Chargers go 3 straight division games without scoring a TD
The San Diego Chargers are struggling to score, a surprising development -- even in this terrible season -- with Philip Rivers at quarterback.
The Chargers botched a scoring chance in the final seconds Sunday and lost 10-3 at Kansas City. It was the third time in as many games against AFC West rivals that the Chargers (3-10) failed to score a touchdown.
They reached double digits in losses for the first time since going 4-12 in 2003.
"It's minor breakdowns at some point," tight end Antonio Gates said Monday. "It's just being on one page collectively. Sometimes that minor breakdown kind of ruins the play. But when we do it right, I'm telling you, man, we're tough to stop."
The Chargers got the ball at their own 11 with 5 minutes left and quickly moved into Chiefs territory, converting fourth down three times. But after Rivers was called for delay of game at the Chiefs 1 with 5 seconds left, he threw high and out of the end zone.
There was still 2 seconds left, and another incomplete pass that would have ended the game was blown dead for a false start. So with the ball pushed back to the 11-yard line, Rivers scrambled to his right and again threw to the end zone, where his pass to Danny Woodhead skipped incomplete.
"That has been the story of our season, losing close games," said Rivers, who played through the flu. "That was like a couple of our other losses we have lost this year. It was tough. We had our chance to win the game. We just couldn't find a way to end it."
The delay penalty came after a Chiefs timeout.
"That was an unfortunate situation," Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. "We were trying to make a change at the line of scrimmage and didn't get it off so that's on us as a football team. We didn't get it done. ... It was a mistake."
Running back Melvin Gordon, the team's first-round draft pick, wasn't even in during the final sequence. He still hasn't scored a touchdown.
"We're trying to do whatever we can to run it as efficiently as we can," McCoy said. "Obviously we haven't done it, get him into the end zone this year."
And now the Chargers might be ending their 55-season run in San Diego because chairman Dean Spanos wants to move to an industrial suburb of Los Angeles to make more money.
Sunday's game against Miami could be the Chargers' finale at aging Qualcomm Stadium.
Safety Eric Weddle is in the final year of his contract and the team was adamant about not giving him an extension, so he likely will be playing his last home game as a Charger, as well.
"I don't really know about the organization, the future and all that," said Weddle, who has always interacted with fans. "I'm just going to give my all and enjoy every second of it.
"It's tough on the city, the fans. For us as players, we don't have a clue what is really going on. It's unfortunate. It's a great city, great fans. Wish we were better and could put a better product out there for them. We are what we are, but that doesn't mean we aren't going to give it our all for them one last time, if it is our last game."
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