LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Chargers security Derwin James Jr.’s eyes welled up with tears as he spoke following the Chargers’ playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars two seasons in the past.
“I have been taking part in soccer for 21 years, and I ain’t ever felt like this,” he mentioned.
It was one of the vital embarrassing losses in NFL historical past, the place the Chargers blew a 27-0 result in the Jacksonville Jaguars in a 31-30 loss. Outdoors linebacker Joey Bosa misplaced his mood amid the crew’s meltdown, with three penalties together with two for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Bosa’s third penalty got here late within the fourth quarter when he slammed his helmet into the bottom in frustration after Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence accomplished a 9-yard landing move to broad receiver Christian Kirk. Bosa slammed his helmet a second time after coach Brandon Staley handed it again to him.
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Within the weeks following the loss, outdoors linebacker Khalil Mack says he mulled retirement. It was an entire humiliation of a crew and a protection that includes three of the most effective gamers at their positions — and a well-known disappointing theme for the Chargers.
James, Mack and Bosa — collectively because the 2022 season — stay the pillars of the Chargers’ protection two years later, and are additionally among the many NFL’s most embellished gamers. The trio has mixed 17 Professional Bowl choices, and every member ranks among the many highest-paid gamers at their place in NFL historical past.
But, in three seasons collectively, they’ve mixed for little crew success: zero playoff wins and a protection that entered this season having been among the many league’s worst. The latter a part of the paradigm has shifted this season, because the Chargers possessed the league’s greatest scoring protection in 2024. The wild-card playoff recreation in opposition to the Houston Texans (Saturday, 4:30 PM ET, CBS) could possibly be this triumvirate’s final shot to keep away from their time collectively being remembered as a disappointment.
“It is a kind of uncommon alternatives, uncommon conditions, the place we acquired the appropriate group of individuals collectively. What are we going to do?” Mack, 33, instructed ESPN. “We ain’t acquired no time to waste. Particularly me. We gotta win now.”
THE 2023 SEASON appeared as if it may be the top for this group. The Chargers completed 5-12, fired Staley and normal supervisor Tom Telesco, and have been greater than $50 million over the league’s wage cap.
Bosa and Mack, two of the crew’s highest-paid gamers, have been among the many most certainly candidates to be launched or traded as cap casualties. In a stunning transfer, normal supervisor Joe Hortiz finally acquired each again on lowered contracts.
Mack, who had completed with a career-high 17 sacks in probably the greatest statistical seasons of his profession, wasn’t wholly offered on returning to the Chargers. He was excited by coach Jim Harbaugh however did not wish to be part of one other five-win season. Whereas Mack mulled his choices, he and Harbaugh mentioned his future in L.A. on a telephone name.
“I ain’t making an attempt to play one other six extra years, then begin piggybacking on motherf—ers, leaping on a playoff crew and making an attempt to chase one,” Mack mentioned. “I wish to play significant soccer and I communicated that to him.”
As an alternative of a direct sure, Mack remembers Harbaugh taking a second to reply and breaking down the Chargers roster participant by participant. Harbaugh instructed Mack that they would wish six or seven “guys” [high-impact players] on all sides of the ball, and that the Chargers might get to that quantity with Mack and extra free brokers and draft picks.
Harbaugh’s candor concerning the state of the Chargers stunned Mack. The best way Harbaugh categorically defined the trail for the Chargers to contend this season helped Mack perceive why Harbaugh has been so profitable.
“He is not the kind of dude to misinform you. And I have been lied to earlier than,” Mack mentioned with a smile. “I revered it, man.”
Bosa was in a unique spot. Drafted by the Chargers in 2016, Bosa had gone from being the highest-paid defensive participant in NFL historical past in 2020 to struggling to remain wholesome. The 2023 season was one other injury-marred one through which he was restricted to 9 video games. Nonetheless, Bosa did not wish to depart the Chargers and that made for a straightforward resolution when the group requested him to take a pay minimize.
“I needed one other shot with the blokes on this room, particularly Khalil,” Bosa, 29, mentioned. “Successful soccer video games is extra necessary to me proper now than making some extra cash.”
The 28-year-old James was coming off one of many worst seasons of his profession, the primary season he had not been named a Professional Bowler when taking part in at the very least 16 video games. As he watched the offseason unfold with Chargers mainstays not returning — broad receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and operating again Austin Ekeler — James was grateful for a chance for redemption with Mack and Bosa again.
“On daily basis, I take the sphere, man, I wish to do it for Mack and Joey,” James instructed ESPN. “I do know why Mack got here again. Mack might have went anyplace bro, like he had an All-Professional yr final yr. However that is why I am making an attempt to do it — for them boys.”
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IN THE CHARGERS’ Week 16 win over the Denver Broncos, James and Mack acquired into an argument. The Broncos speeding offense had been dominating the Chargers protection, a lot in order that tv cameras caught the phrases “RUN IT” written on Broncos coach Sean Payton’s playcall sheet. James yelled at Mack for not being within the correct place on one of many many runs the Broncos rattled off. Mack yelled again with expletives, explaining that he was in the appropriate. When Mack completed, James replied, “Oh yeah. I wanted that massive bro. Let’s go.”
“I am like, ‘What the f—?'” Mack mentioned whereas laughing. “I by no means heard him say that earlier than, however I used to be like, ‘alright.'”
Whereas James’ response was stunning for Mack, the preliminary interplay wasn’t. Bosa, James, and Mack usually yell at one another for errors in video games or apply, which they are saying units a regular throughout the protection that the Chargers have not all the time had.
“We all know the place we wish to be and people uncomfortable moments are going to make us particular,” James mentioned. “I have been on groups the place you may’t say sure issues to sure gamers. That is half of the battle proper there. In case you ain’t doing it proper, anyone goes to let you already know.”
“It is simply good to have the ability to be happy in speaking with the group,” Bosa mentioned. “You do not have to stroll on eggshells or watch out to name anyone out or do something like that. You are shut while you may give one another their laborious time and all simply snigger about it collectively.”
James would go on to make one of many greatest performs of the sport shortly after his dispute with Mack. With the Chargers down 24-19 and 1:32 remaining within the third quarter, James delivered a thundering hit to Broncos operating again Javonte Williams that pressured a punt. Mack mentioned he realized in that recreation that James “wants you to cuss him out a little bit bit.”
Although it took Mack three seasons to be taught concerning the constructive impression of cursing James out, they every have a normal thought of what motivates one another. For Bosa, it may be Mack speaking trash about opponents being higher than Bosa. For Mack, it could possibly be something from a query from a reporter to quotes from gamers on different groups.
One which stands out to Mack this yr was in Week 3 when the Chargers performed the Steelers. Within the days main as much as the sport, Pittsburgh sort out Dan Moore Jr. instructed reporters that Mack was a “strong rusher.”
“I am like, ‘Guess. He forgot who I’m?’ [I] cooked his ass,” mentioned Mack, who had a sack and a season-high 5 quarterback pressures within the recreation.
To this point, this has been the trio’s greatest season collectively. The Chargers completed with the NFL’s greatest scoring protection, permitting 17.7 factors per recreation, the primary time they’ve reached that feat because the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. James has returned to his place as one of many high safeties within the NFL, with a career-high 5.5 sacks this season, incomes his fourth Professional Bowl choice. Mack and Bosa have battled accidents this season and do not have the gaudy stats they’ve had in previous years, however Mack has at the very least six sacks for the tenth season in his profession and was named to his ninth Professional Bowl. Bosa performed in probably the most video games (14) since Mack arrived in Los Angeles and has 5 sacks this season.
“Everybody needs to make it proper by them, make them proud,” quarterback Justin Herbert mentioned of the veteran defenders.
The Chargers will probably be in the same spot on the season’s conclusion to the one they have been in final season, with the choice of shifting on from Mack and Bosa. Mack will probably be a free agent and Bosa can have yr left on his contract with no assured wage. This playoff run could possibly be their final shot at undertaking the aim of a Tremendous Bowl that they’ve set out and didn’t do the earlier three seasons.
“We take pleasure in being the most effective man,” James mentioned. “That is my fourth Professional Bowl. I been All-Professional. I achieved been the very best paid security within the league. I am making an attempt to win a Tremendous Bowl. I wish to win a Tremendous Bowl.”
