome?". Well yes, kind of. Both ends of the stadium are open so with torrential rain, thunder and lightning all around, it seemed like a sensible decision. We are the "Bolts" though so maybe that was a good omen.
The Chargers came out flying, Herbert threw three first half touchdowns to Donald Parham, Jared Cook and Austin Ekeler. Derek Carr the Raiders quarterback who spent the week before commenting on how it always feels like a home game when they play the Chargers, converted just one solitary first down in the entire half. Maybe do better in your home games Derek.
Herbert on the other hand continued to prove that noise was not an issue for him and stayed calm and collected throughout. In the second half the Raiders pulled it back to 21-14 and then missed a crucial long field goal and it felt like a relief and at the same time disappointing that we had let them back into the game. But then we started to convert more fourth downs which was becoming a highlight of Staley's debut coaching season and again managed the clock extremely well, before Austin Ekeler ran in the final nail in the Vegas coffin. I like calling them Vegas, I'm sure it irritates the SoCal Raiders fans who believe they are still the kings of LA.
The walk back to the car was predictably intimidating as grown men in black and silver wobbled around staring down anyone in Chargers blue and white. Videos on social media afterwards showed many fights, my favorite being a huge Chargers fan who managed to knock out two Raiders by himself. Both teams were now 3-1 and leading the division. At this point I had no doubt whatsoever we would finish ahead of them.
Week 5: Vs Cleveland Browns. W 47-42.
This was quite frankly a spectacular game and by far the best of the season and honestly one of the best sporting games I've had the pleasure of witnessing in person.
I took the wife to this one. A more lowkey sports fan since the birth of our son but still loves a good occasion and we were excited for a rare day out alone. We stopped for an early lunch at Portillos in Buena Park which I highly recommend if you have never been.
Upon arrival at our seats it was very clear that a lot of people just couldn't resist cashing in for that Raiders game as there were a lot more Chargers fans here. Finally, the third home game of the season and we are the dominant ones. Whoever made that schedule perhaps had a sense of humor.
The Browns were a very good team, at this stage of the season. Baker Mayfield found an early rhythm and their two powerhouse running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt were looking menacing. The Chargers' run defense turned out to be their achilles heel all season and today was clearly going to be a long day for them. Donald Parham did what Donald Parham seemingly only does and that's scores touchdowns and not much else. The Chargers led 7-3 at the end of the first. I had a little $5 bet on Parham for first touchdown at 30/1 after his opener against the Raiders so I was doubly thrilled with that one.
At the start of the second quarter, this next video happened. A massive 72 yard touchdown from Mike Williams who was so far at least, proving to be the Chargers biggest wide receiver threat ahead of Keenan Allen. The wife being there gave her an opportunity to capture some wild celebrations from yours truly and high fiving of anyone around me in true American fashion.
The rest of the second quarter was all Browns as they took the lead and then converted a field goal after an Austin Ekeler fumble. They started the second half with the ball and a 20-13 lead. We then got shredded by Chubb for a 52 yard touchdown run and all of a sudden it was a two-score game. It was clear we would need something special from Herbert.
The going for it on fourth down was getting ridiculous now as we actually converted one on our own 23 yard line which I don't think anyone had ever seen before at this stage in a game but Herbert continued to methodically move us down the field and this fourth down conversion below to Keenan Allen resulted in Herbert running in a touchdown himself and we were back in the game.
What happened next was breathtaking and insane. a 41 point fourth quarter saw both teams score two touchdowns each before Austin Ekeler scored twice in the last three minutes, the last one he was actually pulled into the endzone intentioBally by the Browns to give themselves a chance of getting the ball back but the Chargers defense stood firm and we won the game 47-42. Absolutely bonkers. The Chargers were 4-1 and clear at the top of the AFC West.
Week 6: @Baltimore Ravens. L 6-34.
The less said about this the better. Horrible from start to finish. Turns out going for it constantly on fourth down doesn't always work. And for the love of God, we need a new kicker.
Week 7: Bye week.
Week 8: Vs New England Patriots. L 24-27.
The Patriots, a true sporting legacy since at least the time I've been watching in 2004 and even beyond that. From the famous moment in Amsterdam when I drunkenly whispered in the ear of a Patriots fan in a bar, "game over" during the 2007 divisional play off round, only to slip out quietly when we lost, the Patriots have been a thorn in our side ever since.
But there was no Tom Brady anymore in New England. They still had Bill Belichick who may one day go down as the greatest coach of all time and they had a highly rated fresh faced Quarterback in Mac Jones from the Alabama college dynasty.
I took my buddy Kyle to this game, an almost lifetime friend of my wife and a huge sports fan and avid Chargers fan. I took him into the Members Lounge and he grabbed an impressive on-the-go selfie with Antonio Gates who appeared to be too late for his scheduled time and was quickly rushed out again.
Justin Herbert walk out hype video below.
This was the lowest energy game at SoFi so far. The stadium wasn't quite full and the Patriots fans showed up in force. Perhaps the bye week was too relaxing but the Chargers and the fans never truly got going. Ekeler and Allen both scored first half touchdowns but the Patriots hung around all half and three straight field goals edged them ahead for the first time late in the third quarter. Talking of field goals, the Chargers had a new kicker! Dustin Hopkins from Washington, a league veteran. Not spectacular but solid enough.
This game was when I fully realized how much I hate visiting fans. Patriots fans have earned the right to be slightly arrogant and they certainly were. Two guys sat in front of us who we didn't even notice until late in the third quarter when they started winning. They were very quiet but all of a sudden two other friends joined them out of nowhere and between the four of them, they looked like extras from Good Will Hunting and acted like a bunch of frat boys from
Boston for the rest of the game.
In the fourth quarter Justin Herbert was picked off by Adrian Phillips who ran in the pick six and the Patriots converted for two. Was Herbie starting to fade? Were teams figuring him out? Why is our run defense so pathetic?
The game was over. A late Josh Palmer touchdown was not enough and the Chargers were 4-3.
Probably the highlight of the game was this guy below, dressed up as Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, full outfit, headset, play sheet, red flag in his pocket and most comically, a fake pair of testicles that he played with to the crowd whenever we went for it on fourth down. As it was Halloween, I assumed it was a genius costume, more appropriate than the Patriots fan in a convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez jersey but “Staley” actually wore it every game and for that he has my full respect and admiration.
The magnificent SoFi stadium from the top of my level, the 300s.
Week 9: @Philadelphia Eagles. W 27-24.
More conversions on fourth down, lots of them in fact and fantastic time management at the end of the game as Dustin Hopkins scored a walk off field goal. What?! So un-Chargers.
We improved to 5-3, all four teams in our division now had a winning record, (those pesky Chiefs had found some form) and it was some kind of record that I can't remember.
At this point I got my renewal notice for next season, all four seats, the two original ones and the two new ones. I called and politely asked for the original two to be removed but was told "it doesn't work like that". Apparently I was liable for all four. I also found out after complaining that the guy who sold me the new ones could have simply upgraded me. Not happy. Clearly he was on commission to sell new seats. I was told to wait until January and there should be a new system to sell seat licenses and I can offload the original ones. I found the email address of a high up sales person and emailed him my grievances - will see what happens.
Week 10: Vs Minnesota Vikings. L 20-27.
Surely we can build on that Eagles win and get some kind of lead built up here in a very tight AFC West. The Vikings were ok, they had Dalvin Cook after all but the Chargers should take care of business today. I took my neighbor Trey to this one, a Dolphins fan but I made sure to lend him a shirt to help him blend in. This was also the first appearance of my new Nike Chargers shoes which the wife insists are not for public use but only game days.
We took a couple of beers with us and walked from my parking lot to the tailgating lot. There we found "Thunder Alley", a swarming mass of Chargers fans, singing, dancing, drinking and generally having a good time. Alot of fans cook and give out food to passers-by for an expected donation, of which we happily obliged. We met some great people including this guy from our neck of the woods, the Inland Empire.
We also befriended a couple of guys from Switzerland who approached with a case of Modelo that they no longer needed and offered us some. Obviously we accepted and watched them impressively pop the tops off the bottles with caps of a water bottle. I was unaware people from Switzerland had such boozy skills. They were on a seven day tour of LA and New York taking in as many sports games as they could. Love the passion. Something I'd do.
Some of the sights and sounds of Thunder Alley.
Also to my delight, I bumped into Brandon Staley fake testicle guy from my section. As I took this selfie with him he insisted "make sure you get the balls in".
I should be doing this every game now that I've met the biggest legends. Strolling down from my "cheap" lot to the action of Thunder Alley.
Upon entering the stadium there were clearly a lot of Vikings fans in attendance. Where do these people come from? Minnesota? Surely not.
This time the Chargers were terrible against the pass AND the run. After a scoreless first quarter, the Vikings took control in the second but a late Larry Rountree touchdown kept the Chargers in it. We briefly took the lead in the second half but a Tyler Conkin touchdown put the visitors back in the lead and Dalvin Cook rubbed salt in the wound early in the fourth quarter and the Chargers had no answer.
It was around the time of that Cook touchdown that three Vikings fans, worse for wear, suddenly appeared out of nowhere and sat directly in front of us. This is when I started to get really riled up about this season and the visiting fan culture. They spent the rest of the game mostly stood up hurling all kinds of abuse at the Chargers organization, notably the owners, the Spanos family and how we should all go back to San Diego. It seemed personal, I suspect they had some connection with San Diego but their twatishness combined with the Chargers feeble efforts on the field ruined the day for me and I started to have real doubts about doing this for much longer. You might find that overly dramatic but I'm not someone to sit and just enjoy a game, I feel every play and defeats affect me and ruin my weekend. I blame the European soccer fan in me.
This was now four out of five home games ruined by the sheer number and behavior of the visiting fans. One of those games, the Raiders, we even won but I still left angry due to the intimidation. With the outstanding issue of my season ticket renewal on top of this, I needed some time to cool off.
That next week, as I had had no response from high up sales guy, I emailed him again and within hours I received a call from a girl who fixed my situation and took the original seats off my renewal invoice. It was just that simple after all. I was starting to feel better.
Week 11: Vs Pittsburgh Steelers. W 41-37.
This was the first game I couldn't attend and did the wise thing and cashed out on all four seats (plus the parking pass) for a total of $700. The Steelers are another giant fan base that like to swarm our stadium so I knew they would be desperate enough to pay a premium.
I feared the worst in terms of result in this game, for all the talent the Chargers clearly had, they just couldn't string a consistent run of wins together.
As it turned out, they always find a way to suck you back in. They were electric from the start and Austin Ekeler became the first Chargers player in history to score two rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns in the same game.
In a crazy fourth quarter with the game seemingly in the bag, the almost ancient Ben Roethlisberger, the sole survivor of the 2004 draft class, threw two quick touchdowns, the Steelers defense then forced a turnover and all of a sudden a field goal puts them ahead. The army of Steelers fans with their "terrible towels" (fuck off) were pretty quiet until then but now the volume had raised significantly and any Chargers team I can remember in the last decade or more would have crumbled in that situation. Not on Herbies watch - a giant 53 yard touchdown to Mike Williams sealed a memorable win and the Chargers had life again.
Week 12: @ Denver Broncos. L 13-28.
Just dreadful. Don't want to talk about it. Fucking hate the Broncos.
Week 13: @ Cincinnati Bengals. W 41-22.
I was very nervous and apprehensive about this one. The Bengals had a great offense and a defeat would send us back to 500 with an uphill task to the play offs. A win would be huge.
Chargers came out red hot. Racing into a 24-0 lead in the second quarter with Herbert throwing three touchdowns, two to Keenan Allen and one to Jalen Guyton. The Bengals rallied back and at one point in the third quarter they had a chance to level the score at 24-24 but the Chargers stopped a two point attempt.
A gift from a Joe Mixon fumble with nobody around him gave the Chargers defense a touchdown and Eckler ran in another one to make up for a couple of fumbles of his own.
A great effort from a defense that lost Joey Bosa to a head injury early in the game, seeing out the game with a couple of stops and coasting to a win in a game that looked very shaky in the 3rd quarter.
All of a sudden the Chargers were 7-5 and moved ahead of the Bengals in the second wild card spot. A win next week at home to the Giants would set up a titanic home game with the Chiefs. A game I cannot miss and will not miss. Sandwiched between trips to Hawaii and England.
Week 14: Vs New York Giants. W 37-21.
I missed this one due to being on a wonderful family vacation to Hawaii and gave my seats to my co-worker Priscilla and her husband Robert, huge Chargers fans.
I watched most of it in the hotel, a dominant performance including a monster 65 yard Herbert touchdown pass to Jalen Guyton which grabbed a lot of media attention and thrust him firmly into the MVP conversation. They were aggressive and clinical and two late touchdowns from the Giants made the score closer than it was.
Week 15: Vs Kansas City Chiefs. L 34-28.
Thursday night prime time under the lights, Herbert, Mahomes, Chargers one game back on the Chiefs and the winner would be top of the AFC West at the end of the night. Absolutely gigantic.
Mike joined me again for this one, we both had losing records at SoFi this season and needed to put it right. It was a cold night by Southern California standards. I felt like an east coast fan with my Chargers shirt over my hoodie.
A quick dirty dog outside and a picture with Bolt Man and we were all set for a titanic battle.
The game got off to an insane start as Andre Roberts of the Chargers special teams almost ran back the opening kick off (if he hadn’t run into his own player around the 20 yard line). From the resulting play, Donald Parham rose to catch a certain touchdown on a fourth down but knocked himself out cold as he hit the deck and the ball came loose. Two almost touchdowns, a stoppage in play for at least 15 minutes while the unconscious Parham was attended to and we somehow had no score. Donald Parham was thankfully ok, despite rumors in the stadium as we were leaving that he suffered a serious brain injury. He didn’t play again for the rest of the season but he will be back next year I’m sure.
The Chiefs went 10-0 up and we feared this was not to be our night but Mahomes seemed to be having a somewhat off night and when Herbert ran in a touchdown himself - that was almost identical to his opening drive as a pro last year against the same team, and also threw one to Guyton, the Chargers led 14-10 at the half.
After a quiet third quarter, the fourth was another classic. Mahomes finally found his rhythm and despite both teams turning the ball over in scoring situations, a Tyreek Hill touchdown leveled the score. With two minutes left, Keenan Allen put the Chargers back ahead but vintage Mahomes carried his team downfield like a knife through butter and the unstoppable Travis Kelce took the game into overtime.
As the Buffalo Bills found to their heartbreaking cost in the play offs a month later, you have to win the coin toss in overtime when you’re playing the Chiefs because you probably won’t get the ball back. Kelce ripped through the Chargers defense with a catch and run and with over 200 yards on the night, won the game as the Chiefs players and staff swarmed the field in jubilation. They knew they had just wrapped up the division and so did we.
Staley went for it on fourth down five times in this game and failed on three of them. He came in for a lot of flak the next day in the media (mainstream and social) and had suddenly turned from a coach of the year candidate and a revolutionary young genius to a fool who was costing the Chargers points. For me it was somewhere in the middle, leaning towards to genius. He was bold and trusted his team. He consistently says “this is who we are“ and we ain’t changing. You have to respect that. At least it’s exciting. This was his first year as a head coach and we were lucky to have him. He was bound to make mistakes along the way but I trusted him. It would just be nice to settle for an easy field goal sometimes!
Lets talk about the Chiefs fans for a second. Nothing but respect. That’s a proper team with a proper fan base. I wasn’t irritated by a single one and even chatted and shook hands with a few on the way out. Its hard to hate the Chiefs, their stadium is magnificent and the loudest in America. Their coach gives off warm Grandpa vibes, their team are a joy to watch and their fans are respectful and fair. Ask me again in a few years and I might have changed my mind.
Week 16: @Houston Texans. L 29-41.
As the Omicron variant ran amok throughout the world and the NFL, the Chargers went into this without three key starters, Ekeler, Bosa and Linsley. Still, this was the Texans, one of the worst teams in the league and actually more affected by COVID then the Chargers were.
This game was the day after Christmas and Mike and I listened/watched most of it during a slow snow filled drive down from family festivities in Lake Arrowhead. It was a horrible performance and a really damaging one too. The wild card race was hotly contested and nobody could afford to lose. The tie break rule was also hurting the Chargers due to their defeats to the Patriots and Ravens. After this shit show it was now out of their hands. They needed to win out against the Broncos and Raiders who both could still make it themselves, and hope at least one other team slipped up. I had no doubt about someone else slipping up, what I feared was not beating our two arch rivals.
Week 17: Vs Denver Broncos. W 34-13.
We were supposed to be in England over Christmas and new year but due to the raging Omicron variant, the endless hoops you had to jump through to fly internationally, the poor health of my step father and the risk of exposing him, we sadly canceled it. I had already sold my tickets to this game in expectation of being overseas so instead of purchasing new tickets and surrounding myself with the dreadful Broncos, I settled for watching nervously at home. It turns out I had nothing to be nervous about. Touchdowns from Ekeler, Allen and Williams along with a memorable 101 yard kick off return from Andre Roberts sealed an easy win. The Broncos season was over. Ours was still very much alive. On to Vegas for the finale of all finales. Winner takes all.
Week 18: @Las Vegas Raiders. L 35-32.
The stage was set on the Vegas strip, whoever won this game would claim a wild card play off spot, the loser would not. A tie would actually see both teams make it but ties are rare and these two rivals wouldn’t just see out the clock so everyone is happy if the chance presented itself. Would they?
It’s tough for me to write much more. Partly because I’ve been writing all day and partly because it’s just too frustrating and upsetting.
A back and forth first half saw Austin Ekeler, who had been absolutely magnificent all year, score twice but Vegas held a narrow 17-14 lead at half time. For some reason I never had a doubt we would find a way to win and knock these fuckers out. However, Hunter Renfrow’s second score of the night and another field goal gave the Raiders a 15 point lead deep into the fourth quarter. By the way, Staley went for it on fourth down on something ridiculous like our own 14 yard line, only a few minutes into the third quarter down by three! It backfired. Somehow we held them to a field goal.
With four minutes left in regulation, Josh Palmer caught a touchdown from Herbert and Ekeler added a two point conversion and now we had a seven point game. Time was not on the Chargers side though. The Raiders then went three and out and Herbert had one last chance, two minutes left. What happened next is still a blur. He somehow drove us the whole length of the field with what felt like dozens of fourth down last gasp conversions (I think it was three) that would have ended the game if any of them had failed. With the last throw of the game he found Mike Williams in the end zone to take the game to overtime. This was my reaction.
The Raiders won the toss to start overtime and scored a field goal. How dare they, we both just need a tie here. The Chargers again with their season about to end, converted a field goal themselves.
What happened next will be debated for years to come. Were the Raiders running down the clock for a tie? Why did the Chargers call a time out and stop the clock? I haven’t got the energy or the technical know how to go into it right now but the one thing we do know for sure is Daniel Carlson has one of the most reliable legs in the NFL and he put the Raiders in the play offs with a walk off field goal. The Chargers season was over.
I was exhausted, deflated, upset. I lay on the bedroom floor with my head in my hands for at least ten minutes. This felt different to other Chargers failures. This team was special. The Raiders were average and predictably wasted the opportunity and their first trip to the play offs in twenty years and fell at the first hurdle. At least they have that night in Vegas, which they’ll probably remind us about for years.
The world was robbed of seeing Justin Herbert in the play offs but as Brandon fourth down Staley told his team the next day, every ending is a new beginning. See you next year. Bolt up.
Chargers record: 9-8.
AFC position: 3rd.
My record: 2-4.
Super Bowl Champions: TBD