Anthony Lynn is holding the Chargers back from reaching to their full potential.
Just weeks ago, I asked if the time has come for the Chargers to fire coach Anthony Lynn. The answer has officially been set in stone.
Lynn has been on the hot seat for the past couple of seasons, with it only getting hotter this year. However, Los Angeles’ loss to the Bills exemplified why it’s now time to show him the door.
Lynn was unable to execute during a few key situations, which cost them the game. The most head-scratching one came in the final seconds of the game when quarterback Justin Herbert completed a beautiful hail mary pass to wide receiver Tyron Johnson to get the ball to Buffalo’s one-yard line.
With 24 seconds left, they called a inside run play with running back Austin Ekeler. It failed and the team elected for a quick pass to wide receiver Mike Williams that also failed. After that, they ran a quarterback scramble play, only to have his offensive linemen dropping back in pass protection where Herbert was demolished.
They ended up failing to score and wasted an opportunity to extend the game, even if it ultimately wasn’t going to be enough to come back on top. That wasn’t the only time Lynn’s decision-making cost them against the Bills.
Just before halftime, down 11 points, Lynn decided to call a timeout with 21 seconds left with the Chargers facing a 4th-and-2 at Buffalo’s 48. The team had already wasted more than 1:30 off the clock, so why call the timeout? To get the offense in position to go for it? No, it was only to punt the ball.
But wait, there’s more.
Los Angeles was at the Bills’ 8-yard-line, facing fourth down with less than 11 minutes to go in the game when Lynn ran onto the field to argue the spot of the ball. The field goal unit wasn’t able to get in place on time to kick it so he had to use a timeout.
Since 2017, Lynn is 29-29 with one playoff appearance. The icing on the cake is that he’s 3-16 in one-score games over the last two years and he has blown four double-digit leads this season, which is a result of his poor clock management, in-game adjustments and play calling.
Lynn is well coveted as a person and for his leadership skills. However, he’s holding back a team that has a talented roster with his questionable decision-making, especially in critical situations. The future is bright for the Chargers, but it won’t be if Lynn is the head coach moving forward.
When the time comes, there will be plenty of coaches and coordinators that will be intrigued by the vacancy.
