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Thoughts on the 2016 Chargers: Part 2

The 2nd part of Aaron’s final thoughts on the season

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

If you didn’t check out my last article, check it out here. I went over practically all of the offseason, and I’ll continue this post with my thoughts on the actual season.

Injuries

Before the Chargers even played a regular season game, they had already lost Stevie Johnson, Branden Oliver, Jeff Cumberland, and Donavon Clark. I might be missing some, but those are the main ones.

At this point, despite the injuries that happened in the preseason and in the offseason, the Chargers looked to be in good shape. The Chargers could afford the loss of Stevie Johnson because of the signing of Travis Benjamin and the emergence of Tyrell Williams. The Chargers also didn’t have much reason to worry about the Branden Oliver injury because Danny Woodhead was back and looking as good as ever. The other two were only projected to play in spots, so they weren’t worrisome.

Regular Season

Week one is when my hope was broken. Seeing Keenan Allen tear his ACL and cry as he was carted off the field will always be seared into my mind. The Chargers were beating a very good Chiefs team, but as soon as Keenan Allen was taken out, the Chargers lost all the wind in their sails. They blew that game, and I knew that this Chargers team was soft.

Week 2, Danny Woodhead tore his ACL against the Jaguars, and the Chargers knew they were screwed at the RB position. The only reliable guy at RB was still an unproven guy named Melvin Gordon who had been borderline terrible in his first season.

Week 3, Manti Te’o went down. The captain of the defense was now gone. Week 4, Jason Verrett. Caraun Reid went down against the Falcons. Brandon Mebane was knocked out for the season against the Dolphins. The Houston Texans knocked out Jerry Attaochu for the season. December 11th claimed Brandon Flowers and Craig Mager. Week 15 took Kenneth Farrow. In total, the Chargers ended the season with 20 players on IR, and considering Melvin Gordon wasn’t able to play the last 3 weeks, you could count 21 players. Out of those, 9 were starters. How are you supposed to win with just under half of your starters lost to injury?

The Chargers were 4-6 at the bye, won one against the Texans, and lost the remaining 5. That is absolutely pathetic, but I knew after the Buccaneers game that the Chargers did not have what it took to make the playoffs. Not only were their chances so slim, but they were unable to finish most games this season. They lost 9 games where the score was separated by a touchdown or less. THAT is why Mike McCoy was fired. I’m sure if the team was not competitive, Tom Telesco would have been understanding, considering the majority of the best players on the Chargers were all hurt. The fact that the Chargers were in almost every single game they played makes it sting a little more.

The Chargers may finally be done toying with San Diego, and will more than likely try to move this offseason. If reports are true, that will be hard, considering some sources say that the Coliseum refuses to let the Chargers play there. It’s probably because the Chargers couldn’t come close to filling it. Maybe the Chargers can look to the Rose Bowl as a last ditch effort. It seems like no one wants them, and based on the feeble amount of fans who actually were buying tickets to the games, their fan base is dwindling for multiple reasons.

If the Chargers leave for LA, good riddance. I’ll still be a fan, but I will be glad that the B.S. lies and propaganda against San Diego will stop. I’m thoroughly upset with how the Chargers operated as a team, and overall as an organization. Calling the Browns the muck of the NFL would be incorrect.

The Chargers are the worst team in the NFL (they lost to the previously winless Browns), and they are the worst run organization in the NFL, by far.

Get it together Chargers, or you might lose everyone who roots for you.