Should you trust Mike McCoy?

No cheating.

No skipping to the end on this one.

The conclusion is revealed at the bottom, but it is best absorbed with complete context.

Today’s task is to answer a simple yes-or-no question: Are the Chargers in good hands with Mike McCoy?

The inquiry is particularly pressing right now because, as we speak, San Diegans can check their pulse rate by putting their fingers on their throats. That’s where their hearts are as the Chargers get set for their biggest game of the season.

If they beat the Chiefs in Kansas City tomorrow, they make the playoffs. If they lose, they’re finished.

It’s Drama 101 — textbook sports theater. But is McCoy the right man to direct the play?

This isn’t the first time this question has been raised, and unless the Chargers go undefeated for the rest of McCoy’s tenure, it won’t be the last. Outside of say...President of the United States, there may not be a job as heavily scrutinized as NFL head coach.

McCoy has taken his lumps over the past two seasons, mainly for his in-game-management and what seemed to be a no-smile clause in his contract. And while the latter only really affects press-conference ambiance, the former may very well have cost the Chargers wins.

Sometimes, McCoy opts to punt when doing so destroys any chance his team has of coming back (see: New England this year and the Denver home game last year.) Sometimes, he forgets that you’re allowed to do this thing called “call a timeout.” And sometimes, plays in the most crucial of situations have the creativity of a stick figure.

But here’s the thing: Despite all that, his team keeps surviving. The Chargers are like that final ninth-inning out that nobody can seem to make.

If San Diego beats Kansas City tomorrow, McCoy will have taken two straight teams to the playoffs. And he will have taken two straight teams to the playoffs after his predecessor, Norv Turner, missed the postseason three consecutive years.

Remember, this was supposed to be the season that the Chargers succumbed to the Schedule from Hell over the final few weeks. Instead, they have shined thanks to various gifts from the heavens.

First, Marcus Gilchrist intercepted Shaun Hill in the end zone in the final minute to secure a Chargers win over the Rams. Then, Rivers rallied his team to two fourth-quarter touchdowns to earn a one-point victory over the Ravens. Then, last Saturday, the Bolts charged back from 21 points down to stun the 49ers in overtime and keep their season alive.

Those are all games San Diego should have lost, but its sense of belief never wavered. And while that may have everything to do with the guys wearing the helmets...might it not have a little something to do with the guy in the headset?

Chargers players all say yes. Rivers said that the team’s ability to stay calm “starts at the top.” Left tackle King Dunalp said that McCoy instilled a sense of belief within the team “from day one.” And safety Darrell Stuckey lauded McCoy’s ability to let everybody know where they stand at all times.

This, of course, is what players do when reporters ask them about their coach, but man...you have to wonder if there’s something to it, don’t you?

Some might say that the Chargers’ recent success has almost everything to do with Rivers — but don’t forget that Rivers’ stats surged after McCoy got to town. Others might point out that San Diego needed Kansas City to miss a 41-yard field goal last year in order to make the playoffs — but as Tom Brady and the tuck rule remind us, legacies are generally aided by good fortune.

A few might point out that this whole conversation will change if the Chargers lose today — but that hasn’t happened.

So back to the question: Are the Chargers in good hands with Mike McCoy?

You can point to an array of example if you want to say no.

But at this point, if you look at the results, it’s hard not to say yes.