Chargers miss playoffs, lose to Chiefs
Chargers General Manager Tom Telesco stood Sunday at the door to the locker room, each player walking off the field, up the tunnel and to him in silence.
The door is his post after a game, win or lose.
He stood and, with team president Dean Spanos feet away doing the same, shook the hand of every last Chargers player, every last coach, one last time.
The season was over.
Only a win at Arrowhead Stadium would do for San Diego to see the playoffs next weekend. It never led, the offense’s only score in the second half overturned, as the year closed with a 19-7 defeat to the Chiefs.
There were no smiles, walking through that door.
There was pride to be had.
“There’s nothing to hang our heads about in the locker room,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “We fought to the end, all 16 of them.”
“This team gave it all they’ve got 60 minutes for the last 17 weeks,” coach Mike McCoy said. “I can promise you that.”
Outside linebacker and defensive co-captain Jarret Johnson dismissed the notion that injures caught up to the team. He called such talk “cowardly” given how this group has spited its shortcomings this season.
It did so in Baltimore on Nov. 30.
It did so in Santa Clara a week ago.
For a moment Sunday, it seemed it might again.
In the fourth quarter, Rivers found wide receiver Eddie Royal in the end zone for a 3-yard score that, with an extra point, would’ve cut the deficit to 19-14 with more than eight minutes remaining. Upon review, it was determined the ball touched the ground when coming loose in Royal’s hands as he secured the catch
Call overturned. Incompletion.
On the next play, Royal leapt on a fade route and was contacted before the ball arrived. No pass interference was called. Royal suffered a concussion on the hard landing and did not return.
Rivers tried for a well-covered Gates on the ensuing snap, and the Chargers turned it over on downs.
They reached the Chiefs’ red zone three times in the fourth quarter. They turned the ball over on downs twice before an interception on the season’s final play.
The man at the door will be busy.
His season, the offseason, begins now.
There were reminders Sunday to the work ahead, 16 games worth of physical toll to a once-sprightly roster that, after an admirable fight, now needs replenishing. Health will bring back some, like wide receiver Keenan Allen, center Chris Watt, running back Danny Woodhead, cornerback Jason Verrett and punter Mike Scifres.
It won’t bring back all.
Running back Ryan Mathews will recover from an ankle injury that sidelined him the past three games, but he is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March. Royal, cornerback Brandon Flowers, left tackle King Dunlap, cornerback Shareece Wright and safety Marcus Gilchrist started Sunday and also are impending free agents.
Rivers was sacked seven times.
Six came in a span of 13 dropbacks from the first to third quarter, a fumble lost and interception also in the period.
He was without playmakers due to injury. Up front, Trevor Robinson was the fifth center to start for the Chargers (9-7) this year. Donald Brown had no room on a fourth-and-1 run that was stopped for no gain.
Time will heal some of those wounds up front.
For others, it will take Tom.
He has the No. 17 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. He has some cap space with which to work, the official total not available until the league cap number is set around late February.
His season starts now.
Kansas City Chiefs 19, San Diego Chargers 7
Arrowhead Stadium, 12/28/2014
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