Charging On

By: Peyton Schultze

Can Philip Rivers and Co. lead the Bolts through the tough AFC?

1 minute and 11 seconds until the Chargers lost hope for an AFC West title. 1 minute and 11 seconds until the Chargers finally reverted back to their old ways of choking under the primetime stage. 1 minute and 11 seconds until the Chargers would once again be labeled as playoff pretenders. Until… they weren’t. Instead, Philip Rivers made the throw of the season. On a 4th and 8 staring down the eyes of defeat, Rivers calmly delivered the ball to Travis Benjamin and converted on one of the best throws of the NFL season. Then, two plays later, Rivers would be hammered by Chiefs’ linebacker, Dorian O’Daniel, on a clear personal foul to the helmet of Rivers that was not called. It should’ve been called and was clear to fans around the world. Yet, it wasn’t and the Chargers were forced to take a timeout with 13 seconds left. Once again, the Chargers would stare down defeat. Ready to eliminate themselves from a legit chance at capturing the AFC West and ready to fade away from the powerhouses of the AFC, such as Kansas City and New England. Until… they didn’t. The Chargers would find themselves with a huge first down on a key pass interference call from Chiefs’ cornerback, Kendall Fuller, and found themselves with 8 seconds left. With the clock low and on their last chance, the Chargers called upon Rivers once again to step up and make a huge throw. On 1st and Goal from the 1 yard line, Rivers would find Mike Williams on a fade with an outside release, allowing enough space from the corner to cleanly receive the ball from Rivers. The game was about to be tied after a field goal from Michael Badgley and one of the games of the year was about to head into overtime. Right? Wrong. On a bold call from head coach, Anthony Lynn, the Chargers elected to go for 2 in an attempt to seal a win with 4 seconds left and not allow the magnificent Patrick Mahomes to potentially receive the ball and score in overtime. Nerves and stakes were equally high in the battle of the two AFC West rivals, and all 60 minutes of the game would come down to one play. The Chargers decided to call a similar play from earlier in the game and hoped to find the emerging WR, Mike Williams (in the game of his career), in the back right corner of the endzone. But could they execute? The ball would be hiked to Rivers and the testy veteran would simply move a little to his right before delivering the ball through the crisp December air. Williams found a way to get wide open and caught the ball with nobody near him. The Chargers had done it and conquered their demons once again this year. Primetime in a gigantic game. AFC playoff implications on the line. The Chiefs on a 9 game winning streak against the Bolts. Yet any doubts in the media about the Chargers as a legit title contender were absolutely shattered with their gusty comeback win under the bright lights of Thursday Night Football once and for all.

A crazy atmosphere in Kansas City was not able to disrupt the Chargers on Thursday.

If there is one term to define the 2018 Los Angeles Chargers, it may be this: gutsy. In now two of the past three weeks, the Chargers have traveled to hostile environments, such as Pittsburgh and Kansas City, and overcome first half deficits against some of the AFC’s finest. Ask players such as Rivers or Keenan Allen and they will point to head coach, Anthony Lynn, for this brand new attitude within the Charger organization. In past years, it would have been foolish to say that the Chargers were anything like this version. Often labeled as soft, mistake prone and an overall train wreck in the past, the Chargers are now a team full of personal accountability trying to build towards one common goal. The Chargers seem like a team of destiny right now in the wide-open NFL, led by Coach Lynn, and are a battle-tested group that is a true threat to anyone in the league. Do they have the pieces to get there? Yes. Do they have the right leadership in place? Absolutely. So is this really the year for the Bolts?

Mike Williams (right) has been awesome recently and hopes to help the Chargers down the stretch and heading towards the postseason.

Another key trait of the 2018 Chargers has not only been their true resiliency, but their “next man up” mindset on a weekly basis. Take, for example, last week against the Chiefs. At running back, the Chargers were depleted and forced to start rookie, Justin Jackson, in place of the injured backs, Melvin Gordon III and Austin Ekeler. However, Jackson contributed throughout the game and found himself as a key component of the comeback win with 85 yards and a touchdown. This type of mindset has been a common trait throughout the season and has helped the Chargers get past the brutal gauntlet of the NFL’s regular season so far, with 11 wins and a playoff berth secured. The Chargers would need some luck to get the #1 seed in the AFC and home field advantage throughout the playoffs (a Chiefs’ loss at Seattle or vs Oakland and two Charger victories), yet it is still a doable task that the Chargers may be up to. The Chargers are host to the pesky Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night (5:20 PT, NFL Network) and on the road in Denver to play with the always-competitive Broncos in Week 17, yet have shown that they are certainly capable of beating both after recent wins over the past few weeks. The task will be tough, but the Bolts seem to certainly be able to meet the challenges that the rest of the season will provide in the coming weeks.

Philip Rivers has put up an MVP-caliber season in 2018 to lead the Chargers to 11 wins thus far.

However, through all of the adversity and challenges of this season, there has been one consistent that has shown up every Sunday. Philip Rivers, in perhaps his finest year, has been the constant needed throughout the years, and has provided that once again in 2018. Even in recent down seasons for the Bolts, Rivers has played at a Pro Bowl level that has made him among the game’s best. Yet, with the Chargers emerging as a big-time threat around the league, players and fans alike have begun to take notice and have been able to see Rivers much more often on big stages such as Thursday and Sunday Night Football. The always-competitive and entertaining Rivers has always been a treat for Charger fans, but is looking at finally securing a Canton-bound legacy with a potential Super Bowl appearance/victory that would rank him among the game’s greatest legends. As Rivers prepares to make his 207th consecutive start on Saturday against the Ravens, Rivers will once again look to put on a show and provide another marquee win for the Chargers in 2018.

From young stars to key veterans such as Antonio Gates (#85), the Chargers are a deep team full of playmakers and great contributors.

With all this being said, are the Chargers to finally be taken seriously? The playoffs are still several weeks away, but as January looms, the nerves and intensity of the playoffs will begin to mount for a team that is beginning to exceed expectations. Any win in the playoffs is not a guarantee, and this Charger franchise should know this better than most with their lack of past and recent success in the depths of the postseason tournament. Whether the Chargers end up with a bye and the #1 seed, or if they have to travel to a place such as New England, Pittsburgh, or Houston, it is certain that these Chargers will put up a fight in a game where they will likely be underdogs. Led by Lynn and Rivers, the Chargers are finally among the AFC’s best and are a real contender in the wacky National Football League in 2018. Anything can happen between now and February 3rd, but everything in between should be full of excitement for the Chargers. And whether they are winning big or staring down the eyes of defeat with 1 minute and 11 seconds left, the Chargers will do everything in their power to fight and compete to come out on top of the NFL over the next month or so to potentially secure their elusive 1st Super Bowl title.