There was a slight moment where the Chargers thought they were on the other side of the spectrum in yesterday’s loss to the Raiders.
On the final play of the game, tight end Donald Parham reeled in what looked like the game-winning catch. Unfortunately, the call was overturned after the review revealed that Parham juggled the ball as he went to the ground.
Prior to that, the same play was ran. The only difference is that it went to wide receiver Mike Williams, who also was unable to pull it in. The decision to run the same play two times in a row was head-scratching to some, but not to coach Anthony Lynn.
“I thought it was a good call,” Lynn said. “We didn’t execute the play.”
Originally, Lynn thought it was a touchdown, but the referees overturned it.
At Sunday’s post-game media availability, the only way to express Lynn’s emotions would be disappointment after dropping another close game.
“I told the guys just keep competing. They did what I asked them to do. “We’ve been kicked in the gut six times. That’s six times too many for me,” Lynn said.
The engineer of the offense, quarterback Justin Herbert, has been in this situation many times this season and the common thing he has continued to express is optimism for his team, despite all of the close losses.
“I believe in our coaching staff and I believe in the team we have here. It hasn’t gone our way over the past couple weeks, but we’re a tough team. We’re a tight locker room and I believe 100 percent in all the guys and all the coaching staff that we have here,” Lynn said.
Another player who is doing everything he can to keep the Chargers chugging along in games is wide receiver Keenan Allen.
“[Expletive], I could talk about this since the second week of the season. Just close games. We’re not winning them. That’s just been the story of the season so far in the first half,” Allen said.