Chargers traveled into Kansas City to play a hot Chiefs team in one of the loudest stadiums in professional sports. Just last weekend they had to travel 3000 miles to play the Jets in New Jersey, and now this? Minus Shaun Phillips, Kris Dielman, Mike Tolbert, Luis Castillo, and Bob Sanders, all lost to injuries. Was it fair to expect a win from this Chargers team? Absolutly! Why? Championship teams find ways to win games like this and in all fairness, the Bolts were a botched fumble away from the victory.
Like you, the thought of that fumble still makes me sick to my stomach, but unfortunately as a fan, we sign up for games like this. The Chargers did a great job of fighting back from an early 10-0 deficit and after the first quarter if you would have told me they would have the ball first in overtime with a chance to win, I would have taken that in a heart beat. Final score: Chiefs 23 - Chargers 20 (OT)
Good:
Eric Weddle - It amazes me that some people are still complaining about his contract. His two interceptions pushed his season total to five. Weddle also finished with seven tackles (all solo) and deflected two passes. Weddle has been fantastic this year and worth every penny the Chargers are paying him. Pro Bowl bound?
Nick Novak - Novak practically lives on this list. It should be noted that he missed his first field goal of the year, but I'm not going to blame the guy for missing a 52-yard FG after he makes four others. For three quarters Novak was the offense, connecting from 44, 44, 42, and 26 yards. It's just a shame he didn't have his chance to win the game.
Donald Butler - The Butler did it... again. Donald led the team with eight tackles (five solo) and recorded a tackle for loss. Butler was all over the place at the end of the game, when most of the defense seemed to run out of gas.
Malcom Floyd - Playing like a man possessed, Floyd turned in his second 100+ yard game of the season. In 2010 Floyd only eclipsed the century mark once, without Vincent Jackson most of the season. Seven targets, five catches, and 107 yards.
Honorable Mention: Curtis Brinkley
Bad:
Vincent Jackson - Eight targets, three catches, for 49 yards on Monday for Jackson. Over his last three games he has seven catches for 98 yards. This is not the type of production top tier receivers give. If Jackson wants to stay in San Diego and get paid, he needs to start playing like an elite receiver.
Ryan Mathews - I've had two concerns since the moment Mathews was drafted. Can he stay healthy and will he hold onto the football. For the most part Mathews has held onto the football this year, but he has been banged up most of the season. Tonight he coughed up a ball deep in Chiefs territory and in the second half he was removed with a groin injury.
Ugly:
Philip Rivers - After Rivers threw his second interception, he really seemed to get into a rhythm. 26/41 369 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions is not a terrible stat line, but I cannot over state that turning over the ball three (almost four) times is unacceptable. As encouraged as I am by Rivers' play most of the game, he is making mistakes that an elite quarterback shouldn't make against middle of the road teams.
Marcus McNeill - Of the 12 penalties on the Chargers, six of them were credited to McNeill. Four false start calls, one holding, and an illegal use of the hands added up to 40 additional yards to overcome for the Chargers offense. Tamba Hail also tallied two sacks on the day.
Schedule: After starting off 4-1, and finding a way to win games they lost in 2010, this Chargers team seems to be folding. With the Packers, Raiders, and Bears coming up, it looks like it could be a rough three weeks for Chargers fans.
That's the GBU from my end. Who made your list?