Edge defender Joey Bosa aided the Jacksonville Jaguars to achieve the unthinkable in their 27-point comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC Wild Card round with a crucial penalty he committed late in the second half.
After a Jaguars touchdown, Bosa removed his helmet, slamming it to the ground to give Jacksonville prime field position at the Chargers’ 1-yard to convert a two-point attempt to pull within a field goal of the lead.
Head coach Brandon Staley explained the gaffe to reporters after the game and made it clear that Bosa’s vexation had been brewing over the course of the night.
“I think he was frustrated. I think he felt like there were a bunch of things that kind of accumulated throughout the game and tried to talk through it with the officials,” Staley said.
“But we can’t lose our composure like that. We need to make sure that we stay on the high side of things, and we can’t hurt the team that way.”
While several aspects of Los Angeles’ second-half effort played significant roles in this epic collapse, Bosa’s mistake is sure to stick in the minds of Charger fans as they ponder on the loss.