What we learned from the Chargers’ 13-10 loss to Detroit on Sunday:
Michael Badgley is missed
A week being the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week, Ty Long’s charmed NFL start abruptly ended. He missed two field goals filling in for the injured Badgley (groin) in a game where the Chargers had only one touchdown drive and were shut out in the second half. Long punted well - 50.5-yard average - but he was unable to again fill Badgley’s right shoe. As of Sunday night, the Chargers were unsure of Badgley’s status regarding their game next weekend against Houston. “He’s getting better,” coach Anthony Lynn said. “But he’s not quite there yet.” The Chargers lost this game for a myriad of reasons - poor execution, bad decisions, unfulfilled opportunities - and the two missed field goals just added to the frustration.
The run defense improved significantly
A week after Indianapolis’ Marlon Mack went Mack truck on the Chargers, they limited the Lions to 94 rushing yards on 28 attempts, an average of 3.4 yards. The Chargers struggled early in this game against the run but greatly improved as the afternoon wore on. The performance had to be encouraging for a bunch that was gouged badly by the Colts. “We didn’t win though,” cornerback Casey Hayward said, sounding an alarm heard often in the losing locker room. “We have to figure a way out to win no matter what…if we hold them from scoring on that last drive, before that touchdown, we win the game. And we were in position to do it. We had them in fourth down. How many third downs? But we just didn’t make the play.”
1/31
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers scrambles away from Detroit Lions linebacker Christian Jones during the third quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2/31
Los Angeles Chargers receiver Mike Williams beats Lions cornerback Rashaan Melvin but can’t hang on to the ball in the end zone during the first quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
3/31
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers slides for a first down in front of Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker during the second half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
4/31
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers yells at one of his receivers following a broken play against the Detroit Lions. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
5/31
Detroit Lions defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson waits with teammates before taking the field against the Los Angeles Chargers. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
6/31
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers greets the Dominican Sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist during pregame warmups in Detroit. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
7/31
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler jumps over the top for a first-quarter touchdown against the Detroit Lions. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
8/31
Los Angeles Chargers receiver Mike Williams hauls in a long pass late in the second quarter to give the Chargers good field position for a field-goal attempt. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
9/31
Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Melvin Ingram writhes in pain after injuring his leg during fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
10/31
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler breaks out for a big gain against the Detroit Lions late in the second half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
11/31
Los Angeles Chargers teammates Melvin Ingram, left, and Joey Bosa team up to prevent Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson from getting a first down during the second half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
12/31
Los Angeles Chargers kicker Ty Long misses a 41-yard field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
13/31
Los Angeles Chargers players react after Ty Long misses a 41-yard field-goal attempt in the fourth quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
14/31
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler walks off the field after fumbling at the goal line in the third quarter against the Detroit Lions. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
15/31
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams can’t haul in a pass in front of Detroit Lions cornerback Rashaan Melvin during the first half. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
16/31
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers yells at officials from the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
17/31
Los Angeles Chargers running back Justin Jackson is brought down by Lions defenders during a second-half run. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
18/31
Los Angeles Chargers safety Adrian Phillips is helped to his feet after suffering an injury in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
19/31
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams can’t come up with a catch in the end zone against the Detroit Lions. (Getty Images)
20/31
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay catches a 31-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford, beating Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward late in the fourth quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
21/31
Los Angeles Chargers safety Rayshawn Jenkins intercepts a pass intended for Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
22/31
Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward intercepts a pass intended for Detroit Lions receiver Kenny Golladay during the third quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
23/31
Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson scores on a 36-yard pass from Matthew Stafford, beating Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Thomas Davis to the end zone. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
24/31
Los Angeles Chargers kicker Ty Long converts on a 39-yard field-goal attempt late in the second quarter against the Detroit Lions. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
25/31
Detroit Lions running back Ty Johnson runs against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half. (Associated Press)
26/31
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn looks on during the first half against the Detroit Lions. (Associated Press)
27/31
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers rolls out to pass against the Detroit Lions. (Associated Press)
28/31
Philip Rivers passes during the first half against the Lions. (Getty Images)
29/31
Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler makes a first-quarter catch in front of Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker. (Getty Images)
30/31
Detroit Lions running back Kerryon Johnson tries to make a catch in front of Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Thomas Davis during the second quarter. (Getty Images)
31/31
Detroit Lions linebacker Devon Kennard recovers a fumble by Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler during the third quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Chargers aren’t going to win all close road games
This team forged its identity a year ago winning games exactly like the one it just lost. On Sunday, they failed to make a defensive play to hold off the Lions and couldn’t make the deciding offensive play in the final 90 seconds. So, for the first time in the regular season since 2017, they had to get on a plane and fly home with defeat ringing in their ears. “We’ll find out,” quarterback Philip Rivers said when asked about rebounding. “It’s been a long time…We just hurt ourselves too often. Houston doesn’t care. Houston will go full in next week on Sunday. They’re not going to say, ‘Oh, man, they lost a tough road game. We feel for you a little bit.’ They’re going to pile it on. We’ll have to regroup in a hurry.”
Like their fans, the Chargers understand they blew it
To a man, the Chargers sugarcoated nothing in the aftermath, stating exactly what everyone saw Sunday - a team that gave away an NFL game, the NFL being a league in which giving away anything hurts. “We just had one of those games where it just felt like nothing was going right,” center Mike Pouncey said. “The best thing about it is that everybody can correct themselves. We’ll all get on the plane and we’ll watch the film of this game, and it’s going to sting the whole way home. I know that because we let this game get away from us. We had this game.” Said linebacker Thomas Davis: “Games in this league are usually won and lost in the last four or five minutes. We have to do a much better job of executing in those situations. I believe in my heart that we’re going to do that.”
Injuries will not be an excuse
The Chargers lost another key contributor in the fourth quarter when safety Adrian Phillips went out with a forearm injury. The team continues to battle significant health problems, Phillips already filling in for the injured Derwin James. He’ll be reevaluated Monday, when the Chargers should know more about Phillips’ status. Still, for now, this isn’t a team that will lean on all the banged-up bodies as a reason for its struggles. “You know, it’s certainly - to see ‘AP’ (Phillips) go down, I don’t know how severe that is,” Rivers said. “It didn’t look good. I think at this point that would be an excuse…nothing we did out there, from the fumble to the interception to the two touchdowns called back to, you know, a couple third-and-shorts we didn’t convert, that had nothing to do with injuries. That’s all self-inflicted. When you go on the road in this league and you do that, teams will make you pay for it.”
