The Los Angeles Chargers are in a tough position entering Week 12. Struggling to keep their playoff hopes alive at 4-6, they take on the 8-3, AFC-leading Baltimore Ravens at home in a game they cannot afford to lose. With all the talent on this Chargers team, there’s no good reason for them to be two games under .500 and bringing up the rear in the AFC West.
Legendary Hall of Fame head coach Jimmy Johnson said in that clip what everyone, including some players in LA, are likely thinking. It’s time for the Chargers to make a change at head coach. All this talent and he can’t get these guys to play the way they should for him, so his time seems to be up.
Today’s matchup against Baltimore will reveal much about how Staley’s players feel. Will they go out and fight for his job? Or will they play like they have for most of this year: with a lack of effort, no sense of urgency, or accountability? All that reflects poorly on Staley, and Johnson summarized all of it.
Staley’s squad can’t get it together and continues to lose close games. The Chargers have a positive point differential (+21), yet they’re two games under .500. You have a defensive head coach in Staley whose defense has given up the fourth-most total yards in the NFL and second-most yards per game. As prolific as this offense can be, they can’t seem to settle down and function properly in late-game situations.
Johnson may need to come out of retirement to coach the Chargers. While that’s highly unlikely, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that there will be changes in L.A. if the Chargers miss out on the postseason. You can’t continue to waste these valuable years for Justin Herbert on a coach you’re unsure of.
Should the Chargers miss the playoffs, that’ll be one appearance in four years for Herbert. And in that one postseason game, the Chargers fumbled a 27-point lead to the Jaguars and were eliminated in the wild card round. Some thought Staley should’ve been out after that, but making the playoffs was an improvement.
To regress the way they have this season has to fall on someone. And that someone is usually the head coach. There’s a rumor floating around that Bill Belichick could be available in a couple of months. If this becomes true, the Chargers need to drop everything and go all in on the GOAT.
