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“Absolute Best-Absolute Worst-Outcome Chargers”

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It was as good as a team could play, the first half of yesterday’s Chargers-Chiefs game in Kansas City.

The Bolts won all three phases of the game, running and throwing on offense, blitzing and stuffing the Chiefs on defense, and making big kicks along the way.

And then it all ended.

A team dominating with a (24-3) lead saw it go away once WR-Keenan Allen went down with a season-ending knee injury.

They held KC to (105Y) in the first half. The Bolts defense stuffed the Chiefs, 12-plays of 1-yard or less. They stuffed the run, they banged around QB-Alex Smith.

On offense, it was vintage Chargers football, throwing down the field, running Melvin Gordon and Danny Woodhead. Almost scoring at will.

And then it was over.

Allen ran a hook pattern, and his right knee buckled without contact with anyone. You could tell it was bad, by how long he was on his back. You could tell how serious it was when he was crying on the cart taking him off the field.

And thus ended the Chargers bid to end this nasty AFC-West losing streak, which is now at 9-games, and a 5-game losing binge at Arrowhead Stadium.

Once Allen left, so did the offense. No game breakers. No Melvin Gordon sightings late in the third and 4th quarters. No Antonio Gates. Not much offense. And a poor kicking game.

The Chargers, on their final 5-possessions had a total of 104-yards in offense. Kansas City meanwhile reeled off 220-yards on their final 4-possessions, all that ended up in scoring drives.

Across the ball, the defense died too. Spencer Ware and Chand West ran roughshod over what appeared to be a fatigued defense. Alex Smith started running read options, and started hitting plays down the field.

And the special teams went sour too. Missed field goal. A horrible 17-yard punt. And an offside on a kickoff.

Somebody on that sideline forgot about Melvin Gordon. He had 4-touches in the final five possesions of the game, after a strong first half.

The young defense could not hold up. Blown off the ball at the line. A linebacking corps that could not cover. A disappearing act by the outside linebackers too.

What if Allen had not been hurt?

What if lst round pick Joey Bosa had not held out, and was game ready? Do you think he would have helped stuff the run? Put more pressure on Smith the quarterback? Helped shore up what became a leaky defense?

It only counts as one loss sure. But when you have the chance to win at Arrowhead, you must, for those chances come once in awhile, like an (8-19) record in KC since 1990.

The Chargers must regroup, but now they have lost their top 2-veteran receivers, and a tight end, so some of the weapons are gone from the arsenal. Now they are younger and younger at the skill receiving positions.

And the defense is really young, especially at the depth positions in the front seven.

It was as good as you could play in the opening half. It was the worst you could see happen the back half.

Thinking the Chargers are on their way back. Not seeing it right now with all the problems they are dealing with.

But that’s why they pay him the big money. Mike McCoy must now “coach’em up”, regardless of age-youth-experience-inexperience-draft status.” Need to see young guys become the best, so we don’t have to look at the worst.

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