With Philip Rivers’ Super Bowl window closing, Chargers must improve – Los Angeles Chargers Blog

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Los Angeles Chargers exceeded anticipations by ending the normal season 12-4 and achieving the postseason for the initial time since 2013.

They proved resilient, winning 9 straight game titles just after boarding a aircraft right before currently being humbled by the New England Patriots 41-28 on Sunday in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs.

“We got our butts kicked today,” Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn stated. “But this — we can understand a lot from this year, this season, from 1 one more.

“It really is not a cozy instant for us, for absolutely sure, but I imagine in these instances, we can understand a lot about ourselves, and we can increase and be a improved particular person, a improved teammate and a improved coach.”

Accidents and inconsistent play ultimately caught up with the Chargers.

This 1 was more than early. The Chargers trailed 28-7 with 6:04 still left — in the initial 50 % — and in no way actually designed a video game of it.

The Patriots scored touchdowns on their initial four possessions. For every ESPN Stats & Information, no workforce has carried out that in the playoffs since the Indianapolis Colts in the 2003 wild-card round in opposition to the Buffalo Charges. The Colts won that video game 41-10.

“You can rely on the Patriots executing flawlessly,” defensive close Isaac Rochell stated. “They’re not heading to make dumb penalties. They’re heading to have a very good video game plan. And if you you should not demonstrate up and are ready to play, they’re heading to defeat you.

“They’re a very good workforce that performed actually perfectly today. They outplayed us today, and the scoreboard confirmed that.”

Rivers dropped his document to -3 in playoff game titles for which the temperature is below freezing and 1-5 in these kinds of game titles all time. He is now -8 in opposition to Tom Brady‘s Patriots, which include -3 in the postseason.

Rivers is just not finding any more youthful. He is 37 years previous, and his agreement is up just after the 2019 season. He has stated he needs to be around when the Chargers open the Inglewood Stadium in 2020. But the workforce has some get the job done to do if it needs to get to a Super Bowl even though Rivers is even now around.

For starters, the Chargers have to revamp a linebackers device ravaged by injuries, with starters Denzel Perryman (knee), Kyzir White (knee) and Jatavis Brown (ankle) all ending the normal season on the wounded reserve checklist.

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley did a very good job of changing on the fly, proficiently applying 7 defensive backs in an AFC wild-card acquire more than the Baltimore Ravens. But with two months to get ready, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick confirmed why he is 1 of the greatest to coach in the NFL. The Patriots ran suitable at the Chargers’ small lineup to the tune of 155 hurrying yards.

The Chargers also have to boost the offensive line to improved defend Rivers and continually run the football. They managed just 19 hurrying yards in opposition to the Patriots.

“We make on it by recognizing what our strengths actually are, what will make us actually very good and actually honing in on the aspects of that,” still left deal with Russell Okung stated. “Just one issue I know about this workforce: These fellas are heading to continue on to desire a lot of 1 one more and of ourselves.

“As extended as we continue on to capture that all through the offseason, [we] will continue on to be on the suitable route.”