Here’s what we learned, what we heard and what comes next after the Chargers were officially eliminated from the AFC playoff race with a surprisingly competitive 24-22 loss Saturday night to the hard-charging Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium, their sixth defeat in their past seven games:

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

The Chargers seemed remarkably different under interim coach Giff Smith than they were in the final days of Brandon Staley’s tenure. The tension that had enveloped the players and coaching staff in recent weeks lifted and the Chargers seemed to be having fun again while going toe-to-toe with the Bills.

Yes, they lost.

Again.

No, they weren’t pushovers.

Again.

The Chargers didn’t seem beaten down when things didn’t go their way Saturday, as they did a little more than one week earlier during a humiliating 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. They took a punch, figuratively, and then threw one right back at the Bills, who won on a late field goal.

Were the Chargers simply good enough to lose another close game?

Yes, that’s accurate.

It was, after all, their sixth loss this season by three points or less.

It’s also true that playing well but losing is a bad habit, one the Chargers must break in the seasons to come if they are to finally fulfill the expectations of so many. Dean Spanos, the Chargers’ owner, spoke of a new vision when announcing Staley’s dismissal on the morning of Dec. 15.

A new coach, whether it’s Smith or Jim Harbaugh or Bill Belichick or whoever the Chargers end up hiring, must find a way to instill a closer’s mentality in the team. They certainly haven’t had it during the past two seasons, with Saturday’s loss to Buffalo another example of folding late in the clutch.

“Going into the game, I truly felt like they would play hard, I really did,” Smith said. “My question going into the game was how would they react the first time Buffalo punches you in the face? We go up and then Buffalo scores and it’s 14-10. That could be where you crash and burn, and they rallied and they fought.

“That’s a step in the right direction.”

The Chargers need a great many steps in the right direction between now and the start of the 2024 season next September. It’s not too early to start preparing for next season and beyond, which was why Staley and longtime general manager Tom Telesco got their walking papers Dec. 15.

SOMETHING TO PROVE

The Chargers have two weeks and two games remaining in their season. They are 5-10. They have been eliminated from the playoff race. They could end up last in the AFC West for the first time since the 2019 season. They could roll over and play dead or they could roll up their sleeves and get to work.

Players like quarterback Easton Stick, wide receiver Keenan Allen, outside linebacker Joey Bosa, running back Austin Ekeler and center Brenden Jaimes have a lot to prove in the final days of the season. Jobs, paydays and reputations are at stake as the season comes to an end.

Stick, starting in place of an injured Justin Herbert the rest of the way, can show the Chargers and other teams what he could bring to the table after waiting in the wings for his chance to play after five seasons. Jaimes is in a similar position. Allen and Bosa want to return to the lineup from injuries.

Ekeler’s days with the Chargers could be nearing an end. He’s a free agent at season’s end and there’s no guarantee a new general manager will want to re-sign him. At present, there’s also no way of knowing what kind of interest he could draw from the other 31 teams around the NFL.


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